Breezin’ Through the Bible # 26, Crucified!
Crucified!
When Judas realized what he had done to condemn Jesus, he threw down the coins he had been given and hanged himself.
Pilate had no wish to kill Jesus. Jesus had done nothing wrong, and the Jews were often troublesome. He wanted to get the matter over with and have lunch. He handed Jesus back to the Jews, saying they could release him if they wished as it was customary to release one prisoner condemned to death on the Passover. Then he washed his hands. The crowd at this time consisted mainly of Romans and the Jewish priests who demanded they release Barabbas, a convicted criminal who had taken part in an uprising. Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged, severely beaten with whips. Soldiers put a crown of thorns upon his head and cast lots for his clothing. A man from Cyrene, an African, was forced to help carry the cross to the small hill called the Skull, Golgotha, where criminals were nailed to crosses to die. Jesus was nailed to the cross.
It was noon, but darkness descended until three in the afternoon, and the earth shook and the curtain of the temple was torn in two, rocks split, and tombs broke open. Jesus said his last words, “It is finished.”
The soldiers and people watching said, “Surely, he was the Son of God.”
– to be contd.
