The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…” John 1: 29, NKJV
Dear Lord, please send us Your Holy Spirit to speak words of life to us; in Jesus’ name; Amen
Friday. Today the Passover Lamb will be sacrificed. It is the day of preparation – tomorrow is the Sabbath. Whatever the religious leaders are going to do, they must “do quickly.” They are aware of this; so they had Jesus arrested last night while He was in the garden with His disciples, and brought to a pre-trial (Matthew 26: 57). This is illegal. No trial takes place in the night, according to their laws.
Besides, the Sanhedrin, their religious-judicial-administrative, ruling body, was not in session at the time. They are passing judgment upon Jesus, and seeking a verdict, without a hearing! This is so wrong (John 7: 51)! The Sanhedrin can sentence no one to death. Therefore, they need to come up with charges that the Roman authorities will consider sufficiently threatening, to condemn Christ to death! They are seeking nothing less than the death penalty (59). But they also need a crime sufficiently offensive to the Sanhedrin that they too, can recommend, death. Among themselves they need a concensus, so they will not be summoning Nicodemus, or, Joseph of Arimathea, to the hearing.
Jesus is brought before Pilate. Poor weak, vacilating, Pilate. He is impressed by Jesus’ deportment. He is kind, yet stately as a king. No trace of a criminal is detected in the Savior. Pilate’s wife is given a dream to warn him that this is a “just Man” (Matthew 27: 19), and to have nothing to do with his condemnation. Nevertheless, though Pilate finds no fault in the Savior, He has Him scourged, before turning Him over to the Jews for crucifixion. No amount of water will be sufficient to wash away the blood of the innocent Son of God, from Pilate’s hands (Matthew 27: 24). He eventually takes his own life (The Desire of Ages, p. 651).
When Pilate found out that Jesus was a Galilean, he sent him to Herod for judgment This is the same Herod that had John the Baptist beheaded. When he heard of Jesus, he thought that it was John the Baptist returned from the dead (Matthew 14: 2). He had heard a lot about the Savior, and was eager to meet Him. He desired to have Him work a miracle . But there would be no miracle for Herod, who would later join with the mob to humiliate, and inflict cruelty, upon the Savior, before sending Him back to Pilate (Luke 23: 6-12).
Caiaphas was the high priest that year; therefore, he was head of the Sanhedrin. His envy of Jesus is such, that he does everything in his power to ensure the death of the Savior. He prophecies that “it was expedient that one man should die for the people” (John 18: 14). He, along with the other religious leaders would lead the mob in demanding the blood of the Savior. “Crucify Him, they shouted” (John 19: 6). “Let His blood be upon us and our children” (Matthew 27: 25). In declaring that “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19: 15), they were renouncing God, and claiming Satan as their leader (The Desire of Ages, pp. 650, 651). These decisions, both the leaders, and the people, would live to regret!
Emaciated, bleeding, tired, spit upon, bruised, mocked, and abandoned by His closest friends, the Savior must now bear the cross, and climb the hill of Calvary. The cross that was made for Barabbas was placed upon the bleeding shoulder of My Savior (The Desire of Ages, p. 654). A crown of thorns was platted and placed upon His precious brow. But He uttered not a word. “Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown?” Isaac Watts (The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, p. 154). He falls beneath the load; and there is no volunteer to help Him bear the cross. Simon of Cyrene is returning from the countryside and hears the shouts of the mob. He sees the Savior beneath the load of the cross. His heart goes out to Him in sympathy. They lay hold of him, and places Christ’s cross upon his shoulders (Luke 23: 26). He would forever be grateful for the honor of having borne the cross of the Savior (The Desire of Ages, p. 655).
Up the hill to Calvary. They place Him upon the cross and drive the nails through His hands and feet, then abruptly lifts the cross and forces it into the ground. Every movement causes unutterable pain. He is placed between two thieves who dare Him to come down from the cross and save Himself, and them. Until the eyes of one is opened and He realizes that He is in the presence of God: “Remember me when…” “Today, I make a promise to you, that I will…” (39-43). Had the Savior come down and saved His own life, He could not have saved us. His love kept Him upon the cross. Hallelujah! He refused to benumb His senses by drinking the vinegar that is offered to Him… He looks with undying love upon His mother… Soon He breathes His last; in complete victory (46)! He has finished the work He came to do! Praise God! The soldiers cannot believe He has died so soon! Not one bone has been broken (John 19: 33, 36), because He is the Lamb of God, the perfect, Passover Lamb. No more innocent lambs need to die, “the once and forever” Sacrifice has been offered (Matthew 27: 51; Hebrews 10: 12)! They pierce His side with a spear, just to make sure He is dead; and out of it flows water and blood (John 19: 34, 35); evidence that He died of a broken heart. One of these days, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced” (37).
“Oh what a Savior is mine, In Him God’s mercies combine; His love can never decline, and He loves me!”
Note: Next Friday we will talk about Christ’s seven last words.