The Greatest Love Story Ever Told
THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF JESUS
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told
THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF JESUS
It was nearly nine o’clock on Friday morning when Jesus was led out of the city to be crucified. He had to carry His own cross a part of the way, but later on a man on the way was ordered to carry it for Jesus.
A large crowd followed Jesus, and many of the women cried aloud. Turning to the crying women, Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. The days are coming when you will wish that your children had never been born, and that the mountains and hills would hide you from the trouble your eyes shall see.”
There were two thieves who were to be crucified this same day, and they also were in the procession. They all marched out through the city gate to the place called Calvary, and there the cruel work was done. Jesus was nailed to the cross which stood in the middle, and the thieves were placed one on Jesus’ right side and one on His left.
Jesus did not speak until the cross was being lifted; then He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Soldiers were left to guard the crosses; but these men felt no pity, and began at once to cast lots to see what share each might have of the clothes which had been taken from the men who were being crucified.
A title, or sign, had been written to place over each cross, telling what the man’s name was, and what wicked thing he had done. Over the cross of Jesus, Pilate had put this sign: “Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.” This was written in three different languages, so that everyone could read it. When the rulers of the Children of Israel saw this sign, they were not willing to have it stay there, and went to Pilate, saying, “The sign is wrong. Write not The king of the Jews, but that he said, I am the king of the Jews.” But Pilate had done all he wanted to for them, and would not change it.
People came from the city to see what was going on, and, as they passed by, mocked Jesus, saying, “If you are the Son of God come down from the cross.”
The chief priests and scribes smiled as they said, “He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he is the king of Israel let him come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let his Father save him now, if he is the Son of God.”
The soldiers also mocked Jesus, offering Him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
One of the thieves at Jesus’ side repeated what he heard the others say, and said to Jesus, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.”
The other thief was ashamed of that thief and told him to stop, saying, “It is right that we should be punished, for we have been wicked men, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
This thief then turned to Jesus and said, “Lord, will you remember me when you come into your kingdom?"
And Jesus answered him and said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”
The enemies of Jesus were not the only ones who stayed near Him; some women drew near the cross, and among them was Mary, Jesus’ mother. Mary stood by John, and seeing them standing together, Jesus said to His mother, “Behold your son.”
And to John, “Behold your mother.”
John knew by this that Jesus wanted him to take care of Mary. From that hour John took Mary, the mother of Jesus, to his home, and cared for her.
It was now a little after twelve o’clock, the time when the sun should have been shining more brightly than it had shone all day. But it began to be dark, and for three hours the darkness of night was over the land. The afternoon passed away, and every moment brought greater pain to Jesus. It was dark all around Jesus; there was no one to comfort Him. It seemed as if even Jesus’ Father in heaven had left Him, and Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Hearing Jesus say this, some of the people who stood by said, “He is calling for Elias; let him alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.”
One of the words Jesus used was Eloi, which sounded a little like the word Elias. A few minutes passed, and Jesus said, “I thirst.” Some kind friend dipped a sponge in sour wine and pressed it to Jesus’ lips. When Jesus had taken it, He cried out, “It is finished.”
Just a moment later Jesus added, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
Jesus’ sufferings were now over; His earthly life was now ended; His spirit had gone to be with His Father in heaven.
Just then there was a great earthquake; the earth shook, great rocks were broken in pieces, a great noise was heard, and the graves were opened. The curtain in the temple, which separated the two rooms, and was never lifted except on the great Day of Atonement, was torn top to bottom.
When the soldier who was on guard at the cross saw what was done, he said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
The people who had come from Jerusalem to see the crucifixion, were afraid, and returned to the city. The friends of Jesus stood afar off, filled with sadness and wonder.
Seven times Jesus had spoken while He was on the cross. These are today called “The Seven Words from the Cross.” They have been printed differently from the rest, in the last few pages, so that you may see just what they were. Notice, that there is not one word of anger against those who had made Jesus suffer so much, and that three of them were words of kindness. Could we be as loving and kind if we were being made to suffer so much?
There were two men in the Sanhedrin who had tried to save Jesus, because they believed all Jesus said to them; one was Nicodemus, and the other was a rich man by the name of Joseph. Soon after Jesus died, Joseph went to Pilate, and begged that he might have the body. Pilate first called to him the soldier who had guarded the cross, to ask him whether Jesus was surely dead, because sometimes people who were crucified lived and suffered for many days. But the crowd and rulers of the Children of Israel had been anxious that these bodies should not hang on the cross on Saturday, the coming Sabbath day, which began around six o'clock Friday evening, and which was especially holy to the Children of Israel at this time, because of the Passover. The soldiers had broken the legs of the thieves so they would die quicker. But the soldiers had passed Jesus by, because they saw that He was already dead. The soldier whom Pilate called to him knew that it was truly so, because he had himself put a spear through Jesus’ side. The soldier had done this because, if they had made a mistake, and Jesus was not dead, the soldiers might lose their own lives.
So Pilate gave the body of Jesus to Joseph. Joseph had a new tomb cut out of the rock, which had never been used. Nicodemus helped Joseph carry the body of Jesus, and, after wrapping it in pure white linen and some sweet smelling spices, which Nicodemus brought, they lovingly laid Jesus’ body in the tomb, rolled a big stone against the door, and went away.
The women, who had been watching all day, waited till they saw where Jesus was laid, and then went to their homes to prepare spices and perfumes. Nothing more could be done until after Saturday, the Sabbath day. The disciples were careful to do nothing on the Sabbath day that the Children of Israel could find fault with; and, too, they knew that God had commanded that no work should be done on the Sabbath day, when it could be helped; but that it should be kept holy to God.
The Sanhedrin were not yet fully satisfied, and went to Pilate, to ask another favor. They said to Pilate, Sir, we remember that this deceitful man said, while he was yet alive, ‘After three days, I will rise again.’ What we want to ask now is that soldiers guard the tomb where he is laid until after the third day, for fear that his disciples will come in the night and steal the body away, and then say to the people, ‘He is risen from the dead.’ That would be worse than anything that has happened up to now.
Pilate, who was willing that the tomb should be guarded, said, “You can have watchmen; go and make things as safe as you can.”
Off they went to the tomb, to see that everything was done right; they left soldiers to guard the tomb, and sealed the stone which was before the door to the tomb in such a way that it could not be moved without breaking the seal. Anyone who did that would be severely punished by law.
