Matthew 27:24-4424When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 25Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. 26Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. 27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 28And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 31And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. 32And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. 33And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, 34They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. 35And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. 36And sitting down they watched him there; 37And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. 39And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 40And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 44The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. (Matthew 27:24‑44)
LED ON by their guilty leaders the Jews persevere in their enmity against Jesus and raise a tumult crying, “Let Him be crucified.” The Roman governor, though bound to protect one whom he knew to be an innocent and just man, was nevertheless a man with little conscience and one who, in the pride of careless greatness, despised all those that surrounded him there. His own position and the peace of the city were worth more to him than a poor man of no human importance, no matter how just He might be. So in cruel indifference he washes his hands of the whole matter and puts the responsibility of the death of Jesus on those who desired it.
The poor Jews answer, “His blood be on us, and on our children,” and there that curse remains. In a coming day sovereign grace will work in the hearts of a little remnant who will own the sin they committed. Grace will then change the blood of the curse into the blood of expiation. The blood they shed will be that which will cleanse them from their very sin in shedding it. We are saved through this same grace now for that blood washes whiter than snow every sinner that believes in Jesus.
Pilate released Barabbas, and hang had Jesus scourged he delivered him to be crucified. Pilate had set the example and the soldiers now subject the blessed Lord to the very worst insult and outrage. In mockery they strip Him and put on Him a scarlet robe — which signifies Jewish royalty; they put a crown of thorns on His head and a reed in His right hand, and bong before Him, hailed Him, King of the Jews. “And they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head.” Then they put His own clothes on Him and led Him away to crucify Him. The bulls of Bashan were there and these dogs surrounded the Saviour (Psalm 22), yet He bore it all without a murmur — He was the patient, suffering victim. On the way they compel one, Simon a Cyrenian, to bear His cross — something they would not do themselves. Finally they come to Golgotha, “a place of a skull” — symbol of man’s empty intelligence when the world’s leaders unite — both Jew and Gentile — to put to death their Creator, the blessed Son of God.
Arrived at Calvary the soldiers offer Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall, the purpose of which was to make the victim less sensitive to suffering, but the Lord refuses such relief. He would drink the cup the Father had given Him in peaceful submission and would know its whole bitterness.
They crucified the Lord at the third hour, which, we believe, would be nine o’clock in the morning. They parted His garments, casting lots for them, “And sitting down they watched Him there.” Furthermore the accusation laid against Him Pilate caused to be written over His cross, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” Then to add further insult two robbers were crucified along with Him, one on each hand with Jesus in the midst.
The awful state of the unhappy priests is seen in their mocking Him and saying, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.” The thieves also joined in railing on Him.
In those first three hours man did his worst to insult and degrade the Son of God. Then God, as it were, drew a veil over the whole scene.
ML-03/17/1963