Page 17 - Demo

Pilate went out again to the Jews and said, %u201cI find no basis for a charge against him. %u2026 Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'? They shouted back, %u2018No, not him!%u2019 %u2026 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head.%u201d (John 18:38-19:2).Compiler%u2019s Comment: Preparations for the scourging (flogging) were carried out when the Prisoner was stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post above His head. It is doubtful the Romans would have made any attempt to follow the Jewish law in this matter, but the Jews had an ancient law prohibiting more than forty lashes. End Comment.%u201cFinally, Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So, the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others %u2014 one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, %u2018Do not write %u2018The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.%u2019 Pilate answered, %u2018What I have written, I have written.%u2019%u201d (John 19:16-22).%u201cFrom the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, %u2018Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?%u2019 - which means, %u2018My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?%u2019 %u2026 When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, %u2018Surely he was the Son of God!%u2019%u201d (Matthew 27:45-46, 50-54).Compiler%u2019s Comment: John adds %u201cLater, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, %u2018I am thirsty.%u2019 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, %u2018It is finished.%u2019 With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.%u201d (John 19:28-30). End Comment.Compiler%u2019s Comment: The curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy --where God%u2019s presence was before the Babylon captivity-- was torn from top to bottom allowing every Jew to see and have access to the Holy of Holies. It is significant that the curtain was torn from the top indicating not done by man. End Comment.