THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF JESUS CHRIST

THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF JESUS CHRIST

After Pilate had released Jesus to be crucified, his soldiers took him (Jesus) to the governor’s palace and everybody gathered round about him. The stripped off his clothes and put a scarlet robe on him, they made a crown of thorn and placed it on his head, gave him a stick and started making fun of him that “long live the king of the Jews” they said. After this they removed the scarlet robe from him and gave him his clothes. They led him out to crucify him.
As they were going, they met Simon Cyrene and forced him to help Jesus carry his heavy cross. They later came to a place called Golgotha which means “The place of skull”. At Golgotha, the soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter substance to drink. But when he tasted it, he didn’t like it and so he refused to drink it. They crucified Jesus by laying him on the cross and hammering nails into his hands and feet. The crucifixion took place at the third hour (about 9a.m). He felt the pains of the nails on his flesh. They then divided his clothes among them by casting lots. On the top of the cross was written “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews”.
Two robbers were crucified with him one on His right and the other on His left. Passers-by ridiculed Him saying, ‘Aha! You, who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself and come down from the cross’. The chief priests and scribes also mocked him, saying, ‘He saved others; ha cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe’. Even one of the robbers who were crucified with Him mocked him.

SEVEN STATEMENTS OF JESUS ON THE CROSS
The words on the cross are the seven statements which were uttered by Jesus on the cross before he died. They are:
1st Statement – ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ (Luke 23:34)
2nd Statement – ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise’. (Luke 23:43)
3rd Statement – ‘Woman, behold your son; Son, behold your mother’. (John 19:27).
4th Statement – ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani’ meaning, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46)
5th Statement – ‘I thirst’. (John 19:20).
6th Statement – ‘it is finished’. (John 19:30)
7th Statement – ‘Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit’. (Luke 23:46)

The significance of Jesus suffering on the cross shows that suffering is part of human life. we shall all experience suffering in life and the experience of Jesus on the cross prepares us for the unpleasant side of life.

EVALUATION:

  1. What is the meaning of Golgotha?
  2. What were the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th statements of Jesus Christ on the cross?