How Jesus Suffered For Us

Jesus was arrested and suffered the following, according to the scriptures:

Matthew 26: 59-60:

“The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put Him to death.  But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.”

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The beatings Jesus suffered before He was crucified

“The high priest said to Him, ‘I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.’

‘Yes, it is as you say,’  Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.  What do you think?’

‘He is worthy of death,’ they answered.

Then they spit in His face and struck Him with their fists. Others slapped Him and said, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit You? “ Matthew 26:63-68

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Mark 14: 64-65 reads:

“They all condemned Him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at Him; they blindfolded Him, struck Him with their fists, and said, ‘Prophesy!’

And the guards took Him and beat Him.”

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Then, they handed Jesus over to the Romans.  Governor Pilate wanted to release Him, but the people cried, “Crucify Him!” over and over again. (Read Matthew 27:15-23)

^“Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him,  and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said. They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again. After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him.  Matthew 27:27-31

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Mark 15:15:

 ^“Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.”

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The Insults at His Crucifixion

^“When they had crucified Him, they divided up His clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. Above His head they placed the written charge against Him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on His right and one on His left.  Those who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!’

In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked Him. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but He can’t save Himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue Him now if He wants Him, for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ In the same way the robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him.”  Matthew 27:35-44

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Luke 23: 32-43:

 “Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed.  When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him, along with the criminals—one on His right, the other on His left.  Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him. They said, ‘He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’

The soldiers also came up and mocked Him. They offered Him wine vinegar and said, ‘If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.’

There was a written notice above Him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: ‘Aren’t You the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’

But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this Man has done nothing wrong.’

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.^‘

Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.’ ”

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Jesus Dies, Nailed to the Cross

^“From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.  About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’—which means, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, ‘He’s calling Elijah.’

Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.  The rest said, ‘Now leave Him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him.’

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit.”  Matthew 27:45-50 (Also Mark15:33-37)

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^“It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,  for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”  When He had said this, He breathed his last. ” Luke 23:44-46

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John 19:28-37 reads:

 ^“Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’  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, ‘It is finished.’  With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.

The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break His legs.  Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.

These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: ‘Not one of His bones will be broken,’  and, as another scripture says, ‘They will look on the One they have pierced.’ “

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A Poem

You Kept Silent

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To avoid the cross,

Sweet Jesus,

You could have ran;

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You could have said

You weren’t the Christ,

but just a man.

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You could have

called the angels

to come rescue You;

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But, You kept silent

and did what

you had to do.

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You could have

cried for mercy, Lord,

but You did not;

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You could have

saved Yourself

and came down from that cross;

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You could have

defied Your Father’s will,

couldn’t You?

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But, You kept silent

and did what

You had to do.

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Constance V. Walden

“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter,  and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.” Isaiah 53:7

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