Jesus's Death and Burial

Continuing a Bible study of the gospels:

(Matthew 27:33) And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

In the last post, Jesus had begun His journey to His crucifixion site, with Simon, a man of Cyrene, carrying His cross.  They came to a place called Golgotha, which literally meant "skull."  It is believed that it was a place of unburied skulls and bones of criminals.  

(34) They gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall; and when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

They gave Jesus a sour wine mixed with something bitter, and He tasted it, but then would not drink it.  By tasting it, it seems He would have drunk it if it was good to ease thirst.  The account in Mark said they offered Him wine mingled with myrrh, which would have been bitter, too.  The significance of that is that wine mixed with myrrh was given to prisoners to intoxicate them to make them less sensible to pain.  Jesus apparently refused anything to dull His senses and thus the pain, preferring to drink the "cup" His Father gave Him.

(35) And 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 for My clothing they cast lots."

The Roman soldiers then crucified Christ, meaning they went through the actions of nailing Him to the cross and lifting it up and fixing it into the earth.  They had stripped Him of His garments before nailing Him to the cross, and then cast lots, sort of like throwing dice, to divide His clothing among them.  This fulfilled a prophecy of David in Psalms 22:18, "They part My garments among them, and cast lots for My clothing."

(36) And sitting down, they watched Him there.

The soldiers then sat down and watched Jesus on the cross, probably making sure no one attempted to take Him down.

(37) And set over His head His accusation written, "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."

The soldiers set above His head a sign that labeled His crime, as was customary, "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."  Matthew made it known that this was the accusation against Him, not that He was guilty of that crime.

(38) Then there were two thieves crucified with Him, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

The Roman soldiers also crucified two thieves, placing one on His right side, and one on His left.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, wrote that according to one of their canons, this was not done, "They do not judge two in one day," unless they were partners in the same crime and suffered the same death.  However, this was done to fulfill prophecy in Isaiah 53:12, "...He was numbered with the transgressors..."  This could have been done by Pilate and the soldiers to take the emphasis off Jesus, and the fact Pilate may have condemned an innocent man.  It could have been He was placed between two thieves for appearance's sake, to make Jesus look like a ringleader of malefactors.

(39) And they who passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads.

Those who passed by the cross spoke abusively about Jesus and shook their heads in contempt.

(40) And saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself.  If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

The passersby ridiculed Jesus saying that if He could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, then He could certainly save Himself and come down from that cross.  Jesus never actually said that He could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days; He was talking about His body.  Additionally, He was the Son of God and could have saved Himself, but it was not in God's plan to do so.

(41) Likewise also the chief priests, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, (42) "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him."

The chief priests, scribes, and elders, also mocked Jesus, saying He had saved others, but He couldn't even save Himself!  They actually said that if He was truly the King of Israel, then He should come down off that cross, and then they would believe Him!  As if they had not seen miracles enough!  They didn't want to believe Him; He was a threat to them, and they wanted Him gone.  Even if He had, they would have said it was by Satan that He did it, as they had accused before.  Besides, once again, it was not in God's plan for Him to do so.

(43) "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him, for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

They continued mocking, saying if He was truly the Son of God, then let God deliver Him, if He would have Him.  Such utter disdain for the One who was allowing all these things to save the likes of them, if they would have Him!

(44) The thieves also who were crucified with Him reviled Him in the same way.

The thieves on the crosses with Him also reviled Him in the same way, at least in the beginning, they might both have; but the account in Luke states that one of the thieves, probably after witnessing Jesus's patient suffering, reproved the other thief and repented.  It could also be that in Mattew's usual form of brevity, he used what is called a synecdoche, a figure of speech in which a part is used for a whole; at least one of the thieves did revile Him, and Matthew just lumped both thieves together to say they also reviled Him.

(45) Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land to the ninth hour.

As the Jews began counting their day at sunrise, the sixth to the ninth hour would have been from noon to 3:00 in the afternoon.  This could not have been a natural eclipse, for it was the time of the full moon, and it continued for three straight hours.  Whether this was a sign of God's abhorrence of the wickedness taking place, or a symbol of the whole darkness of the world descending upon Christ, you would think it would have those who mocked Jesus falling on their faces before Him.  The event was recorded by even Pagan historians.  Phlegon, a Roman astronomer, said, "...the greatest eclipse of the sun that was ever known happened then, for the day was so turned into night that the stars appeared."  Dr. John Gill wrote, "It is asserted by Suidas, that Dionysius the Areopagite, then an Heathen, saw it in Egypt; and said, 'Either the, divine being suffers, or suffers with him that suffers, or the frame of the world is dissolving.'"

(46) And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" That is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

About 3:00 in the afternoon, after three hours of darkness, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  We know that God did not completely forsake or abandon Christ, but He did for a time leave the human temple of Jesus who had taken upon Himself the whole sin of the world; He was made a curse (Galatians 3:13); He was made to be sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21); He was for a time a cursed thing, sin that the holy God could not bear in His presence.  The cry of Jesus was prophesied by David in Psalm 22:1, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?..."

(47) Some of them who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man calls for Elijah!"

It may be that some truly misunderstood Jesus's words, and thought He was calling for Elijah.  The people long expected Elijah to be a forerunner of their anticipated Messiah.  Malachi 4:5 prophesied that, and in Matthew 17:12, Jesus said that Elijah had already come in the form of John the Baptist.  It could also be that some purposely twisted the words of Jesus as a taunt to say that He was calling for Elijah because neither He Himself nor God could help Him.

(48) And immediately one of them ran, took a sponge and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to Him to drink.

This seems to be the action of someone who was not deriding Jesus, but actually sought to help Him.  This vinegar was a sour wine and the usual drink of the Roman soldiers.  The account in John states that Jesus Himself had said He was thirsty and someone gave Him the wine which He received.

(49) The rest said, "Let Him be; let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him."

It appears the rest of them standing before Christ would deny Him a drink in order to deride Him further, pretending to see if Elijah would indeed come and save Him.

(50) Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit.

Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, demonstrating He was still very much alive.  However, when He was ready, He Himself let His spirit go and He died.  In John 10:18, Jesus said that no man could take His life from Him, but He would lay it down Himself; He had the power to lay it down, and He had the power to take it up again.  Jesus, the Author of life, died by a voluntary act of His own.

(51) And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks split.

Immediately after Jesus died, the veil of the temple, which separated the holy place from the holiest of all, was torn in two from top to bottom.  This must have been an awesome sight!  This was no thin curtain that separated the holiest of all from the people.  It is written that, "the thickness of the vail is an hand's breadth, and it is woven of seventy two threads, and every thread has twenty four threads in it: it is forty cubits long, and twenty broad, and is made of eighty two myriads..."  As terrifying a sight as it may have been, it actually represented something very beautiful.  In Jesus's act of dying for our salvation, the veil between God and common sinful man was torn in two, and man was then allowed to come to God.  As the veil was torn in two, the earth quaked and rocks were split apart.  Apparently, rocks are still seen torn asunder at Mount Calvary today.

(52) And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints who slept arose.

That was probably the purpose of the earth shaking and rocks splitting, to open the graves of the saints, holy men who had believed in Christ.

(53) And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared to many.

The tombs and sepulchres were opened when Jesus died, but the saints didn't come out of the graves until after His resurrection, demonstrating that Christ had conquered death and would raise all saints.  Those bodies went into Jerusalem and appeared to many in the city, proving the resurrection of bodies after death.

(54) Now when the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

When the centurion, the commander of the Roman soldiers, and those who were with him watching Jesus, witnessed the earthquake, the splitting apart of the rocks, and the opening of the graves of the saints, not to mention the darkening of the sun that had occurred prior to the earthquake, they feared greatly.  They had reason to be very afraid as they realized they had just crucified the Son of God!

(55) And many women were there looking from afar, who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him.

Jesus's very own disciples had scattered, but there were women who had been followers of Jesus and had ministered to Him, who had been at Jesus's crucifixion, watching from a distance.  As a side note, this has been used to prove the truth about Jesus Christ and the Bible.  What men, who were fabricating a story, would admit they were afraid and ran, while the weaker sex stayed and watched what happened to their Lord?

(56) Among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.

Among the women observing from a small distance was Mary Magdalene, who in Luke 8:2 was said to have been delivered by Jesus from seven devils.  There was also Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, who in John 19:25, was said to be the sister of Jesus's mother Mary.  There was also the mother of Jesus's disciples James and John, Zebedee's sons.

(57) When the evening was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus's disciple.

Evening for the Jews was considered to be between 3:00 in the afternoon until 6:00, about sundown.  Sundown began a new day.  Jesus had died about 3:00 in the afternoon, so sometime after that, Joseph of Arimathaea came.  He had been one of Jesus's broader number of disciples.  He was considered a rich man, but he must have been one of the few willing to give all for Jesus, in order to have been a disciple of Jesus, for Jesus had said it was extremely difficult for a rich man to be saved (Matthew 19:24).

(58) He went to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body be delivered to him.

Joseph went to Pontius Pilate, the governor, whose consent was needed in order to take a body down after crucifixion.  He asked for the body of Christ in order to give Him a proper burial and Pilate granted his wish.

(59) And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, (60) And laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock, and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

Joseph took the body of Jesus, wrapped it in clean linen cloth and laid it in his own tomb that he had hewn out of rock for himself.  He then rolled a large heavy stone into the doorway of the tomb, and then left.  As He was in life, so He was in death; Jesus had said He had nowhere to lay His head (Matthew 8:20), and He also had no tomb of His own.  Jesus did not live for Himself, but only for others, and He died for all of us.

(61) And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting opposite the sepulchre.

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, were still there, witnessing all that had happened to Jesus's body.

(62) Now the next day which followed the day of preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together to Pilate, (63) Saying, "We remember that that deceiver said, while He was still alive, 'After three days, I will rise again.'"

The day of preparation was the day before the sabbath when everything was prepared for the sabbath, so that no work had to be done on it.  The day which followed the day of preparation would have been the sabbath day.  The chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate telling him that they remembered that Jesus had said He would rise after three days.

(64) "Command therefore that the sepulchre be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He is risen from the dead.' So the last deception shall be worse than the first."

The chief priests and Pharisees therefore asked Pilate to guard Jesus's tomb.  They speculated that His disciples might come and take His body away, and then falsely claim that He had risen from the dead.  They felt that final deception, as they called it, would be worse than any claimed while He was living.

(65) Pilate said to them, "You have a watch; go your way, make it as secure as you can."

Pilate told them to take one of the groups that guarded the temple to act as watch over the tomb, and told them to go quickly and make it as secure as possible.

(66) So they went and made the sepulchre secure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

The chief priests and Pharisees went to the tomb of Jesus and made it secure.  They sealed the stone that acted as a door, and then set a guard to watch it.  Little did they know they were acting perfectly in God's will.  All those precautions would make the resurrection of Jesus all the more miraculous and beyond reproach.

Jesus Before Pontius Pilate

Continuing a Bible study of the gospel accounts:

(Matthew 27:1) When the morning had come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had just been betrayed by the kiss of Judas and apprehended and brought before Caiaphas the high priest.  He was found guilty of blasphemy in a mock trial and sentenced to death.  The next morning the chief priests and elders plotted on how they would put Jesus to death.

(2) And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

They bound Jesus again and took Him to Pontius Pilate, the governor appointed by the Romans over Judea.  It is written that the sanhedrin had the power of life and death themselves in everything that concerned religion.  Perhaps their case against Him was not strong enough, or more likely they wanted it taken out of their hands, perhaps because they feared the reaction of the people.  Whatever the reason, they put Him in the hands of a Gentile magistrate, fulfilling Jesus's prophecy in Matthew 20:19 that He would be delivered to the Gentiles.

(3) Then Judas who had betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.

When Judas saw that Christ was condemned to death, he began to feel remorse and brought the thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders.  Perhaps Judas thought Jesus would have freed Himself through some miracle, and he had just seen a chance to make some money.  Now Judas "repented himself."  It is important to note there is a difference in the original word used here, "metamellomai" and the word more commonly used for repent, "metanoia."  Judas's type of repenting was more of a changing of his mind, perhaps some remorse caused by fear of the consequences of his actions.  It was a self-centered repentance like when we say that a person was not really sorry, only sorry he got caught.  A true godly repentance, "metanoia," represents a changed heart and behavior, a turning from sin to God.

(4) Saying, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it."

In changing his mind about his actions, Judas took the money back to the chief priests and elders, telling them he had sinned and betrayed innocent blood.  Once again, there is no evidence that Judas truly repented before God, falling on his face before Almighty God, humbling himself, asking for forgiveness in the realization of what he had done to His Lord.  Remember that God sees the heart and He is always just and righteous, but under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Matthew wrote that Judas was only sorry for himself.  The chief priests and elders declared that was of no concern of theirs.  If he felt he had sinned, he should go take care of that himself.  They had what they wanted, Jesus, and they had condemned Him for blasphemy; they didn't care about Judas's guilt or that he considered Jesus to be innocent of their charges.

(5) And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Judas then threw down the pieces of silver and went out and hanged himself.  There has been much discussion about how Judas actually died, because Peter later stated in Acts 1:18, that "falling headlong, he burst open in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out."  Surely both statements are true.  If Judas had hung himself on a tree near a precipitous valley or something like that, the limb could have broken causing him to fall and tumble headfirst and his body dashed to pieces on the sharp rocks.  Matthew stated Judas hanged himself; he didn't say whether or not he actually died at that point.  He may have died, and then fallen; or a limb could have broken before he died and he died grotesquely upon the rocks.

(6) And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood."

The chief priests picked up the pieces of silver Judas had thrown down, but said it was not lawful to put them in the temple treasury because it was blood money.  It is remarkable that they were so scrupulous about the source of the money in their treasury, but not so when condemning innocent blood, as Judas had told them.

(7) And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field in which to bury strangers.

They consulted together and decided to use the pieces of silver to buy the potter's field, which was probably so called because the earth had been dug for pottery, and it was probably now used up and good for nothing.  They were able to buy it for just thirty pieces of silver and used it as a cemetery for strangers.

(8) Therefore that field was called the Field of Blood to this day.

Matthew declared that that potter's field had been called the Field of Blood, because it had been purchased by the price of blood, ever since then and up to the day he wrote that scripture.

(9) Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him who was valued by the people of Israel, (10) And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me."

That prophecy was actually spoken by Zechariah:

And I said to them, "If you think it good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed out for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, "Cast it to the potter, a goodly price at which I was priced by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. (Zechariah 11:12-13)

It is believed by the older commentators I study that a subsequent copyist probably mistakenly added the name of the prophet, as Matthew's usual mode of writing was to say only, "by the prophet" (Matthew 1:22, Matthew 2:5, Matthew 2:15, Matthew 13:35, and Matthew 21:4).  Many early manuscripts omitted the name, and that is most likely how Matthew wrote it.  Matthew's point was not about who made the prophecy, but that prophecy had been fulfilled.

(11) And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" And Jesus said to him, "You say."

Probably thinking their claim of blasphemy would not matter to Pilate, the chief priests and elders most likely had told him that Jesus professed to be king to incite anger and judgment by the government.  Therefore, Pilate asked Jesus point blank if He was the King of the Jews.  Jesus answered only, "You say," which was not really an admission or a denial.  The account in John 18:36 went on to say that Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world, so He admitted that He had a kingdom, but not a worldly kingdom that would have rivaled Caesar.

(12) And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.

Evidently, the chief priests and elders then had their turn to spout all their accusations before Pilate and in front of Jesus, but He said nothing.  There was really no use.  They were false claims, but He knew they intended to kill Him regardless, so He did not try to answer.  This fulfilled another prophecy by Isaiah, in Isaiah 53:7, "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He didn't open His mouth; He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth."

(13) Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they witness against You?" (14) And He answered him not a word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Pilate, pressing Jesus to defend Himself, asked Him if He had heard all the things of which the chief priests and scribes had accused Him.  Jesus did not answer him, and that amazed Pilate.  It was at this point that Luke added that Pilate asked Jesus if He was a Galilean.  Probably wanting an excuse to free Him, Pilate was likely relieved that being a Galilean made Jesus under Herod's jurisdiction.  He sent Him to Herod, who saw no cause for death in Him, and sent Him back to Pilate.

(15) Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the people a prisoner, whomever they wished.

It appears that at the Passover Feast the governor had a custom of releasing one prisoner of the people's choosing.  It was not law, but a custom that may have originated in an effort for the Romans to show some bit of respect for the Jews.

(16) And they had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas.

At that time Pilate had an infamous prisoner named Barabbas imprisoned.  Being notable, he was a known criminal; he was either a repeat offender or had done a horrific thing to be so well known.  The account in Luke states that he had been guilty of sedition and murder.

(17) Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Who do you want me to release to you? Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?" (18) For he knew that out of envy they had delivered Him.

When the people were gathered together, Pilate asked them who they wanted released to them, Barabbas, the notable criminal, or Jesus whose only "crime" was that He was called the Christ.  The account in Luke states that Pilate found Jesus to be innocent and not worthy of death and had planned to release Him at the feast.  He was most likely certain the people would choose to release Jesus rather than the infamous Barabbas.  Pilate knew it could only be envy that made the chief priests and elders want to kill Jesus, for there was no fault in Him.

(19) When he was sat down on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him."

While Pilate was on his judgment seat, his wife sent a message to him asking him not to involve himself with condemning whom she called a just Man.  She had had dreams about Him, and was convinced of His innocence or perhaps feared the judgment that might come upon her family if Pilate condemned Jesus.

(20) But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

Now that the decision to kill Jesus was out of their hands, the chief priests and elders urged the people to ask for Barabbas.  They probably incited a riot of excitement in the people, for how else could people who had so recently led a procession for Him, crying "Hosannah!" now be persuaded to call for His death?

(21) The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!"

The governor responded to the crowd by asking which of the two prisoners they wanted released to them.  Unbelievably, the crowd answered Barabbas.  This was surely done because of the instigation of the chief priests and elders.  It shows the danger of wicked church elders who can easily persuade their flocks, and the danger of a mob mentality.

(22) Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" All said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"

Pilate, probably incredulous, asked the people what then would they have him do with Jesus, a Man he had judged as innocent.  The crowd shouted to crucify Jesus!  Pilate, if he had indeed found Jesus innocent and not worthy of death, should have released Him after his finding.  However, it was God's will that Jesus die on the cross.  

(23) And the governor said, "Why? What evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, "Let Him be crucified!"

Pilate asked the multitude why they should call for Jesus's crucifixion; what evil had He done?  Instead of answering his question, the crowd just shouted all the more to crucify Him.

(24) When Pilate saw that he could not prevail, but rather a tumult had developed, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person; you see to it."

Pilate had lost control of the mob, and therefore took water and washed his hands before the crowd declaring his innocence of the blood of this just Jesus.  If the crowd wanted Him crucified, then it was up to them to have it done.

(25) Then all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and our children."

The people declared it would be their responsibility, and they even decided for their children!  They had no idea what they were asking for, nor what a prophetic statement they had made.

(26) Then he released Barabbas to them, and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

Pilate did what the people asked and delivered free Barabbas to them.  He then scourged Jesus.  If he considered Him innocent, why did he have to do that?  He then delivered Jesus to be crucified.  Why?  Because he had no power over the people?  I have long pondered over Pilate's actions.  Was he innocent or not?  At the very least, he was a very weak ruler, letting the people rule over him.  It seems he found Jesus innocent from the beginning, but was happy to have someone else make the decision when he sent Jesus to Herod.  When it came time to release a prisoner, he again pushed off the decision to the people.  Since he was the governor, and he had found Him innocent, and even Herod had found no fault in Him, it seems it would have been his duty to release Him.  He apparently feared going against the chief priests and elders.  I'm sure he thought the people would call for Jesus's release opposite such a wicked prisoner as Barabbas, but he should have been man enough to make the decision himself.  He wanted to pass the decision to someone else and he would bear no responsibility to anyone.

Pilate had even received confirmation from his wife's dreams that he should not condemn Jesus, but he allowed the chief priests and elders to stir up the crowd against Jesus, even knowing that they did it out of envy.  He repeatedly put the question to the people (Luke states three times), indicating his desire to free Jesus, but being the weak ruler he was, he allowed the people to make the decision.  When the people asked that Barabbas be released, he could have released him and then dealt with Jesus as a just ruler should have, but he asked the people what he should do about Jesus!  When they said they wanted Him crucified, he asked why, what evil had He done to deserve crucifixion.  Weak and fearful as he surely was, he gave in to the people.  He said he washed his hands and declared his innocence from that decision, but he really was not innocent.  He failed miserably in his duty as a governor of the people, being so weak.  However, we know that it was God's will that Jesus be crucified.  I don't believe that God forced Pilate to make decisions against his will; I believe Pilate was chosen to allow this because he was a weak man.  Since he had washed his hands of it all, why then did he scourge Jesus?  Only God knows the heart of a man and he will judge Pilate righteously.  This incident proved to be a perfect illustration of what was taking place.  Jesus, judged as innocent, was condemned by the same judge, just the same.  Jesus, the perfect soul having no sin in Him, was nonetheless willed by God to be condemned to die on a cross.

(27) Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered to Him the whole band of soldiers.

The soldiers of the governor then took Jesus into the praetorium, which is actually the original word used.  It means the common judgment hall of the governor, or his court room.  They gathered an entire band of soldiers around Him, as if they really needed that!

(28) And they stripped Him and put on Him a scarlet robe.

The soldiers stripped Jesus and put a scarlet robe on Him.  They did it to mock Him, but by their actions, they were representing prophecy.  In Isaiah 1:18 it says, "...though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow..."  Jesus took on the world's scarlet sins to make them white as snow.

(29) And when they had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it on 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!"

The soldiers braided a crown of thorns and put it on Jesus's head to mock Him, but also to torture Him.  They put a reed in His hand to act as a staff and then bowed before Him in mockery, calling out, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  It gives me chills to think these men mocked God Himself!

(30) And they spit on Him and took the reed and struck Him on the head.

Again, it is chilling to think of these men spitting in the face of God and beating Him about the head!  Little did they know He could have struck them all dead with one word, but He allowed Himself to be mocked and tortured for all us lowly sinners, including those soldiers who did this, if we only accept His gift of salvation.

(31) And after they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

After the soldiers had had their vicious fun, they took the robe off Him and put His clothes back on Him.  They then led Him away to be crucified.

(32) And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; they compelled Him to bear His cross.

The account in John tells us that Jesus did bear His cross for a while until His tortured and beaten body could do it no more.  The soldiers then found a man of Cyrene, a city in Libya, Africa, named Simon, and forced him to carry Jesus's cross.

As this is another very long chapter, I will end the post here.  This first half of the chapter dealt with the events leading up to Jesus's crucifixion after His apprehension and mock trial in chapter 26.  The actual crucifixion takes place in the second half of this chapter.