Who is Jesus? Chapter 50 The Soldiers Mock Jesus

 

Who is Jesus? Chapter 50 The Soldiers Mock Jesus

After Pilate had cruelly flogged Jesus, he gave him over to the soldiers. Then the soldiers of Pilate the governor took Jesus into the palace arena, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. They stripped Jesus and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, putting it on his head and placing a reed in his right hand. Kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. When they had mocked him, they stripped off the purple robe and put his own clothes back on him and led him away to crucify him.

And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. So, they took Jesus out, having him bear his own cross, and as they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus, to the place called Golgotha which meant the place of the scull. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. So that the scriptures might be fulfilled; “He was numbered among the transgressors.” And Jesus cried aloud saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Pilate also wrote an inscription and had it placed on the cross over Jesus's head. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So, the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier.  They also took his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So, the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple John, standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

But the rulers scoffed at Jesus, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads as they blasphemed and ridiculed him.

And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.  One of the criminals who were also crucified railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

But the other thief rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Jesus was saying that he would that day be in Paradise which was the place where the saints of God went at death. At that time, heaven was not the resting place, but that would soon change. Jesus would go to Paradise and preach to the saints telling them that he was the Messiah, and that if they would believe on him, when he rose from the dead; they too would rise and move to heaven. Then Paradise would no longer be the place for the saints, because hell would enlarge her borders. 

Before Jesus died, he promised his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them, and that where he was, they would eventually be there also.

Who Killed Jesus?

The sins of the world (yours and mine) were placed on the "body" (flesh) of Jesus. Remember that the life is in the blood. The blood of Jesus was shed - - beginning with the whipping which was enough to kill most who were beaten this way, but Jesus survived the beating, and his blood dripped all through the streets of Jerusalem as he walked to the cross, where more blood was drawn, by the nails in his hand and feet. When the sins of the world were placed on Jesus body, - God the father could no longer look at Jesus, and darkness covered the earth for three hours. Jesus cried out, Oh Father why have you forsaken me?

This rejection of His Father God did break his heart, and the scripture says he took his last breath and gave up his spirit to leave his body. The soldier pierced his side, but Jesus was already dead, and out came the final blood so that his body was drained. This was so that Jesus upon his resurrection, could present his blood before the father that He had accomplished the ultimate sacrifice so that we might be saved and not perish. 

So, who killed Jesus? Jesus volunteered to die, so ultimately his death was a substitute for our punishment which we deserved.  So, we all had a part in his death. Sinners and those who are no longer a sinner but are now a Saint.

Believing on Jesus gives you the right to go to heaven when it is your time to leave this earth. Today make your reservation for Heaven, by accepting Jesus as your Lord. Today is the accepted time.