3.21 - THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST

THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST I have been requested to speak tonight on The Crucifixion of Christ.

I read Matthew 27:15-26 : "Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore, when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, what shall I do then with Jesus who is called the Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person; See ye to it. Then answered all the people and said, His blood be upon us and our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them. And when he had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified." This is one of the historic accounts of the greatest of all tragedies. To appreciate this matter as we should, it seems to me necessary to go back and review the history leading up to the coming of the Christ and his execution on the cross. In Genesis 12:1-3, we have these words: "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing; and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." The first religion ever established upon this earth was purely a family religion. There were not so very many people, of course, and wherever a family chanced to go, or be, the father had the right and the privilege to offer a sacrifice unto God, assured that his doing thus would meet the approval of Jehovah. Twenty-five hundred years passed during which time that order prevailed.

God called Abraham out of his native land of Ur of Chaldees and gave him the promises I have read. With a courage undaunted, and a faith centered in Jehovah, Abram bade goodbye to family ties, friends, financial relationships, and the old home, and started out under the leadership of Jehovah, not knowing where he was going. Because of that one thing, Abraham has become God’s great definition of faith. If you want, therefore, to know just what faith means, the answer is, Abraham. He took God at his word; believed what He said; did as He required, and trusted Him for the fulfillment of the promises.

He took with him Sarai, his beloved wife, his father Terah, and his nephew Lot. This quartette left their homes and started up the Euphrates river, for a distance of something like 500 miles. They stopped at Haran, in Mesopotamia. There Terah, the father of Abraham, died, and he was buried in that strange land. The Lord bade Abraham go on. The promises to him were two-fold. God said, "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing; and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

Six of these promises refer to a literal posterity, and the inheritance of a land into which the Lord would lead him. All of these were developed during the passing of the years.

When, in the course of time, it seemed impossible for Sarai to become a mother, she said to Abraham: "Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai." This audience knows how that Ishmael was born of Hagar; how that later he was driven out and Abram made to know that the nations were to be blessed through a son born in his own house and of his own wife. The time had passed, according to natural law, for Sarai to become a mother. By a miracle’s being wrought, Isaac, the child of promise, was at last born. In every phase and feature, Isaac became a type of the Christ, the ultimate seed to whom the promise was made. Time rolled on, and at the age of forty, Isaac married. At the age of sixty, two sons were born, namely, Esau and Jacob. The years sped by again, and Jacob went back to the land of Padan-aram. There he married Leah and later his beloved wife, Rachel. At the end of about forty years more, he returned to the old home with his family, flocks and herds.

Due to a great famine, they passed into the country of Egypt, about seventy and five in number. There they remained for a period of 430 years, during which time they multiplied and became a nation of, possibly, three million souls.

Under the leadership of Moses they crossed the Red Sea and came to Mt. Sinai, at which place a new religion was inaugurated upon this earth. No longer now was it a mere family affair, but here God inaugurated a national system of religion. The posterity of Abraham, separated from the country of Egypt, marching on to the land promised unto their father, were especially protected, guided, and governed by the Lord. They became Jehovah’s chosen people, through whom the promised seed was to come. At shaking Sinai, God gave to them the foundation of that law which was to govern them for the next 1,500 years. This law forbade their association, mixing or mingling with the nations round about. With the fall of the kingdom under Zedekiah they were subjected to Babylonia, and there was never a king of the seed of Abraham to occupy a throne until the resurrection, ascension and coronation of Jesus Christ. Therefore the character reigning tonight is the climax and the culmination of that promise vouchsafed to Abraham. When I tell you that the first promise, of a physical and literal nature, was fulfilled by Abraham’s posterity occupying Palestine, I tell you that concerning which nobody has ever had a doubt. In the fulness of time, Jesus of Nazareth was born upon the earth. He was of Hebrew ancestry, with a sprinkling of foreign blood injected by the marriage of Boaz and Ruth. He came in perfect harmony with every prophecy from the hilltops of Zion. He came in absolute fulfillment of every prediction, and of every type presented in the Old Testament. There is not one single thing outstanding in the life of Christ but that was clearly prefigured and certainly announced long before his advent upon the earth. The life of Christ was in perfect harmony with the law of Moses. For it he had absolute regard, and he lived in strict obedience to its demands.

Finally, he died a felon’s death, just as the prophets and the law had declared. At his death, this law, which pertained purely to a national religion, having served its purpose, was fulfilled. It was then taken out of the way and a better covenant founded upon better promises was given to humanity. A world-wide system or religion was soon inaugurated for the consideration of all men of every nation, kindred and tongue.

I said to you that Christ lived in harmony with the law. I want now to call your attention to some phases of that wonderful theocratic form of government, which prevailed from shaking Sinai down to bleeding Calvary. May I raise the first question? Unto whom was the law ever given? In Deuteronomy 5:2-3, Moses had this to say: "The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day." That was just two months after that host had come out of Egyptian bondage and across the Red Sea. Therefore, unto Abraham’s seed was the law made. The next question: Why was it ever given at all? In Galatians 3:19, Paul said: "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hands of a mediator."

Paul said that the law was added because of transgressions. There may be several phases respecting that one idea, but there is this that I want to emphasize to you tonight, viz: that law stood as a middle wall of partition between the Jew and the Gentile; the express purpose of which was that Jewish blood, from Abraham on down, should be kept absolutely pure.

But, friends, I think you ought to be able to see that when the law had served the purpose of preserving the purity of the Hebrew blood from Abraham down to Christ, it would no longer be necessary to preserve it. Our next question is: For how long was the law intended? Was there any limit of time regarding it? The very verse, Galatians 3:19, answers also. Hear it again: "It was added because of transgressions till." Friends, that fixes the end of it and suggests the duration. Well, until what? "Until the seed should come to whom the promise was made." That law was given at Sinai to the posterity of Abraham because of transgressions, and intended to last until the promised seed of Abraham should come.

Question: Who was that seed? In Galatians 3:16 the peerless apostle said, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."

Paul declares that when God said to Abram while yet in Ur of Chaldea: "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed," he referred to Jesus, who is called the Christ. This being true, I now ask: What was the attitude of Jesus toward that law under consideration? In Matthew 5:17, Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am come not to destroy; I have come to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled."

Jesus Christ was not a law violator. He was a fulfiller. Hence, said He, "My purpose is not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it."

Thirty and three years passed, during the life of this man called the Christ, when, at last, the tragedy outside the city’s walls culminated.

While suspended between the heavens and the earth, Christ bowed his head and said, "It is finished." What finished? Among other things, I am certain there is included that which he came to fulfill, namely, the law.

I ask, finally, if the law was thus fulfilled, and finished, what became of it? In Colossians 2:14, there are these words: "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross." It was on the cross that he said, "It is finished." Read Ephesians 2:14-16.

"For he is our peace, who hath made both one." Both who? Both Jew and Gentile. How did he do it? "Having broken down the middle wall of partition between us, and abolished in his flesh the enmity." What was the enmity? "Even the law of commandments contained in ordinances." The time came when Christ fulfilled all the prophecies, and all the types, and finally broke down the middle wall of partition which was the law of Moses. It was taken out of the way and nailed to the cross. But why all this? Hear the answer: That he might make of the twain—these two nationalities, Jew and Gentile "one new man, so making peace, and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." As long as that law stood it was indeed a wall separating the two great nationalities. By the law, the Jews were forbidden to mix or mingle, marry or associate with the Gentile world.

During the personal ministry of Christ, and also the twelve under their limited commission, and likewise the seventy who followed, he said: "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand." This was their first, limited and restricted commission. After the death of Jesus, all barriers and distinctions having been done away, He said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Since the greatest of all tragedies, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, male or female, bond or free.

During the life of Jesus, the Jews were divided into three sects, viz: Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. Two of these are prominent in the New Testament. The Pharisees and Sadducees were bitter enemies. There was a spirit of jealousy and of rivalry between them. They were agreed upon one thing only, and that was, that the teaching of Jesus was contrary to their particular doctrines, and, if accepted, it meant the death knell of their religions. Therefore, it was their combined sentiments that something must be done with this man who is called the Christ.

You ask, how did they proceed? May I answer, just about like humanity has ever done. Their first effort to get rid of the Christ and his wonderful teaching was to ridicule, to ignore, to sneer at, and to make light of him. When he first began to attract attention, and some told others respecting him, it was received with a sneer and with a jeer. The very fact that Christ came from Nazareth was evidence that there was nothing to him. By such insinuations, they sought to hinder any influence that might be by him exerted.

I want to say to you, friends, that many times, such is all effective way of killing the influence of some man. Ignore him, disregard what he has to say, cast insinuations and reflections upon him, and he will naturally fade away. But that didn’t work. It mattered not with the Christ if he had come from the very humble of the earth; it made no difference if he was clothed in the very garb of humility and poverty. His greatness depended not on the city wherein he lived; neither upon the garb he wore nor the humiliation he endured.

There was real merit and genuine worth in that which he had to say, and he had the courage to say it regardless of the ridicule and the innuendoes hurled against him. When the enemies saw that their first method was not producing the desired result, they inaugurated Method No. 2.

You ask, what was it? They began to ask him questions, to file objections, and to try to entangle him in his speech. They concocted different schemes, outlined different dilemmas, and approached him with hypocrisy and flattery upon their lips. The Sadducees came and presented what they considered a very plausible objection to the teaching of Christ by telling the story of a woman who had married, and had seven husbands, all of whom had died. They denied the resurrection, and they thought that if Christ’s theory of the resurrection be true, there would be a wonderful state of confusion on the other shore as to which one of these men would want that woman, or which one would have to take her. This appeared to them unanswerable.

But, without a mental strain, Christ said: "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God." In that blissful paradise beyond, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage. Earthly ties and human relationships do not prevail. Therefore their question was wholly out of order.

Then the Pharisees, together with the Herodians, a bunch of politicians, said, "Lord, tell us, what thinkest thou, is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" His answer was convincing. He said unto them, "Show me the tribute money." And they brought unto him a penny. And he said unto them, "Whose is the image and the superscription?" When he found it was the image and the superscription of Caesar, he said, "Render unto Caesar that which is his, and unto God that which belongs unto him."

Therefore, having been defeated, the Bible says they turned away, disgusted at their inability to involve him in any kind of difficulty, or in any state of confusion. Friends, when that method failed, and their objective could not be attained, the last method humanity has ever used was theirs to execute. They must get rid of him whose teaching was exposing their rottenness and sounding their doom.

Hence, the death plot was secretly formed. They entered into a conspiracy with Judas Iscariot and made clear their plan of execution.

But, just at this time, it is necessary for you to know the political history of the land wherein they dwell. Palestine was under the control of Rome. She selected procurators or governors for this little country, and from the year 26 on to the year 36, embracing the time of the public career of Christ, Pontius Pilate had been sent to rule over them.

Now bear it in mind that the Jews were kindly treated, in many respects, by the Roman government. Rome cared nothing about their religion. She allowed them to worship as they saw fit; to execute any of their laws; to reprove, rebuke and administer punishment unto any of their number. There was just one thing the Jews were prohibited from carrying into effect, and that was, capital punishment. This they could not inflict without the authority of the Roman governor. So then, when the Jews agreed and declared that Jesus Christ should be put to death, only one trouble remained, and that was, to get the consent of Governor Pilate.

Christ was arrested in the lonely Garden of Gethsemane, and during the same night was rushed through various trials. First, he stood before old Annas, the ex-high priest, and the father-in-law of Caiaphas. After that, he was brought before the Jewish court of which Caiaphas was the chief justice. There he was condemned as worthy of death When he acknowledged himself to be the Son of God, Caiaphas rent his clothes, saying, "What further need have we of witnesses? He has spoken blasphemy. What think ye? They said, He is guilty of death." He was then carried before Governor Pilate; next, to old Herod, who had come down from Caesarea, and then back to Pilate for final disposition. Just at that time a great feast was on, and it had been the custom all along the line for the governor to release to the crowd some one person of their own selection. At this particular feast there were two prisoners in the custody of the country. One of them was Jesus of Nazareth, and the other was a noted robber by the name of Barabbas. He was a murderer who had raised all insurrection against the government. He had been tried by the Jewish court, condemned and put in prison to be executed.

Therefore, on this great day, the governor came to that multitude and asked: "Whether of the twain, Jesus or Barabbas, will you that I release unto you?"

I think I can see Governor Pilate as he seeks to hide behind the great Jewish nation, and put them in the lead. He thought they would surely demand that Jesus be released. He knew there was no cause for his death. He expected them to insist upon the death of Barabbas. But, contrary to his expectation, they answered and said, "Give unto us Barabbas, let him go free, rather than the other." And then old Governor Pilate said, "But what shall I do with him who is called the Christ?" And the answer came from the crowd and the mob that had been worked up by their leaders, "Crucify him." The governor then asked, "What evil hath he done?"

Instead of trying to give a just answer, they came back with their demand, saying, "Away with him, this man is not worthy to live."

Three times the governor went through a formal trial and each time announced that Jesus was innocent, and that there was no just accusation against him. The multitude would not accept that decision, and, while Christ stood there humiliated, that judgment rendered by Pilate in his behalf was taken away, and the judgment of the mob was forced in its stead. Hence, there was the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Isaiah 53:1-12, where it is said, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, he opened not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away."

Friends, don’t get it into your minds that Christ ever lost his balance, or that his judgment had fled away. That is not the thing taken away. That judgment rendered by old Governor Pilate was not allowed to stand, and the immaculate Son of Mary stood hopeless and helpless. In the crucifixion of the Christ, that Hebrew prophecy had its fulfillment. When I was here some years ago, and made mention of that fact, a Jew of Decatur, Alabama, wrote me a letter, saying that I had missed the interpretation of Isaiah 53:1-12. He said that was fulfilled in the year 70, with the destruction of the Jewish nation. They were led as sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before the shearer they opened not their mouths. But, he failed to understand that Isaiah said "he," not "they." Furthermore, the Jews had waged a constant losing fight from the year 65 to 70 and were not led as sheep to the slaughter. They died fighting to the very last hour. Isaiah 53:1-12, referred to none other than Jesus of Nazareth. When that judgment was taken away by the cries of the surging mob, Pilate was at the very crisis of his career. Numbers of cases had been to him appealed, and he had passed judgment upon them, but this was the most trying hour, the very crucial moment, when his destiny was trembling in the balance, and suspended upon a quivering pivot. Have you ever stopped, friends, to think how Pilate must have reasoned about this matter? Consider what possibly passed through his mind, favorable to him who is called the Christ. First, he knew Jesus was innocent. Of that fact he hadn’t a shadow of a doubt. Three times had Christ been brought before him, and three times he had said, "I find no fault in him."

Second, he knew that because of envy Christ had been delivered into his presence.

Third, he knew that he had the power to release him. One word from the governor in his behalf would have meant legal freedom.

Fourth, after the governor had been called from the night’s sleep to enter into the court, old Mrs. Pilate had a dream, and it so disturbed her that she rushed a message to her husband, which said, "Have thou nothing to do with this just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." All these things were favorable to Jesus. Conscience cried out to old Pilate saying, "Release him, have the courage and the backbone to do your duty." But there is another side to the question. Now note these things against the Christ in the mind of the governor.

First, "I am the governor of the people whom I serve. It is the duty of all official to recognize the voice of the people."

Second, Pilate looked out upon that crowd assembled and saw that they were a wild set. The vast majority did not know what it was all about. They were only echoing that which their leaders had announced. The governor possibly said, "Doubtless it will do no good to object. This crowd is determined. They have already voted. They will carry into effect that which they have in their hearts. They are not only going to get the Christ, but the chances are that they might get me as well. Therefore, in self-defense, I must yield to their wishes."

Third, possibly, the straw that broke the camel’s back, was the charge that, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar’s." Why? "This man has said in your very presence that he, himself, is King, and to that end was he born. Therefore, governor, we will report to headquarters that you are disloyal, and that you are recognizing a man who claims to be a king in opposition to him who sits upon the throne in the City of Rome."

Then what? Pilate weighed these matters pro and con, back and forth, with his conscience saying, "Release him," but with self-interest saying, "Yield to the people." When the governor saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was raised, he took water and washed his hands in their presence, and said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just man." The last thing old Governor Pilate ever said about Jesus was, that he was a just man. And yet he didn’t have the moral courage, the manhood, and the stamina to go against the great throng, and declare liberty and freedom to him who was both innocent and just.

Hence the Christ was led away, while those who were his accusers gladly said, "Let his blood be upon us and upon our children." The greatest mistake any favored nation ever made on this earth was when this responsibility was invited upon them and their children. It was all the result of a partisan, prejudiced spirit. It only sounded the death knell and announced the doom that came to pass but thirty and seven years thereafter. As a people, they were scattered abroad o’er the face of the earth. From that hour they have been wanderers, strangers and pilgrims in every nation under heaven. They have ever had their faces turned toward Jerusalem, under the delusion that the real Messiah is yet to make his advent, and gather them from the various nations of the earth. My Jewish friends, I think you are sadly, woefully and sorrowfully mistaken in such a prospect as that toward which you look, and I would to God this night that that splendid nationality of people which has maintained itself, and made its impress felt wherever it has gone, would accept Jesus Christ as the culmination of its prophecies, and in their hearts crown him Lord of all.

It is possible for that nation to be forgiven, just the same as those multitudes, yea, as thousands of them were, fifty and three days after that tragedy came to pass. When Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven, assembled in Jerusalem, Peter, one of their number, stood in their midst and said, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him being delivered by that determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by the hands of lawless men, have crucified and slain; whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." By his triumphant resurrection he plucked the very rose of immortality from the midst of the hadean realm, and planted it upon the bosom of his open grave, thus evidencing the sublimity of his matchless power. Peter told that great multitude just what they might do to cleanse their hands, and to free themselves from their guilt. As a result, conviction was brought to their hearts, and they cried out to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, saying, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" The answer was, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is not only to you Jews, and to your children, but it is also to them that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything or uncircumcision." What does? A faith that works by love. In Christ Jesus, all barriers are torn down. "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Jesus Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." I can clasp hands with any Jew on earth, and rejoice in the fact that the wall of partition is gone. I do not want to be distinguished. I love the sentiment, "You are all one, and if you be Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise."

I said some nights ago that I propose to be a child of Abraham. In Romans 4:11, also Romans 4:16, Abraham is said to be the father of all them that believe. He is my father in spirit, as he is the Jewish father in the flesh. Since the spirit is far superior, why not let us all stand together spiritually in that promise made by God to Abraham?

Let us be heirs of that promise, and look not to physical Palestine, with its rolling hills and silvery streams, but let us look to that Palestine beyond—the New Jerusalem.

I have now talked long enough. I conclude by saying that the invitation of Jesus Christ is just as big and as broad as was the provision for the plan of salvation. Just as he tasted death for every man, so every man is included in his invitation, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Come tonight with your faith centered in Christ, the Son of God. Abandon every sin, and resolve to acknowledge him who died that you might live. Come with a full purpose to follow all the way, to be buried in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, from which you may rise to walk in newness of life. Then by his grace walk in his counsel the remnant of your days. If this you’ll do he will gladly conduct you home to glory that you may dwell in his paradise forevermore.