The Crucifixion - From 9 AM until Noon, 15 Nisan.

The first three hours on the cross he suffers the wrath of men--stages 6-17.

1. The First Three Hours: The Wrath of Men - Mark 15.24-32; Matt 27.35-44; Luke 23.33-43; John 19.18-276. Actual crucifixion begins at 9 AM on the 1^st day of Passover. Jerusalem has two mounts--the temple mount where the Passover lamb is being offered up and the crucifixion mount--where the true Passover lamb is being offered up. Not many people understand crucifixion today, but in the time of the gospels it was well understood. There were four types of crosses used in that time: A. Telephone Pole type. B. Capital X type. Both of these usually not used outside of Italy. C. Capital T type. D. small t type. Jesus was most likely crucified on the small t type because the accusation document was put above the head while the capital T type put it below the feet. The cross was laid on the ground and the person was nailed to it. Nails go through the wrist--the palm would not hold it without tearing. Feet placed atop one another and nailed to wood. A small ledge was placed under the feet (discussed later). The cross was picked up and dropped into a hole in the ground--this would jar the bones out of joint (Ps 22).

7. Father forgive them….Jesus prays for those who are crucifying him, not those who do it purposefully--but those who do it ignorantly--for they know not what they do.

8. The parting of garments. Four soldiers attend and they split the garments evenly between themselves. A man is stripped and crucified naked. Jews of the time wore five garments: A. Upper garment B. Inner garment or tunic C. Head covering D. Sandals E. Robe. The robe was usually torn into four parts and divided. This robe was like the ones wealthy people wore and was woven from top to bottom. How did Jesus get this robe? Most likely from one of the wealthy women who supported him (Luke 8.13).

9. Erection of the superscription above Jesus’ head. This would spell out the accusation of the crime committed. This one does not sound like an accusation, but rather a statement: This is the King of the Jews. The leaders understood it sounded like a statement and ask Pilate to change it. He refuses--a small piece of revenge on them for pressuring him to crucify Jesus.

10. The co-crucifixion of the two rebel criminals who participated with Bar Abba (Is 53.12).

11. 5^th Mockery committed by passer-bys coming in and out of the city.

12. 6^th Mockery by the Jewish leaders.

13. 7^th Mockery by the soldiers attending. Both Jews and Gentiles mock him.

14. 8^th Mockery by those crucified with him. All these mockeries had two common elements: Mocked Messianic claims and challenge him to prove his claims by coming down off the cross. If Jesus would have come down he would have been a false Messiah as this was the way the scriptures said it would be--but Satan was trying to tempt him. His refusal to come down is evidence Jesus is who he says he is.

15. Conversion of the rebel on the cross. He tells Jesus he is a sinner, Jesus is innocent, Jesus can save him, and he recognizes the coming Kingdom.

16. I tell you today, you shall be with me in paradise….The point is Jesus will remember him as of this day.

17. Jesus gives his mother into John’s care.

The Second Three Hours: The Wrath of God - Mark 15.33-37; Matt 27.45-50; Luke 23.44-46Covers the hours of Noon until 3 PM. Luke mentions a thick darkness coming over the whole land. Stages 18-25.

18. Archeology and ancient writers mention three events: 1. Greek historian Dionysius recalls seeing darkness in the Greek city of Heliopolis (city of the sun). 2. Greek historian Diogenes was a pagan writer who said he saw such darkness over the land that the Deity must have suffered or been in sympathy with someone who did. 3. A Roman, Phlegon in Turkey saw a great eclipse of the sun and experienced an earthquake at this time.

19. The Theological ramification--marks the point of spiritual death and separation from the Father = Wrath of God.

20.Why hast thou forsaken Me? In Jewish tradition when you quote the 1^st verse of a psalm you apply the entire psalm. It is a cry for help after experiencing three hours of the wrath of God. The only time he address the Father as “My God, My God” is here. This was not a father/son relationship at this point in time and judgment.

21.Those standing by thought he was calling out to Elijah (Eloi), the Jewish ear thinks that is what he is doing--calling to Elijah for rescue.

22.Partakes of vinegar--moistens the tongue and lips so he can speak his final words.

23.It is finished--tetelesti = finished in a unique way--being paid in full. Animal sacrifice is an installment payment.

24. Father into Your hands….Now again addresses the Father--the eternal relationship. He chooses the moment of his death and hands his spirit into the safe keeping of his father (body, soul, and spirit.). The Father will safe-keep his spirit until resurrection.

25. Actual physical death. Gave up his spirit and lowered his head. When you die it drops forward--Jesus lowered his head and chose the moment of his death.

　

The Accompanying Signs - Mark 15.38-41; Matt 27.51-56; Luke 23.45, 47-49The moment he dies several things happen in quick succession. A tremendous earthquake hits, the tombs (cave tombs) open and many dead saints were resurrected. Notice the wording: They who had fallen asleep were raised and came out of the tombs after his resurrection and came into the city and appeared unto many.

Since this was not the resurrection of the second coming it must have been some who had recently died and were raised up at his death, to appear at his resurrection. It was Lazarus resurrection and they would have died again later. Nothing else is reported. The resurrection of all dead saints is at the second coming (Dan 12.2).

The renting of the temple veil was from top to bottom. If a man had ripped it he would have started at the bottom up--the veil was 60ft long, 20 ft wide, and 4” thick. This signified God’s doing. Top to bottom!

The significant meaning was that now all have access to forgiveness of sin. The High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies once a year--one man for the entire nation--to atone for the sins of the nation. Now one man, Jesus Christ, has made atonement available to all--once and for all. If the veil had been physically torn it could have been kept quiet as this is not mentioned in any other Jewish writings--only in the gospels.

In Jewish writings there are many legends of things happening at the temple after the death of Jesus. Here are four:

1. Josephus: The middle light in the temple menorah kept going out. 2. Josephus and the Talmud: The heavy temple doors kept swinging open (it took several men to open) by themselves. 3. The lentil of the doorway cracked and fell the year Jesus died. 4. On the Day of Atonement for the next 40 years the goat released into the wilderness with the red ribbon kept returning and the ribbon did not turn white as it was supposed to.

The rabbi’s who recorded these things could not find a reason for these happenings. It was Tetelesti = “It is finished” as in Hebrews 10.18--once there is remission for sins there is no more sacrifice for sin. Two other things of importance happened: Fear among Jewish leaders as they observe these things and belief of the Roman Centurion ushering the Gentiles into the Commonwealth of Israel (Eph 2.10-13).

Source: The Life of Messiah from a Jewish Perspective by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum