The Death of Jesus

The Holy Bible records the death of Jesus where Jesus died on the holy Passover day from the painful punishment of Roman crucifixion, meaning he was nailed to an upright wooden post, or tree, with a cross beam. This is known today as the cross.

Because Jesus during his ministry identified himself as the great “I AM," a name of the Old Testament Hebrew God, and declared he was one with the Father, God, the Jewish religious authorities were outraged and accused Jesus of blasphemy against God. They also were threatened by the many miracles of Jesus and the fact that the people were gravitating toward Jesus and away from their authority and control. For this and other reasons Jesus was arrested, swiftly judged, beaten and sentenced to death by crucifixion.

The Holy Bible records the events of his judgement before Jewish and roman ruling authorities. Jesus was taken and beaten with many stripes of a whip or Roman scourge. After the roman centurions mockingly placed a scarlet purple robe and crown of thorns on his head mocking him saying” hail king of the Jews!”

Jesus was presented to Roman Pontius Pilate who was last to question judge Jesus. Pilate was not convinced Jesus deserved death, but the Jewish authorities and people called for Jesus to be crucified. Being it was the Passover time a prisoner would be granted release he asked the people if they wanted to release Jesus. The Jewish crowd instead demanded a man who was in prison for murder and sedition by the name of Barabbas. Pilate therefore released the murderer and sentence Jesus to be crucified.

The Bible records that Jesus then flanked by roman centurions carries his cross, the cross beam, through the streets of Jerusalem out of the city walls and to a place where he will he will be raised up on a waiting upright post, or tree, to be nailed to and crucified for all to see. Jesus was crucified along with two other criminals that Passover day. There were three cross crucifixions with Jesus in the center.

Placed on the cross of Jesus was a sign written by Pilate saying “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.”

The Bible records the last hours of Jesus life upon the cross. Jesus died at approximately 3pm on Passover day at the high of hottest part of the day the sun was suddenly darkened and great earthquake took place. The holy veil of the holy temple in Jerusalem was torn in two parts ripped down the middle.

Before Jesus expires on the cross, he said to his Father in heaven “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Jesus did nothing to deserve the punishment of the cross, but he did it without protest, or fighting back, he consented to his death in the will of Almighty God his Father. Jesus came and died as a perfect holy sacrifice to fulfil God’s holy law and make atonement for the sins of his people Israel and all men and women and children the world over who would in faith also believe in Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

When Jesus was alive and ministering to the people Jesus told the Jewish religious leaders that “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Jesus was speaking of his body as the temple, not the temple in Jerusalem because Jesus was to arise from the dead on third day after his death.

Jesus body was taken down form the cross the at evening ending the Passover day according to the law of God and placed in tomb where Jesus rested on the sabbath day or high holy day. Because Jesus foretold that he would die and be raised the third day to life the Jewish authorities demanded that Pilate post a guard at the tomb to prevent the disciples of Jesus from stealing his body away. They did not believe he was going to be arise from the dead.

Therefore, the Romans also sealed the large stone in front of the burial tomb and set a unit of centurions to watch.

But when the third day came early in the morning it was witnessed that the heavy stone was rolled away leaving an open tomb. Those who witnessed this saw an angel appear and were told Jesus had risen from the dead.

Next: The Resurrection of Jesus