Matthew 27:25

 

Then, all the people answered and said, “Let His blood [his death] be on us and on our children [they pronounced their own curse which was fulfilled].”

 

καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς πᾶς ὁ λαὸς εἶπεν, Τὸ αἷµα αὐτοῦ ἐφí ἡµᾶς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡµῶν.

 

This curse which they placed upon themselves was fulfilled. Children are not responsible for their parent’s sin for in order to be culpable, they have to repeat their parent’s sins which most did in this case. Over one million died in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem by August of 70 A.D.  Many who shouted “Let His blood be on us and on our children” died along with their children at that time.

 

Matthew 27:26

 

Then he released Barabbas to them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him up to be crucified [subjunctive mood: Jesus being crucified depended upon the volition of Jesus Christ].

 

τότε ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Βαραββᾶν, τὸν δὲ Ἰησοῦν φραγελλώσας παρέδωκεν ἵνα σταυρωθῇ.

 

Scourging was a part of normal Roman procedure.  After scourging, the Romans would rub salt into the wounds.  It was excruciating pain in itself. All the same, Jesus went to the cross from his own volition in order that He might be judged for Pilates’s sin and the sins of the religious leaders, the mob as well as the sins of the world.

 

Matthew 27:27

 

Then, the soldiers of the procurator took Jesus into the praetorian and gathered unto Him the entire detachment.

 

Τότε οἱ στρατιῶται τοῦ ἡγεµόνος παραλαβόντες τὸν Ἰησοῦν εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον συνήγαγον ἐπí αὐτὸν ὅλην τὴν σπεῖραν.

 

At this time, the soldiers stationed in Palestine were Greek and quite cruel.  There were many recorded events of their cruelty toward the Jews.

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Matthew 27:28

 

And stripping Him, they put a scarlet robe around Him.

 

καὶ ἐκδύσαντες αὐτὸν χλαµύδα κοκκίνην περιέθηκαν αὐτῷ,

 

This was a crimson robe of a Roman official possibly one of Pilate’s old robes. 

 

Matthew 27:29

 

Having braided together 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 [used to recognize the emperor or a VIP], King of the Jews!”

 

καὶ πλέξαντες στέφανον ἐξ ἀκανθῶν ἐπέθηκαν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ κάλαµον ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ γονυπετήσαντες ἔµπροσθεν αὐτοῦ ἐνέπαιξαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες, Χαῖρε, βασιλεῦ τῶν Ἰουδαίων,

 

Matthew 27:30

 

Spitting on Him, they took the reed and kept on striking him on His head.

 

καὶ ἐµπτύσαντες εἰς αὐτὸν ἔλαβον τὸν κάλαµον καὶ ἔτυπτον εἰς τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ.

 

This indicated their utter contempt, even so some of these soldiers will actually be saved before the sun goes down. 

 

Matthew 27:31

 

And after they had mocked Him, they took the robe off of Him and put His own clothing on Him and led Him away to crucify Him.

 

καὶ ὅτε ἐνέπαιξαν αὐτῷ, ἐξέδυσαν αὐτὸν τὴν χλαµύδα καὶ ἐνέδυσαν αὐτὸν τὰ ἱµάτια αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπήγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ σταυρῶσαι.

 

Matthew 27:32

 

And going out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They forced this one to carry His cross. 

 

Ἐξερχόµενοι δὲ εὗρον ἄνθρωπον Κυρηναῖον ὀνόµατι Σίµωνα· τοῦτον ἠγγάρευσαν ἵνα ἄρῃ τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ.

 

From indifference to martyrdom: Simon was an unbelieving Jew from North Africa who came to Jerusalem to participate in the holy days. For some reason, he was in the crowd watching Jesus carrying His cross on His way to Golgotha. Since Jesus wearied from his many abuses, was unable to continue carrying His cross, the Romans singled out Simon. Since it was a disgrace to carry the cross of a convicted person, Simon initially refused but was forced to do so. Later before the sunsets, he will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and so when he went back to North Africa, he apparently led his wife and two sons Alexander and Rufus to the Lord and eventually became a great believer and one of the first martyrs in North Africa.

 

The Events of the Cross: verses 33-50.

 

Matthew 27:33

 

And coming to a place called Golgotha [an Aramaic Word], which is called, Place of a Skull [Latin: calvariae locus],

 

Καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τόπον λεγόµενον Γολγοθᾶ, ὅ ἐστιν Κρανίου Τόπος λεγόµενος,

 

Golgotha was apparently a barren knoll and this is why it was given that name. The word ‘calvary’ came into the English Bible only from the King James version as per Luke 23:33. Calvary is taken from the Latin calvaria the equivalent of ‘Golgotha’.

 

Matthew 27:34

 

They gave Him cheap wine [GI wine] mixed with gall [a bitter narcotic used to deaden pain] to drink. And when He had tasted, He would not drink.

 

ἔδωκαν αὐτῷ πιεῖν οἶνον µετὰ χολῆς µεµιγµένον· καὶ γευσάµενος οὐκ ἠθέλησεν πιεῖν.

 

Temptations can be very subtle. Jesus Christ was very thirsty so he tasted it to see if it were something which he could drink.  Once he realized what it was, he refused to drink it. Jesus Christ would need to think clearly and have full use of his volition. Again, Satan is at work in this offer of a narcotic mixed in cheap wine. Not only would the narcotic make it difficult for Jesus to think clearly, but the drinking of this cheap wine would have caused Jesus to lose His perfect integrity since at the Last Supper, he mentioned that the next time he would drink wine would be in the Millennium. 

 

Matthew 27:35

 

And they crucified Him, dividing His garments, casting a lot;

 

σταυρώσαντες δὲ αὐτὸν διεµερίσαντο τὰ ἱµάτια αὐτοῦ βάλλοντες κλῆρον,

 

This was the fulfillment of a prophecy spoken by the prophet [David] approximately 1000 years before the cross, "They divided My garments among them, and they cast a lot for My clothing." (Psalm 22:18)

 

Mark 15:25, “It was the 3rd hour [9 A.M. when they crucified Him.” At a crucifixion, the Romans usually stripped the person to be crucified of all his possessions. So, he would be hung naked. (In the ancient world, they did not wear underclothes as we know them today.)  

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John 19: 23-24, Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece.(24) So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be”; this was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided my outer garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

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Matthew 27:36

 

And sitting down they [the soldiers] were watching Him closely there.

 

καὶ καθήµενοι ἐτήρουν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ.

 

They were impressed with the way that the Lord handled himself for Christ neither reacted to all the jeering and mocking nor showed any reaction to the pain. 

 

Matthew 27:37

 

And they put up over His head His judgment, written, THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 

καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπάνω τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ τὴν αἰτίαν αὐτοῦ γεγραµµένην· Οὗτός ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὁ βασιλεῦς τῶν Ἰουδαίων.

 

John provides a few more details. John 19:19-22, “Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (20) Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek. (21) So, the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” (22) Pilate

answered, “What I have written I have written.”

 

Matthew 27:38

 

Then, two gangsters [insurrectionists: revolting against civil authorities] were crucified with Him, one on the right, one on the left.

 

Τότε σταυροῦνται σὺν αὐτῷ δύο λῃσταί, εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύµων.

 

These two men were apparently part of gangster syndicate captured by Pontius Pilate. They operated under the protection of the High Priest, Caiaphas since he was getting a cut of their profits. Barabbas was apparently their leader. 

 

Matthew 27:39

 

And those who passed-by blasphemed Him, and making obscene gestures with their heads,

 

Οἱ δὲ παραπορευόµενοι ἐβλασφήµουν αὐτὸν κινοῦντες τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν

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Mobs are always made-up of low-class people ‘Passing-by’ would imply a large crowd. They would have to pass-by in order for all to see. As they did so, they would gesture in an obscene way unknown to us today.

 

Matthew 27:40

 

And saying, “The one destroying the temple and building it in three days, deliver yourself. If you are the Son of God, and let’s assume you are [1st Class conditional sentence], then come down from the cross [In other words, use your divine power.].”

 

καὶ λέγοντες, Ὁ καταλύων τὸν ναὸν καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡµέραις οἰκοδοµῶν, σῶσον σεαυτόν, εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, [καὶ] κατάβηθι ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ.

 

Though Jesus was not talking about the temple in Jerusalem, evil people always distort. When Jesus made this statement, he was talking about his body as per John 2:19,” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple [murder me], and in three days I will raise it up.”

 

Matthew 27:41

 

And in the same way also the chief priests mocked, with the scribes and elders, saying,

 

ὁµοίως καὶ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς ἐµπαίζοντες µετὰ τῶν γραµµατέων καὶ πρεσβυτέρων ἔλεγον,

 

Matthew 27:42

 

“He delivered others [from their diseases, sickness and illnesses etc.] but he cannot deliver himself. He is the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in him.

 

Ἄλλους ἔσωσεν, ἑαυτὸν οὐ δύναται σῶσαι· βασιλεὺς Ἰσραήλ ἐστιν, καταβάτω νῦν ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ καὶ πιστεύσοµεν ἐπí αὐτόν.

 

Arrogant people always mock and ridicule the truth. In Reverse Process Reversionism, the 8th stage of reversionism, everything in one’s soul is reversed. In this case, they hate the truth and love what is false.

 

If he did come down from the cross and consequently did not bear the penalty of the sins of the world, there would be no Savior and salvation-work to believe in. Another Satanic attack to prevent Christ from bearing the sins of the world.  

 

Matthew 27:43

 

“He trusted in God [the Father], let Him [God the Father] deliver Him now [from the cross], if He [God the Father] delights in Him and he does. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God [implying a relationship between God the Father and God the Son].’”

 

πέποιθεν ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν, ῥυσάσθω νῦν εἰ θέλει αὐτόν· εἶπεν γὰρ ὅτι Θεοῦ εἰµι υἱός.

 

This statement is implying that if God the Father does not deliver Christ from the cross, that God the Father really does not love Jesus Christ. How blasphemous can one get! Furthermore, God the Father cannot deliver him from the cross until the Father is finished judging his beloved son. 

 

Matthew 27:44

 

And also the gangsters [insurrectionists] who were crucified with Him reviled Him, saying the same.

 

τὸ δí αὐτὸ καὶ οἱ λῃσταὶ οἱ συσταυρωθέντες σὺν αὐτῷ ὠνείδιζον αὐτόν.

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Luke 22:37, “It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.” (a quote from Isaiah 53:12)

Luke 23:39-43, “One of the criminals who was hanging there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Deliver Yourself and us!” 40 But the other responded, and rebuking him, and said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our crimes; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

 

Matthew 27:45

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And from the sixth hour [Jewish time: 12 noon] darkness came over all the earth until the ninth hour [3 P.M.].

 

Ἀπὸ δὲ ἕκτης ὥρας σκότος ἐγένετο ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἕως ὥρας ἐνάτης.

 

God the Father covered not only the cross which covering provided privacy for Jesus as He was being punished for the sins of the world, but also over the entire earth with supernatural darkness so that no one could do anything for three hours. This gave the inhabitants of not only Judea but also of the entire earth time to reconsider the claims of Christ. Twice in human history God uses supernatural darkness to cover the entire earth. The three hours just mentioned and just before the 2nd Advent.  

 

Covered with Darkness the Entire Earth:

 

Luke 23:44-45, “It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the entire earth until the ninth hour, (45) because the sun stopped shining [for this reason there was supernatural darkness over the entire earth]; and the veil of the temple was torn in two.” 

 

Supernatural darkness just before the 2nd Advent:

 

Matthew 24:29. “But immediately after the tribulation of those days [at the 2nd Advent] the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its reflected light and meteors will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

 

Zechariah 14:6, 7, “In that day [the day of His return] there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. For it is a unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night [both the sun and the moon do not give their light], but it will come about in evening time there will be light [light will accompany the return of Christ].”

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Isaiah 13:9-10, “Behold the day of the Lord is coming. Cruel, with fury and burning anger [integrity of God executing judgment] to make the land a desolation; and He will exterminate its sinners from it [the anti-Semitic enemies].  For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light; the sun will be dark when it rises and the moon will not shed its light [reflected light].”

 

The Substitutionary Spiritual Death of Christ on the Cross:

 

1. Though Jesus Christ was in hypostatic union on the cross, only His humanity was punished for our sins.

 

2. Jesus Christ remained in the status of trichotomy on the cross as proven by his unique death namely his human spirit went into the care of God the Father, his soul went with God the Holy Spirit to Hades and his body remained in the grave.

 

3. Jesus personally never died a spiritual death, rather he bore the burden of mankind’s spiritual death on the cross namely He was punished for the penalty of the sins of all mankind. In other words, Jesus died a substitutionary spiritual death while forsaken by the Father during the judgment. On the other hand, Adam suffered a real spiritual death as also his progeny at birth.

 

4. So, Jesus’ substitutionary spiritual death means that He died as a substitute for the sins related to our spiritual death namely the billions of sins which were committed in addition to Adam’s original sin. In other words, he paid the penalty for our sins in toto.

 

5. Jesus Christ was portrayed as a male lamb unblemished and spotless (no sin nature and no sin) 1 Peter 1:18-19, “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” Jesus remained impeccable while being judged for the sins of the world. “2 Corinthians 5:21, “And he [God the Father] made him who knew no sin [remained impeccable both before the cross and on the cross] to be sin [imputation and judgment of the sins of the world] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” 

 

6. Jesus Christ was not a curse, but became a curse as per Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law having become a curse for us, for it is written ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’” 

 

7. Hebrews 12:2, “Be concentrating on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our doctrine, who because of the happiness that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame [from being identified with all these despicable sins], and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Just as Jesus endured under great pressure, not reacting in bitterness, hatred, and self-pity, so we must endure under great pressure in order to achieve and preserve happiness. There is no happiness without the ability to endure under pressure.

 

8. The omnipotence of the Father imputed all the sins of mankind to Jesus during the last three hours on the cross, and the Justice of the Father using his omnipotence then judged the humanity of Christ on the cross, while the deity of Christ was sustaining the universe.

 

9. Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour [3 P.M.] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli [Hebrew], lema sabachthani [Aramaic]?” translated [from the Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek], “My God, my God [addressing God the Father], why have you [in the singular] forsaken [abandoned] me?” David prophesizes the shout in Psalm 22:1a, “My God, My God why have you forsaken Me far from helping Me.” This was answered in Psalm 22:3a, “because you [Father] are holy [righteous and just].” The Father had to judge Jesus for every sin of mankind. Judgment implies abandonment and forsaking. There was no help nor fellowship during this judgment on the cross. So, this shout was prophesied in Hebrew (Psalm 22); shouted out and translated into Greek (Matthew 27:46).

10. Jesus understood why he had to be forsaken but shouted out this rhetorical question for our benefit. It was a Rhetorical question which had already been answered in Scripture as per Psalm 22:3a namely because the integrity of God demanded the punishment of all sins of mankind via a perfect sacrifice.

 

11. During the lifetime of the humanity of Christ, he was never forsaken by God the Holy Spirit whether it be before the cross or on the cross. The Holy Spirit always provided the enabling power for Jesus to execute the Father’s will during his entire life on this earth. So, from His birth to His physical death on the cross, He always had available and used the two power options namely the metabolized doctrine in his soul and the enabling power of the Spirit.

 

12. In this way, Jesus Christ demonstrated the power of the Proto-type Spiritual Life. This spiritual life called the Operational Type Spiritual Life, he gave to each Church Age believer.

 

13. Why was there a need for a substitutionary spiritual death? Adam and his wife suffered a real spiritual death when they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This involved the loss of their human spirit and acquisition of a sin nature. Hence, since the sin nature is part of the makeup of cellular genetics, all Adam’s descendance are born with the sin nature within their cells and with the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin imputed to that sin nature at birth. This means that all of mankind is helplessly located in the slave market of sin. This required someone outside of the slave market of sin to provide a ransom to free mankind. Thus, the need for an impeccable person to pay the penalty of every sin of mankind. This we call the substitutionary work of Christ on the cross. 

 

14. R. B. Thieme Jr. first taught this doctrine in 1986 during the teaching of the Ephesian series, a doctrine which has been buried for over 1500 years and is still unknown by most Christians since it is not known and subsequently not taught by any professor in any major theological seminary today.

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In summary:

 

1. The humanity of Jesus was perfect on the cross: he was born without a sin nature and so no imputation of Adam’s sin followed. Furthermore, He never committed a personal sin.

 

2. Therefore, Jesus himself did not die spiritually for in order to die spiritually, he would need to sin. It would be blasphemous to even suggest such a ridiculous idea.

 

3. All the while Jesus was on the cross, he was functioning under the two power options namely the Filling of the Holy Spirit and metabolized doctrine in his human soul – not once was He out of fellowship. In this way, Jesus Christ demonstrated the power of the Proto-type Spiritual Life. This spiritual life called the Operational type Spiritual Life, he gave to each Church Age believer.

 

4. Before going to the cross, Jesus agreed to accept the punishment of all the sins of the human race, “My Father if it is possible and it is [Jesus had to be willing to go to the cross], let this cup [of the sins of the human race] pass from me, yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39b)

 

5. On the cross from noon to 3 p.m., God the Father punished Jesus for the penalty of every sin of the entire human race (unlimited atonement).

 

6. Death implies separation. While bearing the penalty of the sins of the world, Jesus had no fellowship with the Father, separation from fellowship with the Father until the work was accomplished on the cross.

 

7. Thus, on the cross, there was only judgment, not forgiveness. Forgiveness is the result of the judgment of the cross.

 

8. Forgiveness occurs for the first time, when a person believes in Jesus Christ. At that time, God the Father forgives all the person’s pre-salvation’s sins.

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9. After salvation, when the Christian sins, he must use the Recovery Procedure as explained in 1 John 1:9. 

 

Matthew 27:46

 

"And about the ninth hour [3 p.m.], Jesus shouted with a loud voice saying [with a mixture of Hebrew and Aramaic], `ELI ELI [Hebrew] LEMA SABACHTHANI [Aramaic]?' that is translated [into Greek], `My God, my God why have you forsaken Me?'" ((a quote from Psalm 22:1a (in the Hebrew bible, Psalm 22:2a))

 

περὶ δὲ τὴν ἐνάτην ὥραν ἀνεβόησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς φωνῇ µεγάλῃ λέγων, Ηλι ηλι λεµα σαβαχθανι; τοῦτí ἔστιν, Θεέ µου θεέ µου, ἱνατί µε ἐγκατέλιπες;

 

In the Hebrew of Psalm 22:2a, “Eli Eli, lama azavtani . . .” [The Hebrew verb azavtani of Psalm 22:2a is translated into the Septuagint as egkatelipes ἐγκατέλιπες (forsaken) just as the Aramaic word sabachthani is translated into the Greek of the New Testament as egkatelipes ἐγκατέλιπες (forsaken). So, the Hebrew azavtani and the Aramaic sabachthani are synonyms.]

 

Mark 15:34, “At the nineth hour, Jesus shouted-out with a loud voice, “ELOI, ELOI LEMA SABACHTHANI [this is all Aramaic]?” which is translated, “My God, my God why have you forsaken Me?”

 

This was answered in Psalm 22:3a, “because you [Father] are holy [righteous and just].” The Father had to judge Jesus for every sin of mankind. Judgment implies abandonment and forsaking. There was no help nor fellowship during this judgment on the cross.

 

The repetition of the vocative ‘My God’ emphasized the high quality of the integrity of God the Father. Though Jesus knew why he was forsaken by the integrity of God, he shouted this rhetorical question for our benefit.

 

Aramaic which was spoken both by the Syrians (Aramaeans) and the Chaldeans is very close to Hebrew. Aramaic was mistakenly called Chaldean because it was spoken by the Chaldeans in the book of Daniel, from Daniel 2:4 to 7:28. Aramaic is also found in Ezra 4:8 to 6:18, 7:12-26. Our Lord spoke Galilean Aramaic, which is close to but not a derivative of the Hebrew. We could call them sister languages having at one point the same origin.                 

                

The second person singular aorist active indicative of the Greek word ‘egkataleipo’ is the exact equivalent of the Hebrew ‘azav’ meaning to abandon or forsake. The aorist gathers together the entire three hours of our Lord's substitutionary spiritual death, during which time God the Father both imputed and judged all the sins of the world.

 

Matthew 27:47

 

Some of those who stood there, when they heard, said, “This one calls for Elijah.”

 

τινὲς δὲ τῶν ἐκεῖ ἑστηκότων ἀκούσαντες ἔλεγον ὅτι Ἠλίαν φωνεῖ οὗτος.

 

When the Lord shouted out “My God, My God” in Hebrew (Eli Eli), it sounded like he was calling for Elijah, one of the future human heralds of the 2nd Advent. They could have had Malachi 4:5 in mind, a 2nd Advent verse, “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of that great and dreadful day of the Lord.” 

 

Matthew 27:48

 

And immediately one of them [possibly John] ran and took a sponge and filled it with soldier’s wine, and he put it on a reed and gave it to Him to drink.

 

καὶ εὐθέως δραµὼν εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ λαβὼν σπόγγον πλήσας τε ὄξους καὶ περιθεὶς καλάµῳ ἐπότιζεν αὐτόν.

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This occurred just after 3 P.M. when His work on the cross had been accomplished and as God the Father was removing the supernatural darkness.

 

Matthew 27:49

 

The rest said, “Let Him alone [don’t give him the sponge], let us see whether Elijah will come to deliver Him.”

 

οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἔλεγον, Ἄφες ἴδωµεν εἰ ἔρχεται Ἠλίας σώσων αὐτόν.

 

They want to see if Elijah will come and deliver him. This is curiosity with callousness combined with a total ignorance of Scripture.

 

Matthew 27:50

 

And Jesus after shouting again with a loud voice, He dismissed His human spirit [into the hand of God the Father].

 

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς πάλιν κράξας φωνῇ µεγάλῃ ἀφῆκεν τὸ πνεῦµα.

 

How did Jesus die physically on the Cross according to the gospel writers?

 

Just before Jesus died physically, he shouted with a loud voice. Obviously, this man was not weakened from a loss of blood. Although Matthew didn’t tell us what Jesus shouted, he does recognize that the content of the shout had meaning when he used the Greek word ‘phone’ 

(φωνῇ) translated as voice. Matthew also stated the means of the death of Jesus, namely Jesus dismissed his human spirit and his soul from his body.

 

“When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, “It [atonement for sin] is finished!” And [then] He pushed His head forward and delivered over His spirit [human spirit to God the Father and his soul to God the Holy Spirit].” (John 19:30)

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ὅτε οὖν ἔλαβεν τὸ ὄξος [ὁ] Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Τετέλεσται· καὶ κλίνας τὴν κεφαλὴν παρέδωκεν τὸ πνεῦµα.

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John mentions only the first word that Jesus spoke before dying by delivering over his human spirit and soul. Since Jesus was addressing God the Father, he only mentions his human spirit since this was delivered over to the Father whereas his soul was handed over to the Spirit.

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And Jesus uttered a loud utterance [a statement with meaning], and He exhaled His last. (Mark 15:37)

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ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀφεὶς φωνὴν µεγάλην ἐξέπνευσεν.

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The Greek word ekpneuo in the aorist 3rd person singular eksepneusen means to exhale. The last words of Jesus were given entirely in one exhale. In other words, once Jesus began to speak, he never inhaled again. This informs us of His tremendous breath control.

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“And Jesus, having spoken with a loud utterance, said, ‘Father [indicating Christ’s restoration to fellowship with God after salvation was complete], into your hands I commit My spirit.’ And having said this, He completed his exhale [culminative aorist].” (Luke 23:46)

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καὶ φωνήσας φωνῇ µεγάλῃ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθεµαι τὸ πνεῦµά µου· τοῦτο δὲ εἰπὼν ἐξέπνευσεν.

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The next few pages taken from the booklet, “The Blood of Christ” will add to what has been presented.

 

Taken from the booklet “The Blood of Christ by R. B. Thieme Jr., pages 23-25

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Spiritual Death on the Cross

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Our Lord was on the cross for six hours, from approximately nine o’clock in the morning until about three o’clock in the afternoon. He was physically alive during the entire period, but He suffered spiritual death during the three hours from 12:00 noon until 3:00 P.M. when the sins of the entire world were poured out on Him (Mark 15:33–34; cf. 1 Pet. 2:24).

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As the Lord Jesus Christ paid the penalty for every sin, He revealed His spiritual death to the world by screaming, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?” (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34; cf. Ps. 22:1). He was forsaken because He [the Father] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf. (2 Cor. 5:21a)

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Since the righteousness of God, the Father could have nothing to do with sin, He had to separate Himself from the humanity of Christ while those sins were imputed and judged on the cross. Jesus Christ’s separation from God the Father—His spiritual death, the most excruciating pain that will ever occur—was the judgment for sin, the cost of atonement.

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After the judgment of sin was completed Jesus Christ shouted, “Τετέλεσται” (tetelestai), “It is finished!” In the perfect tense tetelestai means “finished in the past with results that go on forever.” What had Christ finished that would have eternal results? The work of salvation!

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When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, “It [atonement for sin] is finished!” And [then] He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit [physical death]. (John 19:30)

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Our Lord said, “It is finished” to indicate that His work was completed. Note that He spoke these words before He died physically. Since He was still alive on the cross after the work of salvation was completed, His subsequent physical death could not be the payment for sin. Therefore, it is Jesus Christ’s substitutionary spiritual death alone that is efficacious for our salvation.

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The Physical Death of Christ

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The Lord Jesus Christ remained physically alive until after His salvation work was finished (John 19:30). Once His mission for the First Advent was accomplished, He died in a magnificent and honorable way. Jesus Christ was fully in command of Himself on the cross. In spite of all that He had endured there was no last-moment panic or regret by our Lord. His physical death was worthy of His true royalty and of the resounding strategic victory in the angelic conflict that He had just won.

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First, with a powerful voice He stated in His dying words the spiritual legacy that He was leaving to believers on earth. Second, at the end of this ‘last will and testament,’ He died physically by His own volition—no one took His life, nor did He bleed to death. With His work on earth finished, the Father’s plan called for Him to depart, so He dismissed His own spirit. Just as His birth, His life, and His spiritual death were unique, so His physical death was also unique. Jesus Christ was the only person authorized to dismiss His own life.

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“I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.” (John 10:17b–18a)

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He died physically in fulfillment of His own words. By an act of His own volition, His soul and human spirit left His body, and only then was He physically dead.

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Matthew records the fact that Christ made a final statement before He released His soul and spirit.

And Jesus cried out [shouted] again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. (Matt. 27:50)

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While Matthew makes no mention of the content, he emphasizes the strength and self-control necessary for Christ to shout His last words. Mark relates another aspect of this event.

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And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed [exhaled] His last. (Mark 15:37)

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By using the verb ἐκπνευω (ekpneo), “to exhale,” Mark focuses attention on the Lord’s fantastic breath control—Christ exhaled a final statement and did not inhale again.

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In Luke’s account, we finally come to the content of our Lord’s final words.

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And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father [indicating Christ’s restoration to fellowship with God after salvation was complete], INTO THY HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” And having said this, He breathed His last. (Luke 23:46)

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However, Luke does not record the entire statement. Instead, he provides us with a reference to the passage of Scripture that Jesus quoted from the Old Testament. The complete text is found in Psalm 31:5.

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Into Thy hand I commit my spirit; Thou hast ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth [doctrine]. (Ps. 31:5)

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Jesus quoted the words of David. At a time when David desperately needed deliverance from his enemies, he had taken refuge in the God of “truth” or “doctrine.” So, too, the strength, inner resources, and spiritual assets on which Jesus Christ relied on the cross were also provided by the doctrine resident in His soul. Thus, our Lord revealed the momentum of the spiritual life—the perception and application of Bible doctrine.

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 In His dying breath the Lord Jesus Christ made Bible doctrine the spiritual heritage of the royal family of God. In fact, He exalted His Word above His own person and reputation (Ps. 138:2). Just as the legacy of His spiritual death is salvation, so the legacy of His physical death is Bible doctrine. Just as salvation is the basis for relationship with God, so Bible doctrine is the basis for spiritual growth.

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After Christ announced His legacy of doctrine, His soul departed for Hades (Ps. 16:10; Luke 23:43; Acts 2:27; Eph. 4:9); His human spirit went into the presence of the Father (Luke 23:46; Ps. 31:5); and His body went into the grave (Luke 23:53). This was His physical death.

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Matthew 27:51

 

And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook, and rocks were split [earthquake],

 

Καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ καταπέτασµα τοῦ ναοῦ ἐσχίσθη ἀπí ἄνωθεν ἕως κάτω εἰς δύο, καὶ ἡ γῆ  ἐσείσθη, καὶ αἱ πέτραι ἐσχίσθησαν,

 

The first three verses describe three miracles. The first miracle was to make clear to Annas, Caiaphas and to the entire priesthood and ultimately to the rest of the Jewish people that the person whom they put on the cross was indeed their Messiah and Savior. “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom.” The veil of the temple had 72 twisted braids with 24 threads in each braid, and it was 60 feet high and 30 feet wide. It was very heavy. Obviously, it was impossible to tear it with human hands so that the Jewish priesthood would know that it was the work of God.

 

This was the veil between the holy place and the holy of holies and its renting would reveal that there was no Shekinah Glory residing in the Holy of Holies at that time and that the Jewish Age was coming to an end for just 40 years later the temple itself would be destroyed. Furthermore, the barrier barring entrance into the Holy of Holies was now gone which would imply that all are now free to enter the Holy of Holies. The believer of the Church Age enters into that Holy of Holies via the Baptism of the Holy Spirit for Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father in the heavenly Holy of Holies.  

 

The second miracle was an earthquake, “and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.” This second miracle was to those who would not have known about the tearing of the great curtain leading into the Holy of Holies. This miracle all could feel, hear and see its power. It was this miracle that led the centurion to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  

 

Matthew 27:52

 

And tombs were opened [by the earthquake], and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep [died] were raised-up [raised-up from Paradise after the resurrection of Jesus Christ as per the next verse].

 

καὶ τὰ µνηµεῖα ἀνεῴχθησαν καὶ πολλὰ σώµατα τῶν κεκοιµηµένων ἁγίων ἠγέρθησαν,

 

The Old Testament saints in their interim bodies at this time were residing in Paradise. They were brought up from Paradise and appeared to many.  The same thing will occur in the Tribulation.  Moses and Elijah will come back to the earth in their interim bodies and will minister in the Great Tribulation. 

 

Hades (Sheol) is located in the heart of the earth.  It has four compartments namely Abraham’s bosom (the former paradise), Torments separated from Abraham’s bosom by a gulf-fixed, Tartarus and finally the Abyss.  Abraham’s bosom was where all Old Testament believers went to, and resided in their interim bodies until the ascension of Christ.  At which time they were led in a procession to the 3rd heaven. Torments is where all unbelievers go upon their physical death and reside there in their interim bodies until they are resurrected to face the Great White Throne Judgment.  Tartarus is the prison for all the fallen angels who cohabitated with the human race. This story is found in Genesis 6:1-4, Jude 6 and 2 Peter 2:4, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into Tartarus and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment,”.  The final compartment of Hades is called the Abyss. This is where Abaddon (in Hebrew, Apollyon in Greek) is located with many other fallen angels.  (All fallen angels who violate the rules established by God for the Appeal Trial granted to Satan and the fallen angels are imprisoned there.  However, they will be released during the Tribulation (Revelation 9:1-12)). At the 2nd Advent of Christ, Satan will be cast into the Abyss for 1000 years.