The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
by Wendy AronEvents leading to the crucifixion of Jesus began five hundred years after the Lord led the Jews to the Promised Land where they lived under Roman rule. The Jewish priests had prophesized that a savior would come to rescue the people from the sins of mankind. Many people began to believe that Jesus was that savior because he performed countless miracles like walking on water and curing a people of serious illnesses. The Jewish priests became fearful that the Romans would punish the Jews for following Jesus’ teachings, so they planned to kill him. Jesus’ crucifixion came about because he had many enemies in Jerusalem. Against advice, however, Jesus decided to return there for the Passover festival. After supper, Jesus and his disciples walked over to the garden of Gethsemane for reflection and prayer. A group of Roman soldiers approached and asked the disciples to identify Jesus. Judas did so by kissing Jesus. Jesus was arrested and brought to the Roman governor Pilate. Pilate did not initially call for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, but the Roman people cried for the crucifixion of Jesus. Pilate wanted to satisfy them, so he consented to the Jesus crucifixion. The soldiers led Jesus away, forcing him to carry a wooden cross to the site of his murder.
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ took place in a town called Calvary. Two criminals were hanging on crosses next to Jesus and told Jesus that if he were the son of God, he should be able to save them. The Jesus crucifixion went on as soldiers took Jesus’ robes and gambled for them. The Jesus crucifixion continued for three hours as the Romans looked on mocking Jesus for his inability to save himself. Three hours later, darkness descended onto the town. One of the Romans in the crowd cried out that the Lord had laid the sins of them all on Jesus. Jesus asked the Lord why he had forsaken him and concluded, “I thirst.” The Jesus Christ crucifixion lasted on into the night as the soldiers taunted Jesus offering him vinegar. Again, the soldiers yelled that if Jesus were the King of the Jews he should save himself. Jesus sipped the vinegar and cried out that it was time for him to commit his spirit to the Lord. With that, Jesus died.
The crucifixion of Jesus complete, the skies darkened and the earth quaked. One of the Roman soldiers yelled out that this was surely a sign that Jesus was, indeed, the Son of God. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the two thieves that were hanging on the crosses next to Jesus. But when they saw that Jesus was dead, they did not break his legs. Instead they pierced his body so that blood and water flowed. With this, the Scriptures were fulfilled.
Immediately after the Jesus Christ crucifixion, Jesus’ followers were frightened; they went into hiding in Jerusalem, completely demoralized by the death of their leader. Life in the markets continued as usual. The crucifixion of Jesus made little impact. It must have seemed like one of the routine crucifixions carried out by the Romans. But for the followers of Jesus all seemed lost. There remained only one last task, to take down the body and at least give it a decent burial. The Gospel recalls that when evening fell there came a man of Aremathia, Joseph by name. He approached Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus and Pilate gave orders that he should have it. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen sheet and laid it in his own unused tomb, which he had cut out of the rock. He then rolled a large stone against the entrance and went away.
It was Friday, the Gospel tells us, when the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had accompanied Jesus’ body from Galilee followed. They took note of the tomb and observed how his body was laid, then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes and on the Sabbath they rested in obedience to the commandment. Then, as requested by the Jewish leaders, the tomb was sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers. Three days after the Jesus Christ crucifixion, the Jews found that the stone blocking the entrance to Jesus’ tomb had been moved away ant that the tomb was empty, paving the way for the resurrection. Although it was not acknowledged at the time, clearly the crucifixion of Jesus Christ would alter the lives of many for centuries to come.
