Suggested Emphasis: Jesus was innocent but he was killed.
Jesus was crucified on a cross like a common criminal. While he was on the cross the earth became dark. The huge curtain in the temple in Jerusalem suddenly ripped in half at the exact moment Jesus died outside the city. There was also an earthquake. The day of the crucifixion was a terrible day.
Children need to know that Jesus died on the cross to save the world from sin. We must teach about the pain and agony Jesus suffered and yet we must be sensitive to the maturity level of our student. Generally, younger children need to know the big picture and that Jesus died for us even though it hurt. Older children can grasp more of the graphic detail of the crucifixion. Most importantly, is the fact that Jesus is the Son of God and could have called on all the power in the universe to stop the crucifixion. He chose to suffer for us instead.
After the trial Pilate turned Jesus over to the Roman soldiers. The robe they placed on him was probably an old soldier’s cloak. The crown was made from briars. “Hail, king of the Jews” was an imitation of “Hail Caesar.”
The cross beam that Jesus carried was probably 30-40 pounds and would have caused terrible pain to the torn flesh of recently flogged back. The soldiers must have thought Jesus too slow because they ordered someone in the crowd, a man named Simon from Cyrene (northern Africa), to carry the cross. It would have been customary for the sign stating his crime to be carried before him and then later nailed above him on the cross.
We usually think or the cross in one particular shape but a Roman cross could also be shaped like a T, X, Y, or I. Crucifixion was a Roman means of execution in which the victim was nailed to a cross. Although famous paintings often depict the nail scars in the palms of Jesus’ hands, in actual fact the heavy, wrought iron nails would have been driven through the wrist and the heel bones. The person crucified would not be able to breathe in a sagging position so they would have to lift themselves by pushing their feet against the nails. If the person lingered then the soldiers would break the legs so that they could not lift and breathe. This brought death on more quickly. Jesus was already dead when the soldiers came to do this. They pierced his side to make sure. Only slaves and the basest of criminals and offenders who were not Roman citizens were executed in this manner. It was a true injustice that Jesus was crucified.
The place of execution was called “The Place of the Skull”. Some say it is so named because of a hill shaped like a skull. Others believe it is referred to by this name because of its association with death. The Latin (official language of Rome) word for skull is “Calvaria” from which we get the word “Calvary”. The gospels do not mention a hill although we often hear “Hill of Calvary”. “Golgotha” is the Jewish Aramaic word for “skull”.
Tradition says that women of Jerusalem offered a pain-killing narcotic mixture to the sufferers. This might have been the mixture referred to in Matthew 27:34. His refusal was probably because he wanted to be conscious and alert. The fact that he still had the energy of a loud voice before he gave up his life shows that he maintained some strength to the end (Mark 15:37). Jesus gave his life instead of having it taken away. Later, Jesus asked for something to drink and was given wine-vinegar that soldiers and labourers often drank.
Jesus was nailed to the cross 9.00 Friday morning. (Mark 15:25). He had been up all night with the trial. Death by crucifixion could last 2-3 days but Jesus was dead by Friday afternoon. Pilate remarked on this (Mark 15:44).
The temple curtain between the holy place and the holy of holies tore spontaneously at the moment Jesus died. Under the Law of Moses only the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies where God dwelled. Jesus broke down the barrier between God and man. The blood of Christ allows Christians to go directly into God’s presence (Hebrews 9:1-14; 10:11-14, 19-22).
- What happened before this story?
