Bible Stories for Adults

Jesus Is Crucified and Buried

Matthew 27:32-66; Luke 23:32-56; John 19:17-42

Next Week - Jesus Appears to Women & Two Disciples (Matthew 28:1-15; Luke 24:13-35)
Bible Words to Remember:
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Galatians 3:13

What did the Jewish leaders want to do about Jesus and why?
John 11:47-50, 53 = Kill Him so the Romans wouldn't get upset, lose their perks
What crime did Jesus commit that gave the leaders an excuse to arrest and execute Him?
Matthew 26:59-60a = Nothing, they arrested Him then tried to find a good reason
What crime did they finally charge Jesus with?
Luke 23:1-3 = He claimed to be the king of the Jews and was a threat to Caesar

Did the governor agree that Jesus was a threat and should be punished?
Luke 23:13-16 = No, neither did Herod; offered to whip Him to satisfy them
Did Pilate easily give in to the Jews when they didn't accept his offer?
Luke 23:20-24 = Tried 3 times to acquit Jesus, then decided to give in
Why did Pilate give in? Because he finally saw Jesus as a threat to Caesar?
Mark 15:15 = No, he did it to please the crowd

What did Pilate post as Jesus' crime?
John 19:19-20 = Placard said Jesus was the King of the Jews, all 3 languages
INRI = Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum (Latin: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews)
Did anyone have any trouble with this sign?
John 19:21 = The chief priests didn't like Jesus being called their king
After letting in to the Jews by executing Jesus, did Pilate again let in and change the sign?
John 19:22 = No, he kept it the same to spite them

Now that He was guilty of being a king, how was Jesus treated like a king?
Matthew 27:27-29 = Soldiers gave Him a mock coronation as King of the Jews
How did the soldiers show their allegiance to Rome and against one who would be king?
Matthew 27:30-31 = They spit on Him and beat Him

Crucifixions began with a procession of the criminals along The Way of Sorrows (Via Dolorosa)
Wound through town as a regular reminder and deterrent to others
Led to The Place of the Skull - Golgotha (Aramaic), Kranion (Greek), Calvaria (Latin)
Shape of a skull, only 18 feet high - No such thing as Mount Calvary
Soldiers in front of each criminal carried a sign identifying the crime
The condemned would have first been beaten and then would carry his own cross
Helped weaken the body to speed death (Could take days for a man to die)

Did Jesus' crucifixion begin any differently since He was a special case?
John 19:17-18 = No, He wasn't treated any differently than a common criminal
Being fully God, was Jesus able to stand up to His beatings with super-human strength?
Mark 15:21 = No, He was fully human & wearied as a human; S in J for Passover
Did Simon's experience have any impact on him? = Cyrene - now Libya
Acts 19:33 = His son Alexander was with Paul in Ephesus
Romans 16:13 = His son Rufus & his wife were mentioned by Paul

Did any of Jesus' followers follow His procession to Calvary?
Luke 23:27 = Many followed crying for Him
Did Jesus take comfort in their concern for Him?
Luke 23:28-31 = He told them to weep for yourselves and for your children
Why did Jesus quote Hosea 10:8 and say these women should wish they were childless?
Matthew 24:2 = He knew Jerusalem would be destroyed 40 years later
What did Jesus mean about green and dry trees (Ezekiel 20:47)?
John 18:38; 19:16 = If Romans crucify the innocent, how would they treat the guilty

Crucifixion was most disgraceful and cruelest form of execution
Reserved for escaped slaves and worst criminals, never on a Roman citizen
Four or five different crosses were used: t, T, +, X and square (Jesus was on t or T)
Person laid on cross on ground and nailed &/or tied by hands & feet to cross
Clothes were removed and given to guards for their services
Jews allowed to wear loincloth for decency sake

Cross was raised and person hung by arms, Feet only 1-2 feet above the ground
A wooden or iron stake served as a seat to keep nails from ripping through hands
Wine drugged with gall (bitter & poisonous herb) offered to sedate and reduce pain
When a person is hung by the hands, blood sinks to lower parts of body
Within 6-12 minutes, blood pressure drops in half and pulse rate doubles
Crucified people would die within 2-3 days by heart failure
Crucifixion was sometimes sped up by breaking legs or building a fire (suffocation)

Was a separate procession held for each criminal or were they brought to Calvary together?
Luke 23:32-33 = All three criminals were taken together and crucified together
Did Jesus get any of the pain-killing mixture to make it easier to take the world's punishment?
Matthew 27:34 = He refused it to suffer the full weight of the world's sin
How did Jesus feel towards the soldiers who had beat and crucified Him? = WORD 1
Luke 23:34 = Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing

Did the soldiers get Jesus' clothes or did one of His followers take them?
John 19:23 = The four soldiers divided His clothes between them
What did they do with Jesus' nice undergarment and why was this significant?
John 19:24 = They cast lots for it (like throwing dice); Fulfilled Psalm 22:18

What kind of sympathy did Jesus get from people who passed by and recognized Him?
Matthew 27:39-40 = None, He was mocked and told to save Himself
Did the Jewish leaders have any second thoughts that Jesus could really be the Son of God?
Matthew 27:41-43 = No, they mocked Him & felt His death proved His blasphemy
Who else made a point of mocking this "self-proclaimed" king?
Luke 23:36-37 = The soldiers mocked Him as King of the Jews
Was there anyone else who felt that Jesus should be insulted for His horrible crime?
Matthew 27:44 = The robbers also heaped insults on Him

How did one of the robbers being crucified stand up for Jesus?
Luke 23:39-41 = He scolded the other for insulting an innocent man
How did this robber show a surprising understanding of who Jesus really was?
Luke 23:42 = He asked Jesus, the Christ to remember him when He became king
After a life of crime, was this dying confession of faith too late? = WORD 2
Luke 23:43 = No, Jesus said he would be in His kingdom (Paradise) that same day

Who do the Gospels say witnessed Jesus' execution?
Matthew 27:55-56 = Mary Magdalene, Mary (James & Joses mom), Zeb sons' mom
Mark 15:40-41 = Mary Magdalene, Mary (James & Joses mom), Salome, others
John 19:25 = Mary (Jesus' mom), mom's sister, Mary (wife of Clopas, Joseph's bro), Mary Magdalene
Could imply that Jesus was cousin to James & John (Zebedee & Salome)
Did Jesus look for comforting sympathy from these caring faces? = WORD 3
John 19:26-27 = He instead showed His comforting sympathy to his grieving family

What time was it when Jesus was crucified?
Mark 15:25 = The third hour (9:00 am)
What happened after Jesus had been on the cross three hours? = Full moon, no eclipse
Matthew 27:45 = Darkness covered the land for 3 hours (noon to 3:00 pm)

How did Jesus break the darkness at 3:00? = WORD 4
Matthew 27:46 = He yelled in Aramaic - My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
What was Jesus saying?
Psalm 22:1 = He was reciting a Psalm commonly said by those in despair
What did those who didn't understand Aramaic think He said?
Matthew 27:47-49 = They thought He was calling for Elijah to come help Him

David's Psalm 22 describes Jesus' passion. How did Jesus fulfill the dry mouth in verse 15?
John 19:28 = He said, I am thirsty = WORD 5
What kind of drink was He given? = Made from water added to pressed grapes & fermented
John 19:29 = A cheap wine the soldiers drank while waiting for the crucified to die
What did Jesus say after He took the drink? = WORD 6
John 19:30 = It is finished - Greek tetelestai used in business as paid in full
What final words did Jesus speak before dying? = WORD 7
Luke 23:46 = Father into Your Hands I commit My Spirit

What happened the moment Jesus died? = Veil was 60'Hx30'W, thick as a palm, heavy
Matthew 27:50-53 = Temple curtain split, Earthquake, Rocks split, Dead raised
What impact did this have on people who saw this happen?
Matthew 27:54 = The centurion & soldiers said, Surely He was the Son of God
Luke 23:48-49 = Women stayed & watched, others beat their breasts in grief & left

The Jews had been in a rush to kill Jesus before Passover. What hurried them now?
John 19:31 = Wanted the bodies buried before night to keep the Sabbath clean
Besides the special Passover Sabbath, why else was it important to get the bodies down?
Deuteronomy 21:22-23 = Command that bodies must not be left hanging overnight
What happened when the soldiers came to break the legs and who witnessed it?
John 19:32-35 = Jesus was already dead, so they pierced Him - John witnessed
Why was it important that Jesus' legs weren't broken?
John 19:36 (Psalm 34:20, Zechariah 12:10) = Fulfilled numerous OT prophesies
What other important point is made by the fact that none of Jesus' bones were broken?
Ex 12:43-47; Num 9:9-12 = Bones of Passover lamb unbroken - Lamb of God

Who took charge of burying Jesus' body?
Matthew 27:57-58 = Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man & disciple of Jesus
What else do we know about Joseph? = Longed for coming of the Messiah
Luke 23:50-52 = Council member, good & upright, disagreed with decision & action
How did Pilate respond to Joseph's request?
Mark 15:44-45 = Surprised that Jesus had already died, gave body to Joseph

Did anyone else help Joseph? = (Council member who came to question Jesus at night)
John 19:38-39 (John 3:1-21) = Nicodemus
What did they do with Jesus' body?
John 19:40-42 = Prepared it with spices, wrapped it in clean linen & put in tomb
How was Joseph able to find an unused tomb on such short notice?
Matthew 27:59-60 = It was a tomb that Joseph had built for himself

If Joseph and Nicodemus were alone, how did the disciples know where Jesus was buried?
Luke 23:55 = The women had followed Joseph and seen the tomb
Why didn't the women add their spices to Jesus' body the next day?
Luke 23:56 = They rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment
Where were Jesus' apostles during all of this?
John 20:10 = At their homes

Did the Jewish leaders refrain from work on the Sabbath or was there business to conduct?
Matthew 27:62-64 = They went to Pilate and asked him to secure the tomb
Did Pilate agree and personally take care of getting the tomb secure?
Matthew 27:65 = No, he let leaders take a guard and secure it themselves
Did the leaders ask Pilate to do it so they wouldn't have to work on the Sabbath?
Matthew 27:66 = Did it themselves to protect their positions at any cost
The seal was a cord stretched across the stone & secured with clay on each side