OceanSide church of Christ

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THE SAYINGS OF THE CRUCIFIXION (16)

 

The Roman Soldiers and The Via Dolorosa

(Matt. 27:27-38; Mark 15:16-28; Luke 23:26-33; John 19:1-17)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     As you read through the various gospel accounts, it is often difficult to put all of the events into their proper order. 

1.        In our last lesson, saw Pilate turn Jesus over to the Jews to be crucified. 

2.       It appears that Jesus was released into the custody of Roman soldiers from a study of Matthew and Mark.

3.       However, John’s gospel seems to indicate that the things recorded by Matthew and Mark occurred while Jesus was in the judgment hall of Pilate.

 

B.      Our study is entitled, “Roman Soldiers and The Via Dolorosa.”  However, we will touch upon a couple of other things that involved Pilate.

 

I.                   IN THE HANDS OF ROMAN SOLDIERS:  The King is “Worshipped” (Mocked) (Matt. 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; John 19:2-3)

 

A.     At one point in the trial, Pilate turned Jesus over to the Roman soldiers to be scourged (John 19:1).

 

B.      It was during this short period of time that the brutality of the crucifixion truly started.

1.        Jesus’ backside and legs would have been torn asunder from the lashes that He received from the cat-of-nine-tails.

2.       These blows often killed the individual to whom they were given.

 

C.     Jesus was also mocked and blasphemed by the soldiers

1.        Jesus was led into “the common hall” (Matt. 27:27).  Mark tells us that the hall was called “Pretorium” (Mark 15:16).

a.       This was a courtyard not far from the judgment hall.

b.      Around the courtyard were buildings that housed the Pretorium guard.

2.       Matthew and Mark tell us that the “whole band” was called together.  These were all the guards who served in the Pretorium guard.  Barnes says that as many as 400 to 600 could have gathered to watch.

3.       The things that were done to Jesus:

a.       The stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe (Matt. 27:28).

b.      They platted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head (Matt. 27:29).

c.       They put a reed in His right hand (Matt. 27:29).

d.      They saluted Him (Mark 15:18).

e.       They bowed their knees before Him (Matt. 27:29).

f.        They worshiped him (Mark 15:18), saying:  “Hail, King of the Jews!” (Matt. 27:29; Mark 15:18; John 19:3).

g.      “And they spit on him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head” (Matt. 27:30).

h.      “…and they smote him with their hands” (John 19:3).

4.      What did Romans do with a person who “unlawfully” makes Himself a king?

a.       Humiliate Him.

b.      Mock Him.

c.       Expose His weakness.

d.      Try to teach Him that He is not who He claims to be.

5.       NOTE:  One day, these same men who bowed in mockery before our Lord will bow before Him and confess that He is the Son of the living God (Phil. 2:9-11).

 

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and give him a name which is above every name:  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and thing in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

D.     This display was not enough for the Jews (John 19:4-6a).

 

Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.  Then came Jesus forth, wearing a crown of thorns, and the purple robe.  And Pilate said, Behold the man!  When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, Crucify him, crucify him…

 

1.        The Jews would not stop until Jesus was dead.

2.       They explained their reason to Pilate:  “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God” (John 19:7).

 

E.      This deeply troubled Pilate. 

1.        John tells us that when he heard that saying the “he was the more afraid” (John 19:8).

2.       He took Jesus back into the judgment hall, and asked Him:  “Whence art thou?”  Jesus, however, did not answer (John 19:9).

3.       Jesus’ silence agitated Pilate.  He responded with a statement about his power (John 19:10).

 

Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me?  Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

 

a.       It is interesting that Pilate acknowledged the power of his office.

b.      He even says he could have released Jesus.  We are shown the cowardice of the governor.  He knew his power, but refused to release and just man.

4.      Jesus’ response reminded Pilate of the source of his power (John 19:11).

 

Jesus answered, thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above:  therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

 

a.       As leaders often do, Pilate forgot that the only power that He really had was given to him from above. 

1)       This ought to humble anyone in a position of authority.

2)      Too, it should cause him to seek the will of God who gave him his authority.

b.      Jesus then teaches that there are different levels of sin.

1)       Pilate was in sin because he was derelict in his duty regarding justice.

2)      However, the greater sin involved the Jews. 

a)      Their hearts were full of envy and hatred.

b)     Their hearts yearned for Jesus’ death.

c)      They were the ones who brought trumped up charges against Jesus.

d)     They were the ones who brought false witnesses to testify.

e)      They were the one who had denied plain evidence that Jesus’ claims were true.

F.      The Jews demand crucifixion (John 19:12-16).

1.        Pilate sought to release Jesus (John 19:12a).

2.       The Jews, however, put the pressure on him with a statement that Pilate knew to be true (John 19:12b).

 

…If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend:  whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

 

3.       With those words, Pilate brought Jesus out again (John 19:13).  “And he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!” (John 19:14).

4.      The Jews cried for Him to crucified (John 19:15).

5.       Pilate saith unto them, “Shall I crucify your King?” (John 19:15).

6.      The chief priests answered:  “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15).

a.       The Jews despised the Roman rule over them.

b.      Their hatred of the Christ was greater than their hatred of Rome.  Here, they proclaim loyalty to Caesar. 

 

II.                THE VIA DOLOROSA:  Jesus and Others

 

A.     From the judgment hall of Pilate to the place of execution was a distance of about ½ mile. 

1.        This road has come to be known as “The Via Dolorosa,” or, “painful or difficult route.”

2.       Three things happen on this short, but difficult trek.

 

B.      First, a man named Simon is compelled to carry the cross of Christ.

1.        John reveals that Jesus began this journey carrying His own cross (John 19:17).

 

And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of the skull, which is called in Hebrew Gogotha.

2.       It was not long, however, that the Roman soldiers compelled a man to bear the cross of Jesus.  All of the synoptic writers make mention of this event in one short verse (Matt. 27:32; Mark 16:21; Luke 23:26).

 

And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

 

a.       Most likely, Jesus was so weak that He kept falling to the ground under the weight of the cross.  The long night, the emotional strain, and the loss of blood because of the scourging would have made Him extremely weak.

b.      There are some interesting contrasts that we could make about Simon carrying the cross of Jesus.

1)       We, too, must bear the cross of Jesus in a spiritual sense (Luke 9:23).

2)      Simon was compelled to bear the cross.  We are to do it voluntarily.

3)      Simon may have literally touched the blood of Jesus, but it did not forgive his sins.  We are to touch the blood of Christ and be forgiven of sins (Rom. 6:3-4).

4)     When Simon got home, he had a story to tell.  We, too, have a story to tell regarding a man who faced crucifixion.

 

C.     Second, Jesus carried on a brief conversation with some Jewish women on this road.

1.        Luke is the only writer who records this dialogue (Luke 23:27-31).

2.       Many people, including women, were following Jesus to His place of execution (Luke 23:27).  The text says that these women “bewailed and lamented him.”

3.       Jesus then has a message for them.

a.       Weep for yourselves and your children (Luke 23:28)

 

But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

 

b.      Warning of pending doom (Luke 23:29-30)

 

For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.  Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills, Cover us.

 

1)       The blessed:  When the pending doom comes, it will be better to not have children at the time.  Children will hinder their escape.

2)      The desire:  They will desire for the mountains to fall on them rather than falling into the hands of their enemy.

3)      NOTE:  Most believe that this is a warning from Jesus about the destruction of the city of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.  Jesus had foretold of this day in Matthew 24.  He noted that it would be a horrible time in history (Matt. 24:21).

 

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor shall ever be.

 

c.       Wisdom expressed in a question (Luke 23:31).

 

For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

 

1)       Jesus coming into the world is compared to a green tree.  His being among His people was a period of joy and bounty.

2)      By A.D. 70, clear lines would be drawn between the Jews and the Christians.  It would be a time of persecution upon the church.  The state of the Jews then is compared to a dry time.  They would be even farther from the Christ.

 

D.     Third, we find that two thieves were also in the processional to Golgotha (Luke 23:32).

 

And there were also two other malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

 

1.        Jesus appeared to be in the number with criminals.

2.       This had been predicted by the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 53:9a).

 

And he made his grave with the wicked…

 

3.       These men will be the subject of an entire lesson in the events to come.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     In this lesson, we have seen the brutality of men toward our Savior.

 

B.      We have seen a judge who was given authority from above refuse to use that power to promote justice.

 

C.     We have seen into our Lord’s agony because He was no longer able to carry His cross and another had to bear it for Him.

 

D.     We have seen Jesus’ concern for His people as He warned some Jewish about impending judgment to come.

 

E.      We have seen an innocent man numbered with the transgressors.