Father Forgive Them. Who's "Them"? Before noon on Thursday morning of Passion Week Jesus had been sentenced to death, first by the Sanhedrin of the Jews on charges trumped up by Annas and Caiaphas who had interrogated Him during the night to determine what they could use to have Him put to death, and then…
Just as He had foretold, Jesus was betrayed into the hands of the chief priests and scribes, condemned to death, and delivered to the Gentiles for crucifixion; Mat 20:18-19, 26:2. Although He had repeatedly warned His disciples what was about to happen (see also Mat 16:21, 17:22-23, Luk 18:31-34), it was still completely contrary to…
The time had come. After doing the will of the Father here on earth as it is in heaven to show us how to live, Jesus was now led to Calvary, the Place of the Skull, where He would show us how to die, in order that we might enter into that life that is…
After a total of six inquisitions and trials, the desire of the Jewish leaders to put Jesus to death was finally granted and he was led to crucifixion in the late morning on Thursday of Passion week. Already weakened by the scourging and beatings He had endured, He was unable to carry His own cross…
In spite of his many attempts to release Jesus, Pilate finally surrendered Him to the will of the people, after which He was then led away to crucifixion for the sentence to be immediately carried out. It was midmorning on Thursday of Passion week, with Mark noting the time to be the third hour (Mar…
Before Jesus was crucified, the Scriptures record that He was mocked by the whole cohort of Roman soldiers in the Praetorium in regard to the charge against Him of claiming to be the Messiah, the king of the Jews. And yet, by subjecting Himself to their scorn and the suffering of their taunts He demonstrated…
By late-morning on Thursday of Passion Week the last of Jesus’ six inquisitions and trials that began in the dark of night just hours earlier had come to an end. Whereas the Jews had found Him guilty of contrived charges and delivered Him up from envy, Pilate quickly determined He was not guilty of their…
In spite of his desire and numerous attempts to release Jesus, the insistent cries of the crowd egged on by their leaders to crucify Him eventually prevailed as Pilate “saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting” (Mat 27:24). For as much as his understanding that Jesus was innocent and…
The apostle John, writing much later than the other gospel writers—after the destruction of the Jewish nation and its temple—emphasized even more the efforts Pilate made to release Jesus, and hence the greater culpability of the Jews for insisting he put Jesus to death. Back and forth Pilate went, fearful of the ramifications of failing…
In spite of the unwavering push to have Jesus crucified, the Roman governor Pilate was proving as unwavering in his desire to set Him free. For at least the third time, clearly establishing their guilt in Heaven’s court, the Jews pressed Pilate to put Jesus to death, even though they were violating their own law,…