Easter Thoughts - Pt. 1

 

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:50-54 ESV).

 

Today we begin to walk through the events and applications of the crucifixion and resurrection. Our reading today is the account from Matthew that gives us some details that are often not noticed. The death of Jesus came on the cross, but not directly from the cross. That almost sounds unbelievable. After all, no one survived the tortuous execution at the hands of the Romans, who had become experts in this manner of death. However, neither had they ever dealt with the Son of God. We must see the declaration of Matthew as he recounts: And Jesus cried out with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit (v. 50).

 

I have read and heard many expositors of the Scripture through the years as they imply that the fault of Jesus’ death was either the Jewish religious leadership or the Roman establishment. While Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin certainly played their role, they did not take Jesus’ life from Him. Pontius Pilate, as the ruling authority over Jerusalem representing Roman rule made a great show of his authority with a mock trial and the choice given to the people between Jesus and Barabbas, ultimately ruling to have Jesus scourged and led to Golgotha for execution; but, he did not take Jesus’ life from Him.

 

Jesus yielded His life. As the sovereign Lord of all, Jesus was in control of every moment of this horrible sacrifice. He knowingly submitted to the death so that all of us could have forgiveness and restoration into an eternal relationship with Him. It was all based in the purpose He set to finish. He came that men might have forgiveness and He finished that process that dark Friday afternoon when He determined it was enough. That is the beginning of hope for all of us. Jesus came and lived the life we could never live; and, He died the death we all deserved! Celebrate! Pull the shroud of death down and drape yourself with the glory of the King of kings!