Today we will talk about Matthew 27 and crucifixion of Jesus and explore the events as they unfolded. It is a heart wrenching account, and we cannot help but feel the weight of emotion that comes with it.
Jesus, accused and tried by Pilate, remains silent, amazing the governor. Even though Pilate has the power to execute Jesus, he doesn’t personally wish to do so. The crowd chooses to release Barabbas, a criminal, instead of Jesus, symbolizing how we, as sinners, are freed while Jesus takes on our punishment.
Jesus is mocked and tortured before and during his crucifixion, yet he chooses not to dull his pain, rejecting the offer of wine mixed with gall. This act of bravery and selflessness is something that we can all learn from.
The significance of the curtain of the temple tearing in two cannot be overstated. It indicates that there is no longer a barrier between us and God. Jesus’s death opens up a direct line of communication between us and the Almighty, and this is something that we should never take for granted.
The aftermath of Jesus’s death is also significant. The priests and Pharisees are concerned about Jesus’s prophecy of resurrection, so they secure the tomb with a guard to prevent anyone from stealing Jesus’s body and claiming he has resurrected. They fear the implications if Jesus does resurrect.
If we had been there, any one of us might have been part of the crowd yelling for Jesus’s crucifixion. It is through Jesus’s sacrifice that we are redeemed, even though we are the ones who metaphorically ‘crucify’ him with our sins. The blood of Jesus, while marking our guilt, is also the source of our salvation.