Led on by their guilty leaders, the Jews persevere in their enmity against Jesus and raise a tumult crying, “Let Him be crucified.” The Roman governor, though bound to protect one whom he knew to be an innocent and just man, was nevertheless a man with little conscience. In the pride of careless greatness, he despised all those that surrounded him there. His own position and the peace of the city were worth more to him than a poor man of no apparent human importance, no matter how just He might be. So in cruel indifference he washes his hands of the whole matter and puts the responsibility of the death of Jesus on those who desired it.
The foolish Jews answer, “His blood be on us, and on our children,” and there that curse remains. In a coming day sovereign grace will work in the hearts of a little remnant who will own the sin they committed. Grace will then change the blood of the curse into the blood of atonement. The blood they shed will be that which will cleanse them from their very sin in shedding it. We are saved through this same grace now. That blood washes whiter than snow every sinner who believes in Jesus.
Pilate released Barabbas, and, having had Jesus scourged, he delivered Him to be crucified. Pilate had set the example and the soldiers now subject the blessed Lord to the very worst insult and outrage. In mockery they strip Him and put on Him a scarlet robe — which signifies Jewish royalty. They put a crown of thorns on His head and a reed in His right hand, and, bowing before Him, hailed Him as King of the Jews. “And they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head.” Then they put His own clothes on Him and led Him away to crucify Him. The bulls of Bashan were there and these dogs surrounded the Saviour (Psalm 22), yet He bore it all without a murmur — He was the patient, suffering victim. On the way they compel one, Simon a Cyrenian, to bear His cross — something they would not do themselves. Finally they come to Golgotha, “a place of a skull” — symbol of man’s empty intelligence when the world’s leaders unite — both Jew and Gentile — to put to death their Creator, the blessed Son of God.
Man’s Worst
When they came to Calvary, the soldiers offer Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall, the purpose of which was to make the victim less sensitive to suffering, but the Lord refuses such relief. He would drink the cup the Father had given Him in peaceful submission and would know its whole bitterness.
They crucified the Lord at the third hour, which, we believe, would be nine o’clock in the morning. They parted His garments, casting lots for them, “And sitting down they watched Him there.” Pilate caused to be written over His cross, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” Then to add further insult, two robbers were crucified along with Him, one on each hand, with Jesus in the midst.
The awful state of the unhappy priests is seen in their mocking Him and saying, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.” The thieves also joined in railing on Him.
In those first three hours man did his worst to insult and degrade the Son of God. Then God, as it were, drew a veil over the whole scene.
Further Meditation
1. What does Golgotha mean?
2. What made Pilate’s act so unjust?
3. The Lord’s sufferings at this time are expressed in Psalm 69. Excellent help on this and other psalms can be found in Psalms by H. Smith.