Matthew 27: Crucified (3)

Pray Psalm 22.1-5.
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.
But You are holy,
Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
They cried to You, and were delivered;
They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

Sing Psalm 22.1-5.
(St. Christopher: Beneath the Cross of Jesus)
Upon the cross of Cal’vry He suffered ‘neath the rod;
Alone, He cried out, “Why have You forsaken Me, My God?”
As day to bitter darkness turned, the Savior of the blessed
Cried, “Father, answer Me, I pray; restore Me to Your rest!”

But You, O God are holy, enthroned on Israel’s praise,
Our fathers trusted You and You were faithful all their days.
They cried to You; they trusted You, and never came to shame;
For You delivered them, O God, by Your great holy Name.

Read Matthew 27.1-44; meditate on verses 27-44.

Prepare.
1. How many different ways did Jesus suffer physically?

2. Why was this necessary (v. 35)?

Meditate.
The brutality to which Jesus was subjected by the Romans is something we can all experience, if only vicariously. We can imagine what it is to be spat upon, to have our head pierced with thorns, to be beaten with a rod, stripped, and mocked. We have tasted the bitterness of gall at times, and we can imagine the experience of having spikes driven through our hands and feet, then of being elevated in shame and agony for all to see.

This is what we deserve for our sins. But the sins the Romans committed against Jesus in that moment were symbolic of the sins we have all committed, being laid on Jesus, that He might bear God’s wrath against them, and carry them away as far as the east is from the west.

We perhaps know what it is to be mocked and scorned; these, too, were but more of our sins directed at Jesus on the cross.

Why was all this necessary? Why did the Son of God have to endure this? Because, as Anselm pointed out in the twelfth century (Cur Deus Homo), we had incurred a debt of sin that we could never pay. But God loves us too much to leave us destitute forever. God became Man to pay the debt He did not owe, so that through Him we could be free to know, love, and serve God forever. The Word of God had foretold that the Messiah must suffer and die (Lk. 24.25, 26), for this was the only way to satisfy both the justice and holiness of God.

The suffering Jesus endured at the hands of the Romans was horrific. Yet it was not the worst suffering He would endure. That was yet to come.

Reflect.
1. Why is it important that we remember the sufferings of Jesus?

2. Look at Psalm 22.1-21. How many of Jesus’ sufferings can you identify here?

3. How does Jesus bearing our sins free us from the debt we owe to God?

Adam tasted the sweetness of the apple and obtained the bitterness of death for the whole human race. In contrast to this, the Lord tasted the bitterness of gall and obtained our restoration from death’s sting to the sweetness of life. He took on himself the bitterness of gall in order to extinguish in us the bitterness of death. He received acrid vinegar into himself but poured out for us the precious wine of his blood. He suffered evil and returned good. He accepted death and gave life. Chromatus (fl. 400), Tractate on Matthew 19.7

You carried my sins away, Jesus. Help me to live today to…

Pray Psalm 22.6-18.
Wait on the Lord. See Him in His suffering. Enter His suffering with prayers of thanks and praise. Confess your sins, and go forth resolved to walk in newness of life with Jesus.

Sing Psalm 22.6-18.
Psalm 22.6-18 (St. Christopher: Beneath the Cross of Jesus)
Despised by men, the Savior was more a worm than man.
They shrieked, “He trusted God, let Him redeem Him if He can.
Let God deliver Him if He indeed delights in Him!”
Thus mocked they Jesus as He died in pain and anguish grim.

Like raging bulls they bellowed, like lions set to feast.
Each gaping mouth raged loudly like an all-consuming beast.
Like water slipped His life away, disjointed hanged He high;
His tongue clung to His jaws as He prepared His heart to die.

His foes, like dogs around Him, with glee did gloat and stare.
They pierced His hands and feet; they stole the garments He did wear.
Though not a bone was broken as He promised in His Word,
Yet, wounded for our sins, thus died creation’s sov’reign Lord.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).