Matthew 27: Crucified (7)

Pray Psalm 22.29.
All the prosperous of the earth
Shall eat and worship;
All those who go down to the dust
Shall bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep himself alive.

Sing Psalm 22.29.
(Dix: For the Beauty of the Earth)
All the prosp’rous of the earth shall before His mercy fall;
bending low before His worth, hear them humbly on Him call.
Even those low in the grave He will by His mercy save.

Read and meditate on Matthew 27.1-66.

Prepare.
1. How can we see events of this chapter fulfilling Old Testament Scriptures?

2. How many different ways did Jesus suffer in this chapter?

Meditate.
This is a sad chapter. I always feel a certain grief and shame in reading this chapter, because I know that, had I been there, I’d have been screaming for His crucifixion along with everyone else. We do not deserve the grace shown us in Jesus’ suffering here.

At the same time, we need to keep in mind that these events took place on what we refer to as “Good Friday.” I recall an old B. C. cartoon strip (Johnny Hart) in which Wiley, the old poet, chips away on a slate in four panels to construct the following verse:

“Who can call Good Friday good?”
“Who can call Good Friday good?”
“They who are bought by the blood of the Lamb,
they can call Good Friday good.”

The grisly, brutal, agonizing murder of Jesus was part of the good plan of God for our redemption. God made Him Who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5.21). As we have seen from Psalm 22, Jesus was able to see through His suffering to the coming of the Kingdom that would bring the goodness of God to the world, and would glorify Him over all the earth. We are the heirs of that Kingdom (Dan. 7.13-18), called through our own cross-bearing lives to seek and advance the rule of King Jesus in all the world.

We may feel grieved and ashamed to read of the suffering of Jesus. But let us give thanks that His suffering was for our salvation, to pay the debt of our sins, that we – unworthy Barabbases all – might be made free and have life.

Reflect.
1. Why do we call Good Friday “good”?

2. How can you see that God – Jesus – is sovereignly in control throughout this chapter?

3. How does this chapter help us in trusting the Scriptures?

“When Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, he yielded up the spirit.” This refers to what he had earlier said: “I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again,” and “I lay it down of myself.” So for this cause he cried with the voice, that it might be shown that the act is done by his own power.  John Chrysostom (344-407), Gospel of Matthew, Homily 88.1

Thank You for taking away my sins, Lord Jesus; help me to live for You today as I…

Pray Psalm 22.30, 31.
Pray for a clearer vision of the Kingdom Jesus has given us, then go forth to seek that Kingdom in all your activities today.

Sing Psalm 22.30, 31.
Psalm 22.30, 31 (Dix: For the Beauty of the Earth)
Let the generations all witness to His saving grace;
let them to all nations call, “Bow before His holy face!”
Let the children of the earth hear of Jesus’ saving worth!

T. M. Moore

At the website
Visit our website, www.ailbe.org, to discover what’s new, including our new Ailbe Podcast (click here). You’ll also find plenty of free resources by clicking the Resource Tab, then any of the categories under that.

The bookstore
Visit The Ailbe Bookstore to discover the many resources to help you grow in the Lord, or to use with your group in realizing together more of the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God. Have you ordered your copy of The Kingdom Turn yet? You can do so by clicking here.

You can download all the studies in this week’s series, and all the previous studies in the Gospel of Matthew, in a format suitable for personal or group use. Simply click here.

If you value Scriptorium as a free resource for your walk with the Lord, please consider supporting our work with your gifts and offerings. You can contribute to The Fellowship by clicking the Contribute button  at the website or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 360 Zephyr Road, Williston, VT 05495.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. 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).