Important facts to know:
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The Lord’s supper fell on Thursday, Nican 14, that particular year. Remember, it’s not the day of the week that we must remember but the day of the month that God commanded the Jews to follow. This was the meal of unleavened bread and the Passover meal, which would occur on Sundown from Nican 14 to Nisan 15 Sundown. This is why Jesus had to be removed and placed in a tomb before sundown because it was also Preparation day for the weekly Sabbath.
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This fulfills the prophecy that He is the sacrificial Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.
John 1:29 - The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Isaiah 53:7 - He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
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His sacrifice and death were on the perfect day and at the perfect time; there would be no other time in history that it could have happened this way. All the players were present, all things were in place for this sacrifice, the exact hour and location.
Romans 5:6 - For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
John 17:1 - When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,...
Everyone Represented, Everyone Guilty
- The Arrest and Sentencing of the Holy God
The Jews - Guilty
Matthew 26:66-68 - “What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”
Mark 14:64-65 - “You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. 65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.”
Luke 22:63-64 - “Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. 64 They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” 65 And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.”
John 18:22-23 - “When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?”
The Gentiles - Guilty
- All 4 Gospels mention Pilate's dealings with Christ.
Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:25; & John 19:15-16 - Pilate had released Barabas and scorged Jesus and had him crucified.
- All 4 Gospels mention the soldiers' dealings with Christ
Matthew 27:27-31, 33-37 - Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
“...And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
Mark 15:19-20, 22-26; Luke 23:33; John 19:7 - “And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him...And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.”
The Condemned - Guilty
- Jesus, Holy God, executed with the guilty
- All 4 Gospels Mention the Criminals’ dealings with Christ
The Robbers - Guilty
Matthew 27:38-4; Mark 15:27-32; John 19:18 - “Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, (blasphemeo - blaspheme, to speak evil of, reviled) wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled (on i deed zo - undeserved reproach, to find fault with, revile, speak through one’s teeth) him in the same way.
Luke 23:32-38 - “Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.” 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews. 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
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Why does Luke record this slightly differently than the other Gospels? Is Luke wrong or was there something that happened that was worth mentioning? One of the criminals was changed! Luke is the only Gospel that records “ And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” - Luke 23:34 and is the only Gospel that records the Repentant Criminal. This statement changes everything, not only for the guilty criminal but for all who are guilty. His forgiveness is real, genuine, and true. You are truly and really, in every sense, forgiven in Christ. The Criminal has received what only those who are chosen and changed can receive. True Freedom in Christ
Repentance and Believing in the Son = Eternal Life
Mark 1:15 - “and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
- A changed heart to a changed mind.
The Repentant Criminal
Luke 23:40-43 - “But the other rebuked him, (the other criminal) saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man (Jesus) has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he (Jesus) said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Isaiah 61:1-2a - “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,...”
Luke 4:18-19 - “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed (af e sis - imprisonment, bondage, or forgiveness),19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
We all need to be set free from our bondage and the reality of the criminal's short but so important story is the repentant and believing sinner is a sinner set free.
Whom the Son Sets Free Will Be Free Indeed
We, the Condemned and Guilty, Are Freed
“Through the work of the cross Christ has set the condemned free, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,...” - Romans 8:1-3