Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 53 

“Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 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. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 23:26-43

“And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them Jesus said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’ Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 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. And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide his garments. 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!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:26–43, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.

Sermon

One way to describe Jesus’s incarnation and his messianic ministry on earth is as a descent. Jesus is the eternal Word or Son of God. He is the eternally begotten Son, of the same essence as the Father and the Spirit. He is God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth. He is the LORD who “looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth…” (Psalm 33:13–14, ESV). And yet, “for us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.” His souls descended to Sheol.  

To be clear, when the Son of God “became” incarnate, he did not cease to be God. He became what he was not without ceasing to be what he always was! Furthermore, the person of the eternal Son did not vacate heaven to “come down” to earth. The eternally begotten Son did not cease to proceed from the Father or to, with the Father, breathe forth the Spirit. No change whatsoever took place within the Godhead when the eternally generated Son of the Father “came down for us and for our salvation.” Dear friends, it is one of the most fundamental truths of our religion that in the Triune God, there is no variation or shadow due to change (James 1:17). This is not the time to deliver to you detailed teaching on the immutability or unchangableness of God, but I will remind you that we confess it is true. God cannot change (see Second London Confession, 2.1). That fundamental truth must be remembered when we speak of the eternally begotten Son of God “becoming” incarnate and “coming down” for us and for our salvation. Whatever this means, it cannot mean that the Triune God changed.  

That said, we may speak of the incarnation of the Son as a descent. He descended (if you will) from on high. He assumed a human nature by being born of a woman, and that in a low condition. He suffered the miseries of this life. And at the end of his life, he was betrayed, apprehended, denied, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, and spat upon, before suffering the most horrendous of deaths—death via crucifixion. After death, his body descended to the grave and his soul to Sheol. And with this, his descent, for us and for our salvation, was complete. 

Today, we consider the last few steps of Jesus’ descent into the darkness of death. When you read Luke’s Gospel, it does feel like you are walking down steps—one, two, three, four, five. There is a rapid pace to this portion of Luke’s Gospel. Three times, Pilate declared that Jesus was innocent and not deserving of death. The Jews were insistent. They wanted Jesus dead, so “they kept shouting, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’” (Luke 23:21, ESV), until Pilate gave in to their demands and “delivered Jesus over to their will” (Luke 23:25, ESV). From here, Jesus is crucified, quickly completing his descent into the darkness of death. 

Here in our text, Luke presents us with several facts about Jesus’ crucifixion. They are presented in rapid-fire succession. I’m usually not one for alliteration, but five “P’s” did occur to me. In this text, we encounter a picture, a prophecy, a prayer, a placard, and a promise. 

The theme that ties these events together is that Jesus was numbered with the transgressors in his death. Jesus did not simply die. He did not die of old age. He did not die of illness. He did not die a violent death in isolation. No, he died the death of a vile sinner. He died, being numbered among criminals and transgressors. It had to be this way to fulfill prophecy. And this was a fitting way for him to die, for he died as a substitute for sinners, the righteous for the unrighteous. Not only did the Old Testament Scriptures predict this, but so did Jesus. In Luke 22:37, we heard him say, “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.’” (Luke 22:37, ESV)

A Picture

First, we find a picture. In the story of Simon of Cyrene, we see a picture of the obligation (and privilege) that disciples of Jesus have to identify with Christ in his suffering and to take up their cross and follow him. 

Where were the twelve disciples of Jesus at this moment in time? They were nowhere to be found (at least they do not appear in the narrative as being closely aligned with Jesus). But when the Romans led Jesus away to crucify him, they seized a man named “Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus” (Luke 23:26, ESV).

The Romans would typically make their condemned criminals carry their own crosses to the place where they would be crucified. The point was to make a public spectacle of them to humiliate the criminal and to warn others that the same would happen to them should they commit the same crime. It was like a parade of sorts—a horrifyingly bloody parade. 

Jesus’ body was likely too exhausted from the beatings he had already endured. He had been brutally beaten and whipped by the soldiers of Herod and Pilate. So brutal was the treatment Jesus endured, he did not have the strength to carry his cross, at least not alone. And so this man (we do not know anything about him) was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross (or to help Jesus carry it). 

This is a picture of what those who follow Jesus must do. Where were the twelve disciples? They are not mentioned. Perhaps some of them were watching this spectacle from a distance. If they saw Simon of Cyrene helping Jesus with his cross, they must have thought, That should be me. Peter, it must be remembered, said that he was willing to go to prison or even to death with Jesus, but he betrayed him (Luke 22:31-34). It is not Simon Peter who carried Jesus’ cross, but a stranger— a man named Simon of Cyrene. What a shame. Especially given what Christ had said to his disciples earlier: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34, ESV). 

To be clear, Jesus’ disciples cannot carry the exact same cross that Jesus carried. We cannot walk the road that he walked or die the death that he died. Only he could die to atone for the sins of his people and to reconcile us to God, for he is the Son of God incarnate, and we are not. He is  the Savior God has anointed, and we are not.. But we must take up whatever cross Christ has for us and identify with Christ in his sufferings if we wish to follow after him. 

When Simon of Cyrene was forced to help Jesus carry his cross, it is a picture of that reality. 

A Prophesy

Secondly, we find a prophecy. In Luke 23:27, we read, “And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him” (Luke 23:27, ESV). This, by the way, was a very bold and courageous thing to do. The Romans would permit spectators to openly mourn over condemned criminals, but the Jews would allow no such thing (see John Gill’s commentary). The Jews would allow spectators to grieve inwardly, but not to mourn openly over the condemned, for such displays of grief would communicate dissatisfaction with the judgments of the rulers and with the sentence they pronounced. Notice, Luke tells us that the women were mourning. It was the women who drew near to Jesus in his suffering. It was the women who were courageous. 

The prophecy is found in verses 28-31. “But turning to them Jesus said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’” (Luke 23:28–31, ESV).

When Jesus spoke to the women of Jerusalem, saying, “Do not weep for me”, it was to indicate that he went to the cross willingly and for a purpose. Though it appeared otherwise, Jesus’ life was not taken from him. He laid it down willingly. This he clearly expressed, saying, “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17–18, ESV).

When Jesus spoke to the women of Jerusalem, saying, “but weep for yourselves and for your children”, etc., he spoke of the horrors that would soon come upon the city of Jerusalem. Jesus had already announced that the city and temple would be destroyed (Luke 21:5-9, 20-24). And we know that the city and temple were destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 AD in fulfillment of what Christ had said. The Jewish historian, Josephus, describes the horrors that took place within the city when the Romans besieged and conquered it. It is not difficult to see why Christ said that mothers would in those days wish they had never given birth, for that would have been better than to witness the suffering and death of their little ones.

When Jesus said, “Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us’”, it was to indicate that in those days, the inhabitants of the city would rather have the mountains and hills fall on them to crush them rather than die at the hands of their enemies, the Romans. 

And finally, when Jesus said, “For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”, he meant, if the Romans treat an innocent man this way (a green tree is a symbol of a righteous man), how do you think they will treat those who are wicked and unruly? They will show no mercy. 

When Jesus went to the cross, his heart was for his people. He continued to warn them to flee from the wrath that was sure to come. Don’t weep for me, he said. Weep for yourselves, that is to say, for unbelieving Israel! For now that the Messiah had come and was soon to be crucified, and now that the New Covenant had come, and the Old was about to pass away, judgment was soon to fall upon Israel. The city of Jerusalem would be destroyed, and the temple would be torn to the ground, not one stone would be left standing upon another (see Luke 21:6). Notice the boldness of Jesus. Notice that he did not behave like a victim, but continued to declare the Word of God all the way to Calvary. And his prophetic words came true! 

We must listen to Jesus the Prophet, for his words are truth. 

A Prayer

Thirdly, we find a prayer. In verse 32, we read, “Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 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. And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide his garments.” (Luke 23:32–34, ESV)

Jesus did not die alone. Two criminals were crucified with him that day. Perhaps these two were associated with Barabus, the insurrectionist and murderer who was set free. Interestingly, Barabus’ name means son of the father. So then, in the providence of God, Barabus, the guilty son of the father, was set free, and Jesus, the innocent Son of the Father, was hung on the cross that was intended for him. As I have said, Jesus was numbered with the transgressors in fulfillment of ancient prophecy . He was numbered with the transgressors because he died in the place of sinners to make them righteous in God’s sight. As God said through the prophet Isaiah, “he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12, ESV).

Listen to what Jesus said when Roman soldiers drove the nails through his hands and feet to pin him to that tree of death, which is also the tree of life: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34, ESV). Do you see what Jesus did when he was numbered with the transgressors in his death? He made intercession for them. He prayed to the Father and requested that God would show them mercy. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Now, there is no reason to think that this was a prayer that God would save them from all their sins or that Jesus was here interceding for these Roman soldiers as their Savior and great High Priest. Who knows, perhaps these men did come to faith and repentance. Perhaps we will see them in heaven someday. Here is what we know for sure. As these soldiers drove the nails through the hands and feet of the person of the eternally begotten Son of God, he requested that the Father forgive them for this horrible deed, for they were ignorant of what it was they were doing. No doubt, these men had crucified many. It was their job (and what a terrible job it was). On this day, they thought they were simply doing their duty as soldiers under Pilate’s command. All sin is sin. But sins committed in ignorance are less heinous than sins committed knowingly and willingly. It was the Sanhedrin who had the greater sin (John 19:11), and so the wrath of God would soon be poured out on them (Luke 23:28-30).

What did Jesus do in the moment of his greatest suffering? What did he do in his agony? He interceded on behalf of others before God. And in this way, he showed what the cross really was. It was an instrument, not only of death, but of intercession and of life. It was through the cross that Jesus would bring sinners to God. It was through the cross that forgiveness of sins would be granted. It was through the cross that the mercy and grace of God would be extended to guilty, vile sinners. When Jesus interceded in prayer for those who drove the nails through his hands and feet, it was a demonstration of these precious truths. 

We must trust in Jesus the great High Priest if we wish to be reconciled to God through him. 

A Placard

Fourthly, we find a placard, that is to say, a sign.  In verse 34b, we read, “And they cast lots to divide his garments” (Luke 23:34, ESV). This means they played a game to see who would get his clothing. This was to fulfill Psalm 22:16-18 —a Psalm of King David, written a thousand years before the birth of Christ—which says, “For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:16–18, ESV).

In verse 35, we read, “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!’” (Luke 23:35, ESV). This was to fulfil Psalm 22:6-8, which says, “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; ‘He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!’” (Psalm 22:6–8, ESV).

In verse 36, we read, “The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” (Luke 23:36–37, ESV).” This was to fulfill another Psalm of David—Psalm 69:20-21—which says, “Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink” (Psalm 69:20–21, ESV).

It’s in verse 38 that we find the placard: “There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews’” (Luke 23:38, ESV). It was Pilate who had that sign made and placed above the head of Jesus. It should not surprise us that crucified criminals would have signs like this hung above their heads to communicate what they had done to deserve death. It was true, Jesus was crucified because he claimed to be the king of the Jews. Pilate did not view Jesus as a threat, but he rulers of the Jews did, and so they insisted on his crucifixion. In John’s gospel, we learn that the Jews were upset with what Pilate had written. In John 19:21, we read, “So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, ‘Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’ Pilate answered, ‘What I have written I have written’” (John 19:22, ESV).

Perhaps the placard that was placed above the head of Jesus was meant to mock him. Perhaps it was meant to get under the skin of the Sanhedrin. One thing it was not intended to do was to communicate the truth concerning Jesus, and yet, ironically, that is what it did. Jesus Christ is the King of The Jews. He is the son who was promised to King David—a son whose kingdom will never come to an end (2 Samuel 7:12-14) . He is the son of David, who is also David’s Lord (Psalm 110). The sign spoke the truth! Jesus is the King of the Jews, the Messiah, the Lord’s Anointed One. More than this, Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). 

We must bow the knee to King Jesus if we hope to be saved by him. 

A Promise

We have considered a picture, a prophecy, a prayer, and a placard. Now, let us consider a promise. In verse 39 we read, “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’” This, friends, is what unregenerate men will do when they suffer affliction, and especially when they draw near to death. They will sometimes rail against God and Christ. Verse 40: “But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” And here is the promise. “And [Jesus] said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:39–43, ESV). The promise is that all who come to Jesus in repentance and faith, as this poor sinner did, will have their sins forgiven and the sure hope of life everlasting.

Notice a few things about this text. 

One, this man was a heinous sinner, and Christ promised him life everlasting. No one is outside of God’s reach. No sin is so great that it cannot be forgiven by the blood of Jesus. “Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21, ESV).

Two, this man repented and called out to Jesus in faith at the very end of his life—he would die only a short time after this—and yet he was saved by Jesus. Friends, do not be so foolish as to wait to turn from your sins and to Jesus. Who knows if God will grant you the opportunity to repent and believe in the last hour? But notice, men can be saved in the last hour of their lives. This is why we should visit those who are sick and dying and preach the Gospel to them. Who knows if God will show mercy?      

Three, notice that this man was not baptized, received into a church, or invited to the Lord’s Table, and yet he was saved. Ordinarily, those who repent and believe in Jesus will be baptized, received into a church, wherein they will be taught to observe all that Christ commanded (Matthew 28:18-20), but it is Christ Jesus who saves, and not baptism, the church, or the Lord’s Supper, and this salvation is received by faith alone. 

Four, this guilty criminal made a wonderful profession of faith. He confessed Jesus as Lord and showed that he believed God would raise him from the dead (Romans 10:9). He said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42, ESV). When he confessed that Jesus would soon come into his kingdom, he acknowledged, one, that Jesus is Lord or King of this kingdom, and two, that Jesus, though he would surely die on that cross, would live again to rule and reign within it. I do wonder who this criminal was and how he knew these things, but one thing is sure: he made a wonderful profession of faith as he hung on that cross. 

Five, Jesus promised the man that he would be with him in paradise on that very day. Paradise was the place of comfort within Sheol or Hades. It is sometimes called Abraham’s bosom. Once Jesus died, his body would be put in the grave, and his soul would descend to paradise (within Sheol or Hades), and the soul of this thief would be there too to be comforted by Christ Jesus the Lord. On the third day, Jesus would be raised from the dead bodily, and he would lead the host of captives from paradise to usher them into the heavenly Holy of Holies. Think of it. The soul of this thief on the cross is there even to this present day. There, he enjoys the blessed presence of God and the fellowship of all the saints made perfect through the shed blood of Jesus Christ our Savior. That thief on the cross had a front row seat to the accomplishment of our redemption through the cross of Christ. 

Conclusion

The eternal Son of God descended for us and for our salvation. He took to himself a true human nature, body, and soul. And being numbered with the transgressors, he suffered and died for us to bear the sins of many. Friends, Jesus is a wonderful Savior. But he will not benefit you at all if you are not united to him by faith. You must turn from your sins, trust in him, confess him as Lord, believing in your heart that God raised him from the dead. If you are united to Christ by faith, then you may rest assured that Christ died for you and in your place. But if you are not united to Christ by faith, you are still in your sins, and you will pay the penalty yourself. “For the wages of sin is death”, the Scriptures say, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, ESV). May the Lord grant you repentance and faith today. If you are united to Christ by faith, may he strengthen then the faith you have. 

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 27

“OF DAVID. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD. Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, LORD, do I seek.’ Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in. Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” (Psalm 27, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 23:1-25

“Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, ‘We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.’ And Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ And he answered him, ‘You have said so.’ Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, ‘I find no guilt in this man.’ But they were urgent, saying, ‘He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.’ When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, ‘You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.’ But they all cried out together, ‘Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas’— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’ A third time he said to them, ‘Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.’ But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.” (Luke 23:1–25, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.

Sermon

Who is Jesus? We confess that Jesus is the Christ, that is to say, the Messiah promised from ancient times. And as it pertains to his person and nature, we confess that he is,

      “the only Son of God,

      begotten from the Father before all ages,

           God from God,

           Light from Light,

           true God from true God,

      begotten, not made;

      of the same essence as the Father.

      Through him all things were made.” (Nicene Creed)

Here in the passage that is open before us today, we see Jesus Christ, the eternally begotten Son of God incarnate, on trial. It is astonishing to consider. The holy and sinless one was treated like a sinner by sinners. The one through whom all things were created was mocked and abused by his creatures. The one who will sit in judgment over all on the last day was falsely accused, judged, and condemned to death by unjust men. Words cannot express the horrible injustice that was perpetrated by the Jewish Sanhedrin, the Roman Governor, Pilate, and Herod the Tetrarch of Galilee, when they condemned Jesus Christ, the innocent, to death. 

The scene is truly horrific.  But we know, to quote Isaiah the prophet, that “it was the will of the LORD to crush” Jesus. It was the LORD who “put him to grief.” This he did so that his soul would make “an offering for guilt.” God decreed in eternity that, through suffering and death, the Messiah would bear “the sins of many” and that he would “see his offspring” and “prolong his days” through his victorious resurrection from the dead on the third day. Indeed, in fulfillment to this ancient prophecy, the will of the LORD has prospered in his hand. The Messiah, the suffering servant of the LORD, has made many to be accounted righteous, for he has “poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (see Isaiah 53:10–12)

Yes, we acknowledge that it was the will of the LORD that Jesus would be falsely accused, mocked, beaten, unjustly condemned, and crucified. He endured this suffering for us and for our salvation. But in no way does this fact take away from the heinousness of the sins of those who condemned and crucified him. The choices they made were their choices. God, in order to accomplish his eternal purposes in Christ, gave these sinners over to their sinful desires and the freedom of their wills. This is how the Apostle Peter interpreted these events, In Acts 2:22, we hear him preach to his fellow Jews, saying, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:22–24, ESV). He then proceeds to call these guilty sinners to repentance and faith in Jesus.

Today, we will consider the Son of God on trial. As we do, we must remember, on the one hand, that Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God”. On the other hand, we cannot ignore the wickedness and lawless actions of those who condemned and killed him.

Jesus Before Pilate

In Luke 23:1, we learn that the Sanhedrin — that judicial council of Israel, made up of 71 leading men, the high priests, elders, and scribes — after deciding that Jesus deserved death, “arose and brought him before Pilate” (Luke 23:1, ESV). Luke tells us that the whole company of them arose and brought Jesus to Pilate. I do not think we should interpret Luke’s words two strictly, for it seems there were at least two members of the Sanhedrin who did not give their consent to the crucifixion of Christ — Joseph of Arimethia (Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50; John 19:38), and Nicodemous (John 3:1; John 19:38). Nevertheless, the Sanhedrin brought Jesus to Pilate as a large group.

This is the Pontius Pilate who is mentioned in the Apostles Creed, in the words, “He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried…” Pilate was a Roman Governor who had jurisdiction over Judea. The Sanhedrin brought Jesus to him because they, the Jews, being under Roman occupation and control, did not have the authority to put Jesus to death as they wished. 

Notice the accusations that the members of the Sanhedrin brought against Jesus. They were carefully crafted to give Pilate the impression that Jesus was a threat to him and to the peace of the region he governed. The accusations are found in verse 2. There are three of them. “And they began to accuse [Jesus], saying, ‘We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king’” (Luke 23:2, ESV). In brief, the Sanhedrin attempted to convince Pilate that Jesus was a social dissident, a revolutionary, a rebel, and, therefore, a threat to Rome. 

When the Sanhedrin accused Jesus of “misleading their nation”, they meant that he was stirring up trouble amongst the Jewish population. The Greek word translated as “misleading” can mean, to “cause someone to depart from correct behavior and thus engage in serious wrongdoing—‘to lead astray, to pervert, to mislead” (Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 769). This Jesus is a troublemaker— that was the accusation.  

When the Sanhedrin accused Jesus of “forbidding to give tribute to Caesar”, this was a very serious charge.  As you may know, a refusal to pay taxes is viewed by earthly rulers as an act of rebellion against the nation. It is not an armed rebellion. But rebellion of this kind does often lead to armed rebellion. 

The third charge brought by the Sanhedrin against Jesus was the most serious of all. They accused Jesus of claiming to be “Christ, a king.” Of the three, this charge would have caught Pilates’ attention the most. As a Roman Governor, he could not allow anyone in his jurisdiction to walk around challenging his authority, or the authority that belonged to Caesar. Caesar alone was the king of the nation. All rival kings would have to be put down. 

If these accusations were true, then Pilate would have had legitimate reasons for concern. In fact, if these charges were true, Pilate would have been justified in punishing Jesus. Biblically speaking, civil magistrates, such as Pilate, have been given authority from God to protect their people from harm and to promote peace by punishing evildoers (Luke 23:22; Romans 13:4). Their primary responsibility is to protect the nation they serve, to preserve civil order, and to punish wrongdoers by administering retributive justice. The responsibility that societioes have to administer retributive justice through those appointed to do so,  is implied in the Noahic  Covenant in the words, “From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. ‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image’” (Genesis 9:5–6, ESV), and the responsibility that rulers have from God to punish evildoers and to reward those who do good within society is explicitly stated by Paul in Romans 13:1-7: 

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” 

If it was true that Jesus was stirring up trouble within the Roman Empire; if it was true that he refused to pay taxes to Caesar and was encouraging others to do the same; or if it was true that Jesus claimed to be a king who opposed and would rival Caesar, then Pilate would have been right to oppose Jesus and to punish him as a seditious person. But none of these charges were true.

Let’s briefly consider the first charge. Was Jesus misleading the Jewish nation? Was he stirring up trouble in a way that would be of concern to Pilate, the Roman Governor? No. Granted, Jesus was misleading the nation from the vantage point of most who served on the Sanhedrin. Jesus was a big threat to them! If he were the Christ, as he claimed, and if he came to inaugurate a New Covenant and an eternal kingdom, as he claimed, then these men would have been without a job. Their positions of power and prestige would have come to nothing. Jesus was a problem for them! But Jesus was not stirring up trouble politically or civilly for Rome. It is interesting, isn’t it, how little Jesus had to say about Rome? The Roman political system was rife with corruption. The culture was extremely sinful and vile. And yet Jesus hardly said a word about it, for he came to establish something far greater than Rome. The kingdom he came to establish was not in direct opposition to or in competition with Rome, for Christ’s kingdom is a kingdom of a different kind. 

What about the second charge? Did Jesus refuse to pay taxes to Rome and teach others to do the same? No. And the chief priests and scribes knew this wasn’t true. Let me remind you of what we read back in Luke 20:19-20:

“The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on [Jesus] at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So they asked him, ‘Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?’ But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, ‘Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?’ They said, ‘Caesar’s.’ He said to them, ‘Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent” (Luke 20:19–26, ESV).

No doubt, these spies reported back to the scribes and the chief priests who sent them with this from answer from Jesus, but that didn’t stop them from bringing this false accusation against Jesus. We found this man forbidding people to give tribute to Caesar, they claimed. This was a boldfaced lie—a false accusation. Jesus paid taxes (Matthew 17:24-27) and he taught others to do the same (Luke 20:19-26; Romans 13:1-7). 

Now, what about the final accusation? Did Jesus claim to be the Christ and a king? Yes, he did. But we must pay careful attention to the kind of King that Christ claimed to be and to the nature of his kingdom. 

The question that Pilate finally asked Jesus intrigues me. Notice, he dismissed the accusations regarding Jesus misleading the nation and teaching others not to pay taxes. He honed in on the accusation that Jesus claimed to be Christ and a king.  “Are you the King of the Jews?”, Pilate asked. I wonder how much Pilate knew about the religion of the Jews and the Old Testament Scriptures, which spoke of a coming Christ and King. My guess is that Pilate was an educated man. He must have known something of the history, culture, religion, and expectations of the people he ruled over, especially by this point in his career (he ruled from AD 26-36). When Pilate heard that Jesus claimed to be the Christ and a king, he asked, “Are you the King of the Jews?” It’s the definite article that intrigues me. “Are you the King of the Jews?” In other words, are you the Christ (the Messiah) who was promised to the Jews long ago, who is also the King, the son promised to King David? Is this your claim? I do wonder how much Pilate knew. 

Luke provides us with a very brief account of the exchange between Jesus and Pilate. “And Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ And [Jesus] answered him, ‘You have said so’” (Luke 23:3, ESV). In other words, yes, I am, and you have said it with your own lips (see Matthew 26:25, 64; Luke 22:70). And then in verse 4, Luke informs us that Pilate declared Jesus to be innocent: “Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, ‘I find no guilt in this man’” (Luke 23:4, ESV).

The Apostle John provides us with more detail about the exchange between Jesus and Pilate. And the details found in John’s Gospel help us to understand why Pilate was not threatened by Jesus’ claim to be the Christ, the King of the Jews. In John 18:28, we read: 

“Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters [I suppose they went back to Caiaphas’ courtyard after condemning Jesus in their chamber, The Chamber Of Hewn Stones]. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover [the Feast of Unleavened Bread, see Leviticus 23:4-8; Ezra 6:22; Mark 14:1; Luke 22:1]. So Pilate went outside to them and said, ‘What accusation do you bring against this man?’ They answered him, ‘If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.’ The Jews said to him, ‘It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.’ This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.’ Then Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’ After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, ‘I find no guilt in him’” (John 18:28–38, ESV).

It is important to note that Pilate said, “I find no guilt in this man”, not once, not twice, but three times. We will eventually come to the other two occurrences in verses 14 and 22. Pilate found no guilt in Jesus. Yes, to his great guilt and shame, he would eventually hand Jesus over to be crucified, being pressured by the Jews to do so. But at first, he declared Jesus innocent, and this is important Pilate was at least somewhat concerned about justice. For a time, he fought for it! But these unbelieving Jews, these offspring of Abraham, these children of the Old Covenant, were not concerned with justice. They were power-hungry and bloodthirsty. Verse 5: “But they were urgent [fierce, and persistent], saying, ‘He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee [in the north] even to this place [in Jerusalem]’” (Luke 23:5, ESV).

Conclusion Application

We will pick up the story of the trial, condemnation, and crucifixion of our precious Savior next Sunday. I’d like to conclude this sermon with a few contemplations and suggestions for application. I’ll begin with the most important applications and conclude with some finer points.  

First of all, I wish to repeat something I said last Sunday. Do not forget who Christ is and from where he came. Never cease to marvel over the mystery of the incarnation. Never cease to be amazed at the suffering endured by the eternal Son of God through the human nature he assumed. The divine nature cannot suffer, for God is unchangeable. But the person of the eternal Son of God did suffer through the human nature he assumed. He came down from heaven to suffer (Philippians 2), and in this way, to redeem us from our sin and misery (Luke 24:25, 46; Acts 3:18, 17:3, 26:23) . Yes, the physical pain that Christ endured on the cross was great. But do not forget the suffering he endured from the time of his birth, and leading up to the cross. To not forget about the suffering he endured when he was betrayed, denied, falsely accused, mocked, and unjustly condemned by perverse and sinful men. As you contemplate the sufferings of Christ, think of how great the love of God is for sinners like you and me. Think of how merciful, gracious, and kind God is that he would even think of us (Psalm 8:4), much less,  provide for our salvation in this way. As you contemplate the mystery of the incarnation and God’s superabundant love, be moved to worship and adore God and the Christ he has sent. 

Two, as you consider the Son of God on trial, the false accusations that were leveled against him, and the mistreatment he endured, take comfort in the fact that you have a Savior and High Priest who is able to sympathize with you whenever you endure similar things. This is what the writer of Hebrews reminds us of in these famous words: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15–16, ESV). If our Lord and Savior was betrayed, denied, falsely accused, mocked, and unjustly treated, then why are we surprised when we experience similar mistreatment as we sojourn in this sin-sick world? Christ has warned his disciples that if the world hated and . Paul speaks of “sharing in the sufferings of Christ” (Philippians 3:10). In fact, he commands his young protege, Timothy, to be prepared to do so. “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3, ESV), he says. And little later in the same letter he says, “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5, ESV). Dear Christian, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we must be prepared to suffer as Christ suffered. Dear fellow minister, we must be prepared to endure mistreatment in our Christian ministry. And the way in which we suffer and endure mistreatment matters greatly. When a worldly-minded, sensual, fleshly person is mistreated, they will often lash out in anger and rage. But when a Christian is unjustly treated, they are to respond like Jesus. 

Peter reminds us of this in his epistle, saying, “For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:19–24, ESV). Dear brothers and sisters, do not only prepare yourselves to apply this principle in the future, should times of persecution come upon the church. Apply it now. When your wife speaks rudely to you, behave like Jesus. When your child talks back, behave like Jesus. When your boss is harsh and unjustly critical, behave like Jesus. Enduring mistreatment in a Christlike way does not mean that we always remain silent, or that we must never defend ourselves, or remove ourselves from a situation. We are to act with wisdom, dear brothers and sisters. Sometimes wisdom dictates that we speak up (Proverbs 26:5), and sometimes it is wise to remain silent(Proverbs 26:4 ). Whatever the proper course of action is, we must act with Christlike character. Hear the Apostle again. When Christ suffered unjust treatment, “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly”, that is to say, to God. 

Three, as you reflect upon the trial, condemnation, and crucifixion of Jesus, take special notice of his innocence of Jesus. Three times Pilate said, I find no guilt in this man (Luke 23:4, 14, 22). Jesus was innocent. He stood innocent before the Romans. He stood innocent before the law of Moses. And he stood innocent before God. And yet he died the death of a vile sinner. He, an innocent, pure, and perfectly holy man, died in the place of sinners to redeem us from our sin and misery. The Apostle reflects on this in Hebrews 7:26-27, saying, “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.” (Hebrews 7:26–27, ESV). When Jesus died, he actually made atonement for sin, and the atonement he made was substitutionary. He died in the place of sinners, the innocent one for the guilty. We will talk more about substitutionary atonement in the weeks to come. For now, pay special attention to Jesus’ innocence. The very gospel of Jesus Christ and your salvation in him depend on it. If Jesus was not innocent, he could not save us from the guilt of sin.  

Four, let us learn from the sins of the Sanhedrin and tremble at the thought of living for our own glory, pride, and pleasure, being willing to pervert justice and to bear false witness against our neighbor, to advance our own cause in the world, as these men did. What these men did was demonic. If you think these words are too strong, you’ll have to take it up with Jesus, for Christ spoke of them in this way, saying, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44, ESV). The Sanhedrin— pay careful attention to this—murdered Jesus, not with their hands, but with their lips. I doubt the members of the Sanhedrin ever touched Jesus. Others touched Jesus to detain him. Others beat him. Others would drive the nails through his hands and feet. But the sin of the Sanhedrin was greater (John 19:11). Though their hands were clean, their tongues were vile, being used to utter false accusations and slanderous lies that led to the murder of the Christ. The members of the Sanhedrin violated the sixth commandment, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13), by violating the ninth commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16, ESV). Brothers and sisters, do not excuse the sins you commit with the mouth—such as harshness of speach (Proverbs 12:18, 15:4), lying, slander, and gossip—as insignificant. They are not insignificant sins! They are dishonoring to God and they do great damage to others! Just look at heinous things done to Jesus, all stirred up by the slanderous lies of the Sanhedrin. Brothers and sisters, honor God and love your neighbor with the words of your mouth. “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:5–10, ESV).

My fifth and final point of application has to do with the Lordship of Christ. The Sanhedrin knew that they Jesus claimed to be Christ and king, and they wanted to kill him for it. Pilate understood that Christ claimed to be the king of the Jews—the king of a kingdom not of this world—and he dismissed his claims. What will you do with King Jesus? Salvation will come only to those who bow the knee to him to honor him as Lord and King. As Paul says, “[I]f you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” (Romans 10:9–12, ESV)