Old Testament Reading: Psalm 31

“TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID. In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God. I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the LORD. I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many— terror on every side!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love! O LORD, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol. Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt. Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. I had said in my alarm, ‘I am cut off from your sight.’ But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help. Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!” (Psalm 31, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 23:44-49

“It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, ‘Certainly this man was innocent!’ And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.” (Luke 23:44–49, 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

Here in the text that is open before us today, we consider the death of the Son of God. 

You have probably noticed that in the introduction to the last few sermons, I have emphasized Jesus’ divinity. That Jesus was and is truly human is clear in the texts we have been considering. A traitorous friend betrayed him. He was taken captive by his enemies. His closest companion denied that he knew him. He was falsely accused, mocked, beaten, and unjustly condemned. Jesus experienced sorrow and anguish in his soul. His body was bruised. His blood was shed. His physical strength failed him—he could not carry his cross to the place of his crucifixion. Nails were driven through his hands and feet. Finally, he was lifted up from the earth on a cross of wood and was made a spectacle before men. There he died a slow, painful death. That Jesus was truly human is clear, for he suffered and died as only a human can do. But as we contemplate the man Jesus—the sufferings he endured, and the death that he died—we must not forget who he is. He is the person of the eternal Son or Word of God, incarnate (see Luke 1:32, 35; Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-14). So then, it was God who was betrayed; it was God who was put on trial; it was God who was condemned; it was God who was beaten, who bled, was crucified, and died.  

Does it sound strange to you to hear me say that God endured these mistreatments? Does it sound odd to hear me say that God bled and died? If you know the truth about God, comments like these should grab your attention and move you to ask, How can it be that the one who is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable could experience these things? How can it be that God, who knows all things and has all power, could be taken captive by sinful men? How can it be that God, who is a most pure spirit, without a body, parts, or passions, could suffer in this way? How can God be bruised? How can God bleed? Finally, how can the one who has “all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself”—the all-sufficient one—die (Second London confession 2.2)? The answer is this: it was not the divine nature that suffered, bled, and died, but the person or subsistence of the eternally begotten Son. It was the person of the Word or Son who suffered, bled, and died, not according to his divine nature, but through the human nature he has assumed. In this way, God, who cannot suffer, bleed, or die, suffered, bled, and died for us and for our salvation (see Acts 20:28). It is a great mystery, brothers and sisters. It is beyond our ability to comprehend, but it is true. This is what it took to redeem us from our sin and misery. It took a man to redeem men and women from their sin and misery, but no mere man could do it, given our sin and weakness. God had to do this work, and he has done it. Jesus Christ is a true man, but he is no mere man, and so our Savior’s name is Immanuel, which means God with us (see Matthew 1:23). 

Today, we will contemplate the death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate. The words that men say, and the words that are said to them or about them at the moment of their death, are weighty and significant. Let us consider, therefore, what Jesus said and what was said about him at the time of his death. In this text, we encounter words from God in heaven, words from sinners on earth, and words from Jesus himself.    

Words Spoken By God From Heaven

First, let us consider the words spoken by God from heaven. 

To be clear, these words spoken by God were not audible words heard with the ear; rather, they were visible words, or signs, perceived with the eye. Luke mentions two signs. 

First, he reports that as Jesus hung on the cross, there was darkness over the whole land from noon to 3:00 PM. 

This was a very ominous sign. Can you imagine it? Imagine being one of the members of the Sanhedrin who saw to it that Jesus was crucified. Or put yourself in Pilate’s shoes. He knew that Jesus was innocent, and yet he condemned him to avoid difficulty. Or imagine being one of the Roman soldiers who beat Jesus or who drove the nails through his hands and feet. Or place yourself amongst the crowds who witnessed all of this. To one degree or another, everyone knew that Jesus claimed to be more than a mere man—he claimed to be the Son of God, the King of the Jews, the Messiah. When darkness covered the land for three hours as Jesus hung on the cross, all could perceive that something truly momentous was happening. 

Some think that this was a perfectly timed solar eclipse. But this cannot be for two reasons. One, astronomers can calculate past events, and there were no solar eclipses near the time of Jesus’ crucifixion. Two, solar eclipses do not last three hours—not even close. This was a supernatural event. It was a sign from heaven. 

And what did the three hours of darkness signify? It communicated that Jesus was no mere man, but was from heaven. It signified that something momentous was happening—things in heaven and on earth were being shaken. It signified that something dark was happening—the Son of God had been unjustly condemned and crucified. And we know that the sins of those who were given to Christ by the Father in eternity were at this time laid upon him so that he could atone for them. As the Apostle says, “For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV). Christ Jesus took our sins upon himself and atoned for them through his shed blood. He bore the wrath of God in our place. 

Luke does not record this saying of Jesus, but Matthew and Mark do. “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Matthew 27:45–46, ESV). What does it mean that Christ was forsaken by God? It must have to do with the atonement or propitiation that he made for our sins. It must have to do with the fact that he bore God’s wrath in our place. Did God utterly forsake Christ? Well, no. God upheld him and raised him up on the third day. But the man Jesus did feel forsaken as he took upon himself the full weight and guilt of every sin committed by every one of his elect in every age to pay the price for them. Yes, the physical pain that Jesus endured was great—it must have hurt terribly to be beaten and whipped, to have a crown of thorns pressed down onto his head, to have nails driven through his hands and feet, and to hang on that cross for hours. But I believe the anguish Christ felt in his soul was greater (Isaiah 53:11), as he bore the sins of many on that tree (Isaiah 53:12).

As it pertains to this event being momentous, the darkness was a sign that the last days (the days of the New Covenant) had arrived and that the former days (the days of the Old Covenant) had come to an end. Amos 8, which was written over 700 years before the birth of Christ, is a key text. There, the LORD declared through the prophet that, “The end has come upon my people Israel” (Amos 8:2, ESV). When would this be? When would the end come upon Old Covenant Israel?  In verse 9, we read, “‘And on that day,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day’” (Amos 8:9–10, ESV). When darkness covered the earth from noon til 3:00 PM, it was to fulfill this prophecy and to show that the end of Old Covenant Israel had come. The members of the Sanhedrin and most of the Jewish people would have been familiar with this prophecy, and others like it (Joel 2:1-2, 10, 30-32). They must have seen it as ominous. 

The second sign that Luke mentions is found in verse 45: “And the curtain of the temple was torn in two” (Luke 23:45, ESV). Matthew and Mark add this detail: “…from top to bottom” (Mark 15:38, ESV). Matthew tells us that “the earth shook, and the rocks were split” (Matthew 27:51, ESV) (see Joel 2:10). So, a lot was happening as Jesus hung on the cross. And all of these occurrences, perfectly timed by the providence of God, communicated things about Jesus and his death. 

What did the tearing (from top to bottom) of that gigantic curtain, which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the temple, communicate? Two things: One, it communicated that God was done with that Old Covenant Temple, its priesthood, and its sacrifices. Jesus, it must be remembered, predicted the destruction of the Temple (Luke 21:5-9). It would be destroyed in the year 70 AD in fulfillment of the prophecies uttered by Jesus. The tearing of the curtain from top to bottom was a precursor. It was a sign that the Old Covenant order was soon to pass away. Two, the tearing of the curtain from top to bottom was a sign that God had opened up the way into his presence, that is to say, into the heavenly Holy of Holies, through the death of Jesus. The Holy of Holies of the Old Covenant temple symbolized heaven. No one except the high priest could enter that portion of the temple, and only once a year, having been cleansed with washings and with animal blood. This communicated that the way into God’s presence had not yet been opened up fully. Sinners were kept at a distance. But through the death of Christ, the way into heaven was opened up. This is also what the tearing of the curtain in the temple signified. Think of it, God could have sent another sign to communicate that he was done with the Old Covenant temple and its order. An earthquake could have damaged the walls or knocked over one of its lavers, etc. But by rending the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, God also communicated that Jesus the Messiah, through his death, had opened up the way into the very presence of God in heaven. 

You might recall that the Apostle comes to the same conclusion, saying, in Hebrews 10:19, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:19–23, ESV).

When Jesus hung on that cross and died, God spoke from heaven concerning him. He did not speak with words, but with signs and wonders. Those who were familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures should have known exactly what these signs meant. But even the Gentiles who knew not the Scriptures could understand that God was speaking through these signs. They could comprehend that Jesus was no mere man, but was from heaven, and that something momentous was taking place.   

Words Spoken By Sinners On Earth

This brings us to the second portion of this sermon, wherein we will consider the words spoken by sinners on earth. 

First, consider the words uttered by a Roman centurion. A centurion was a commander of about 100 men in the Roman army. This man was no ordinary soldier, therefore, but was likely over the soldiers tasked with carrying out these three crucifixions on this day. When he witnessed the signs and wonders, and after Jesus breathed his last breath, Luke tells us that the centurion “praised God, saying, ‘Certainly this man was innocent!’” (Luke 23:47, ESV). Was this profession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah? Did this centaurian turn from his sins and confess Jesus as Lord? I cannot say for sure. But one thing is clear. Based upon what he observed—the signs and wonders and Jesus’ conduct on the cross—this centurion was convinced of Jesus’ innocence. 

Three things intrigue me about this centurion. One, Luke tells us that he praised, or gave glory to, God. I wonder what he did to indicate this? Did he fall to his knees? Did he lift his hands to heaven? Did he cry aloud? Whatever he did, it was clear that he gave glory to God. Two, I wonder how Luke knew about this centurion’s confession? I can see two possibilities. Perhaps this man cried aloud so that the bystanders could hear him, and then, word spread. Or perhaps this centurion did become a follower of Jesus, and his confession at the foot of the cross was reported within the churches. The third thing that intrigues me about this centurion is recorded in Matthew and Mark. He not only confessed that Jesus was innocent, but that he was the Son of God, Matthew 27:54 says, “When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” (Matthew 27:54, ESV). Mark puts it this way: “And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:39, ESV). 

Secondly, consider what the multitudes who witnessed this spectacle said about Jesus’ crucifixion. Verse 48: “And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts” (Luke 23:48, ESV). This means they grieved, openly mourned, and perhaps even repented over the injustice that they saw. This fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 12:10. The LORD spoke through Zechariah the prophet over 500 years before Jesus was born, saying, “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:1, 10, ESV). What a marvelous prophecy this is. Did you catch it? It was the LORD (YHWH) who said, when the people “look on me, on him whom they have pierced…” Whom did they pierce? They pierced the LORD (YHWH), the Son of God incarnate? And what would the people do? They would grieve and mourn. And how would they mourn? “[A]s one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” Indeed, the multitudes who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus did mourn over the crucifixion of YHWH, particularly, the crucifixion of the only and eternally begotten Son of God.

Thirdly, consider what the acquaintances of Jesus said, not with their words, but by their actions. Verse 49: “And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things” (Luke 23:49, ESV). This communicated two things: interest and uncertainty. I do believe this fulfills what was said by King David, who was a type of the Christ to come. In Psalm 31:1, he said, “Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me” (Psalm 31:11, ESV). And in Psalm 38:11, David says, “My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off” (Psalm 38:11, ESV). Yes, Jesus’ true friends and close acquaintances would, after his resurrection, draw near to him. But when Jesus was crucified, most of them stood afar off in horror, dread, and despair. They did not know what to think or do at this time. It would take the resurrection of Jesus to open their eyes to God’s plan of redemption. 

So then, when we consider the words of sinners on earth, we observe three things: One, it is the most unlikely of people who give glory to God, confess that Jesus was innocent, and that he was the Son of God—a Roman centurion (and some of his fellow soldiers). This anticipates the advancement of the kingdom of God amongst the most unlikely of people, namely, the Gentiles. Two, even the multitudes could see that a great injustice had been committed. They came to see a spectacle, and they went home beating their chests in mourning and grief. This anticipates the great success of the gospel of Jesus Christ amongst the Jews in the earliest days of the church. On the day of Pentecost and shortly thereafter, thousands of Jews would be cut to the heart and brought to repentance and faith in Jesus through the preaching of the gospel (Acts 2:37). Three, when Luke tells us that the close acquaintances of Jesus stood afar off, it anticipates their sorrow and uncertainty between Jesus’ crucificion and resurrection on the third day. These disciples of Jesus were despondent. They would have to be convinced that Jesus was the Son of God and Messiah by nothing less than his resurrection from the dead.  

Words Spoken By Jesus From The Cross

We have considered words spoken by God from heaven and words spoken by sinners from on earth. Let us now consider, briefly, the words spoken by Jesus from the cross. Luke reports only these (verse 46): “Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46, ESV).

When Jesus committed his spirit into God’s hands, he was entrusting God with his human soul, or life. When a human being dies, his body is laid in the grave to decay, but his soul lives on, and so it was with Jesus’ human soul. He, the eternal Son of God, assumed a human nature. He has a human body and a human soul. And immediately before his physical death, he committed his soul to God the Father, saying, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” 

In this act, Christ teaches us what we must do when our death draws near. We, too, must commit our spirits or souls into the care of our Father in heaven. This is what Steven, the first martyr of the church, did before he died. “And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59, ESV). Isn’t it interesting that Steven cried out to the Lord Jesus? Why? It is only because Jesus has died and risen again that we may have confidence to be received by God in heaven when we die. We will be received by God in heaven because of Jesus. Our souls will enter heaven because he has opened up the way through his shed blood and his victorious resurrection. God the Father kept Jesus. He did not abandon Jesus’ soul to Sheol, or allow his body to see corruption or decay (see Psalm 16:10). And it is because God the Father kept Jesus, body and soul, that we may have confidence that he will keep us too, if we are united to Jesus by faith. And so, we should pray the prayer of Jesus every day, and especially as the day of our death draws near, saying, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” 

Conclusion

I’ll move this sermon toward a conclusion now by making a few brief suggestions for application. 

First, as you consider the words spoken by God from heaven through the signs and wonders he performed, consider the greatness of Christ, the supreme significance of the crucifixion of Christ, and what was accomplished there on that cross, and respond accordingly. 

Consider the greatness of Jesus. He, being the eternal Son of God, came down from heaven. He suffered and died for us and for our salvation. Consider the greatness of his person and the greatness of his love. Oh, what love Christ has shown to sinners! What mercy and grace! How can we not respond to his love with love? How could we not worship and adore him, and out of gratitude for what he has done, seek to obey him from this day forward?     

Consider also the momentousness of that event. A New Covenant was established by Christ when he died and rose again; his eternal kingdom began; and a new creation was ushered in. All of this was accomplished through the suffering and death of the Son of God on the cross. That old wooden cross was a tree of death for Jesus, but it is a tree of life for us (see Galatians 3:13-14). If we wish to have the promised blessings of the New Covenant, be citizens in Christ’s eternal kingdom, and taste the goodness of the new creation, we must be found in Christ, united to him by faith. If you have not yet done so, you must turn from your sins and trust in Jesus today. If you have faith in Jesus, you must abide in him. 

And as you contemplate the darkness that covered the land when Jesus hung on that cross, consider how awful the crucifixion of Jesus was. Yes, he suffered physically, but he suffered in his soul more. Do not forget that he who knew no sin became sin on that cross. Do not forget that Christ took the sins of all who believe in him upon himself to pay the full penalty and to bear God’s wrath in our place. As we consider this, we should be moved to love Jesus more and to cling ever more tightly to him. 

Secondly, as you contemplate the words spoken by sinners on earth as Christ hung on the cross, I pray that you would be moved to draw near to Jesus and to give God glory for Christ and the cross. It will do you no good to stand afar off from Jesus and to merely contemplate him; it will do you no good to walk away from the spectacle of the cross, grieving over the injustices perpetrated there. No, to benefit from the work Jesus has done, you must draw near to him. You must turn from your sins, come to the foot of the cross, and trust Jesus, giving God all glory, honor, and praise. You and I are not innocent, but Christ, the innocent one, died in our place. I pray that you would comprehend God’s plan of redemption and draw near to Jesus, trusting in him, for the forgiveness of your sins. 

Thirdly, and finally, as you contemplate the words spoken by Jesus from the cross — “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” — I pray that you would do the same day by day, and especially when the day of your death draws near. Dear friends, we must commit our souls into the care of our Father in heaven. And the only reason we can do this with confidence is that Jesus Christ, the eternally begotten Son of God, has died for us and for our salvation, and rose again on the third day, securing for us right standing before God and the hope of life everlasting.  

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.