Jesus, our Saviour

Mark 14:53-65             

And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'" Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?" But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." And the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards received him with blows.

It is absolutely important that we know our Saviour. The passage before us identifies Jesus positively as the sinless Christ the Son of the Blessed (v.61). He identified Himself as the Son of Man (v. 62). This is important, to know if indeed ours is the true salvation, based on firm Scriptural evidence. Unless this is known for sure, we risk neglecting such a great salvation. The identity of Jesus is of uttermost importance to us. This passage reveals it so clearly – The question of Caiphas to Jesus is the hinge upon which we hang today’s message, for the answer that Jesus gave revealed His identity than ever before. In one instance He bared His identity to the Sanhedrin in the way He had never done, leaving no doubt who He is - "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."

What is described here is the first trial of Jesus by the religious council, called the Sanhedrin. Remember that this took place after the preliminary interrogation by Annas, the recently retired high priest. So when he was arrested at Gethsemane, He was first of all taken to the house of Annas, and then at least 23 of the 70 members of the Sanhedrin were assembled at the house of Caiaphas, the high priest and son-in-law of Annas.

The whole council (v.55) must not be taken literally since we know that a few members of the Sanhedrin were absent, like Joseph of Arimathea and possibly Nicodemus. Mark’s intention is to indicate clearly that the court met in plenary session. According to the Mishnah the presence of 23 members constituted the quorum.[1]

1.     Jesus is sinless

The first thing we notice in these verses is the fact that the Lord Jesus, was unspotted, unblemished, and blameless. Attempts were made to obtain evidence against him, witnesses were obtained and coached in order that they may fix this Galilean for once and for all, to put him to death, but they found none (v.55). While in this verse their evil intention of killing Jesus is unveiled, yet, the most remarkable thing is that they did not found him culpable of any of the charges that they had levelled against. These men knew that they did not find any reason to sentence Him to death.

Furthermore, when the witnesses were produced, the quality of their testimony was wanting. For all those who bore witness against Him, only bore false witness (v. 57). For this reason, their testimony did not agree (v.56). Even when the charge of the statement of Jesus which they quoted (v.58) that Jesus had said, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'" Yet even about this their testimony did not agree (vv.58-59). Mark highlights this because we all know that once the testimony of the witness fails the corroboration factor, then it has to be dismissed. The statement about the temple may have had some truth, but as soon as witnesses fail to agree, the witness is impaired and this is the point Mark is making here. Consequently, the chief priests, the elders and the scribes were responsible and blameworthy in the matter of the death of Jesus. Jesus had said as much in Matthew 23:29-36

Actually, the truth about the temple statement is that Jesus had answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  John 2:19. Clearly He did not say that He will personally destroy any temple, rather that He will raise it up in three days, and so there is no criminal activity in this accusation – unless He had indeed said that He would destroy the property (this is a civil suit). If they could prove his guilty on this matter, then the Romans could take it up, for the Sanhedrin had no legal mandate to trial a civil suit. But we see that even about this, there was no agreement in the witness.

The other important aspect of Jesus highlighted in this passage is that He did not answer them. Since these were fabricated stories, the Lord did not see any point in responding to them, proving His innocence before men, and demonstrating His passive obedience to the Father!

This silence enraged the high priest who stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make?” But He remained silent and made no answer (vv.60-61). In His silence, He gave an answer that they were too deaf to hear –

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. Isa 53:7.

And again,

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. 1Peter 2:22-23. And again, the earthly high priest put on trial the heavenly and eternal great High Priest. But we know,

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. Hebrews 4:15.

The fact that the Lord did not have any sin is absolutely necessary, for the lamb sacrificed for the sins of people had to be a male without blemish, unspotted, and undefiled. Remember that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and so He has cleansed us from our sins by His precious blood, like that of a Lamb without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1:19). For this reason, the sacrifice being prepared is acceptable by God, and it is effective for cleaning the sins of the people.

For the absolutely sinless One to be subjected to a trial conducted by sinful men was itself a deep humiliation. To be tried by such men, under such circumstances made it infinitely worse… the entire trial was a farce, a mis-trial[2]. Notice how illegal this trial was:

1)      They bribed Judas to betray Him (vv. 10-11)

2)      It was conducted at night (v.17)

3)      Outside the temple (vv.53, 54)

4)      It was on the eve of the Passover against the regulations

5)      Bribed the witnesses to bear false witness (vv. 56-59)

6)      They demanded Jesus to incriminate Himself (v. 60)

7)      The sentence was pronounced before conviction (v.64)

To cover up this, they stamped the papers and so endorsed the decision of the night in the morning, for public relations.

Because the sinless Saviour died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

2.     Jesus is the Christ

Caiphas’ question was, "Are you the Christ…? This was going to be the most decisive question of the day since all the other tactics had miscarried. Obviously, the question is suggestive. It was a leading question. This was such an important matter that, the high priest put Jesus under oath (Matt. 26:63). And Jesus’ response was as clear as the noonday. For without any hesitation, Mark records, “And Jesus said, "I am..." The point is made since Jesus admitted that He is the Christ. This was incredible in the eyes of the council, but it was a sufficient evidence against Him.

The long awaited Messiah is here, before their eyes. He is a man, that they had well known, or so they thought. He is a man who in every way, according to them, is a ‘weakling and helpless’. The sort of a Messiah that they were expecting, and that they thought they needed, was in every way unlike the man before them. According to them, Jesus was taking them for a ride and they would not accept it. For they wanted a conquering Lion of Judah, who would overturn the Roman rule and establish a political kingdom of God and rule from Jerusalem. But they did not realize that the Messiah was first to come as the sin-atoning Lamb, in order to bring them salvation. Since the warrior and the champion was not before them, they rejected Jesus Christ, He became their stumbling block and they rejected the very stone that was the capstone.

As soon as Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." This utterance in the eyes of the chief priest was tantamount to blasphemy and a clear indication that He was to be sentenced to death. The Lord admitted to be the Son of God in the highest exalted sense. Actually, He had claimed divine prerogatives and so He was either guilty of blasphemy or He was speaking the truth – but nothing was done to establish what is the truth. This is what C.S. Lewis has called trilemma – Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar or the Lord. But we all know without any shred of doubt that He is the Lord.

But Jesus is not the Christ because He was declared by some ecclesiastical council or authority. He is the Christ because God appointed Him and after all, His ministry had proved the point for those who are interested to see. For this reason, when the time came to declare His identity, He did no hide it, but spoke clearly, boldly without no reservation or hesitation. They may have condemned Him to death illegally, or said that He deserved death, spit on Him, blindfolded Him, struck Him, yet all these served the eternal cause of proving that this is indeed the Suffering Servant of the Lord. No amount of mockery, contempt or blows from the temple guards could reverse the fact that Jesus is the Christ.

That Son of man who at the moment, before the eyes of the Sanhedrin appeared so mean and despicable and so that they trampled upon him, spit on Him and rained blows on Him. But He would soon be seen appearing in majesty. Of course His present appearance did not have any resemblance to what He talked about, for at the time he was under the worst of humiliation. 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 (Isa. 53:2b-3). But we know that through the thickest cloud of his humiliation some rays of glory were still darted forth. But these chief priests were so miserably blinded with malice and rage, that, like the horse rushing into the battle, they mocked at fear, and were not affrighted, neither believed they that it was the sound of the trumpet of His coming in judgment.[3]

3.     Jesus Is the Son of God

The Lord answered the question asked by Caiphas, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." In this answer, He was saying, I am both the Christ and the Christ, being both fully God’s Son and fully Son of Man.

It interesting to note that when the high priest heard the response of Jesus he tore his clothes in supposed mourning, as a public show, while deep within it was in celebration now that he had found a handle to execute his venom on the Son of God. It was a sign of official detestation and abhorrence at the blasphemy supposed to have been uttered.[4] For this reason, in his opinion there was no need for further witness – He had self-condemned Himself! His malicious venom was unveiled to all and sundry. And this is what we see even now – there are many who would not have Christ because they don’t see the glory of the Blessed. Yet He is our Great God and Saviour (Titus 2:13)

But you wonder, why was the statement of Christ blasphemous before the high priest? The statement of Jesus was a blasphemy because He had said that He is, ‘the Son of the Blessed’ (v.61) and had claimed powers that only God possess – only God according to them could come with the clouds of heaven. (v.62)

What proof did Jesus produce that He is indeed the Son of God? He gave a double proof:

a)      He will be seated at the right hand of Power, meaning that He will occupy the most exalted place. The throne of God, is His. Notice how He spoke like a typical Jew, circumventing to mention the Name of God, something that was forbidden by the Jews. He instead called God, ‘Power’ just as the high priest had earlier on called God, ‘the Blessed’.

b)      He will come a second time with the clouds of heaven. Who else can do this? Only God is capable of coming to judge universally with all the sovereign power and with the clouds of heaven (His dwelling place). Therefore the Lord had given them sufficient reasons for the charge of blasphemy if it was not true.

While this eternal reality did not dawn on them, they nonetheless went on to abuse and make sport of our Saviour in the same manner, if not worse, the Philistines mocked Samson, to their own destruction.

He had both a confession and a stern warning for them. In this response, the Lord alluded to three OT Messianic passages in order to demonstrate to them that He was coming as the Judge of all the earth – Isaiah 52:8;  Psalm 110:1; Daniel 7:13. While they were now in a state of glee judging Him, tables would soon be overturned and they would be before Him as the Judge! Jesus is no doubt coming back to establish His kingdom that cannot be shaken, there are those who are in it now. But those who have continued to mock Him, and scoff at His second coming, as Peter records in 2 Peter 3:3-9.

Applications

1.      Here we learn humility as the attitude of facing suffering. The Lord, the glorious Lord, did not gloat over His position. He did not insist on His own way. Instead, in humility He agreed to be humbled, to become like a lamb, to come on earth and to face wrath of God, so that He might bring us to salvation. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”. Php 2:5-8.

2.      We must never think that pressure from persecution or suffering is a reason for sinning. The Lord did not threaten or revile or even contemplate retaliation. For we read, “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.” 1Pe 2:21-24.

3.      There is no doubt that Christ is coming back, not as a Lamb but as a roaring conquering Lion of Judah. He is coming to establish His eternal Kingdom. Are you prepared to meet Him? Are you ready for His appearing? You can only be ready, if you will be found in Him, not having a righteousness of your own that comes by the law, but the righteousness that comes through and by faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.

4.      Since Jesus is the Christ, and the Son of God then you must believe Him, thank Him, worship Him. It is not for nothing that you are hearing this message – it is so that you will not fall into the same pitfall as the Jews who rejected their hope. You who is an unbeliever, you have heard this so that you may know Christ, the Saviour of sinners. You who has been redeemed from your sins and from the wrath to come, you should be profusely thankful and grateful. You are to live in a manner that offers worship to Him. Like Thomas when He learnt that Jesus is the Christ, we are to cry, “MY LORD, AND MY GOD!”

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[1] William Lane, quoting from M. Wolff, ICNT, The Gospel of Mark, Eedermans, Grand Rapids Mich. 1979, p. 531

[2] W. Hendricksen, p. 607

[3] Matthew Henry

[4] Alexander, The Gospel of Mark, p.408

What is the Work of Christ?

What is the Work of Christ?

Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

The Answer is, The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person for ever. This is the teaching of the Bible in the following verses:

ü  1 Timothy 2:5,6;

ü  John 1:14;

ü  Galatians 4:4;

ü  Romans 9:5;

ü  Luke 1:35;

ü  Colossians 2:9;

ü  Hebrews 7:24,25

*******************

What is the Work of Christ?

The Lord Jesus Christ, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit once offered up to God, has fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father has given unto Him.

What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?’

The Answer is, Christ as our Redeemer executes the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in His state of humiliation and exaltation.

This is the teaching of the Bible in the following verses:

ü  Acts 3:22;

ü  Hebrews 12:25;

ü  2 Corinthians 13:3;

ü  Hebrews 5:5-7;

ü  Psalm 2:6;

ü  Isaiah 9:6,7

ü  Matthew 21:5;

ü  Psalm 2:8-11

From these verses we have three questions:

1.     How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?

Answer.  Christ executes the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by His Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.

ü  John 1:18;

ü  2 Peter 1:10-12;

ü  John 15:15 and

ü  John 20:31

Christ’s PROPHETIC office is necessary for us because of our ignorance of God, of His creation, of ourselves and of the way of salvation. General revelation is not a sufficient medium of educating a fallen being in spiritual things. This is because the Fall impaired our mental and spiritual faculties so that we are unable to naturally know God. Only the gospel is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes.

A prophet is one who brings God’s words to men, i.e. prophets are men who speak from God (2 Peter 1:21) to men. All the writers of Scripture are prophets, hence they constantly cried, “Thus says the Lord.” Unless one speaks directly from God, he has no business claiming this prophetic office.

Christ is our great Prophet, to whom all other prophets point. Read Deuteronomy 18:15,18, Acts 3:22-26, Hebrews 1:1-2. He perfectly fulfilled and continues to fulfil the office of the prophet. All the other prophets were shadows the reality and the full realization of the prophetic office is in Christ. When Christ came, He fully fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy, but more than that He was the ultimate prophet.

Christ not only brings God’s words to us, He Himself is a revelation of who God is (John 1:18, 14:7-9). In Christ’s day there was the expectation that this great Prophet would come, as prophesied by Moses in Deuteronomy 18 (John 1:21, 6:14, 7:40). At the Day of Pentecost, Peter said that the ultimate Prophet had already come in the Person of Christ. All the prophets were inspired by the Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:10-11) so that all the Scriptures can be regarded as the revelation of God through Christ Himself. Without such revelation we could know nothing about the way of salvation for we are in the darkness of ignorance by nature (see Jeremiah 17:9, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Ephesians 4:17-18).

2.     How does Christ execute the office of a priest?

 Answer.  Christ executes the office of a priest, in His once offering up Himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and to reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us.

ü  Hebrews 9:14, 28

ü  Hebrews 2:17

ü  Hebrews 7:24,25

Christ’s PRIESTLY office is necessary for us because sin alienated us from God and rendered us imperfect in the best of our services. The best things we do as Christians are unacceptable except through Christ and the cleansing of His blood. His priestly office is necessary because we are sinners.

A priest is one who represents men before God in order to bring reconciliation and peace. Hebrews is the book of the Bible that refers much to Christ as our Priest (see chapters 4:14 – 10:18, and especially the summary statement of 8:1). The priests of the Old Testament pointed forward to Christ as our great High-priest since they failed, being themselves sinners. They had the work of sacrifice for sin and intercession for the people of God, just as Christ has (5:1-3, 7:25, 10:12).

Christ is the Priest in that He is both the Priest and the Sacrifice. He is the spotless, unblemished and acceptable Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He is the great High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death by death from continuing in office, but He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues for ever (Heb. 7:23-24). He is both the temple and the atonement providing a perfect propitiation for our sins.

God’s elect can only be reconciled to God through the priestly work of Christ (Hebrews 2:17-18). Those who are saved continue to need His priestly work because of sin. After His once for all atonement, He entered permanently into the heavenly tabernacle and sat at God’s right hand where He for ever lives to intercede for us.

3.     How does Christ execute the office of a king?

Answer.  Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to Himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies.

ü  Acts 15:14-16

ü  Isaiah 33:22;

ü  Isaiah 32:1,2

ü  1 Corinthians 15:25;

ü  Psalm 110

Christ’s KINGLY office is necessary for us because of our averseness and utter inability to return to God. Being dead in sin needs the King who would and could rescue us and secure us from our spiritual adversaries and bring us to God. A king both rules and defends his people.

The kings of the Old Testament pointed forward to the coming King, the Lord Jesus. David and Solomon specifically point forward to Christ as shown in Psalms 2 and 72. Christ sits on the throne of David (Luke 1:32-33, Acts 2:33-36, see also Matthew 2:2, 21:5, 27:11,37, John 1:49, Acts 17:7, Revelation 17:14).

Remember that the kingdom of God came with the coming of Christ (Matthew 12:28, John 18:36). It has now been established both on earth and in heaven and it awaits its fully inauguration when Christ comes the last time.

Why do we need a king?

1)      We need Christ’s kingly office so that by His power He might bring us back to God. Never forget that our conversion is a work of Christ’s power by,

a)      paying the penalty for our sins by His atoning sacrifice rescuing us from the wrath of God,

b)      giving His perfect righteousness acceptable to God and so satisfying the demands of God’s law and justice,

c)      giving us His Holy Spirit who applies His work of redemption by enabling us to believe and repent.

2)      We need His kingly office to be protected from our spiritual adversaries, the world, the flesh and the devil. He is able to do this because He is “head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22). Here is the guarantee that we shall be kept “until we finally enter His heavenly kingdom”.

Conclusion:

·         We must never underrate sin. You who think of your sins lightly should mark the sacrifice appointed for atoning sin and see who bears the awful load – It is the Word, the Lord’s anointed Son of God and Son of Mary. This should help us to loathe sin, and kill it and love holiness, and live righteously.

·         A study of Christ’s Person and work as mediator ought to make us to praise Him for His grace. Who could have expected Him to do such things for we who are so unworthy? Who can calculate what it cost Him to become man and to suffer on the cross for us? Who can measure the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:18-19)?

·         At the same time it ought to give us comfort. As mediator, Christ has done everything from beginning to end that we sinners need. We know the will of God for our complete salvation. We have a sacrifice that cleanses us from all sin. We have a Lord who will keep us to the end. May the Lord help us always to look to Christ and to depend on Him.

Christ redeemed us from the curse

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"—

Galatians 3:13

The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continues to be God and man in two distinct natures and one person for ever.[1]

To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal redemption, He does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same, making intercession for them, uniting them to Himself by His Spirit, revealing to them, in and by the Word, the mystery of salvation, persuading them to believe and obey, governing their hearts by His Word, and overcoming all their enemies by His Almighty power and wisdom, in such manner and ways as are most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation, and all of free and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen n them to procure it[2]. He executes the redemption in three offices – as the prophet, as the priest and as the king, both in His states of humiliation and exaltation.

Christ in His office as a priest submitted to be hanged upon a tree and in so doing removed the curse from us. The law that we and all have broken spells out judgment and condemnation and death for all. This is the curse of the law – no one is able to obey it and so it is evident that no one is justified before God on the basis of obedience of the law for the Law is very clear – “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” (v.10). Clearly, all are under this curse since, we know that no one is righteous no not one (Rom. 3:10).

However, thankfully Christ took our place when He was hung on the cross for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree" Christ took the curse from us and the evidence of this is that He was actually Himself hanged on a tree – the Roman cross. As He hung upon the cross on our place, He was made to be under the Law and its condemning power, having had all the sins of His people imputed on Him. And while in this place, the Father did not spare Him, but struck Him as many time and as much deeply, as His justice demanded.

The Father gave Him up into His hands, delivered him up to death, even the accursed death on the cross, whereby it appeared that he was made a curse; made, by the will, counsel, and determination of God, and not without his own will and free consent; for He freely laid down his life, and gave himself, and made his soul an offering for sin.[3]

This explains the centrality of the cross in the Christian faith. That which was meant to be a curse, and an object of shame brought eternal hope for sinners. And so we boast in nothing but in the cross of Christ. We preach nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2), even if the message of the cross is folly to those how are perishing, but to us  who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18). Lest any of you empty the cross its power (not that any can) you need to know the death of a cross was the worst mode of punishment both by the Jewish and Roman standards.

The cross and the death of Christ thereafter most clearly shows that Jesus was abandoned of God. The fellowship between the Heavenly Father and His Son was broken for He dealt with Him as a sinner having had the sins of men imputed on Him. So Christ did not only suffer the extensive punishment of the myriads upon myriads of the elect, He suffered it more intensely by the reality of being deserted of God, hence His agonizing cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46).

The worst death was cast upon the Son of Man:

Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,

Was there ever grief like His?

Friends through fear His cause disowning,

Foes insulting His distress;

Many hands were raised to wound Him,

None would interpose to save;

But the deepest stroke that pierced Him

Was the stroke that Justice gave.

                                                Thomas Kelly, (1769-1854)

What a terrible death it was – what the Lord was subjected to was far more than death of a mortal soul. Why? But this was;

a)      A painful death: As the Son of God was subjected to all these tortures, we must realize that the pains were great and acute. This sort of death made its assaults upon the vitals by the exterior parts, which are the most sensitive. In this He was to be both the priest and the sacrifice. For He was making his soul an offering for sin. Moreover He had to meet death, his and our enemy, in its greatest terror, and so conquer it.

b)      A bloody death: Christ was to lay down his life for His elect, and therefore had to shed His blood to atone for our sins. Blood made atonement for the soul (Lev. 17:11), and therefore in every sacrifice of propitiation special order was given for the pouring out of the blood, and the sprinkling of that before the Lord. This is what He did, for us.

c)       A shameful death: Christ died the death of the vilest of slaves and criminals. The cross and the shame were synonymous. God having been injured in his honour by the sin of man got Christ to know the worst shame in order to bring any and every man whom He had chosen to His honour and glory.  Praise the Lord that Christ perfectly satisfied this demand!

d)      A cursed death: The Jewish law (Deut. 21:23) branded it a curse. He that is hanged, is accursed of God and so is under a particular mark of God's displeasure. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"— (Gal 3:13). Christ submitted to be hanged upon a tree and in so doing removed the curse from us.[4]

We must understand the understanding of the cross has a bearing on our understanding of sin:

Ye who think of sin but lightly

Nor suppose the evil great

Here may view its nature rightly,

Here its guilt may estimate.

Mark the sacrifice appointed,

See Who bears the awful load;

‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,

Son of man and Son of God.

                                Thomas Kelly (1769-1854)

But our joy is that this death brought justification and life for us for we read;

… we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (Gal 2:16).

As our Redeemer, He was appointed and called of God the Father, and which He agreed and submitted to, both by His being born as babe and the obedient life thereafter and the vicarious death upon the cross. In this way He obtained an eternal redemption for us for He was duly qualified being born as man and so having the right of redemption as our kinsman redeemer and able to perfectly and effectively do it, not for one but for all the elect being God.

From the passage, the Lord Jesus redeemed a people called, ‘us’ which includes Paul the Apostle, and all who were given into the hands of Christ by the Father. For all that the Father drew by His electing love had to be submitted into the hands of Christ and be redeemed as such. The us has a people described as the ‘sheep’ or ‘the church’ or the elect.

No one but only those who had known the electing hand of God in the eternity past, that is before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) are effectively able to come to Christ with a saving faith. But this number is a great number for it has been accumulating ever since the creation since the redeeming work of Christ spans all ages and so at the close of age, there shall be a people from every age, from every nation, every tribe, every language. For as many of us have were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:28-29).

Here is the significance of the death of Christ on the accursed tree:

v  Christ became so poor that the poor sinful children of men, believing on Him, might be delivered from the pit of destruction and the torment of prison of hell and receive freely the glorious riches of heaven. The cross is the very bottom of Jesus’ poverty on our behalf, but it is crest of the treasury of our salvation.

v  Christ was charged with rebellion and all manner of sins that we might be set free from every charge in the day of judgment, and be presented faultless before God the Father with exceeding joy.

v  Christ was ashamed in every way so that we, vile as we are, might have glory, honour, and eternal life through faith in Christ’s atonement. The cross seals this for His shame was our shame and since He bore it all, we are free from all shame.

v  Christ was rejected by men so that we might be received into God’s kingdom with triumph at the last day, and receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. The cross was the display of this rejection but it is our gate in which we enter the kingdom of God.

v  Christ was unclothed that we, who have no righteousness of our own, might be clothed in the perfect righteousness that Christ has wrought out for us, and not stand naked before God at the Last Day. He hung upon the cross naked, before men, so that we might be enthroned before God with great glory.

v  Christ was reviled and held in derision so that we, who are all defiled with sin, might have a wedding-garment, wherein we may sit down by the side of the angels and not be ashamed.

v  Christ, the only Son God, was made worst rebel by human standards of the Roman cross, so that we, who are born in sin and children of wrath, might be counted blessed for Christ’s sake.

v  Christ was hung on a tree, enduring the most grievous sorrows in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His body. He was crowned with thorns and thistles to remove the curse which we all deserve because of sin, by laying it on Christ. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.”… it was that we, who are miserable transgressors, both by nature and practice, may be reckoned innocent for Christ’s sake.

v  Yes Christ was spit on, smitten of men, so that we, who are worthy nothing but condemnation, may be counted worthy to escape God’s judgment, and be pronounced not guilty before the assembled world.

v  Christ died that we, in our last hours, through faith in Christ may have strong consolation. It all came to pass that we may enjoy strong assurance – we may know whom we have believed, and may go down the valley of the shadow of death fearing no evil.[5]

Wonder of the cross shall be our meditation… the cross of the humble King who never wore an earthly crown … the cross o wonderful cross, what glory, what victory we have found. So would you lay all your sins on Christ? Christ has fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance for us!

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[1] The Baptist Confession & The Baptist Catechism, (Solid Ground Christian Books, Birmingham, Al, 2010), question 24, p.98

[2] Ibid, p. 21-22

[3] William Gill, Vol. 4, (Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 1980), P.382

[4] This is four things are drawn from Matthew Henry’s commentary

[5] J.C. Ryle, Mark, (Banner of Truth, Edinburgh, UK, 1857), pp. 341-343