The Crucifixion: Unpacking One of History's Pivotal Moments

You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk

about the Bible in fun in practical ways. Hey, welcome to the Bible

Guys. Yes, hey, we have a very exciting segment. Today's Chris

and I'm Jeff, and we are the Bible Guys. I was just laughing

about it during the roll in, because it says, let's test Chris's one

direction knowledge. At this time I thinking over to jefffore the start, and

I said, I don't know a single one direction. Well, maybe I

recognize it if you were to sing it. Yeah, if I hear it.

I don't know that I know anyone direction. I don't know a single

song, let alone a lyric, which means that this game is going to

flop. Okay, well, who knows. Maybe you'll know some Bible verses

though that might be that may be a saving grace, that's right. And

then our topic today is one of the most important events in human history.

So yeah, yeah, So there's the crucifixion of Jesus and we're beginning that

process and then the resurrection are the two most important things I believe have ever

happened. And so it's a really big one. But before we get into

that, we always like to have just kind of a light hearted segment.

We take our faith very seriously, we just don't take ourselves too seriously.

And so today I'm going to either be reading from the Song of Solomon or

lyrics from a one direction song? Are you ready? Number one said I

slept but my heart was awake. I slept but my heart was awake.

Is that a Song of Solomon? Direction? Either one? Because that's a

great lyric of a line, I slept but my heart was awake. I'm

going to say one direction, it's Song of Solomon. Yeah, okay,

Number two, you turned around and stole my heart. Oh, that's gotta

be one direction. Stole my heart? Yea, turned around and stole my

heart. That doesn't sound like a verse. Oh I'm joking his one direction?

Okay, good, Okay. I'm blinded because you're everything I see.

Okay. The thing that gives that away as a lyric, at least I

think so is the because it's trying to I'm blinded because what you are everything

I see. There's no way that that that's a love notion, which which

again is in is all throughout Song of Solomon. I say, Song of

Solomon is a love song. I know, but there's no way that that

was the conclusion of being blind. So I'm gonna say lyric, it is

a lyric. It's lyric from one direction more than this. Okay, fair

is the moon, bright is the sun, majestic as the stars. The

word fair and majestic leave me to believe that that's possibly a verse. That

a verse is that song of Solomon song Solomon six. Nice. There you

go man, today I got three out of four. Yeah, I think

so. You just you missed the first one. Yeah, okay. And

then I was sound asleep, but in my tears I was wide awake.

Oh that's gotta be a one direction Let me think. Uh, I was

what I was saying again, sound asleep, yes, but in my tears

I was wide awake. That's gotta be a one direction lyric. Come on,

Salomon was a good lyrics In my tears, I was wide awake.

He was, he is, He is a writer love songs. Wow,

hey to give some give him some props here. Absolutely, man, that's

a big one. I wonder if you had the dance moves to back it

up. Oh, I'm sure. Yeah, and hair. I think you

had the hair. Well, yeah, how many wives? How many wives

and concubines? Yeah, seven hundred concubines and three hundred wives. Okay,

so yeah, thousand thousand, yeah, so yeah, of course, I

just can't even imagine the fact that it was monthly makeup expenses. The fact

that he was the most powerful and the richest man and the wisest man in

the world, in the world probably had something to do with that, I

guess probably, But okay, well, there you go, Chris, which,

by the way, it wasn't bad. Three out of five. You're

bat in sixty percent, right, yeah, right, that's that's six hundred.

That's by far a Hall of Fame baseball career. If you could hit

six hundred, it didn't make multiple wives. Okay, no, right,

So the Bible never endorsed that, No, God warned against it. Tho

the Kings don't do it right, don't do it anyway. But he did

it anyways because people in power and his day did that, right, So

he thought, hey, we're allowed to do He was living like the world,

that's right. Yes, So Matthew, Chapter twenty seven is where we're

at today. Hey, and I have to throw one more comment in there

ahead. Isn't it interesting how the wisest man in the world his one downfall

was women? Was women? That was his downfall. That's right, so

interesting? So really, how smart are we, right if we still can't

figure out women? That's right, they can't figure it out, Okay,

Matthew chapter twenty seven, verse fifteen. Then we're also looking at Mark chapter

fifteen, Luke twenty three, and John eighteen. Yeah. So at this

point, for the rest of this series, most of these are going to

be probably in all four Gospels, a lot of them. Yes, So

here we go, it says in Matthew chapter twenty seven, verse fifteen.

Now it was the governor's custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one

prisoner to the crowd, anyone they wanted. This year there was a notorious

prisoner, a man named Barabbas. As the crowds gathered before Pilot's house that

morning, he asked them, which one do you want me to release to

you, Barabbas or Jesus, who has called the Messiah. He knew very

well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy. Just then,

as Pilot was sitting on the judgment seat. His wife sent him a message,

leave that innocent ant alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him

last night. Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to

ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death.

So the governor asked again which of these two do you want me to release

to you? And the crowd shouted back Barabbas. Pilot responded, then,

what should I do with Jesus, who has called the Messiah? And they

shouted back, crucify him? Why? Pilot demanded, what crime has he

committed? But the mob roared even louder, crucify him. Pilot saw that

he wasn't getting anywhere and that a riot was developing, and so he sent

for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying,

I am innocent of this man's blood. Their responsibility is yours, and all

the people yelled back, we will take responsibility for his death, we and

our children. So Pilot released Barabbas to them, and he ordered Jesus flogged

with a lead tipped whip, and then turned him over to the Roman soldiers

to be crucified. In Mark, chapter fifteen, verse six, it says,

now it was the governor's custom each year during the Passover celebration to release

one prison anyone that people requested. One of the prisoners at that time was

Brabis, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising. The crowd went

to Pilot and asked him to be released. To release a prisoner as usual,

Would you like me to release to you this king of the Jews,

Pilot asked for He realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out

of envy. But at this point the leading priest stirred up the crowd to

demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. Pilot asked them, then,

what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?

They shouted back, crucify him, why, Pilot demanded, What crime has

he committed? But the mob roared even louder, crucify him. So to

pacify the crowd, Pilot released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with

a lead tipped whip, then turn him over to the Roman soldiers to be

crucified. Luke, chapter twenty three, Verse thirteen says, then Pilot called

together the leading priests and other religious leaders along with the people, and he

announced his verdict. You brought this man to me accusing him of leading a

revolt. I've examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him

innocent. Herod came to the same conclusion and set him back to us.

Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty, So I'll have him

flogged and then I'll release him. And then a mighty roar rose from the

crowd, and with one voice, they shouted, kill him and released Barabbas

to us. Barabas was in prison for taking partner insurrection in Jerusalem against the

government and for murder. Plot argued with them because he wanted to release Jesus,

but they kept shouting crucify him, crucify him. For the third time,

he demanded, why what crime has he committed? I have no reason

to sentence him to death, So all have him flogged and then I will

release him. But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be

crucified, and their voices prevailed, so Pilot sentenced Jesus to die as they

demanded. As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison

for insurrection and murder, but he turned Jesus over to them to do as

they wished. On eighteen verse thirty eight, it says, remember when he

says, I speak the truth to you, right, that's My kingdom is

all about the truth. What is truth? Pilot asked, And then he

went out again to the people and told them he is not guilty of any

crime. But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each

year at Passover. Would you like me to release this king of the Jews?

But they shouted back, no, not this man, we want Barrabbas.

Barrabas was a revolutionary. Then Pilot had Jesus flogged with a lead tipped

whip, and the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his

head, and they put a purple robe on him. Hail King of the

Jews, they mocked, And as they slapped him across the face, Pilot

went outside again and said to the people, I'm going to bring him out

to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty. Then

Jesus came out wearing the crown of Thorns in the purple robe, and Pilot

said, look, here is the man. When they saw him, the

leading priests and temple guards began shouting, crucify him, crucify him. Take

him yourselves and crucify him. Pilot said, I find him not guilty.

The Jewish leaders replied, by our law, he ought to die because he

called himself the son of God. When Pilot heard this, he was more

frightened than ever. He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him

where are you from? But Jesus gave no answer. Why don't you talk

to me, Pilot demanded, don't you realize that I have the power to

release you or crucify you. Then Jesus said, you would have no power

over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the

one who handed me over to you has the greater sin. Then Pilot tried

to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, if you release this man,

you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is

a rebel against Caesar. When they said this, Pilot brought Jesus out to

them again. Then Pilot sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that

was called the stone pavement in Hebrew Gabbatha. It was now about noon on

the day of preparation for the passover, and Pilot said to the people,

look, here is your king. Away with him. They yelled, away

with him? Crucify him? What crucify your king? Pilot asked, we

have no king, but Caesar, the leading priest, shouted back, and

then Pilot turned Jesus over to them to be crucified, And so they took

Jesus away. There's a lot in there in there, yeah, yeah,

so I mean we're talking about the crown of thorns. We're talking about purple

robes slapping him in the faces, cat of nine tails that are lead tipped,

barbus barrabas. Oh goodness, gracious, what is truth? I mean

this, this is every one of these four Our listeners should go back and

read all four of these passages, right and and just unpacked, because every

one of these passages has different details. So you know, how we we

plan easters. Oh I probably shouldn't say this, just in case we decided

to do it, but yeah, this is after or rate before easter.

So oh no, no, no, no, I'm talking about an easter

idea. Oh yeah, that we've never done. Ever, nobody's ever done.

It's just the idea I had one time. But I don't think I

don't think he'll ever do it. Let's not tell anybody you might, All

right, Fine, well then how about this? Then? How about let

me just say this, the idea that we are Barabbas, right, Like,

I love that idea. Yeah, so Brabas was sentenced to die.

Yes, Jesus died in his place, right, Yeah? Yeah, so

we are braves, so we're the ones that are pardoned. Yeah. There

was an old movie, guilt It. A Christian college back in the day

made a movie and it was all about being Barabbas, and it kind of

parallels jesus rise to fame and Barrabbas's rise to fame and then the two of

them standing together, Brabbis assuming then he's a good guy. I'm a bad

guy. This is it for me, And instead Jesus dies in his place.

Pretty pretty amazing story. Yeah, well, you know what I'm gonna

say, my idea because even the thousand people who listen to this, many

of them aren't connected to heritage and and certainly if we do this idea,

it'll be years down the road. So here it is. I had this

idea of doing a modern like a post resurrection investigation where this guy is going

around and he's investigating whether Jesus truly was the son of God. And every

time that he talks with somebody there said, yeah, he was the son

of God. He rose again, and he'd say, no, it can't

be true, and he was indignant and he was just angry. And then

and then he would talk to somebody else and they say, yeah, I

saw him walking on the road to you know, you know, and he

says, he said, no, no, no, he can't be true.

He can't be alive. There's no way. And then finally it comes

to like this big tension point where you know, I'm really cutting through a

lot of this, but it comes to a tension point where somebody confronts him

and says, why why why are you saying that it can't be true?

He says, because it means if he's alive, that means that he truly

was the son of God, Like, yeah, but why is that a

problem. And then he collapses and says, because I'm Barabbas. Yeah,

right, so Barrabas then becomes a convert. Yeah, yeah, it was

just it was historically there is within some Christian historical beliefs that yes, Brabas

did become a believer, which is what gave me the idea. Yeah,

that's cool. So the note about Barabbas, this is, this is really

amazing. The note about Barabbas in Luke chapter twenty three, it says who

was Barabbas? Jewish men had names that I identified them with their fathers.

Simon Peter, for example, is called Simon, son of John. Barabbas

is never identified by his given name. In this name, Barabbas is not

much help either. Bar Abbas means son of Abbah or son of Daddy.

He could have been anybody's son or nobody's son, right, And that's just

the point. Barabbas, son of an unnamed father, committed a crime because

Jesus died in his place. Brabbas, the son of any man, right,

committed a crime. Because Jesus died in his place, the son of

God, this man was set free. We too are sinners and criminals who

have broken God's law. Like Barabbas, we deserve to die. But Jesus

has died in our place for our sins, and we've been set free.

We don't have to be very important people to accept our freedom in Christ.

In fact, thanks to Jesus, God adopts us all as his own sons

and daughters and gives us the right to call him our dear father Galatians for

Yeah, yeah, that's very interesting, fantastic, It's fantastic. It's the

breakdown of Brabs' name, which is son of daddy, of daddy, right,

which is us? Right, that's a perfect representation of us. Right.

We're a son of any man, right, right, and we need

or daughter of any man. And that's Barabbas. Nobody's significant except he's a

murder and insurrectionist, and that's what we are, right and insurrectionists against against

our creator. We committed mutiny against our creator, right, And how ironic

that I think about this. They crucified Jesus and Pilot says no, and

then what does he say? He says, he says, they try to

blackmail Pilot, and they said in John chapter eighteen, but Pilot tried to

release him. They said, if you release this man, you're no friend

of Caesar. Because anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.

So here's what they're doing. They're saying that you have to crucify Jesus

because he's an insurrectionist, right, But Jesus wasn't, and he's trying to

pull off a coup. He's trying to pull off coup, and yet they

released the insurrectionists the insurrectionists, So what does it mean. It is even

more symbolic that Jesus died for our sins. He paid the price in this

particular case. It's so specific and I've never even had this thought before till

just now that that Jesus was actually tried and sentenced for the actual crime that

was broken that Barabbas did. Isn't that crazy? And that's so symbolic of

Jesus paying for our sins specifically, So it's our sins. That's the reason

why Jesus was on the cross, which is the entire idea of the lamb.

Right when when John the Baptist said, behold the Lamb of God,

who takes the sin of the world, they would take their sin and symbolically

place it on that lamb. Now that lamb is guilty of that sin symbolically

and then the lamb would be sacrificed. But it happens exactly that way with

the lamb of God standing next to the son of Man. Right, the

son of Amen, son of Amen. Jesus is the son of Man right,

and he's the son of Amen. Right, isn't it Isn't that amazing?

It is amazing? This is fabulous. And then of course you know,

I just I get so angry in my spirit when it says the Pharisees

and the religious leaders persuaded the crowd to say, give us Barravius and crucify

him. So, you know, people who think that it's just an angry

crowd who just gets caught up in emotion, that's probably true, but here

are the Pharisees. Man, just do you're being manipulated with false news everything

they can't right? Right? Right? Have you ever seen that clip where

all the news, all the news stations say the exact same word. It

freaks out and it's like that. That's when I realized I was like,

oh, we're more like Cuba than I thought. Yes, right, because

you know, being told what to believe you and I went to Cuba,

right, and we know that many times. Yeah, yeah, and we

know that, like that's a dictatorship and all that. It didn't feel free

at all. And then I saw those news clippings of all the newscasts are

saying the exact same words, and I was like, hmm, this is

not uh. I'm feeling like some sheep here. So that's what happens is

they convinced the crowd, right, And that's why we talked a couple of

days and probably threatened it said persuaded, right. So a couple of days

ago they had both sides of this argument. Now they have three things really

worked to their favor. One, they were able to have the entire Sanhedrin

convict him of blasphemy. That would turn big chunk of the crowd against Jesus

at this point. Boy, we never saw that in Jesus, right,

And of course Jesus didn't commit blasphemy, but that's what they convicted him on.

And so a big group of that crowd to go, oh my goodness,

well we can't support a heretic, right. And then some of them

where we don't want problems with Rome, right, and so hey, I'll

just get behind let's get rid of that guy. And then they pick an

extremely popular insurrectionist Barrebus, right, so the Jewish people didn't look down on

him. He was kind of a folk hero. This is like let Robin

Hood go right, That's kind of how they would have viewed him. And

so they have these three things that worked into their advantage. Apparently he committed

blasphemy, we don't want trouble with Rome, and he released to us Robin

Hood. And it's those three things together that I think the these priests and

pharisees and religous leaders are able to shift that whole crowd so quickly. It's

so fast they turn, and it's because you know, they had worked the

crowd so well. Yeah, because because anybody who was challenging Rome as like

a person who rises up against that power, like as either a zealet or

insurrectionist, they would be a hero. Because all the Jewish people wanted out

from under the thumber Rome. So anybody who challenged that is a friend.

So then you know, to just kind of wrap it up, he beats

he has Jesus beat, even though he doesn't feel he's guilty, but he

has Jesus beat with and we know Jesus was beat to where he didn't even

look human anymore, is what the Bible says. He's barely recognizable as a

man. Yeah, forty stripes save one would have been the legal limit,

right, So thirty nine times with this cat of nine tails that had oftentimes

there would be nails or here it mentions the lead tips, and it would

just slice you open. And the guys that use the whips were experts at

just carving you up. That was the whole point, was to beat you

almost to death. And Pilot said it, said over and over. He

said he was insistent. He said he demanded of them because he said,

no, I'm gonna I'm gonna have Hi whipped and I'm going to release him

back and that'll be that. That'll be the punishing. And that's enough,

right, So it's enough you you priests and pharisees. That should be good.

Right. We'll just beat the stuffings out of him, teach him a

lesson, and then that's fine. I don't want to kill him, and

instead, uh, you know, he surrenders to it. He surrenders to

it. And so the agony, the devastating punishment that Jesus is taking for

our sin on behalf of barabbas, and we're all barrabbas from here all the

way to the cross. It's just it's it's now you know why Jesus saying

God, let this cup pass from me. He didn't want the physical agony,

but he's about to be separated from his father for the first time.

Right that those things together where he becomes sin for us, it's just a

devastating thing. So thank God. Well, we're going to continue with jesus

treatment with the the soldiers tomorrow, right, and how they they're going to

rough Jesus up and lead him away to be crucified. All right, Well,

don't look forward to reading that, but it is important. So we

will see you then on the Bible, guys. M.