Gospel

THE REAL JESUS, Part 11

by John Clark 
08/25/22
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After a very intense discourse with the disciples in chapters 15-17, Jesus is arrested. He had performed miracles, healings, made claims about himself, crossed cultural barriers, and accepted all people free of judgment. He had done things that the religious people could not do. In spite of all these things people denied Him, even one of his disciples (18:15-27). 

     In our culture today some deny that God exists. However, they are without excuse. Creation itself bears witness. The human body is designed by some divine intelligence that baffles even medical and scientific knowledge. 

     Getting back to the arrest of Jesus, he was flogged and a crown of thorns was placed upon his head. While appearing before government officials, the mob of bystanders demanded that he be crucified. The reason is given in 19:7. “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” The governing authority said to Jesus, “Do you not know that I have authority to release you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered with another one of his bold claims: “You have no authority over me at all unless it has been given you from above”(19:11).

     Jesus was taken, bearing his wooden cross, and was crucified on a hill above Jerusalem. So, what exactly does this involve? Nails are driven into the hands and feet as the person is left to hang. It was a common way of executing by the Romans in that time. 

     Some skeptics have asked the question, did Jesus really die? After all, if he never really died, then one can dismiss him rising from the dead. The proof is given in 19:34. After a time of Jesus hanging on the cross a soldier pierced his side and “at once there came out blood and water.” This is backed up by medical science to prove that a body is really dead. 

     According to medical sources, when a person has been dead for a time, the red blood cells separate from the plasma - the colorless fluid part of the  blood described as water in the Gospel account. So, when the spear was removed blood and water came out separately. 

     Jesus bore this agony and excruciating pain for your sins and mine. I read once that the word “excruciating” was coined to describe crucifixion, because  there was no other word to describe that kind of pain. That is how much he loves us. His body was taken down and placed in a tomb. The people thought they had done away with this man who claimed to be God. But they were in for a big surprise!