Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
Mark 15:27-30
27They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. 29Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30come down from the cross and save yourself!”
John 19:17-22
17Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. 20Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” 22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
27They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. 29Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30come down from the cross and save yourself!”
John 19:17-22
17Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. 20Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” 22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
Reading
“There they crucified him. There were two others crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. And Pilate posted a sign over him that read ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews'.” We’ve heard this scripture probably more times than we can count. Sometimes we forget its sense of meaning. Sometimes we remember it with devastating clarity.
“There they crucified him.” In Roman times, the crucifixion was the worst form of capital punishment. With nails through your hands and feet, you were hoisted up in the air. Most who received this punishment suffocated. The weight of your own body was simply too much to bear. You could not get enough strength to even draw a breath. It took days to die this way. For Jesus, so badly beaten, it only took hours.
There were two others crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. Thieves: one repentant, the other defiant. Why was Jesus placed in the middle? Perhaps the soldiers thought he was the grand spectacle and should be the center of attention. Perhaps God thought the arrangement would give both thieves a chance for redemption. All we know is that one did, in his last moments with Jesus. It is a poignant reminder to know that the ones closest to the suffering Christ were the ones who had a chance to receive his grace…
“And Pilate posted a sign over him that read ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews'.” Pilate, who before had tried to find a way to free him, but gave in to the demands of the crowd, now placed a sign above his head, declaring his title. Perhaps he felt remorse, or blame, or simply contempt, but we know he felt. There were intense feelings in the moments around the production and posting of that sign.
What do we feel as we place our labels onto Jesus? What do we feel as we sit beside Him in his power and grace? What do we feel as we nail Him to the cross?
“There they crucified him. There were two others crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. And Pilate posted a sign over him that read ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews'.” We’ve heard this scripture probably more times than we can count. Sometimes we forget its sense of meaning. Sometimes we remember it with devastating clarity.
“There they crucified him.” In Roman times, the crucifixion was the worst form of capital punishment. With nails through your hands and feet, you were hoisted up in the air. Most who received this punishment suffocated. The weight of your own body was simply too much to bear. You could not get enough strength to even draw a breath. It took days to die this way. For Jesus, so badly beaten, it only took hours.
There were two others crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. Thieves: one repentant, the other defiant. Why was Jesus placed in the middle? Perhaps the soldiers thought he was the grand spectacle and should be the center of attention. Perhaps God thought the arrangement would give both thieves a chance for redemption. All we know is that one did, in his last moments with Jesus. It is a poignant reminder to know that the ones closest to the suffering Christ were the ones who had a chance to receive his grace…
“And Pilate posted a sign over him that read ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews'.” Pilate, who before had tried to find a way to free him, but gave in to the demands of the crowd, now placed a sign above his head, declaring his title. Perhaps he felt remorse, or blame, or simply contempt, but we know he felt. There were intense feelings in the moments around the production and posting of that sign.
What do we feel as we place our labels onto Jesus? What do we feel as we sit beside Him in his power and grace? What do we feel as we nail Him to the cross?
Reflective Interaction
Wood, hammer and nails are available for you to make a cross or whatever you would like to. Some might feel compelled to write some thoughts down and nail them to the wood.
Wood, hammer and nails are available for you to make a cross or whatever you would like to. Some might feel compelled to write some thoughts down and nail them to the wood.