The Son of Man Crucified, the Son of God

The sermon begins by describing the psychological context of the disciples in Jesus' final hours. After three years of leaving family and livelihood to follow Jesus, they hoped He was the Messiah. However, once Judas betrayed Him and religious leaders decided to execute Him, that hope completely shattered. Their hearts ached hearing the crowd cry: "Crucify him! Free Barabbas!" This context illustrates the contrast between the euphoric hope of the previous week and the total despair of Friday morning.

The pastor then provides detailed historical and practical information about crucifixion as a form of execution. According to Greek historian Herodotus, the Persians first invented this brutal torture, but the Roman Empire transformed it into the most excruciating and inhuman form of death imaginable. Roman philosophers and historians such as Seneca, Josephus, and Cicero all regarded crucifixion as the most barbaric form of death. Even Roman citizens, regardless of their crimes, were beheaded rather than crucified. This punishment lasted approximately 800 years until Emperor Constantine, after becoming a Christian, abolished it in the fourth century. The pastor explains each step of the crucifixion process in detail: flogging with a whip embedded with bone or sharp metal fragments, hanging a placard inscribed with the condemned person's name and crime, walking along the "Way of Sorrows" (Via Dolorosa), being stripped naked, having the wrists or hands either bound or nailed (wrists were preferred to accelerate death), and finally having both feet nailed through with a single spike.

The pastor describes in detail the physical suffering Jesus endured based on a historian's account. Jesus' arms were positioned in a V-shape, causing indescribable pain at the wrists and muscle cramps in the arms and shoulders. The chest muscles were paralyzed, so although He could inhale, He could not exhale. To breathe, Jesus had to push Himself upright on His bleeding feet, causing the entire weight of His body to bear down on the spike through His feet. This cycle repeated relentlessly, forcing Jesus to endure excruciating and merciless pain until He no longer had the strength to push Himself up to breathe. Additionally, flies, birds, and ravens attacked the open wounds. Jesus also suffered mockery, shame, and derision from soldiers, officials, priests, and crowds.

The sermon presents Old Testament prophecies about this event. King David, nearly 1,000 years before, wrote Psalm 22 describing in detail someone being crucified: "They pierce my hands and my feet... They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." Isaiah, over 700 years before, also prophesied: "He was pierced for our transgressions... The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." When Jesus cried out on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" He quoted Psalm 22:1, which the Pharisees and scribes fully understood. The fulfillment of these prophecies confirms that Jesus is the Messiah.

The pastor concludes with two choices symbolized through the two thieves crucified with Jesus. Barabbas had committed two serious crimes—insurrection and murder—and deserved execution, but because Jesus died as his substitute, Barabbas was released. Similarly, each of us deserves judgment for sin, but Christ died in our place. The first thief mocked Jesus and rejected the chance of salvation, while the second thief acknowledged his guilt and asked Jesus to remember him: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus replied: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." These two thieves symbolize the two most fundamental choices and attitudes each person faces when confronted with Christ's sacrificial love on the cross.