Greatest Story Ever Told

The Greatest Story Ever Told

Steve W. Reeves

I. THE UPPER ROOM AND THE GARDEN

It was Thursday evening during the week of Passover in Jerusalem. The city was filled with Jewish pilgrims who had come to observe the annual Passover feast that celebrated Israel’s deliverance from Egypt centuries earlier. On this particular Passover there was a special tension in the air. Everyone was talking about it. Jesus of Nazareth, an itinerant preacher who had performed miracles and even raised people from the dead was in town. The Jewish leaders were harsh critics of Jesus and were looking for an opportunity to arrest and kill Him.

Jesus began the night in an upper room with his disciples where he blessed the bread and passed it to them telling them “this is my body.” He then took the cup and blessed it and told them to drink saying, “this is my blood of the New Testament shed for many for the remission of sins.”

After eating that final meal Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn and then left the upper room. They made their way through the narrow streets, out the city walls and across a small brook called Kidron. They went up onto a nearby hill and came to a beautiful garden called, “The place of the oil press” or Gethsemane. It was here that Jesus took only three of his disciples. Leaving them with instructions to watch and pray Jesus went further into the garden and agonized in prayer. It is significant that this is the only place in the KJV where the word "agony" is mentioned. The Greek word for agony means to be "engaged in combat" Jesus prayed with such intensity that his sweat became great drops of blood. The medical term for this, "hematidrosis" has been seen in patients who have experienced extreme stress or shock. The capillaries around the sweat pores break causing blood to mingle with perspiration.

While in Gethsemane, Jesus and his disciples saw a procession of soldiers coming out of Jerusalem being led by Judas Iscariot. When they arrived in the presence of Jesus, Judas, as a predetermined sign to the soldiers, stepped forward addressed Jesus, “Hail Rabbi,” and kissed him on the cheek. “Judas, betrayest thou the son of man with a kiss?” Jesus said. He turned to the soldirs, “Who do you seek? “Jesus of Nazareth” they replied. “I am He,” said Jesus,  at which time the solders fell to the ground. They got up and Jesus again asked, “Who do you seek?”  Again they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” “I told you that I am He, if it is me you seek take me but allow the others to go.” Suddenly, Simon Peter impulsively took his sword and cut off the ear of a servant of the High Priest named Mallchus. Jesus chastised Peter, “Put your sword up, Peter. Do you not know that they that live by the sword will die by the sword?” Jesus then stretched out his hand and healed the ear of Malchus. At this point all of his disciples deserted Him. 

II. THE TRIAL

There would be two trials, an ecclesiastical trial by the Jewish leaders and a civil trial before the Roman officials. It was obvious that this crowd had no intention of observing the law. Trials could occur only in the regular meeting places of the Sanhedrin (not in the palace of the High Priest) where Jesus was taken. Trials could not occur on the eve of the Sabbath or Feast Days or at night and yet every one of these laws was disregarded by those who were intent on killing Jesus.

While in the court of the High Priest, Jesus was questioned by Annas and struck by a soldier. He was then brought to Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. who sought to put Him to death by the false testimony of bogus witnesses. The witnesses brought against Him did not agree. By the law, no one could be put to death without the agreement of two or three witnesses. Finally Caiaphas asked Jesus directly, “Are you the Son of God?” Jesus answered clearly, “I Am” to which Caiaphas tore his robe and cried out with a loud voice, “Blasphemy! What further proof do we need? He is worthy of death.”

Once again the Sanhedrin acted illegally. Under the law they were not permitted to convict someone and sentence them to death and yet they condemned Jesus. Because Jerusalem was under Roman rule they could not carry out their sentence. Early in the morning they took Jesus before the Roman governor, Pilate.

The charge was now changed to an allegation that Jesus claimed to be King and promoted disobedience to Caesar. In spite of all the charges, Pilate could fine nothing wrong. He sent Jesus to King Herod, a wicked, immoral man who wanted Jesus to perform a miracle for him. Jesus was silent before Herod, except to affirm that He was the King of the Jews. Herod clothed Jesus with a royal robe and sent Him back to Pilate who was unable to convince the crowd of Jesus' innocence. He ordered Jesus to be scourged. 

During scourging a prisoner was tied to a post, leaving his back entirely exposed. The Romans used a whip, called a flagrum which consisted of small pieces of bone and metal attached to strands of leather. The number of blows in Jewish law was set in Deuteronomy 25:3 at forty but later reduced to 39 to prevent excessive blows by a counting error. The victim often died from the beating. Roman law did not put any limits on the number of blows. During the flogging the skin was stripped from the back, exposing a bloody mass of muscle and bone. Extreme blood loss occurred, weakening the prisoner sometimes to the point of being unconscious. Jesus was not so fortunate.

The soldiers stripped Jesus, put the scarlet robe on him and then twisted together a crown of thorns that were perhaps one to two inches long and embedded it into His scalp. They took reeds to make a scepter and put it in His hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" They spat on Him and took the reeds and struck him. When Jesus went back to Pilate the governor once again tried to appease the crowd. Reminding them of a custom at Passover to release a prisoner he asked, “Whom would you that I should release? Barabbas, a known murderer and enemy of the state, or Jesus who is called, “King of the Jews?” With increasing volume the crowd yelled, “Barabbas, Barabbas – give us Barabbas.” Their voices were so loud they could be heard a half-mile away. "His blood be on us and on our children" they cried.” Pilate called for a basin of water and washed his hands saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this innocent man.” He then handed Jesus over to be crucified.

III. THE CRUCIFIXION

Jesus was led along a narrow street known today as the Via Dolorosa or the "way of suffering", to be crucified at Golgotha. The total distance has been estimated at 650 yards.  He was forced to carry the crossbar of the cross (patibulum) weighing 80 – 100 pounds across His shoulders. He was surrounded by a guard of Roman soldiers. One of them carried a titulus, a sign which announced His crime of being "The King of the Jews" in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. On the way, He was unable to carry the cross. Some theorize that He may have fallen while going down the steps of the Antonio Fortress. Simon of Cyrene who was standing nearby, was summoned to carry the cross.

Crucifixion was a practice that originated with the Persians and was later passed on to the Carthaginians and the Phoenicians. The Romans perfected it as a method of cruel 

execution which caused maximum pain and suffering over a period of time. Those crucified included slaves, and the lowest types of criminals. Roman citizens, were not subjected to this treatment.

When Jesus arrived at Golgotha the patibulum was put on the ground and the victim laid upon it. Nails, about 7 inches long and with a diameter 3/8 of an inch were driven in the wrists causing excruciating pain. It was possible to place the nails between the bones so that no fractures occurred. Standing at the crucifixion sites would be upright posts, called stipes, with a height of about 7 feet.  In the center of the stipes was a crude seat which served as a support for Jesus. The patibulum was lifted on to the stipes causing the body of Jesus to strain against the nails – tearing the flesh and causing excruciating pain. The feet were then nailed to the stipes. Jesus’ knees were bent and rotated laterally, being left in a very uncomfortable position. The titulus was hung above his head.

While on the cross Jesus uttered seven statements: 1.To the onlookers who weremocking him. “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.” 2. Seeing his mother in the presence of John. “Woman behold your son, son behold your mother.”

 3. To the thief beside him. “Today you will be with me in paradise.” 4. As the day progressed and he became parched he  said, “I thirst.”5. Then came that awful moment – a moment never experienced in all eternity when He cried out . . . “Eli . . . Eli . . . lama Sabathani.”  “My God – My God, why have you forsaken me.” 6. Near the end he cried out. “It is finished.” 7. And finally, “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.”

Jesus died.

The sky went dark. The earth shook. The veil in the temple was ripped in half. A Roman centurion standing nearby said, “Sure this man was the son of God.” It was Friday. It seemed as if all the hope and joy of life were gone. But Sunday was coming. It was Friday. It seemed as if life had lost all purpose and reason. But Sunday was coming. It was Friday. It seemed like the Devil had won. It appeared that the lid was shut and locked on any hope for man’s redemption. But Sunday was coming!

IV. HE IS RISEN

Mark records the resurrection as follows (Mark 16:1-6). “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. ² Very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³ They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” ⁴ Looking up, they *saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. ⁵ Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. ⁶ And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.”

“He is not here . . . He is risen! He is risen!” He lives today. “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, my life is worth the living just because He lives” (Lyrics by Bill Gaither).  

CONCLUSION:

Jesus calls you to die with Him. He calls you to be buried with Him in baptism. In return God will raise you up into newness of life and if you remain faithful will save you for all eternity. This is the “greatest story ever told.” Will you respond to it today?