He is Buried with the Rich

The death of the Messiah was a very painful death in order to pay the penalty for our sins. Despite the loneliness and His disciples and the Father forsaking Him in the time of His burial, He “was given an honorable burial after his dishonorable death because of his perfect innocence.” The Lord Jesus was worthy to receive such honor. In fact prophet Isaiah had recorded through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ would be buried by a rich man after His death (Is. 53:9).

Who was this rich man? Matthew answered that he was a rich man of Arimathaea whose name was Joseph (Matt. 27:57). “He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed” (Matt. 27:57-60). Joseph, being a rich man, provided all the necessary things for the burial of the Christ, so that Christ would be buried in a proper way and even according to Jewish tradition. He was not just thrown as the two thieves crucified with Him were.

Joseph together with Nicodemus prepared for the burial of Jesus Christ within a short time. These two disciples of God had shown their love for Christ. They were not one of the twelve disciples, but ordinary people who believed the Lord Jesus to be the Messiah sent by God the Father to fulfill what was written in the Scriptures concerning Him. On the other hand, His own chosen disciples did not come back to see the dead body of Christ, except “Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulcher” (Matt 27:61). God had allowed events to happen in such a way that the prophecy might be fulfilled as it was written.

His Side is Pierced

Having seen that the Lord Jesus Christ was dead, the soldiers did not break his legs or any bone as prophesied by the Psalmist. On the other hand, the prophet Zechariah prophesied about this same occasion describing the action taken by the soldiers toward Jesus Christ. He said, “. . . and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness of his firstborn” (Zech. 12:10). The context of the verse explains the promise of God concerning the repentance of the Jews despite the long time they had been provoking God. This same verse prophesies the piercing of their Messiah.

When the apostle John wrote his gospel, he did see that the incident of the piercing of the Lord Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the prophecy in the Old Testament. John recorded, “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:34). This soldier was not content just to know that Jesus Christ was dead, he nevertheless pierced Him with a spear.

The crucifixion of Christ was a terrible mode of death. The great pain and torture that He experienced had caused Him to die sooner than the two criminals. As Lockyer commented, "Not only was it punctured by the soldier’s sword thrust, but the extreme mental and spiritual torture was so great that His heart was ruptured before the point of the sword pierced it. Appearance of blood and water indicated that the lymphatic fluid apparently had separated from the red blood, producing “blood and water."

He Has No Bones Broken

After six hours hanging on the cross suffering intense agonies, the time had come when Jesus Christ must die. He died a terrible death. He had finished His work and accomplished perfectly what His Father had commanded Him then when Jesus said, “it is finished.”

It was on a Friday afternoon when the Lord Jesus Christ finished His work of Salvation. Since then, every believer in Him has direct access to the Father. Jesus Christ is the Mediator of man and for this reason He came to this world to accomplish what God the Father had planned for His people. Because Friday was a day of preparation for the Sabbath, the soldiers must remove the body of Christ from the cross. And when they saw Jesus had died they did not break His legs whereas the two persons crucified together with Him had their legs broken by the soldiers (John 19:32-33,36). The explanation is that if the person has not died yet, his legs must be broken to ensure death so that they could bury him before the Sabbath comes. It was the custom of the Jews that nobody can do works, including burial on the Sabbath.

Why didn’t the soldiers break the legs of Jesus Christ? The answer was that God the Father kept His word. The prophecy that says, “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken” (Ps. 34:20) must be fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. The intense agonies that He suffered were much worse than the two criminals hung together with Him. Nevertheless what was written in the Scriptures must be fulfilled. As Lockyer said, "While it is true that onlookers saw His bones protruding from His naked and emaciated body- “I may tell all my bones; they look and stare upon me”- yet in a miraculous way not a bone of the suffering Messiah was broken, even although some were out of joint. God kept His word, no bone of His Son was broken. But His bones waxed old through His roaring all the day long. It was a miracle of divine providence that Jesus was already dead when the soldiers came to club Him and thus hasten His death and the sooner remove His body from the cross."

He is Forsaken by God

It was in the dark hour when the Messiah bore the sins of the world. In His last three hours of crucifixion the world was coved with darkness, and Jesus was facing the darkest situation as He bore all the sins of this world. He was sinless and yet was made sin for us that man might be reconciled with God and that man might have direct access to God. Truly the suffering Jesus bore on our behalf was indescribable agony.

When Jesus Christ was being hung on the cross, He felt the loneliness. He was alone bearing the sins of the world. The multitudes that had seen the miracles He performed, the sick that had received healing from Him and His own disciples, had all forsaken Him, and left Him alone to be spat upon and smitten. The agonies of Jesus were great and indescribable when His own Father forsook Him. As Lockyer said, “It was heart-rending enough for Jesus to have disciples forsake Him and flee; but to be forsaken by His own Father was surely the crown of His anguish.” God the Father forsook Him not in the sense that He stopped loving His Son but rather because He was the sin-bearer. Lockyer again commented, "The face of God was turned, not so much from His Son in whom He always delighted, but from what His Son was bearing, namely, the sin of a lost world, for He was of purer eyes than to look upon iniquity. “God made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin.” Thus, it was more from Christ as the sin-bearer than from His actual Son that the Father hid His face. The strange enigma of God-forsakenness can only be understood in the light of Christ’s mediatorial office."

Matthew knew that God the Father forsaking His Son (Matt. 27:46) was surely the fulfillment of what the Psalmist had prophesied when He said, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” (Ps. 22:1). It was the cry of Jesus Christ on the cross when He bore all the sins of the world.

Soldiers Gambled for His garment

When the Messiah was being crucified on the cross, the women who followed Jesus were watching from afar with tears and lamentation while the Jewish leaders were rejoicing on seeing the Messiah on the cross, and the soldiers gambling for His garments. These people did not realize that what they were doing was actually fulfilling what the Scriptures said in the Old Testament books. How perfect the plan of God was, as can be seen from all these events being fulfilled and recorded for us!

The Psalmist ten centuries before Christ came in the form of a servant was able to note down the events that will occur during the crucifixion of Christ on Calvary. He said, “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (Ps. 22:18). The Omniscience God revealed this truth through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost given the Psalmist and through the Omnipotence of God fulfilled this prophecy as recorded in the four gospels. In particular Matthew recorded the account of the crucifixion of Christ in Matthew 27:35 “And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” Thus, the gambling for the garments of Jesus was no doubt a fulfillment of the prophecy of David in the book of Psalm.

David expressed the condition of the Messiah in His first coming as the poor Servant of God. His last garment of earthly possession was gambled for the soldiers. Thus, when He came to this world He was absolutely poor in order that those who believed in Him might be rich. As Lockyer rightly added, “The clothes Jesus wore were His only possession in the world, yet even these were taken from Him. Those coarse, heartless soldiers might have had the decency to leave His seamless robe to hide His emaciated body.”

His Prayer for His Enemies

The love of God toward sinners is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. What the Lord had required of man had been accomplished and fulfilled by Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners. He kept all the commandments of God and led a holy life despite the sinful world which surrounded Him. Whichever commandment the first Adam had failed to keep, had been perfectly kept by the Messiah even unto death on the cross. He was obedient and faithful to finish His course and mission as His Father commended Him. This act of obedience is often called the Active and Passive obedience of Christ.

One proof that shows the endurance of Jesus Christ to finish His course is seen clearly while He was still hung on the cross. Despite the excruciating pain He bore on the cross, He gave Himself unto prayer for those enemies that were still waiting for His death. There was not a thought of revenge in His heart, but rather He saw the sinfulness and the sorrow of those enemies, living without God and obeying God. He prayed to His Father saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). As Lockyer rightly said, "For the pains Jesus received, He responded with prayers for those who ill-treated Him; He met indignities with intercession, suffering with supplication. He had taught His disciples to pray for those who would despitefully treat them: and at the Cross, He practiced what He had preached. What incomparable magnanimity! . . . He never paid people back in their own coin. He overcame evil with good. It takes much grace to kiss the hand that wounds. Retaliation was not in our Lord’s vocabulary."

How great the love of God toward sinners is! The intercessional prayer He offered to His father revealed that He had a very earnest longing for His persecutors to have another chance to repent of their sins. Jesus knew without this opportunity, His enemies would never taste victorious living and have eternal life. They will be lost in their sins and die without knowing their Messiah. This act of offering intercessional prayer was clearly predicted by the Psalmist when he said “For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer” (Ps. 109:4).

He is given Vinegar and Gall

When the Lord Jesus Christ was hung on the cross, hatred and mockery toward Him never ceased. His enemies were not satisfied spiting and smiting Him while He was in their hands, they continued expressing their hatred even when He was on the cross.

For six hours Christ was hanging on the cross with His wounded body facing the heart of the sun. How terrible the pain that He bore must have been to pay the penalty for our sins! It was at this time that He spoke His last words in a loud voice saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” (Mark 15:35), as an expression of the great pain He experienced. When the soldiers heard Him crying, one of them gave Him a sponge full of vinegar to drink (Mark 15:36; Matt 27:34). How painful it must have been when the vinegar flowed from His mouth onto His wounded body for He could not drink. Nonetheless soon after this event, Jesus “cried with the loud voice and gave up the ghost” (v.37). He died a very terrible death.

Again, nothing is accidental in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Psalmist records this terrible real event saying, “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Ps. 69:21). Based on this study, it is important to take note what John the apostle said concerning the prophecy about this event. Calvin put it in another way, "But still the Apostle John justly declares that this Scripture was fulfilled when the soldiers gave Christ vinegar to drink upon the cross (John xix:28-30;) for it was requisite that whatever cruelty the reprobate exercise towards the members of Christ, should by a visible sign be represented in Christ himself."

He is Scorned and Mocked

Another prophecy of the Old Testament concerning the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross reveals that the Messiah was scorned and mocked by the people. It was during the crucifixion, His enemies mocked Him saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God” (Luke 23:35), “If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself” (v. 37), “If thou be Christ, save thyself and us” (v.39). Nevertheless the mockeries that Jesus heard while He was hung on the cross did not cause Him to hate or think about revenge. His love toward them never changed.

The pain, suffering and mockery borne by Jesus caused some to have sympathy toward Him. Luke records that a great company of people including women that followed Christ on His way to Calvary, bewailed and lamented Jesus (Luke 23:27). But Jesus knew that it was not necessary for them to lament for Him but rather for themselves and their children (Luke 23:28). The Lord Jesus was prepared by the Father to bear all pains, mockeries and insults in order to fulfill the prophecies given in the scriptures.

The book of Psalm records the prophecy of what happened to the Messiah while He was hung on the cross. “All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him” (Ps. 22:7-8). The fulfillment of this prophecy could be seen in the life of Jesus as recorded in the four gospels. Hundreds of years before Christ came to this world, the Lord had recorded the things that He would do and undergo during His short life in this world.

He is Pierced through Hands and Feet (Ps. 22:16; ref. John 20:27)

The hatred of the enemies of Christ was so terrible and cruel. Their own Messiah sent by God to bring victory of salvation in their midst and they put him to death on the cross. They reckoned Him as one of the malefactors who deserve to be crucified. Nonetheless, the love of God toward His chosen people did not diminish. Despite their wickedness and rejection of their Master and King, God still has a special plan for the nation of Israel. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, in His last words, asked His Father to forgive them for their wrong doings toward Him (Luke 34:34). His love never changed. He knew His mission was to fulfill what was written in the scriptures.

The prophecy given by God to the Psalmist must be fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. His hands and feet must be pierced as the Psalmist had said, “For dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet” (Ps. 22:16). All these were done when the unbelieving Jews crucified Jesus Christ. They nailed His hands and feet to the cross and He died there with all the wounds, pain and suffering. Jesus endured all these things because of the love he had for sinners.

However it is important to take note that the death of Jesus is not an eternal death. Three days after His death, He was resurrected as often taught to His disciples concerning His resurrection. The power of death could not overcome Him. He defeated death with victory. He resurrected and revealed Himself to the people and His disciples.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is real and not fictitious. Thomas, who did not believe in His resurrection, was convinced after the Lord Jesus Christ showed Himself to him. Jesus said, “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27). The scars on His hands and feet were proof of His suffering and death but He had resurrected from the dead.

He is Crucified with Malefactors (Is. 53:12; ref. Mark 15:27-28)

Another event prophesied in the Old Testament is the crucifixion of the Messiah together with the two malefactors. The prophet Isaiah saw once again the full suffering of Christ on the cross when he wrote in Isaiah 53:12 saying, “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” The Messiah, despite His holiness, living without sins and doing no wrong, was nailed on the cross. The Jews considered the punishment which Christ received to be of the same magnitude as those malefactors. Lockyer rightly opines, "The word Isaiah used for transgressors among whom Christ was numbered does not refer to the usual run of sinners, but to criminals, or those who were open transgressors of the law of God and man. Voluntarily He permitted Himself to be reckoned with male factors, and to all appearances as far as the mob was concerned, Jesus was a felon like His companions in death - perhaps considered a shade worse than the other two, as He was given the middle place."

How terrible His suffering was! He was so holy, living in this world, helping the weak and showing mercy to those who were distressed and oppressed. He taught the multitude to live according to the truth and the Law, but His enemies nailed Him on the cross. Nevertheless, it was done perfectly according to the prophecies given concerning Him in the Old Testament. Whatever the Lord had said concerning Him must be fulfilled. As Mark recorded, “And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors” (Mark 15:27-28).

Jesus was Vicarious Sacrifice (Is. 53:5; ref. Rom. 5:6,8)

The prophet Isaiah, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, devoted the whole chapter of Isaiah 53 to the prophecy concerning the sufferings and afflictions of the Messiah when He came in His first coming. Every verse of this chapter provides excellent descriptions of the Messiah’s sufferings. The gospel writers reveal in their writings that the story of the life of the Messiah reflects what Isaiah had recorded in his book. Isaiah saw that all these things would happen in the Christ.

Isaiah 53:5 in particular is talking about the vicarious sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is to say that the Messiah would be offered to be put to death as a substitute for sinners. As Isaiah said, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” How terrible the afflictions that Christ had borne on our behalf! He was God, willing to take a human form, came to this world to be wounded, bruised and chastised in order to bring salvation and save sinners. Thus Calvin rightly commented, "Here the Prophet draws a contrast between us and Christ; for in us nothing can be found but destruction and death; in Christ alone is life and salvation, he alone brought medicine to us, and even procures health by his weakness, and life by his death; for he alone hath pacified the Father, he alone hath reconciled us to him."

The death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross is medicine for sinners, because without His death, man could not be reconciled to God. Man would not have any hope of having salvation and eternal life. Nevertheless God knew the wretchedness of man. He showed His love toward men through the sending of His Only Begotten Son to die on the cross as our substitute. This has to be done by the Messiah, for man by his own strength cannot save himself but the Lord gives hope through His Son, Jesus Christ, as the apostle Paul said, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6, 8). Thus the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus was well documented in the Old Testament time so that every true believer in the Lord can prepare himself for the coming of the Messiah.

Jesus is hated without reason (Ps. 35:19; ref. John 15:24-25)

Another prophecy concerning the sufferings of the Lord Jesus can be seen in Psalm 35:19 which shows evidence that Christ was hated without reason. The Psalmist said, “Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause” (Ps. 35:19). It is a sad thing when a person is hated without reason. The Messiah in His goodness and grace towards men, was willing to come to this world taking the form of a servant and yet being a servant and God, He was hated.

The context of this passage tells us Psalm 35:19 was actually David’s prayer to the Lord concerning his situation. David’s enemies were actually exulting “in the hope of seeing his overthrow and destruction.” Thus he prayed that “God would not suffer them to realize a desire so wicked.” This was the cruelty of David’s enemies toward him. Nonetheless the cruelty David faced was the picture of the cruelty that would be borne by Jesus Christ when He came in His first coming. For this reason, John the apostle saw that whatever happened to Christ was according to the plan of God. In fact the prophecy of Psalm 35:19 was declared to be fulfilled when John recorded the words of Jesus in John 15:24-25 saying, “If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, they hated me without a cause.” Truly our God is a True and Living God, the Omnipotent, and Omnipresent God, who knows all things even before He created the world. The suffering, death and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ were all ordained beforehand.

Looking at the ministry of Jesus Christ no one could find any fault in Him in order to prove that He was guilty. When the Jews arrested Him and brought Him before the council, nobody could testify that Jesus was guilty, except those false witnesses. Pilate after his interrogation of Jesus, concluded that he found nothing that caused Him to be guilty. Nevertheless, the Jews, despite their pure conscious spoke the truth, claimed that Jesus must be put to the death. They were ready to take all the blame if only they could nail Jesus on the cross.

When Pilate knew that Jesus was not guilty, he actually desired to release Jesus from the hand of the Jews. Pilate offered them a choice: to choose Jesus to be nailed on the cross or to release Barabbas, a murderer. Nevertheless because of the hatred that the Jews had, they preferred Barabbas to be released from the cross, and allowed him to do whatever he liked rather than see Jesus teaching their people. Whatever reason the Jews might have, they were still accountable for what they have done to Christ. The terrible hatred of the Jews toward Jesus Christ was inexcusable.

Jesus was spat upon and Smitten (Is. 50:6; ref. Matt. 26:67)

When Jesus was found guilty before the council, it showed the cruelty of the Jews toward Him. However, when Isaiah describes further the sufferings that He bore on our behalf, it shows the great love God has for sinners. As the Scriptures describe the details of His sufferings, one should ponder in his heart that Christ died for him. Though Christ was God, He was submissive to the commandments of the Lord: what He had required of Him must be done justly and perfectly.

When making a careful study on the life of Jesus in the gospel, one is compelled to conclude that Christ had faced much suffering. The climax of His sufferings stretched from His arrest to the time He was nailed on the cross. It was during this time that all the prophecies about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ given in the Old Testament were fulfilled for the glory of God.

The prophet Isaiah gave the prophecy of Jews despising and rejecting the Messiah. Isaiah 50:6 says, “I gave my back to the smitters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid no my face from shame and spitting.” This is to say that when the Messiah comes in His first coming, despite His position as a Prophet, Priest and King, He will be despised by His own people. He will be spat upon and smitten. What sorrow Jesus experienced when He received these insults from those whom He loved. Jesus had done nothing wrong to the Jews and yet He was rejected in this manner.

Matthew wrote further about this incident that happened to Jesus in His first coming in Matthew 26:67 “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands.” All these must be borne by Jesus Christ in order to fulfill the Scriptures. As Lockyer rightly said, "The prophets were inspired by the Holy Spirit to testify beforehand minute details of the indignities the coming One was to endure. How else can we explain the most accurate descriptions of the humiliation of Christ, who did not appear until some 700 years after these were prophesied? Note how prediction and performance exactly agree. ‘Jesus was smitten with a rod upon His cheek.’"

During the suffering of Jesus Christ, despite all the trials that He had to face, He was obedient even unto death (Phil. 2:8). Though He was spat upon and smitten by His enemies, He was submissive to what His Father required of Him. What a sad commentary written by Matthew of how the religious leaders of the nation of Israel stooped to such disgraceful acts as spitting at the Messiah’s face, “buffeting Him, and slapping Him.” Nevertheless, despite all these things, the Lord Jesus Christ endured to the end in order to be faithful to His Father’s commandments.

Old Testament books such as the book of Isaiah provide the most wonderful stories of the suffering of the Messiah. Isaiah saw and understood the sorrow and sufferings that would happen to the Holy Prophet of God. Through his prophetic vision, Isaiah “saw God’s suffering Servant battered and bleeding, with a holy face covered with man’s spittle.” He was afflicted, suffered, abused because of the sins of this world. Thus with true faith in the Old Testament one could see from the story of the life of Jesus Christ what the Messiah would have to do to save sinners and fulfill what had been written in the Scriptures.