Page 141 - Advanced Life of Christ - Student Textbook

Study Section 16: Jesus is Crucified and Resurrected

16.1 Connect.

The darkest day in history was the day the Messiah was crucified on a hill called Calvary. Gospel
of John says, “He came unto His own, but His own received Him not”. (John 1:11) Throughout
His ministry among the Jews, He proved repeatedly that He was the Messiah by the thousands
of miracles He performed publicly. Yet, despite the miracles, He was rejected by the religious
leaders and many of the people. Their hearts were hardened, and their eyes blinded to what He
had demonstrated to them: The Messiah, the Son of God had come. In their defiance against God, they
fulfilled God’s plan to allow the Messiah to suffer and die for the sins of all mankind. Jesus was
crucified. However, in three days, He arose from the dead proving He had conquered sin and death. He
became our living Savior and Lord. Today we will see the plan of God fulfilled….

16.2 Objectives:

1. The student should be able to explain some of the details about Roman crucifixion and the
location where Jesus was crucified.

2. The student should be able to describe the process of Jewish burials and the attempt of the
wicked religious leaders to prevent Jesus from rising.

3. The student should be able to describe Christ’s resurrection and look at some details about the
event.

16.3 Jesus on the Cross (Matthew 27:31-34, Mark 15:20-23, Luke 23:26-33 and John 19:17;
Matthew 27:35-44, Mark 15:24-32, Luke 23:33-43 and John 19:18-27; Matthew 27:45-
50, Mark 15:33-37, Luke 23:44-46 and John 19:28-30; Matthew 27:51-56, Mark 15:38-41
and Luke 23:50-54)

The History of Crucifixion

Crucifixion was invented and used by other people groups, but it was “perfected” by the Romans
as the ultimate execution by torture. The earliest historical record of crucifixion dates to c. 519 BC,
when King Darius I of Persia crucified 3,000 of his political enemies in Babylon. Before the
Persians, the Assyrians were known to impale people. The Greeks and Carthaginians later used
crucifixion, as well. After the break-up of Alexander the Great’s empire, the Seleucid Antiochus IV
Epiphanes crucified Jews who refused to accept Hellenization.

Crucifixion was meant to inflict the maximum amount of shame and torture upon the victim. Roman
crucifixions were carried out in public so that all who saw the horror would be deterred from crossing
the Roman government. Crucifixion was so horrible that it was reserved for only the worst offenders.

The victim of crucifixion was first severely scourged or beaten, an ordeal that was life-threatening by

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