Who believes in a suffering Christ?

Pastor Rene's Bible studies

The Gospel of Luke-- Chap Luke 22:39-23-56

Who believes in a suffering Christ?

Gala 3:1 (NIV) You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

1Cor 2:2 (NIV) For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
First stage of Christ sufferings
Luke 22:39 (NIV) Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." 41 He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 "Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."

Matt 26:38 (NIV) Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.

Jesus committed himself to suffer both physical and spiritual death in order to achieve or salvation

Second stage of Christ sufferings
Luke 22:63 (NIV) The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who hit you?" 65 And they said many other insulting things to him. (Matt 26:67 (NIV) Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him)

We are here told, How our Lord Jesus was abused by the rude servants of the high priest. This sad gathering was a happy party to them. They had fun with Jesus.

They held Jesus, in custody till the court sat, they mocked him, and smote him (v. 63), they would not allow him to rest himself one minute, though he had had no sleep all night. He was hurried to his trial, and no time given him to prepare for it.

After the arrest at night and the abandonment of his disciples, Jesus was brought before Caiphas and the Jewish council. He was blindfolded, mocked, spat and struck in the face.

Note that the subject raised here to mock him was his ministry as a prophet.

intending hereby an affront to his prophetical office, and that knowledge of secret things which he was said to have. We are not told that he said any thing, but bore every thing; hell was let loose

66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 67 "If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us." Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."

70 They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I am." 71 Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips."

They got together as soon as it was day, about five of the clock in the morning, to prosecute this matter. They were working this evil while in beds.

v. 65. They condemned him for a blasphemer when themselves were the worst blasphemers. Matt 26:65 (NIV) Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered.

1. They ask him, Are you the Christ?

If they had asked him this question with a willingness to admit that he was the Christ if he could give sufficient proof, it had been well, but they asked it with a resolution not to believe him, and to ensnare him.

2. He justly complained of their unfair treatment, v. 67, 68. They all, as Jews, professed to expect the Messiah, and to expect him at this time. He had given amazing proofs of a divine power

It would have been fair to examine him as a candidate not as a criminal.

3. He then referred to his second coming, (v. 69): " But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God, and then you will not dare to ask if he is the Christ or no.’’

4. They understood that he set himself up as the Son of God, and asked him whether he was so or no (v. 70): Are you then the Son of God? He called himself the Son of man, referring to Daniel’s vision of the Son of man, Dan. 7:13, 14. But they understood that if he was that Son of man, he was also the Son of God. And are you so?

5. You are right in saying I am; that is, "I am, as you say.’’ Compare Mk. 14:62. Jesus said, I am.

Third stage of Christ sufferings
Luke 23:1 (NIV) Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king." 3 So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

Matt 27:1 (NIV) Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. 2 They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

In the morning, Jesus exhausted, is taken across Jerusalem to be interrogated by Pilate.

They could not have him accused by the Romans because of blasphemy, they chose another way.
They misrepresented him as making the people rebel against Cesar and as forbiding the people to pay taxes to Cesar.

The question raised here was: "Are you the King of the Jews?"

Pilate repeatedly said: "I find no fault in him"
He should have been released by an act of justice.
But Pilate was a bad man who chose compromise as an easy way out so not to displease the emperor or the people.

He offered to release him after he would chastise him as a criminal (Barnabas), but why should he be chastised if innocent?
When Pilate urged the 2^nd time, they cried out: "Crucify him"
The third time he tried to reason with them to show the injustice of their request, "Why, What evil has he done"? "I have found no cause of death, Herod found no cause of death"… "I will chastise him and let him go". The crowd required with more fury that he might be crucified…

Barrabas is released (V. 25), Jesus is unjustly handed over to be crucified (surrendered Jesus to their will). That was the worst he could do to deliver him to their will, who hated him with a perfect hatred.

Never a person was chased out of this world in such a short time as Christ.

Fourth stage of Christ sufferings
Luke 23:10 (NIV) The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.

Jesus refused to speak to him. In his anger, Herod and his men mocked Jesus' claim to be the king of the Jews

Fifth stage of Christ sufferings
Matt 27:26 (NIV) Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. 27 Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

He had Jesus flogged-- The whip was made of many leather thongs with bits of bones or iron tied to the thongs. One soldier lashing Jesus' back from on side and another from the side. The flesh was cut open so badly that often a victim would die during the flogging. That would explain Jesus inability to bear his own cross.

Isai 53:5 (NIV) But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

After being flogged, Jesus was untied, placed in the middle of the soldiers. They put a robe on his shoulders, place a stick in his hands and put a crown of thorns on his haed. They struck him on the head driving the thorns deeper in his head. They spat on him, mocked him as "the king of the Jews"

Stage six of Christ sufferings
Matt 27:31 Then they led him away to crucify him.

John 19:17 (NIV) Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).

Luke 23:26 (NIV) As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

With the heavy cross tied to his shoulder, Christ began the slow journey to Golgotha.

He felt under the weight and because of his physical exhaustion and Simon is forced to carry the cross for Jesus.

They did not do it out of pity but to prevent him from dying away before he would be crucified.

Luke 23:27 (NIV) A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, `Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30 Then "`they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' 31 For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

Many people feel natural affections for Christ's sufferings, but they do not love him.

Jesus told them not to be sorry for him but for themselves. Christ the prophet even on his last hours pointed out the destruction that was coming toward Jerusalem. The city would be destroy for the same crime as they falsely accused Jesus of.

With eyes of faith, we should not cry over the death of Christ. It was his victory over his ennemies; it was our delivrance and the purchase of eternal life for us.
Weep of fear the sins of those who refuse him as king; weep and tremble to think of his coming to judge them.

The green and the dry tree

If they abuse a good person, how may they expect God to deal with them as a dry tree (wicked generation)
If this is their sin, what do you think will be their punishment?
If they (the Romans)abuse me who did not provoke them, what will they do to Jerusalem that will be so provocative, and make them as a dry tree, as fuel to thefire.
If God deliver me to such sufferings as these because I am made a sacrifice for sin, what will he do with

Stage seven of Christ sufferings
Luke 23:33 (NIV) When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left.

The cross is laid on the ground and Jesus is laid on it. His arms were stretched and heavy iron nails were driven in his hands or wrists and his feets. Next the cross with Jesus nailed on it was lifted up by means of ropes.

Stage eight of Christ sufferings
Luke 23:34 (NIV) Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."

36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

Luke 23:48 (NIV) When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.

Jesus was a pathetic spectacle, covered with blood and wounds and exposed to the view of the people. Note Where is Christ concern… not for himself but for our forgiveness.

The people are pleased by the spectacle

"Father forgive them" was an expression of his mediation for the sinners who would repent.

They challenged him to save himself from the cross, when he was saving others by the cross.
God intended this sign "King of the Jews" to be a declaration of what he really is. God designed it in these three languages to signify that the gospel should be preached to all nations.
The hardened criminal even through the valley of the shadow of death, yet did not humbled himself. No trouble will change a wicked heart.

Prov 27:22 (NIV) Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him.

Some people treat Christ with arrogance and at the same time expect to be saved by him.

"They smote their breasts and returned."

Probably these were the same people who cried: "crucify him", and when he was nailed to the cross, blasphemed and mocked him. But now, they were terrified with the darkness and the earthquake. Their conscience was gripped with remorse for what they had done.

Some think it was a positive step for what took place in Acts 2:37, but instead, the verse said: "They returned".

They did not show any more respect for Christ. They went home and forgot…

Many home have a crucifix, and many churches have "chemin de la croix", but their lives at the present are not at all affected.

Roma 5:8 (NIV) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He experienced hours of pain in his entire body, fatigue in his arms, cramps in his muscles, skin torned open on his back. Then the intense pain in his chest as the heart was compressed and intense thirst. He was aware of the ridicule of those who passed by the cross.

Psal 22:1 (NIV) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.

Psal 22:6 (NIV) But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 8 "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."

Psal 22:14 (NIV) I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
Stage nine of Christ sufferings
Luke 23:44 (NIV) It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Matt 27:46 (NIV) About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

John 19:28 (NIV) Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

This stage was the climax of Christ sufferings for a lost world.

His cry My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" testifies that he experienced separation from as the sinner's substitute. Him who had no sin, God made him "to be sin for us"

He was separated from God so that we might receive adoption as sons

His last cry "It is finished." Means the end of his sufferings and the completion of the work of redemption.

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit"

The debt of our sin has been paid in full and the plan of salvation established.

He was the priest and the sacrifice. The price must be paid into the hands of God, the party offended by sin. "I deposit it".

Father accept my life instead of the lives and souls of the sinners.

He also expresses his dependence upon his Father for his resurrection.

We should show we are freely willing to die, that we firmly believe in another life after this, and are desirous of ot, by saying "Father I commit my spirit into thy hands."

The curtain was torn signified that a new way was now open into the presence of God. The wall of separation between the Holy God and sinners was broken down through the death of Christ for those who believed in in Christ work on the cross and his significance for us individually.

Who believed?

The leaders of the people and the chief priests rejected him and did not believed that Jesus was their promised this prophet Moses had announced, their Messiah, the Son of God and their king.

John 1:10 (NIV) He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

Who believed then?

The soft heart criminal
Luke 23:40 (NIV) But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

He feared God, and attributed the title to Jesus

He acknowledged that he deserved what was done to him (repentance)

He believed Christ suffered wrongly (sinless)

He prayed to the Lord the prayer of a dying sinner. Observe the humility of his prayer.

Observe his faith in his prayer. He considered Jesus as Lord

The centurion glorified God
Luke 23:47 (NIV) The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."

Matt 27:54 (NIV) When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"

The Bible recorded two men who believed in who Jesus was.

John 1:12 (NIV) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--
Four questions

Four questions were asked to Jesus:

Prophesy who hit you?
If you are the Christ, tell us.
Are you then the Son of God?
Are you the King of the Jews?

These four questions are about who Jesus said He was during his public ministry.

From Luke 4:18,19 until these few hours before the crucifixion, Jesus never stopped revealing his identity as the Messiah prophesied by the OT. We saw that he revealed himself through his words and deeds (his messianic deeds were prophesied by the prophets).

Four messianic titles that applied to Jesus

Prophet
Christ or Messiah
Son of God
King

Who is Jesus?

Heve we learned to know who he is? Have we learned to worship him as who he is. Is he worthy of our praise?

Song:

I worship you Allmigthy God

If you like this study, please recommend it to a friend

web hosting • domain names
web design • online games

Friend's email:
Subject:
Your Name: