Jesus Paid It All (Matthew 27:35-53)

Jesus Paid It All (Matthew 27:35-53) – Today’s Quite Time

Scripture (NIV)

³⁵ When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
³⁶ And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.
³⁷ Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
³⁸ Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
³⁹ Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads
⁴⁰ and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”
⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him.
⁴² “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
⁴⁵ From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.
⁴⁶ About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
⁴⁷ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink.
⁴⁹ The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
⁵⁰ And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
⁵¹ At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split
⁵² and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.
⁵³ They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

Reflection

Patience in Suffering (27:35–44)
As He hangs on the cross, Jesus not only suffers physical agony but also bitter humiliation. The soldiers gamble His clothes away and hang a mocking sign above Him, and the passersby heap insults and taunts upon Him. Even the scoundrels who are crucified alongside Him join in the chorus of hateful jeers. Ironically, the mocking words directed at Jesus are all true: He is the King of the Jews and the Son of God; He can save Himself and others; and God will rescue Him. The fulfillment of all these words will come to pass in their proper time, but, for now, Jesus’ task is to endure suffering. On the cross, He willingly and publicly bears our guilt and shame.

What is the most humiliating moment you have ever experienced? What does it mean to you that Jesus endured the worst form of public shaming for your sake?

Climax of the Cross (27:45–53)
The reality of Jesus bearing God’s wrath reaches a climax when He repeats David’s anguished prayer from Psalm 22. As Jesus breathes His last, the curtain of the temple is torn in two and the earth is literally shaken. It is a sign that the sacrificial system of the old covenant is now completed, fulfilled, and forever obsolete, for Jesus has paid the once-for-all sacrifice for sins. The life-giving impact of Christ’s atonement is so powerful that it causes lifeless bodies to rise—a small taste of the final resurrection promised to those who put their trust in Him. Let us never look to any sacrifice or good deed to make us right with God. Jesus completed that work for us on the cross—it is finished!

READ: How Christians can bring the lost to Christ during Easter festivities

What do the people around you turn to for fulfillment and peace? How can you share the gospel with them?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you enduring the taunts, torture, and shame of the cross. Help me to live in constant gratefulness for what You have done for me and empower me to share this good news with those around me. In Your name, amen.