John 19:17-18 - Homiletics

The Crucifixion.

The end has come at last.

I. JESUS CARRYING HIS CROSS . "And he, bearing his cross, went forth to the place of the skull, which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha."

1. The condemned, according to Roman law, had to carry the instrument of their own punishment.

2. Jesus bore his cross part of the way, till he sank with exhaustion. Accordingly, Simon of Cyrene was required to do the office. The exhaustion of Jesus was caused

II. THE SCENE OF THE CRUCIFIXION .

1. It was outside the gate of the city, according to ancient Jewish law. (Le 24:14.)

2. The exhortation, "Let us go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach" ( Hebrews 13:12 , Hebrews 13:13 ), is founded upon this ancient custom.

3. The actual spot is called Golgotha, or Calvary ; but it has not been identified in modern times.

III. THE CRUCIFIXION . "Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst."

1. Who were they who did this deed?

(a) God's ancient people;

(b) the witnesses of his marvelous works;

(c) in the land where Jesus was best known;

(d) and in the capital of its solemnities.

2. What did they do? "They crucified him."

(a) The victim was nailed by his hands and his feet to the cross, while, it still lay on the ground.

(b) These nails, by their position, added to the victim's torture.

(c) It was a lingering death, for the victim sometimes survived till the third day.

3. Whom did they crucify?

(a) He is crucified with two robbers, as if he were the fit colleague of malefactors.

(b) He is crucified between them, as if to add to his disgrace. He is the Prince of malefactors. He was indeed "numbered with the transgressors" ( Isaiah 53:12 ).

(c) His central place in that death-scene—"Jesus in the midst"—is, after all, in keeping with his central place in heaven and in earth, and in the hopes of dying men.

( α ) He is central in heaven; for "the Lamb is in the midst of the throne."

( β ) He is central on earth,

(i.) as the Lord who, at the heart of the universe, upholds all things by the Word of his power;

(ii.) as the Center of the invisible Church, for he is its only Head;

(iii.) as the Center of the visible Church, for all Christendom crystallizes around the Person of Christ;

(iv.) as the infrangible Center of man's dying hopes.