the crucifixion and death of jesus
Mt 27:33-54
33When [the soldiers of the governor] came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of the Skull), 34they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. 35After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; 36then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
38Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. … 41Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, 42“He
saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let
him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. 43He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way.
45From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 46And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.” 48Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. 49But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.” 50But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. 51And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, 52tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. … 54The
centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared
greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and
they said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”
THE COMING OF THE KING OF PEACE.
A large crowd welcomes Jesus into Jerusalem, spreading their cloaks on
the road and cutting branches from trees and strewing them on his path.
Jesus is received the way pagan kings and emperors are welcomed by a
populace expecting favors. The crowd is delirious with joy because they
see Jesus as the Messiah who comes to save them from their oppressors,
especially the Romans. They shout, “Hosannah!” “Save us now!”
But
Jesus does not enter the city of David like a conqueror or a warrior.
Instead, he rides on an ass, fulfilling the oracle of the prophet
Zechariah of a meek king entering Jerusalem (cf Zec 9:9). In ancient
times, kings like David and Solomon had their “royal mules” (cf 1 Kgs
1:33), but in the time of Jesus, the royals ride on powerful horses or
on chariots after the pattern of the Greeks and the Romans. Still, the
humble ride does not hide the kingly dignity of Jesus, for as the rest
of the oracle reveals, this king “shall proclaim peace to the nations.
His dominion shall be from sea to sea” (Zec 9:10).
Peace is not Pax Romana,
imposed by the sword of Rome. Peace is a gift of God, achieved through
the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Peace is the overcoming
of all division, of evil, of death—won by Jesus, the Prince of Peace,
who suffered and died for the glory of God and salvation of men and
women.
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