The Betrayal and Crucifixionpage 2There in the same area, where many years before God had told Abraham to sacrifice his only beloved son Isaac, they nailed Jesus, God’s only beloved son, to the cross. As they did this, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they are doing.” While Jesus hung between two criminals who were also being executed, soldiers took His clothes, gambling for His robe, which fulfilled the prophetic words spoken by David. For three hours, the people watched. The rulers with them mocked Jesus, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” Then a darkness came on the land which stayed for three more hours as the prophet’s words were fulfilled: “The Lord laid the sins of us all on Him.” Jesus then cried out with a loud voice, saying, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” Jesus, knowing that everything was now accomplished, fulfilled Scripture when He said, “I thirst.” The soldiers ridiculed Jesus as they offered Him vinegar by saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” Jesus tasted the vinegar, then called out, “It is finished. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Then He bowed His head, and let His spirit go. As He died, the sun darkened and the earth quaked, and the thick veil of the Temple ripped down the middle. Now when the Roman captain in charge saw what happened, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two thieves who were hanging on the crosses beside Jesus. But when the soldiers saw that Jesus was already dead, they didn’t break His legs. Instead, one of them pierced His side with a spear, allowing blood and water to pour out. All of this happened so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled: “None of His bones will be broken,” and “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” Afterward, two believers (Joseph and Nicodemus) took Jesus’ body, wound it in linen grave clothes dipped in spices, and laid His body in a tomb. Then, as requested by the Jewish leaders, the tomb was sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers. For further study
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