Crucified criminals had no rights. Even their clothes did not belong to them. So the soldiers took them; it seems to have been accepted as a ‘perk’ of their job. They divided out Jesus’ clothes between them, but the woven wool undergarment was useful and it would have been senseless to cut it into pieces of cloth – so they selected one man by casting lots, and he took the garment home.
The trial, flogging and crucifixion of Jesus became the most painful episode in the life of His mother, Mary. The prophetic words of Simeon to Mary at Jesus’ dedication would have come alive again, "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." (Luke 2:34-35). Watching Jesus on the cross, she felt a mother’s agony like a sword.
The Bible often talks about sin as a debt to be paid; and forgiveness as a debt that is discharged. Jesus paid for our sin on the cross, experiencing the torments of hell as He was separated from God the Father. His suffering of body and soul was accepted by Father God as the ultimate and final Passover sacrifice. As 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” Although the process of dying was started by wicked people, the final act of giving up His spirit was voluntary.
The death of Jesus is a puzzle to many, because there is so much evidence for Him being alive after the crucifixion. In order to disprove the resurrection, some people say that Jesus did not really die. John would have heard those ideas but he witnessed the events at the end of crucifixion day. He saw that Jesus was dead and so did the soldiers. The evidence of Jesus’ death was so clear to His executioners that they did not bother to break His legs (the practice which accelerated death by traumatic stress and blood loss).
Although the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ was the most wicked act of rebellion against the God of Love, it was also fully under His control. It did not take Him by surprise; it was all known by God and even described in detail in the Old Testament – many hundreds of years before it happened.
Jesus was dead. As far as the Romans and religious leaders were concerned, it was the end of the story. The case was closed. But two men knew there was unfinished business. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were members of the Sanhedrin who sentenced Jesus to death: although Joseph had not agreed (Luke 23:50-51). Joseph was a secret disciple and Nicodemus was a secret admirer. They knew there was a lot more to Jesus than the authorities had seen.
It was still dark. Before the dawn of the first Easter day, Mary Magdalene (with other women Luke 24:1-4) went to the tomb where Jesus had been laid. She had a shock! The heavy circular stone (probably an old millstone) which had covered the entrance had gone! Instead, the cave-tomb was open! Scared and confused, Mary ran back to Peter and John.
John and Peter had run to the tomb at dawn. Having heard the women report that the stone had been rolled away, they came to investigate. Peter was braver than John. Going inside the cave he found the linen burial cloths, wound as though they were around the body and head of Jesus, lying on the rock shelf: but there was no body inside them. It was as though the body of Jesus had disappeared from inside the funeral shrouds.
The tomb was empty! Peter and John had gone to investigate the women’s report of the grave stone being moved. They found that the body of Jesus had gone. When they went back home, Mary Magdalene stayed to grieve alone. As she stooped to look into the cave-tomb she saw two angels sitting on the rock shelf where Jesus had been laid. Strangely, they asked why she was crying. Surely it should have been obvious: Mary’s Lord and Master had been crucified, and then His body had been removed compounding her grief.
Mary was crying. The tomb was empty, Jesus had gone and Mary could not contain her grief. When a man came up behind her asking why she was sad, she assumed that He was the man who cared for the graves … perhaps He knew where the body was. All Mary wanted was the dead body of her Lord. But then she heard her name. It was said in those same sweet tones she had known from Jesus’ lips. Her response was immediate: calling out for Him and moving to hold Him.
