The Crucifixion, Death, and Burial of Jesus
Sun, Mar 29, 2026
Teacher: Kaleb Rockwell Series: Gospel Highlighter Scripture: Matthew 27:32-61 & Mark 15:21-47
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The Gospel Highlighter
The Crucifixion, Death and Burial of Jesus
Matthew 27:32-61, Mark 15:21-47, Luke 23:26-56, John 19:16-42
The Crucifixion, Death and Burial of Jesus
Matthew 27:32-61, Mark 15:21-47, Luke 23:26-56, John 19:16-42
Similarities between accounts
1. (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) Path to Golgotha (Simon from Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus (mentioned because they were prominent members of the early church greeted in Romans 16:13), forced to carry Jesus’ cross for a while)
2. (All four Gospels) Dividing up Jesus’ clothes by casting lots.
2. (All four Gospels) Dividing up Jesus’ clothes by casting lots.
- Nearly all (if not all) of Psalm 22 is a prophecy of the crucifixion of Jesus. This fulfilled prophecy from
Psalm 22:16-18 “16 Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. 17 All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”
3. (All four Gospels) Jesus crucified with two others, one on his right and one on his left. It is ironic that an innocent man (Jesus) was crucified with two criminals on each side of him.
4. (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) Time of Jesus’ death (about 3 in the afternoon), darkness fell over the land. Curtain/Veil in the temple was torn in two.
- It is interesting how all 3 accounts mention the specific time of Jesus’ death. Darkness fell over the land from noon-3 and He gave up his spirit to the Father at 3.
- Curtain torn in two. This symbolizes our ability to have direct relationship with Jesus. The curtain was what separated the “Holiest of Holies” (or the place where the literal presence of God resided) from the rest of the temple/tabernacle.
Hebrews 10:19-22 “19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
5. (All four Gospels) Sign written and hanging above Jesus (the charge against him) reading “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”.
- The sign was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek (John 19:20). By being written in multiple languages (Aramaic for the Jews, Latin for the Romans, and Greek for foreigners), this sign declared that Jesus was Lord of all!
6. (All four Gospels) Joseph of Arimathea (a member of the Jewish high council/Sanhedrin) places Jesus in the tomb. Discuss some of the implications of this action.
- Joseph had been a secret follower of Jesus up until this defining moment. The Gospel of Mark states that Joseph “boldly” went forward to pay respects and take care of Jesus’ body.
Mark 15:42-46 “42 It was preparation day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.”
- By coming forward to take Jesus’ body like this, Joseph was publicly declaring that he was a follower of Jesus. As a member of the Jewish high council/Sanhedrin, this was a significant statement to make.
- The Gospel of John records that this was done together with Nicodemus, the man who had previously visited Jesus at night.
Differences between accounts
Matthew:
- After arriving at Golgotha, the soldiers offered Jesus a wine mixture (with gall/myrrh, generally understood to be a type of narcotic used to reduce pain). The purpose of this gesture was to help and reduce the pain that Jesus was experiencing. However, Jesus refuses the mixture as soon as he had tasted it.
- After arriving at Golgotha, the soldiers offered Jesus a wine mixture (with gall/myrrh, generally understood to be a type of narcotic used to reduce pain). The purpose of this gesture was to help and reduce the pain that Jesus was experiencing. However, Jesus refuses the mixture as soon as he had tasted it.
Matthew 33-34 “33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it he refused to drink it.”
- He chose to suffer and experience the fullness of everything that was about to happen. He chose not to take away any piece of the suffering that he was experiencing.
Luke:
- Jesus’ discussion with the women following him.
Luke 23:27-31 “27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” And to the hills, “Cover us!”’ 31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
- There is a lot of meaning in Jesus’ words here, there is a combination of a prophecy and a proverb. The prophecy Jesus was referring to was that Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed by the Romans in about 40 years. Some feel the proverb (verse 31) was Jesus expressing his grief for the Jewish people and the suffering that they would endure at the hands of the Romans. The “green tree” is Jesus in His innocence while the “dry trees” are the guilty Jews.
- Jesus’ forgiveness of the criminal on the cross next to Him.
Luke 23:39-43 “39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
- This passage illustrates a number of things. One of which is that it demonstrates that no-one is beyond forgiveness. This criminal as he is hanging on a cross in punishment was worth Jesus reaching out to. Additionally, it shows how pretty much everyone had taken a side either for or against Jesus.
John:
- Discussion between chief priests and Pilate regarding the sign “The king of the Jews”.
John 19:19-22 “19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
- This sign, by being written in 3 different languages, essentially announced who Jesus actually was to the entire world!
- While dying on the cross, Jesus asked his close friend/disciple John to take care of His mother, Mary.
John 19:25-27 “25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”
- Even as he literally hung on the cross, Jesus took the time to take care of His mother. He entrusted her care to a close friend/disciple of His (John).
- Jesus was the “perfect” sacrificial lamb for the atonement of our sins.
John 19:33-37 “33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”
- This refers back to Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12, and Psalm 34:20 where it describes how to care for the passover lamb based off of Old Testament law.
Throughout the entirety of the crucifixion, Jesus is constantly looking out for people and loving them well.
- Right up until the very end of His life, we see Jesus looking to other people and serving them in any capacity that He could.
- Jesus’ discussion with the women following Him to the cross.
- Jesus taking care of His mother (telling John to care for her)
- Jesus pleading on behalf of the people that are crucifying Him. Luke 23:32-34 “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
- Jesus forgiving the criminal on the cross next to Him. Luke 23:43 “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus’ sacrifice is what makes our faith possible
- During these last moments of Jesus’ life, we see how much He truly, deeply cares for each and every one of us.
- It is through His sacrifice that we are able to have reconciliation to the Father. Jesus knew this and is faithful all the way to the end.