Condemned and Crucified God's Miraculous

Commentary on the Cross

by

John MacArthur
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-ntroduction Most people are aware of the death of Jesus Christ, but they have little understanding of its significance. Each year at Easter, many people hear about the crucifixion and resurrection. What does the death and resurrection of Christ mean? istory tells us that thirty!thousand Jews were crucified by the "omans around the time of Jesus Christ. Why do we remember only one of them? Even the two thieves who died on either side of Christ remain nameless. #urely others died because they were uncompromising in something they stood for. Certainly others were examples of love, character, honesty, and integrity. #o why does history celebrate only the death of Jesus Christ? $n what way is it significant? %he answer is in the Word of &od. '. %he Meaning of the Cross in the (ld %estament &enesis )*+, promised the coming of (ne called the -seed of the woman.- Everyone .nows it/s the man, not the woman, who has seed. %he title then refers to a virgin birth. 0erse +, says the (ne born of the woman would bruise the serpent/s head, even though e would be bruised in the heel. While Christ was being bruised on the cross, e was fatally bruising the one who was bruising im!! the devil. We learn more about the meaning of the cross through the lives of 'braham and $saac. &od called 'braham to offer his son on the altar as a sacrifice 1&en. 22*23. 's he was ready to .ill his son, 'braham discovered that &od provided an alternative!!a ram caught in the thic.et 122*+2!+)3. ere we learn about the provision of a substitute for one who ought to die. %he Mosaic law, and all the ceremonies and sacrifices accompanying it, delineate the need for a blood sacrifice to atone for sin. (ther passages in the (ld %estament fill in other details about the cross 1e.g., 4salm 22, $saiah ,), 5echariah +23. 6. %he Meaning of the Cross in the 7ew %estament %he apostle 4aul tells us that &od made Christ a curse for us when e was put on the cross 1&al. )*+)3. %he apostle 4eter says e who was 8ust suffered the sins of the un8ust 1+ 4et. )*+93. %he apostle John describes Jesus as a lamb slain 1"ev. ,*:3. %he writer of ebrews tells us Christ was offered once for the sins of the world 1 eb. +;*+;3. $f we want to .now the meaning of the cross, we have only to loo. from beginning to end in holy #cripture. owever, $ believe one monumental description of the meaning of the cross is often overloo.ed* the one given in Matthew 2<*=,!,). #ix miracles attended the death of Jesus Christ. %hey are &od/s commentary on the meaning of the cross. $. #>4E"7'%>"'? @'"A7E## 1v. =,3

-7ow from the sixth hour there was dar.ness over all the land unto the ninth hour.?u.e 2*:!++ tell us that when Christ was born, a great light appeared in the s.y. %he prophet $saiah said the Messiah would be a light to the &entiles 1$sa. =:*B3. (f imself Jesus said, -$ am the light of the worldC he that followeth me shall not wal. in dar.ness- 1John 9*+23. e also said, -While ye have light, believe in the light- 1John +2*)B3. 'ssociated with the birth, life, and ministry of Christ is light. 6ut associated with is death is dar.ness. '. %he %ime of the @ar.ness Drom the sixth hour 1twelve noon3 to the ninth hour 1three in the afternoon3, the sun became dar.. %hat is the time of day when the sun is at its Eenith. Mar. +,*2, tells us Jesus was crucified at the third hour 1nine in the morning3. Jesus had been on the cross for three hours by the time it became dar.. e remained there another three hours before e died at the ninth hour 1three in the afternoon.3 @uring those hours e endured the moc.ing and 8eering of the passers!by, the Jewish leaders, and the thieves. Jesus .rea/s 0is 1ilence Jesus bro.e is silence only three times during the first three hours e hung on the cross. +. %o offer forgiveness %he first time e said, -Dather, forgive themC for they .now not what they do- 1?u.e 2)*)=3. e said that on behalf of the "oman soldiers who crucified im. 2. %o save a thief ?ater, e bro.e the silence again by saying this to the repentant thief hanging beside im, -0erily $ say unto thee, %oday shalt thou be with me in paradise- 1?u.e 2)*=)3. ). %o care for is mother e bro.e silence a third time when e saw the apostle John and is mother, Mary, standing at the foot of the cross. Anowing they would be lost without im, e committed them to each other 1John +:*2B!2<3. 'part from those three occasions, the three hours from nine to noon were unbro.en by any word from Christ. 6. %he Extent of the @ar.ness 's the second three hours began, the land became dar. instantaneously. %he &ree. word translated -landis ge. $t could also be translated as -earth.- We don/t .now if the dar.ness engulfed the land of $srael only, Jerusalem and its environs, or the half of the earth normally engulfed in sunlight. &od could do any of those things. +. %he examples a3 Exodus +;*22!2)!!&od made it dar. in the land of Egypt only. e can create localiEed dar.ness if e desires. b3 Joshua +;*+2!+=!! ere the ?ord made the sun stand still!!it stayed in one spot in the s.y. %hat means the earth had to stop revolving for a period of time while &od did is wor.. What an impact that must have made on the worldF c3 2 Aings 2;*:!++!!%he shadow on a sundial went bac.wards as a sign to Aing eEe.iah that he would recover from his illness. &od again performed a miracle with the earth/s revolution.

%here are some indications from extrabiblical literature to suggest that the half of the earth in daylight went blac.. %hird century church father (rigen referred to a statement by the "oman historian 4hlegon, who mentioned that unusual dar.ness 1'gainst Celsus $$.))3. %ertullian, when referring to the dar.ness to his pagan audience, said, -you yourselves have the account of the world!portent still in your archives1'pology GG$3. 2. %he explanation #ome have suggested that maybe a cloud passed in front of the sun or that maybe it was a sirocco 1an east wind that accumulates dust to such a degree that the s.y appears blac.3. $t couldn/t have been either of those because ?u.e 2)*=, clearly says, -%he sun was dar.ened.- ?u.e used the &ree. word e.leipo, from which we get the word eclipse. $t literally means, -to fail utterly.- %he sun failed!!&od turned it off supernaturally. 7ow if in so doing &od allowed the normal seHuence of events to ta.e place, the world would have gone out of existence. #omehow &od turned out the sun and sustained the world. %he dar.ness was not technically an eclipse. %he sun and the moon at opposite ends of the earth at the time of year when the 4assover is celebrated. 'n eclipse can occur only when they/re in the same location in the s.y. #ince this was not a scientific eclipse, we can ta.e e.leipo in its broad meaning* -the sun failed.- %he land became as dar. as midnight in the middle of the day. 6. %he Meaning of the @ar.ness +. %he traditional views %he rabbis taught that the sun/s failing indicates &od/s 8udgment on the world for committing a great crime. Certainly the world committed a great crime in crucifying Jesus Christ. (thers suggest the sun went dar. because nature dropped a veil over the sufferings of Christ. #ome believe the dar.ness was a sympathetic act on &od/s part to cover the na.edness and dishonor of is #on. (thers thin. the dar.ness was a divine protest. 2. %he biblical view What is the true meaning of the dar.ness? What was &od saying? 7ot one biblical writer comments on the dar.ness at the cross of Christ. %hey didn/t need to because the (ld %estament clearly states what it means. @ar.ness was a symbol of divine 8udgment. a3 $saiah ,*2B!);!!$saiah predicted the coming 8udgment of $srael, when its life would be cho.ed out and its people ta.en into captivity. e described it as a time of dar.ness and sorrow. b3 $saiah +)*+;!++!! ere $saiah loo.s ahead to &od/s final 8udgment on the world. e says, -%he stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their lightC the sun shall be dar.ened in its going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine. 'nd $ will punish the world for its evil, and the wic.ed for their iniHuity.- &od associates dar.ness with 8udgment. c3 Matthew 2=*2:!);!!-$mmediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be dar.ened, and the moon shall not give its light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be sha.en. 'nd then shall appear the sign of the #on of man in heaven.- Man will be horrified at the unrelenting dar.ness &od will bring to the world. %hroughout #cripture you will find 8udgment associated with dar.ness 1e.g., Joel 2*);!)+C 'mos ,*+9, 2;C 5eph. +*+=!+93. $f &od/s salvation is seen as light, is 8udgment is seen as dar.ness. 6oth the (ld %estament and 7ew %estament writers refer to it. When rebellious angels were cast out of heaven, they were bound in chains of dar.ness 12 4et. 2*=3. %he dar.ness at the crucifixion of Christ represents &od/s divine 8udgment. %he cross became the place for the pouring out of is wrath. Jesus Christ was not 8ust one man among thirty!thousand people who were crucified. e was not some well!meaning martyr. e was the recipient of divine 8udgment. %here is

only one thing that &od 8udges, and that/s sin. %he dar.ness at the cross is the Dather/s commentary on is 8udgment of sin. #o we see that the crucifixion of Christ was much bigger than one man dying for something e believed in. $$. #(0E"E$&7 @E4'"%>"E 1vv. =B!=:3 '. %he Cry of Christ 1v. =B3 -'bout the ninth hour Ithree in the afternoonJ Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli I ebrewJ, lama sabachthani I'ramaicJ that is to say, My &od, my &od, why hast thou forsa.en me?%he people .new Jesus was Huoting 4salm 22*+. %he Jews .new it well because they had no doubt chanted it, recited it, and memoriEed it. Even those Jews who spo.e predominantly 'ramaic and .new little ebrew .new Eli, Eli referred to &od because El was the name for &od. %his is a miracle in reverse!!a supernatural event beyond human understanding!!for &od is separated from &od. &od the Dather turns is bac. on &od the #on. %radition says Martin ?uther went into seclusion to try to understand this mystery, but came out more confused than when he began. $ can relate. 'fter experiencing the fury of &od, Jesus cries out as e is separated from &od. +. %he explanation of the separation Why was Jesus separated from &od? a3 %he testimony of the Dather aba..u. +*+) says this about &od* -%hou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not loo. on iniHuity.- &od turned is bac. on Jesus because e can/t loo. on sin. What does that tell us about the cross? %hat Jesus actually became sin for us 12 Cor. ,*2+3. $f this was the death of a loving martyr, of an innocent person who had a good cause, &od would have loo.ed on im with favor. 6ut when e turned is bac. on Jesus, e was confirming that Christ was bearing our sin. b3 %he testimony of #cripture $saiah ,)*, says, - e was wounded for our transgressions.- "omans =*2, says e was -delivered for our offenses.- Dirst Corinthians +,*) says, -Christ died for our sins.- Dirst 4eter 2*2= says Christ -bore our sins in his own body on the tree.- Dirst 4eter )*+9 says, -Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the 8ust for the un8ust.- Dirst John =*+; says &od -sent his #on to be the propitiation IatonementJ for our sins.&alatians )*+) says Christ was -made a curse for us.- 'nd 2 Corinthians ,*2+ says &od -made him, who .new no sin, to be sin for us.Christ didn/t 8ust bear sinC e became sin. e bore all the sins of all people of all ages. %hus ebrews 2*: says e -tasted death for every man.- %hat/s why e came to earth. $n Matthew 2;*29 says, -%he #on of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.- &od forsoo. Christ because e cannot loo. on sin. 2. %he essence of the separation What .ind of separation did Jesus experience? e wasn/t separated from is divine nature!! e didn/t cease to be &od or e would have ceased to exist. e was not separated from the %rinity in essence or substance, but e was separated in terms of intimate fellowship and communion. When a child sins against his father, he does not cease to be his father/s child. owever e does cease to .now the intimacy of loving communion with him on account of the sin. $n the same way &od had to turn is bac. on Christ. a3 't the incarnation

When Christ first came into the world, e experienced a certain separation from &od. 4hilippians 2*B!< says Jesus -did not regard eHuality with &od a thing to be grasped, but emptied imself, ta.ing the form of a bond servant- 17'#63. When Christ became incarnate, e let go of some of is eHuality with &od. Jesus as.ed is Dather to restore the glory e had with im before the world began 1John +<*,3. b3 't the cross (n the cross Jesus experienced an even more profound separation!!the separation of utter sinfulness. When &od turned is bac. on Jesus Christ, e was turning from sin and not from Christ. &od will always turn is bac. on sin. 1+3 Christ/s hatred of sin Jesus bore the weight of all the sin of all the ages, yet e imself was never a sinner. $n the midst of being engulfed in all that sin, e never had a desire for it. e hated it. 123 Christ/s longing for &od Jesus expressed is longing in these words* -My &od, my &od, why hast thou forsa.en me?- What did Jesus long for? &od. %herein lies the evidence of is pure spirit!!a purity e maintained. #oon after that e said, -$t is finished- 1John +:*);3. %hen e said, -Dather, into thy hands $ commend my spirit- 1?u.e 2)*=B3. Jesus said that .nowing full well &od would accept im. Even though e bore sin, e never became a sinner. %hat is why the writer of ebrews said e is -yet without sin- 1 eb. =*+,3. e was made sin, but e did not sin!!that is a great paradox of the Christian faith. %he second miracle that occurred on the cross was the Dather/s turning is bac. on the #on. What does that teach us? %hat Christ became sin as e bore the sins of man. 6. %he Moc.ery of the Crowd 1vv. =<!=:3 +. %aunting re8ection 1v. =<3 -#ome of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, %his man calleth for Eli8ah.%hey .new e didn/t say Elias, Elias, but Eli, Eli. %hey .new e was saying, -My &od, my &od.- %hey were moc.ing im again. %he prophet Malachi said that before Messiah came to set up is Aingdom Eli8ah would come 1Mal. =*,3. %hey were saying, -%his poor, misguided Messiah still thin.s e/s going to have is Aingdom. Maybe e/s calling for Eli8ah to announce im as Messiah and proclaim is AingdomF- %heir moc.ery was cruel, cynical, and sarcastic. 2. %emporary relief 1v. =93 -#traightway one of them Iprobably a "oman soldierJ ran, and too. a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drin..John +:*29 tells us Jesus said, -$ thirst,- which led to what happened in Matthew 2<*=9. &reat thirst certainly was part of the torture of crucifixion. John +:*2: says the sponge was put on a hyssop reed, which measured about eighteen inches. %hat indicates the cross stood low to the ground. %he sponge was lifted up to Jesus/ lips so e might moisten them to help Huench is thirst. %he Aing James 0ersion says Jesus was given vinegar. %he &ree. word is oxos, which was a cheap, sour wine containing a high percentage of water and a low percentage of alcohol. $t was a common drin. laborers and soldiers used to Huench their thirst. When is torturers gave Christ the wine, was that an act of mercy? $t may have been, but it only served to prolong is agony. ). %houghtless rec.oning 1v. =:3

-%he rest said, ?et beC let us see whether Eli8ah will come to save him.%he crowd saw the thirst of Christ as 8ust one more thing to moc.. %hey carried out their malicious moc.ery as far as they could, until e finally died. %he people missed &od/s purpose in the crucifixion of Christ. $t/s hard to imagine, but they moc.ed Christ during the dar.ness that covered the land. Kou would thin. they would have considered that dar.ness more carefully. %hey should have remembered $saiah/s words about dar.ness and 8udgment. %hey should have remembered that other prophets associated dar.ness with 8udgment. %hey could have realiEed that Joel/s prediction was coming to pass 1Joel 2*)+3. When they heard Jesus cry, -My &od, my &od, why hast thou forsa.en me,- they might have understood e was bearing their sin. 6ut that meant they had to understand that &od reHuired a perfect sacrifice for their sin. %hey didn/t realiEe it was Christ. #o they ignored the dar.ness and moc.ed Jesus. $$$. #'C"$D$C$'? @E'% 1v. ,;3 -Jesus, when e had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the spirit.'. ' 0erbal @emonstration of Christ/s #trength Jesus had bro.en is silence five times previous. %he first three occurred in the first three hours. %hen in the hours of dar.ness e said, -My &od, my &od, why hast thou forsa.en me- and -$ thirst.- 7ow 8ust before e yielded up is life, e cried with a loud voice. $t/s important that is cries in the last three hours of is life were with a loud voice because they demonstrate that e still possessed physical strength. e had not reached utter exhaustion. %hat made it clear e had the resources to stay alive. John +:*); says e cried, -$t is finished.- %hen e cried, -Dather, into thy hands $ commend my spirit- 1?u.e 2)*=B3. 6. %he 0oluntary 7ature of Christ/s @eath 'fter crying out, Jesus -gave up the spirit- 1?u.e 2)*=B3. (ther places in #cripture that refer to someone/s giving up the spirit use a &ree. word that spea.s of one breathing his last. owever, Matthew and John didn/t use that word in describing the death of Jesus. %hey used two words that refer to someone who is handing over his life of his own accord. Jesus sent is spirit away as an act of is will. ere lies the third miracle of the cross* Jesus/ life was not ta.en from imC e voluntarily gave it up. +. $ts demonstration Christ/s voluntary death is demonstrated in its speed. 0ictims normally lingered for days on the cross, but Christ died after six hours. 'ccording to Mar. +,*==!=,, 4ilate was astonished when he heard Jesus was dead. e even sent someone to chec. on it because it was so unusual for anyone to die that soon. 2. $ts power Jesus had the power not only to ta.e is life out of the grave, but also give it up whenever e wanted. 7o man has the power to do that anymore than he has the power to raise himself. Kou could shoot yourself, but that means you give yourself up to the bullet. Kou could ta.e poison, but that means you give yourself up to the poison. Kou could throw yourself off a bridge, but that means you give yourself up to the fall. Jesus has power over death and life. 7o one too. is life from imC e freely gave it. John +;*++ says, -$ am the good shepherdC the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.- 0erse +, says, -$ lay down my life for the sheep.- 0erses +<!+9 say, -$ lay down my life, that $ might ta.e it again. 7o man ta.eth it from me, but $ lay it down of myself. $ have power to lay it down, and $ have power to ta.e it again.- %he cross reveals that only &od, who controls both death and life, could voluntarily sacrifice imself. $0. #KM6(?$C @E0'#%'%$(7 1v. ,+a3

-6ehold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom'. ?imited 'ccess to the %emple +. %he symbol of &od/s presence with man %he word temple does not refer to the whole templeC it is translated from the &ree. word naos, which here refers to the inner sanctuary!!the oly of olies. %hat was the dwelling place of is symbolic presence. ' great curtain covered the oly of olies. 7o one could enter it except the high priest once a year on the @ay of 'tonement. (n that day he sprin.led blood on the altar for the sins of the people. 2. %he symbol of &od/s separation from man %hat only the priest could enter the oly of olies symboliEed that no man had true access to the presence of &od. 7one of the sacrifices actually atoned for sinC they were symbols. 7o lamb, goat, ram, turtle dove, or pigeon was ever sufficient to atone for sin because no one could .eep the law of &od. 7o man/s righteousness was adeHuate to allow him access to &od. %hat fact was continually before the people because &od/s dwelling place was veiled from them!!they couldn/t enter the oly of olies. &od cannot receive sinners into is presence until their sin is dealt with. %he curtain .ept men from &od in the sense of true intimacy. $t symboliEed man/s separation from &od. 6. >nlimited 'ccess to &od When Christ died, the veil was ripped from top to bottom. 't that very moment, the temple would have been filled with pilgrims and priests performing sacrifices. #uddenly, to the horror of everyone, the oly of olies was exposed. +. %he beginning of internal worship $n the death of Jesus Christ, &od was saying that there is now total access to is holy presence. Why? 6ecause Christ paid the penalty for sin. &od throws is arms wide open to sinners. 's a result, the writer of ebrews could say, -?et us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need- 1 eb. =*+B3. We now can rush into the presence of &od. %he separation no longer exists because the death of Jesus Christ removed it. %he barrier is no more. 2. %he end of external sacrifices When &od ripped the curtain to the oly of olies, e pronounced the end of the Judaistic system. $t was the end of the sacrifices and the priesthood. Within a few years, the &entiles desecrated and trampled the %emple into oblivion. %hat destruction began when &od ripped the veil. When Christ died, access to &od became a reality. %he (ld Covenant was over and the separation no longer existed. &od initiated a 7ew Covenant through the blood of Christ. e made is holy presence available to all who would come in the name of Christ to have their sins forgiven. 7otice that the curtain was ripped from the top to the bottom. %hat shows us men didn/t do it* it was a supernatural act of &od. 1' man could only attempt to rip it from the bottom to the top.3 &od opened is presence to everyone who comes in the name of Jesus Christ. 0. #>@@E7 @E#%">C%$(7 1v. ,+b3 -%he earth did Hua.e, and the roc.s were split.'t the death of Jesus Christ, the Dather brought about a devastating earthHua.e in Jerusalem that split open roc.s and created fissures in the ground. '. ' #ign of &od/s 'ppearance

$n the (ld %estament, earthHua.es freHuently preceeded &od/s appearance 1Ex. +:*+9C + Aings +:*++, 2 #amuel 22*9, 4salm +9*<, <<*+9, $saiah 2:*B, Jeremiah +;*+;C 7ahum +*2, ,3. 6. ' #ign of &od/s Judgment #omeday the world and the heavens are going to sha.e to the point of destruction. "evelation B*+2!+) tells us that the stars are going to fall, the constellations are going to come apart, and the light of the sun and the moon are going to go out. +. ' wor. of regeneration %here will be a great sha.ing of the earth in the final 8udgment. Why? 6ecause &od is going to redo this cursed earth. $n the original creation there were no earthHua.es. &od created a perfect environment for 'dam and his race. Man was to en8oy the presence of &od in the perfection e intended for paradise. 6ut when 'dam sinned, not only he and his wife were cursed, but the earth was cursed as well. %o this day the earth is roc.ing and reeling under the curse. "omans 9*22 says all creation groans, waiting for its return to what Milton entitled his famous epic* 4aradise "egained. %he 6ible promises there will be the day of a new heaven and new earth. #omeday the earth will be what it is supposed to be. #omeday the usurper, #atan, will be deposed from his rule of the earth. Christ will become the new monarch. %he earth will no longer be cursedC it will be a glorious new earth. ebrews +2*2B!29 says, -Ket once more $ Ithe ?ordJ sha.e not the earth only, but also heaven. 'nd this word, Ket once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are sha.en, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be sha.en may remain. Wherefore, receiving a .ingdom which cannot be moved.- &od is going to sha.e the old earth out of existence and ma.e a brand new one!!a new earth and new heaven in which Christ will reign supreme as Aing of Aings and ?ord of ?ords. 2. ' wor. of redemption What does the future of the earth have to do with what happened at the cross? When &od shoo. the earth at the death of Christ, $ thin. e was giving the world a taste of what will happen in the future when the Aing returns. When Jesus died on the cross, e so perfectly accomplished the Dather/s will that e earned the right to be Aing of the earth. e earned the right to ta.e the title deed to the earth out of the hand of &od 1"ev. ,*<3. (ne day e will unroll that deed and begin the process of ta.ing over the earth 1"ev. B!! +:3. When Christ finished the wor. of redemption, the Dather said, -#it thou at my right hand until $ ma.e thine enemies thy footstool.- 4hilippians 2*+; says, -'t the name of Jesus every .nee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.- %he sha.ing of the earth at the death of Christ was &od/s way of guaranteeing the promise of a renewed world and universe. Christ has earned it, and it will happen one day. 0$. #>6#EL>E7% @E?$0E"'7CE 1vv. ,2!,)3 '. %he "esurrection of the #aints 1vv. ,2!,)a3 -%he graves were openedC and many bodies I&.. somataJ of the saints that slept were raised, and came out of the graves.%his was a real resurrection of bodies, not 8ust spirits. 7ot all bodies were raised, only select (ld %estament saints. When Jesus died, their spirits came from the dwelling place of righteous spirits. %hey were 8oined with their glorified bodies, which came out of those graves. 6. %he %estimony of the #aints 1v. ,)b3 -'fter his IChrist/sJ resurrection, ItheyJ went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.Kou can imagine the .ind of testimony they had about Christ/s resurrection. Why didn/t they go into the city to testify until after Christ rose? 6ecause + Corinthians +,*2; says, -7ow Christ is risen from the

dead and become the first fruits of them that slept.- #o they didn/t begin to spea. until after Christ rose from the dead. $ don/t believe they spo.e to anyone except those who already believed. %here/s no biblical evidence of Christ ever appearing after is resurrection to anyone other than believers. $/m sure the believers were thrilled to meet them. %he risen saints would have testified that Christ was alive, guaranteeing the reality of resurrection for all believers. %hey became living proof of that guarantee. %he cross is the greatest hope for resurrection because Christ paid your sin. Kou are free from death and free to live. $n is .ingdom we will have glorified bodies li.e is. Conclusion What do we see at the cross? %he wrath of &od is depicted in supernatural dar.ness. %he holiness of &od is seen when e turned from Christ, who had become sin. %he grace and mercy of &od is depicted in Christ/s voluntary act of self!sacrifice to redeem unworthy men. %he curtain in the %emple is ripped from top to bottom as &od opens the way of access to imself. %he sha.ing of the earth reminds us that the promised new earth and heaven will come. Jesus will reign as Aing of Aings and ?ord of ?ords, and we/ll be there to reign with im. 'nd the resurrection of the saints at the death of Christ guarantees the resurrection of all who believe in im. %hat is &od/s supernatural testimony of the meaning of is #on/s death. 2ocusing on the 2acts +. What does the (ld %estament teach about the meaning of the cross 1see p. +3? 2. What does the 7ew %estament teach about the meaning of the cross 1see p. 23? ). What is associated with the birth, life, and ministry of Jesus Christ? What is associated with is death 1see p. 23? =. ow many times did Jesus brea. is silence during the first three hours of is crucifixion? What did e say 1see p. )3? ,. What are some examples of occasions when &od created a supernatural dar.ness 1see p. =3? B. What caused the dar.ness at the crucifixion 1?u.e 2)*=,C see p. =3? <. What does dar.ness typically symboliEe in the (ld %estament? &ive some examples 1see p. ,3. 9. What did the dar.ness at the crucifixion mean 1see p. B3? :. Why did Jesus cry out to &od in Matthew 2<*=B? What did that confirm about the purpose of the cross 1see p. B3? +;. What did Christ do in addition to bearing man/s sin 12 Cor. ,*2+C see p. <3? ++. @escribe the essence of Christ/s separation from &od 1see pp. <!93. +2. $n the midst of bearing the world/s sin, what did Christ long for 1see p. 93? +). What did the crowd do to Jesus in spite of the dar.ness in the land 1Matt. 2<*=<, =:3? +=. Why is it significant that Jesus cried loudly before e yielded up is spirit 1see p. +;3? +,. ow do we .now that Christ/s death was voluntary? Explain 1see p. ++3.

+B. Why was Jesus able to die of is own will 1see p. ++3? +<. What happened to the veil shielding the oly of olies when Christ died 1Matt. 2<*,+3? What did that signify 1see p. +)3? +9. Why will the earth sha.e in the final 8udgment of &od 1see p. +=3? +:. What does the sha.ing of the earth in the future have to do with the earthHua.e that occurred at the crucifixion of Christ 1see p. +,3? 2;. Whom did &od raise from the dead when Christ died? What did they do after the resurrection of Christ 1Matt. 2<*,2!,)C see p. +B3? 3ondering the 3rinciples +. ?oo. up the seven statements Christ made while dying on the cross for you* ?u.e 2)*)=, ?u.e 2)*=), John +:*2B!2<, Matthew 2<*=B, John +:*29, John +:*);, and ?u.e 2)*=B. What does each statement reveal about the is character? What do you learn about is commitment? 6ased on Christ/s example, what should your attitude be in the midst of the severest of trials? 2. 'ccording to aba..u. +*+), &od is too pure to loo. at sin. Christ suffered and died on the cross to remove your sin that &od might be able to loo. at you. 't the moment of salvation, every sin you commit is paid for by Christ/s death on the cross. owever, what must you do to maintain fellowship with im 1+ John +*:3? #earch your heart. 6e faithful to remember what Christ endured for your sa.e every time you contemplate sin. ). ebrews =*+B says all believers should come before &od/s throne of grace. %hat means we have access to &od, something people in the (ld %estament never en8oyed. 'ccording to ebrews =*+B, why should you approach &od/s throne? $n what manner should you approach it? 4erhaps you have not been ta.ing advantage of the access you have to &od. Examine yourself to see if there are any areas in your life that you fail to depend on &od for. 6ring them before im now.