The King Is Killed
Devotion written by Simon Clay
Read: Matthew 27:27-54
Events have been leading inexorably to this point and today we stop and pause at the cross as the King is killed.
Matthew’s account of the crucifixion is full of irony. Various people in the story say things which are true but not in the way they mean it. We see them mocking even as the truth stares them in the face.
Our passage begins with Jesus having been whipped and handed over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified (v26). He is presented before a battalion of 600 soldiers. They know that His crime is to be ‘The King of the Jews’ which is what will be written on the charge board above His cross (v37) and so they proceed to mock Him. They strip the king naked and clothe Him in a ‘royal’ scarlet robe. They produce a ‘royal’ crown made of vicious thorns which is rammed onto His head. They provide a ‘royal’ sceptre, a reed, before kneeling in front of Him in mock homage saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews’ (v29). The soldiers then proceed to spit on him and beat Him. When they have had their fun, they strip Him again, re-clothe Him with His own clothes and lead Him away to die.
So weak by this point, Jesus is unable to carry His own cross and Simon of Cyrene is compelled to help. When they arrive a Golgotha, the crucifixion site, Jesus is nailed to the cross, placed in between two criminals and crucified.
What is the truth?
The soldiers continue their fun by casting lost for His clothes while the crowd hurl abuse at Him. They remember things which either Jesus said or were said about Him and they turn this into fuel for their taunts. They want to know who this king really is:
‘Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God’ (v39)
Actually, because He was the Son of God it meant that He remained on the cross
‘He saved others, but He can’t save Himself’ (v42)
Actually, in the act of not saving Himself He saved others, for all time.
‘He’s the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross’ (v42)
Actually, by staying on the cross He will be crowned the King of the World
‘He trusts in God, let God rescue Him now if He wants Him’ (v43)
Actually, God would deliver Him but not until the third day when the mighty power of God would raise Him from the dead.
So the darkness fell as the Light of the World hung in isolation; agonising pain searing through the wounds of the Ultimate Healer. And into the darkness He cried out the opening phrase from Psalm 22 ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’ And with a loud cry the Lord of Life died.
But just as Psalm 22 begins in despair, so it ends in hope. And Jesus’ cry is not the end.
Even as He died, something in the spiritual realm happened as the temple curtain separating God from His people was ripped open. Also, something in creation happened as the earth itself shock, not able to cope with the fact that the Lord of creation, the one who holds all things in His hands, had died. And something happened in the physical realm as the tombs broke open and the dead came to life. The death of Jesus was a truly momentous event.
And in the face of the death of the king the only right response is to stand in awe and declare with the centurion, ‘Surely He was the Son of God!’ (v54).
* * * * * * * * *
Words
Man of sorrows what a name
for the Son of God, who came
ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
in my place condemned he stood,
sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
Guilty, helpless, lost were we;
blameless Lamb of God was he,
sacrificed to set us free:
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
Lifted up was he to die;
“It is finished” was his cry;
now in heaven exalted high:
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
When he comes, our glorious King,
all his ransomed home to bring,
then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
Philipp Bliss (1875)
Reflection
• Read Psalm 22 in the light of the crucifixion and spend some time meditating on Jesus’ sacrifice.
Family worship idea
Listen to ‘The power of the cross’ and then spend time thanking Jesus for all that he did on the cross.
Children’s craft idea
On a sheet of black paper draw around your hand and colour it in with chalk. In the middle of the palm draw a red circle representing the nail hole in Jesus’ hand. Underneath write ‘Paid in Full’.
