KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF LOVE || Lesson 35 

KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF LOVE

[With Reference to the Events Concerning Jesus’ “Passion,” note how Jesus’ love is amazingly displayed throughout and therefore ‘stand in awe of God, the Most High.’]

Lesson Thirty-five

At Golgotha (Calvary) – Matthew 27:34-37 (Mark 15:22-25; Luke 23:34; John 19:18-24)

Matthew 27:34-37 – ³⁴There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. ³⁶And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. ³⁷Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

V.34 – There – Matthew 27:33 – They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).

Golgotha is also called Calvary.  See Lesson Thirty-four, Matthew 27 – V.33.

They offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it – This was for the purpose of easing the pain. 

The Matthew Henry’s Commentary states:  “… he tasted it but would not drink it; was willing to admit the bitterness of it, but not the benefit of it.”

V.35 – When they had crucified him – That is, they nailed His hands and feet to the cross.  Mark adds: Mark 15:25 – It was the third hour when they crucified him.

“The third hour” is approximately nine a.m.

Luke adds: Luke 23:34 – Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

This is the First of the “Seven Statements from the Cross.”

They divided up his clothes by casting lots – John’s account: John 19:23-24 – ²³When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

²⁴“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, “They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” So this is what the soldiers did.

The Scripture quoted is Psalm 22:18 – They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.

LOTS:

Proverbs 16:33 – The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

Proverbs 18:18 – Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.

This was the case with the soldiers at Jesus’ crucifixion.

There are several instances of the casting of lots in the Bible, e.g. Jonah 1:7, but there is no mention of how it was actually done.

Jonah 1:7 – Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

Refer to Acts 1:26 – Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Compare:  Acts 13:1-4 – ¹In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. ²While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

⁴The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.

Note that since the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit has become the source of communicating the Lord’s decisions to His people.

V.37 – Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.  John’s account:  John 19:19-22 – ¹⁹Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁰Many 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. ²¹The 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.”

²²Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

Application:  Let us ask the GOD OF LOVE to help us to heed 1 Peter 4:12-19 – ¹²Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. ¹⁶However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. ¹⁷For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,    what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

¹⁹So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.