After the last supper, Jesus Christ and his disiples went to the Mount of Olives where Christ prayed concerning His impending death. Although Jesus was God's Son, having all power to do with men whatsoever He chose, He was also a man with His own concerns about the treatment that He was about to endure, including His oncoming death. He was so concerned and dedicated to what His Father wanted Him to do that He prayed ever so deep that His blood took the form of drops of blood. Look, Jesus told them, "we are going up to Jerusalem where the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law. They will condemn him to death and then hand him over to the Gentiles. These will make fun of him, spit on him, whip him, and kill him. And after three days, he will be raised to life." Mark 10: 32-34 Good News For Modern Man Prior to this, Jesus and His diciples partook of the last supper, and Jesus invited them to come and pray with Him on the Mount of Olives. But He found them sleeping several times, then the Roman soldiers came. (Luke 22:44,45) The solders were led by Judas Iscariot, one of Christ's 12 disciples. As a sign, Judas and the soldiers previously agreed that Judas would kiss the Son of God, Jesus, whom they were to take into custody. Their intent was to arrest Jesus and lead Him away to be tried and put to death. (Luke 22:3,4) During the scuffle that ensued, one of Christ's disciples drew a sword and cut off the ear of a Roman soldier. Jesus immediately ordered the conflict to cease and, with great compassion, He touched and restored the soldier's ear. Despite this miracle, the solders carried out their mission. Although Jesus knew very well why they were there, He asked them: "Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness" (Luke 22:52,53). The crowd took Jesus to the high priest, after which, Simon Peter, son of Jonas, and one of the 12 disciples, denied knowing Jesus three times--just as Christ had foretold as they shared that last supper together. Jesus, in the mean time, underwent terrible treatment at the hands of his captors. He was mocked and beaten, and at one point blindfolded and struck in the face. He captors then ordered him to "Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?" (Luke 22:64) The next day Jesus was taken to the Jewish council where he was asked whether he was the Christ. He replied, "If I tell you, ye will not believe. And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God" (Luke 22:67-69). They asked him again if he was the Son of God, and he said, "Ye say that I am" (Luke 22:70). This gave them all the proof they thought they needed to take Jesus to a higher court, Caesar's court, for sentencing and judgement. Pilate heard the case, which was presented by Jesus' accusers in this manner: "We found this fellow perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King." After investigating the allegations, Pilate announced that he could find no fault with Jesus Christ, son of Joseph and Mary. He told this to the chief priests and to all the people who brought Jesus for sentencing. This, however, did not sit very well with them, and they continued to try to convince Pilate otherwise. Pilate learned that Jesus was a Galalaean, so he officially deemed it necessary to turn Him over to Herod, under whose jurisdiction all Galalaeans at the time fell. It just so happened that Herod was at Jerusalem, so Pilate called for him. Herod, however, was glad to finally meet this man, named Jesus, whose miracles he had heard so much about. Jesus, however, refused to answer his questions, although the chief priests and scribes continued to "vehemently" accuse him. Herod and his men mocked him and dressed him in an expensive, beautiful robe, and then sent him back to Pilate. Pilate, bewildered by the crowd's insistence that Christ be put to death, said, "Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him" (Luke 23:14, 15). Pilate offered to chastise him and release him, as was the custom of the day to release one prisoner at the time of the feast. But the people wouldn't allow it, insisting that he should release Barabbas and put Jesus to death instead. They put a purple robe on Jesus, made a crown out of thorny branches, and put it on His head. Then they began to salute Him: "Long live the Kind of the Jews!" And they beat Him over the head with a stick, spat on Him, fell on their knees and bowed down to Him. When they had finished making fun of Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to nail Him to the cross. Mark 15:17-20 Good News For Modern Man After Pilate sentenced Jesus to death, Barabbas was released. Jesus was then led away and subjected to the whip. The Roman solders then took him to a central gathering place where all the solders in the region gathered to mock Him. After stripping him of his clothing, they put a scarlet robe on Him and placed a thorny crown on His head. Placing a reed in Jesus' right hand, they bowed to Him and mocked his position as God's Son. They laughed and shouted, "Hail, King of the Jews!" After this they removed the scarlet robe from Him and dressed Him in His own clothing. They then led Him to Calvary where His hands and feet were nailed to a wooden cross and He was left there to die. After this, Joseph, a rich disciple of Jesus, went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. He then placed Christ's body in a grave that was purchased and intended for himself. Before doing this, however, he wrapped Jesus in a white sheet. He then rolled a large stone in front of the tomb to prevent animals and people from entering therein. It was about twelve o'clock when the sun stopped shining and darkness covered the whole country until three o'clock; and the curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father! In your hands I place my spirit!" He said this and died. The army officer saw what had happened, and he praised God, saying, "Certainly he was a good man!" When the people who had gathered there to watch the spectacle saw what happened, they all went back home beating their breasts. Luke 23:44-49 Good News For Modern Man The next day, Saturday, this very day, Pilate was compelled by the Pharisees to station a compliment of guards at the tomb to assure that no one could remove the body, thus making Jesus a martyr. "'Take a guard,' Pilate told them; 'go and guard the grave as best you can.' So they left, and made the grave secure by putting a seal on the stone and leaving the guard on watch" (Matthew 27:65, Good News For Modern Man). The next day, Sunday, Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" went to Jesus' tomb and were surprised when an earthquake took place. An angel appeared and thus rolled the stone away from the mouth of the tomb and then sat upon it saying, "You must not be afraid.... I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to the cross. He is not here; he has risen, just as He said. Come here and see the place where He lay. Quickly, now, go and tell His disciples: 'He has been raised from death, and now He is going to Galilee ahead of you; there you will see Him!' Remember what I have told you." All of this did not sit well with the Jewish elders who, in turn, gave the soldiers a sum of money to tell a lie. They said, "'You are to say that His disciples came during the night and stole His body while you were asleep. And if the Governor should hear of this, we will convince Him and you will have nothing to worry about.' The guards took the money and did what they were told to do. To this very day that is the report spread around by the Jews" (Matthew 28:11-15, Good News For Modern Man). Before departing, Jesus' last orders to his disciples were, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, to the end of the age." Copyright 2007