Question 73 & 74

The Romans* had many ways to punish bad people in Jesus’ day. They sometimes beat them. They sometimes put them in prison. For the people who were most evil*, they put them to death. One of the ways they did this was to hang them on a cross until they were dead. That is what they did to Jesus.

 

The men who wrote the Gospels* tell us the story. First, the leaders of the Jews* arrested Jesus. Then they took him before their leaders. These men wanted to judge Jesus. They wanted to prove that Jesus had broken their laws.* But they could not find that Jesus did anything wrong. So, men came to tell lies about Jesus. They took Jesus to both the Jews and the Roman leaders. No one could find that Jesus did anything wrong. But this did not stop them. They did not like what he had been saying. The leaders were afraid that people would follow Jesus instead of following them. They had already decided that Jesus needed to die.

 

They decided that they should punish Jesus. So, they whipped Jesus with leather cords. They took rods made of wood and beat him. They made a crown from sharp thorns and put it on Jesus’ head. That hurt Jesus very much. They also hit Jesus in the face with their hands. They took his clothes from him to shame him. They spoke cruel, angry words about him. They laughed to see him in pain. Then they made Jesus carry a big cross made of wood. They put nails in his hands and feet to fasten his body to the cross. Then they lifted the cross.

 

Jesus hung on the cross for many hours. Many people sat down and watched him as he died. He cried out many times from the cross. But no one helped him. After some time, Jesus died. Then soldiers put a spear through his side to make sure that he was dead. Blood and water came out of his side.

 

Jesus was dead. He had died on that cross. But it is important to remember what Jesus had told his disciples.* No one had the power to take his life from him.[2] Neither the Jews nor the soldiers took Jesus’ life from him. Jesus chose to lay down his life for those he loved.

 

Later, men took his body down from the cross. They wrapped his body in cloths to be buried. They put his body in a cave and closed the entrance with a huge stone. We call a cave where someone is buried a ‘tomb.’ * They wanted to bury Jesus before the holy* day. The holy day was the last day of the week.

 

So, Jesus’ body was in the tomb the day before the Sabbath.* He was in the tomb all of the Sabbath. He was in the tomb the day after the Sabbath.

 

On the morning of the first day of the week, some women went to the tomb. They went there to put oil and spices on the body of Jesus. But when they came to the cave, they saw that Jesus’ body was not there. They also saw an angel.* The angel spoke to them. He said, ‘He is not here. He has risen.’ The women were afraid. But they were also very happy. So they went to tell the men who had followed Jesus, just as the angel had told them. Jesus was no longer dead. He was alive. He had risen from the dead.

 

That night, Jesus came to see his friends. They all saw him. They ate with him. Many other people saw him too.

 

‘Christ has risen’ is an important truth to Christians.[3] For if Jesus was not raised from the dead, no one could hope* that anything Jesus said was true. But since he did rise from the dead, it proved all that he said was true.

 

God raised Jesus to life. Jesus is truly the Son of God.[4] He had power over death.[5] He did die in the place of sinners* and his sacrifice* pleased God.[6] Jesus will return from heaven* one day to judge the world.[7] Because Jesus was raised from the dead, all of those who believe in him will also be raised.[8] God showed us that all of these things are true when he raised Jesus from death.

 

Jesus died. He was buried. He rose to life again. That is good news.[9]

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[1] Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19
[2] John 10:17-18
[3] Acts 1:3; Acts 2:24-35; Acts 3:15; Acts 4:10; Acts 5:30-32; Acts 13:33-37
[4] Romans 1:4; John 20:24-31
[5] Acts 2:24; Romans 6:9-10; Revelation 1:18
[6] Romans 4:24-25; Hebrews 10:12
[7] Acts 17:30-31
[8] Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:22-23; 2 Corinthians 4:14
[9] 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 10:9-10