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Jesus Dies on Calvary
445
As soon as Jesus was nailed to the cross, it was lifted by strong
men and with violence thrust into the place prepared for it. This
caused intense agony. Pilate then wrote an inscription in Hebrew,
Greek, and Latin, and placed it on the cross above the head of Jesus.
It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” This irritated
the Jews. They had cried, “We have no king but Caesar.” They
had declared that whoever should acknowledge any other king was
a traitor. Pilate wrote what they had expressed. No offense was
mentioned, except that Jesus was the King of the Jews, a virtual
acknowledgment of the allegiance of the Jews to Rome. It declared
that whoever might claim to be the King of Israel would be judged
by them worthy of death. In order to destroy Christ, the priests had
been ready to sacrifice even their national existence.
The priests asked Pilate to change the inscription. “Write not,
The King of the Jews; but that He said, I am King of the Jews.” But
Pilate, angry with himself, replied coldly, “What I have written I
have written.”
In the providence of God that inscription was to awaken in-
vestigation of the Scriptures. People from all lands were then at
Jerusalem, and the inscription declaring Jesus the Messiah would
come to their notice. It was transcribed by a hand that God had
guided.
In the sufferings of Christ on the cross, prophecy was fulfilled.
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“The assembly of the wicked have enclosed Me: they pierced My
hands and My feet... . They part My garments among them, and cast
lots upon My vesture.”
Psalm 22:16-18
. His clothing was given to
the soldiers. His tunic was woven without seam, and they said, “Let
us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be.”
In another prophecy the Saviour declared, “I looked for some to
take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
They gave Me also gall for my meat; and in My thirst they gave Me
vinegar to drink.”
Psalm 69:20, 21
. To those who suffered death by
the cross, it was permitted to give a stupefying drug to deaden the
pain. But when Jesus had tasted it, He refused it. His faith must
keep hold on God, His only strength. To becloud His senses would
give Satan an advantage.
Priests, rulers, and scribes joined the mob in mocking the dying
Saviour. The Father’s voice from heaven, witnessing to Christ’s