Jesus was Crucified, Died, and Buried

 Luke 23:26-56

The King on a Cross

26 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

27 And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. 28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!' 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"' 31 For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"

32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. 33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

And they divided His garments and cast lots. 35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."

36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."

38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:
THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."

40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

43 And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

Jesus Dies on the Cross

44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.'" Having said this, He breathed His last.

47 So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"

48 And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. 49 But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Jesus Buried in Joseph's Tomb

50 Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. 51 He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. 54 That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

55 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Jesus was mocked while taken to be crucified, He died on the cross of punishment, and then He was buried in a tomb meant for a good and just man.  He was led to the place of death called skull while a man was commanded to bear His cross which Jesus was unable to carry after a merciless beating and followed after Him there.  When some along the way of suffering mourned and lamented Him, the Lord spoke words of warning to these and all within earshot.  He told them to weep for their own children for the times of judgment to follow and not for Him.  He told them how in that day people would cry out for an end to the suffering by desiring to be buried in the mountains around their city as it will be on that day spoken of in Revelation 6:16-17 when those facing the punishment of sin find no relief apart from faith and trust in Him.  Jesus was nailed to that cross of punishment for us to take away our sin’s just due (Colossians 2:14-15) along with criminals two.  The Lord demonstrated His forgiveness being earned there by Him for us by saying loudly, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”  This is the grace earned not by our good works, but by the infinitely good work of the only righteous man who ever lived, the divine God-man, Jesus the Anointed Christ of God, our Messiah.  This was the Lamb slaughtered as a sacrifice before the world was created (1 Peter 1:19-21, Romans 3:23-24, 25-26, Revelation 13:8) that we might not face the day when we too cry out to be buried by rocks instead of face His fierce wrath which we all deserve for our rebellion against His sovereign authority over the works (Isaiah 64:8) of His good hand.  One of the two criminals acknowledged his sin to Him on the adjacent cursed tree and asked to be remembered by the Lord in His kingdom; Jesus promised based on that statement of faith that he would be with Him in paradise that very day.  There was no unnecessary sinner’s prayer required, just faith to receive Jesus as Lord and Christ whose work alone made him righteous in Christ.  Jesus then died as He willingly gave up the life in the body prepared for Him (Hebrews 10:5-7, 10) and cried out once more, this time saying, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit’ (Psalm 31:5, 14-15) as a promise to all who trust, believe, and receive Him for who He is and what He has done through His suffering and death on our behalf.  The centurion presumably presiding over the crucifixion confessed who Jesus was by exclaiming, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”  He witnessed the Lord sacrificing Himself at the hands of the Roman soldiers and dying on his behalf and likely came to repentance and faith after witnessing these things including the darkened skies and the massive veil of the temple ripped in half.  Later many would consider these occurrences as well and consider the way into God’s presence was effected by the symbolic tearing of the veil to the place of the Most Holy which only the high priest could enter and which the eternal High Priest had removed so we could enter there through Him (Hebrews 10:19-22)!  He then was buried as foretold and necessary to prove His human body was actually dead that when He rose to life from death it would be proof for our hope that we also will rise from death to life in Him! This is the factual account of the suffering, death, and burial of our Lord who is our fittest God and Savior (Titus 2:13), Jesus Christ who did these things for His people whom He has called and chosen for Himself.