This is my attempt to teach all that Jesus Christ willingly suffered to bring mankind Salvation. I would like to begin this teaching at the Garden of Gethsemane. (Matthew 26:36-46) (Luke 22:39-46)
In those days, the Garden of Gethsemane was the place where wine was made from grapes. The place was usually filled with the aroma of crushed grapes everywhere. It was in this very place that we read about our Lord being crushed mentally and emotionally at the thought of his death. Why was Jesus Christ so sorrowful and deeply distressed? We have heard about many stories where Christians died as martyrs. They faced death rather differently with much joy and strength in their hearts. Paul spoke about his life and said: For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21) So why was Jesus Christ’ death so different. It was because this death of his was not a normal death. Jesus Christ was going to bear the sin of the whole world on the Cross-and not only that, he was also going to bear the judgment of God for all those sins. This was serious business. The Bible says that Jesus Christ was in so much agony that his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:44)
On the other hand we read about how the disciples were sleeping and resting. I believe, this is an amazing picture of our salvation. Jesus Christ was crushed emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually so that we could rest and have no fear of judgement.
Finally, Jesus Christ humbled himself to the will of the Father and said to his disciples: Rise, let us get going. So we read about how the religious people took Jesus as prisoner. An interesting part of the story that we should not miss is what Jesus said while this happened. He said: Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and he will provide me with 12 legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53) We understand from this statement that Jesus Christ was not weak. We see that men had no power over him. He was and is God, Almightily forever. He was giving himself over to them. The truth is that nobody could kill Jesus Christ unless he allowed it. Jesus said: Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from my Father. (John 10:18)
After his arrest, Jesus Christ was handed over the Governor to be crucified. While Jesus Christ was on the Cross- we read that from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there darkness over all the land. (Matthew 27:45) I believe this darkness represents the outer darkness spoken of throughout the Bible. (Revelation 20:15) (Revelation 21:8) (Matthew 8:12) (Matthew 22:13) (Matthew 25:30). This is place where unbelievers will be judged eternally for their sin and wrong doings. During those hours of darkness, I believe the judgment of God consumed Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary. It was not the judgment for his sins but the judgment for our sins and not only ours but also for the whole world. (1 John 2:2) Isaiah prophetically comments on what happened on the Cross-by saying:
Surely he has borne our grief and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and by his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put him to grief. (Isaiah 53:10)
The wrath of God that was stored up like the water of a Dam was released unto Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “My God, My God why have you forsaken Me? So why did God forsake Jesus Christ? The truth is that on the Cross of Calvary God made Jesus Christ to be sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21) The Bible also teaches us throughout that God is Holy and cannot stand sin. (Habakkuk 1:13) Therefore when he was saw sin, he turned his face from Jesus and Jesus Christ cried out: My God, My God, why have your forsaken me? I believe this is exactly what took place in the unseen realm on that day.
The punishment for sin did not end on Cross. After Jesus Christ gave up his Spirit he spend 3 days in the depths of Sheol. An important Revelation to understand those 3 days that Jesus Christ spent in Hades is that Hades at that time was divided into 2 parts. We clearly see that in the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. (Luke 16:19-31) The first part was called Abraham’s bosom, and this where the souls of the righteous dead (those who put their faith in the Messiah) went. The second part was Hades and this is where the souls of the unrighteous dead (those who rejected the Messiah) went. When Jesus Christ died, he went to the part of the unrighteous dead and was tormented there in the flames. It is important we realize that He was tormented not for his sins but for ours. He humbled himself to the point of death for us.
Other scriptures that speak of Jesus Christ in Hades are Psalms 16:10 and Psalms 88:1-18.
On Resurrection morning, God, the Father looked down from heaven and accepted all that Jesus Christ had done. Jesus Christ had absorbed the entire wrath of God for the sins of the whole world. The wrath of God was finally satisfied and God said enough. He turned his face back to his Son and justified (made Jesus right with himself) in the Spirit. (1 Timothy 3:16) On receiving his Father’s approval Jesus Christ immediately disarmed principalities and powers and He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the Cross. (Colossians 2:15) When he ascended the Bible also says he took Abraham’s Bosom, the place of the righteous dead with him to heaven for eternity. (Ephesians 4:8)
After his accession into the heaven, Jesus Christ did something amazing that most teachings of his death, burial and resurrection often forget to mention. The Bible says that He entered the presence of God as a High priest once and for all with his own blood and deposited it there. The blood of Jesus remains to this day before the presence of Almighty God as a remembrance that all that sins of the whole world have been paid in full by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 9:11-12) (Hebrews 12:22-24)
After this Jesus Christ took his place at the right of God, far above all principalities and powers not only in this world but also in the world to come. He sits there waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool. (Hebrews 10:12-13) He also sits there from now and forever more interceding for us in the presence of God. (1 John 2:1-2) (Romans 8:34) (Hebrews 7:25)
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