By Robert Olsen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
Crucified
Matthew 27:41–52
Mocked (41–44)
After Jesus’ trial, He was taken to be crucified. The crowd and religious leaders mocked Him, citing a portion of Psalm 22. This citation is ironic because it is a Messianic Psalm. In fact, Jesus Himself quotes it later. And yet in spite of the wickedness of those around Him, Jesus endured the cross, forgiving those who were crucifying Him.
As Christians this teaches us how we should act toward those who persecute us. It is natural to lash out and condemn those who hurt us, but as followers of Christ we pray for those who persecute us.
Forsaken (45–49)
Many people wonder about the meaning of Jesus’ question on the cross; after all, “My God why have you forsaken me?” seems to suggest the crucifixion caught Jesus off guard. However, we know this is not the case because throughout the gospels Jesus refers to His impending death. A better way of understanding this is that Jesus is referring to the entirety of the Psalm. By referencing the first line of Psalm 22, Jesus was recognizing the entire fulfillment of this Messianic Psalm which predicts the suffering the Messiah was going to endure. Take verses 16–18 for example:
“For dogs have surrounded me;
a gang of evildoers has closed in on me;
they pierced my hands and my feet.
I can count all my bones;
people look and stare at me.
They divided my garments among themselves,
and they cast lots for my clothing.”
Anyone familiar with the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion must marvel at the parallels between this Psalm and the crucifixion. Jesus knew Psalm 22 was being fulfilled as He hung on the cross. But the Psalm does not end in tragedy; it ends in victory.
“All the ends of the earth will remember
and turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations
will bow down before You,
for kingship belongs to the Lord;
He rules over the nations.
All who prosper on earth will eat and bow down;
all those who go down to the dust
will kneel before Him —
even the one who cannot preserve his life.
Their descendants will serve Him;
the next generation will be told about the Lord.
They will come and tell a people yet to be born
about His righteousness —
what He has done” (vv. 27–31).
Jesus’ quoting this Psalm is not a cry of despair; it is a cry that reveals the victory that will come in the resurrection.
Sacrificed (50–52)
Jesus gave up His spirit — He was in control. The crucifixion was not a surprise to Jesus. The suffering was real but Jesus knew it was coming. When He died the curtain of the temple was torn in two. The curtain in the temple created a separation and only one time a year the High Priest would enter for the Day of Atonement. On this day the high priest would enter and perform a sacrifice for the sins of the nation.
Now, however, we do not have a curtain of separation. Christ has become the mediator between God and man, and the curtain ripping demonstrates the end of the sacrificial system. We do not sacrifice cows and sheep for the forgiveness of sins; Christ has fulfilled this sacrificial system and Christ’s sacrifice provides for the forgiveness of sins. This is why Christians no longer perform sacrifices — Christ is the final sacrifice that had to be made (see Heb. 10).
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