A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

Ses s i on 4: The Gospe l s : The Man i fes tat i on of Chr i s t , Par t I I I 123

E. The Crucifixion of Messiah (Matt. 27.31-56; Mark 15.20-41; Luke 23.26-49; John 19.17-37)

The Son Identifies with the Criminality and Condemnation of Humankind: Gethsemane

Thus it was, that in his incarnation the second member of the eternal Triunity entered our estranged human relation to God, a relation involving guilt to be answered for and curse to be endured. This is the center-most marvel of all, that the eternal sonship of God the Son should now, for a time, coexist with the relation of criminality and condemnation under heaven’s righteous sentence. It may well amaze us that these two rela tionships could and did meet in the incarnate Son. He must have been conscious of their acute meeting in him through all his ministry, but it was in Gethsemane that the two finally became a sheer agony of opposites that nevertheless must be blended into one on that tragic, ugly, triumphant, glorious cross which is the most inexpressible event in the history of the universe and even in the eternity of God.

~ J. Sidlow Baxter. The Master Theme of the Bible . Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1997. p. 102.

1. Crucifixion was a Roman method of execution that was unbearably slow, publicly humiliating, and unbelievably painful.

2. A form of execution reserved for slaves and criminals of the worst kind

3. The Seven Words of the Cross: Messiah’s suffering and death

a. Messiah reveals mercy for his executioners, Luke 23.34 – And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.