The Death of Jesus

Intergenerational SeminarySession #8

Trusting

(Luke)

No (Matthew, Mark, John)Yes (Luke)Did one of the thieves

repent on the cross?

No (John: day before)

Yes (Synoptics)

Was Jesus crucified on the Passover?

DayNightWhen did Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin

take place?

Triumphant (John)

Abandoned (Matthew/

Mark)

What describes Jesus on the cross:

abandoned, trusting, or triumphant?

Seven Last Words

XIt is finished

XI thirst

XBehold, your son

XI commend my spirit

XToday you’ll be in paradise

XForgive them

XXEloi, eloi, lama sabachthani

JohnLukeMatthewMark

Lectionary

• Palm (Passion) Sunday– Year A: Matthew– Year B: Mark– Year C: Luke

• Good Friday– Every year: John

Gethsemane

Jesus in the Garden

• Mark– Resigned (doesn’t respond to Judas or to

the cutting off of the slave’s ear)– Abandoned (young man runs away naked

[14:51-52])• Matthew

– Extremely similar to Mark (came back three times to find the disciples sleeping, etc.)

– Emphasis on Mount of Olives (2 Samuel 15:30-31)

– Rebukes the one who cut off the slave’s ear

Jesus in the Garden

• Luke– Less dramatic than Matthew/Mark

•“As was his custom”•No rebuke of disciples, who only fall

asleep once

– Jesus is not sorrowful to death •Faithful to God•An angel comes to comfort Him•Heals the slave’s ear

Jesus in the Garden

• John– Doesn’t ask God to take the cup

from Him (12:27)– Expects Judas (goes out to meet

him)– Identifies Peter as the sword-

wielder

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin, and Peter’s

Denial

Sanhedrin Trial• Mark & Matthew

– Witnesses give conflicting testimony– Jesus remains silent, until asked if He

is the Christ• Mark: “I am.”• Matthew: “You have said so.”• Both: “And you will see the Son of man

seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

– Mark only: unanimous verdict– Matthew only

• Judas returns money to the chief priests and hangs himself (II Samuel 17:23)

Sanhedrin Trial• Luke

– Trial takes place the following day• Night reserved for Peter’s denials• Jesus present with Peter (only in Luke)

– No false witnesses– Jesus composed (at peace, innocent)

• John– Trial before Annas, Caiaphas’s father-

in-law– Answers are open, defiant– Emphasis on “another disciple”

Sanhedrin Trial Summary

Mark Matthew Luke John

Time Night Night Day Night

JudgesHigh priest

CaiaphasChief

priests & scribes

Annas

False witnesse

sYes Yes No No

Jesus’ answers

Clear Indirect Obscure Defiant

Roman Trial

Roman Trial

• Mark– Second trial before Sanhedrin? (15:1)– Few details (Pilate already knows the story)– Pilate is an empty character (not ennobled),

who caves easily to the crowd’s demands

• Matthew– Only mention of Pilate’s wife’s dream– “His blood be on us and on our children.”

(27:25)

Roman Trial

• Luke– Pilate finds no crime in Jesus, sends Him to

Herod, who mocks him and sends Him back to Pilate

– Pilate intends to set Jesus free• John

– Involved exchange between Jesus and Pilate– Jesus is mocked (crown of thorns, purple robe)

before being convicted• “Behold, the man.”

Roman Trial Summary

Mark Matthew Luke John

Other Trials

1? (Sanhedri

n)0 0

1 (Herod)

Pilate’s wife

Absent Dream Absent Absent

PilateEmpty, weak

Empty, weak

Noble Complex

Mocking

After sentence

After sentenc

e

After sentence

Before sentence

Crucifixion, Death, and Burial

Crucifixion, Death, and Burial

• Mark– Three-fold structure: 3-fold prayer in

Gethsemane, Peter’s denials, 3rd/6th/9th hours, three groups mock Jesus

– OT references• “Save yourself” – Psalm 22:8-9• World plunged into darkness – Amos 8:9• “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

– Only thing Jesus says in Mark (and Matthew)

– Only later do we hear of onlookers– Joseph of Arimathea was “courageous”– Pilate checks to make sure Jesus is dead

Crucifixion, Death, and Burial

• Matthew– Only gospel that mentions

• wine mixed with gall (Psalm 69:22)• an earthquake and the dead rising when the

Temple veil is torn• guards at the tomb

Crucifixion, Death, and Burial

• Luke– Only gospel that

• Doesn’t mention mocking by the soldiers– Did the chief priests lead Jesus to His death?

• Mentions Jews who are not Jesus’ followers but are sympathetic (“daughters of Jerusalem”)

• “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

• Has one thief repent (and call Him Jesus, otherwise only done by blind beggar of Jericho)

Crucifixion, Death, and Burial

• John– No Simon of Cyrene (Jesus carries His

own Cross)– Women and disciples are at the foot of

the Cross• Matthew/Mark: women are far away,

disciples have fled

– Victorious Jesus – mission completed– Only mention of Nicodemus

Crucifixion Summary

Mark Matthew Luke John

Penitent

thieves0 0 1 0

Sayings

Eli, eli, lama

sabachthani

Eloi, eloi, lama

sabachthani

ForgiveThief

Commend

BeholdI thirstFinishe

d

Final words

Abandon-ment

Abandon-ment

TrustTriump

h

Theories of Atonement

• Satisfaction (Anselm, 11th century)– Predominant in conservative circles

• Christus Victor (Aulen, 20th century)– C.S. Lewis, Chronicles of Narnia

• Moral example• Inevitable, if not necessary

Upcoming Schedule• NEXT Wednesday, August 17, 7 PM

– The Resurrection of Jesus

• Wednesday, August 24, 7 PM– Who is Jesus for Us Today?