As I mentioned it before, what many forgot, even the disciples, is that this nucleus of insignificant people, most of them despised Galileans, were under the mighty protection of their Father in heaven, and that legions of angels were watching that no harm came to them, for to God His children are precious! Paul wrote the following amazing words to some of them: ‘Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the pleasure of His will – to the praise of His gracious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. His only Son, Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1: 3-6) But all these precious blessings, were not known yet to His disciples, for they felt completely let down.

After all the trauma and disappointment, God as promised, on the third day, raised Jesus from the dead, it is, to this very day the greatest miracle, a great, mighty triumph! For death, the greatest enemy of man, is since and forever vanquished! As declares the hymn I still sing so often: ‘Death could not keep its prey, Jesus my Saviour, He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord … Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes! He arose! He arose! Alleluia Christ arose’! These old hymns, that so many Christians do not sing much anymore, still proclaim living truths, and still create an impact! Through singing them Christians learned the Christian doctrine which is the foundation of their eternal hope!

I want to underline that the two criminals which were crucified, on each side of the Son of God, were not condemned to be crucified by the will of the Jewish Authorities, but by Pilate, the Roman governor, for crimes against the Roman state, of which he was the governor. Pilate was a brutal, merciless, violent man. The Jews, brought criminals for him to sanction their crucifixion, He did as they wished without a question! This is why, the Jews were surprised at the way Pilate reacted when they brought Jesus to him, for they expected that he would ratify Jesus’s death, as He did all the others brought before Him, but Pilate did not, in fact He did his best to free Jesus, for he found that He was not guilty of any crime to warrant a crucifixion, which was a most vicious execution. 

He knew that Caiaphas and his mob condemned an innocent man, when they brough Him to Pilate he asked them: ‘What charges are you bringing against this man? If he was not a criminal they replied, he would not have been handed to you. Pilate said: take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your law. But that is not what they wanted. They found that stoning him according the Jewish law was not what they wanted, they hated Jesus so much that they wanted to inflict on Him a far crueller death -- crucifixion! But only the Roman governor could condemn a criminal to be crucified, but these evil, crafty clergy, composed mainly of Sadducees, found a way to force his hand to condemn Jesus to this most cruel execution. 

Finally, after much wrangling with them: ‘Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged – once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews: Look, I am bringing Him to you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him, When Jesus came out wearing a crown of thorns and a purple robe, Pilate said to them. ‘Here is the man.’ As soon as the chief priest and their officials saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” But Pilate answered: You take Him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against Him. The Jews insisted: We have a law and according to that law He must die, because He claimed to be the Son of God. When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace: Where do you come from? He asked Jesus, but Jesus gave Him no answer. Do you refuse to speak to me? Pilate said. Don’t you realise I have power either to free you or crucify you? Jesus answered: You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore, the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.’ (John 19: 1-11)! No man could have apprehended the Lord Jesus Christ, never mind crucify Him; but His time had come to sacrifice His life for the redemption of the elects, and the forgiveness of their sins.