Matthew 27:27-44 Part 2

The Central Idea of the Text is that Jesus is beaten and crucified by the Romans just as was prophesied, both by the OT prophets (Ps. 22:1, 16-18; Isa. 53:1-12) and Jesus Himself (Matt. 12:40; 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19). The substitutionary death of Christ was necessary (Rom. 5:6-10; 1 Cor. 15:3-4), because it propitiated (i.e. satisfied) the Father’s righteous demands toward our sin (Rom. 3:24-25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10), and opened the flood gates of God’s grace toward ungodly sinners (Rom. 4:1-5; 5:1-6; Eph. 2:1-8).  We are made acceptable to God because of the work of Christ who died for us (John 3:16; Rom. 5:6-10; Eph. 1:7), and because God’s righteousness is imputed to us at the moment of salvation (Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9).  The cross represents God’s wisdom and power (1 Cor. 1:18-25), for by it men obtain the gifts of righteousness (Rom. 1:17; 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9) and eternal life (John 3:16; 10:28-30), but the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Cor. 1:18).  God controls the crisis of the cross, as He uses sinful men—who crucify the Righteous and Holy One—to accomplish our salvation.  Victory was obtained through the humility of the cross.  The greatness of Jesus is that He refused to answer His mockers, but humbly obeyed the Father’s will and remained upon the cross to bear all our sin that we might have eternal life in Him.  Jesus died as a substitutionary Lamb on Calvary’s hill (John 1:29; Mark 10:45), but at His Second Coming, the King will reign in power and righteousness (Ps. 110:1-7; Isa. 9:6-7; Dan. 7:13-14; Rev. 19:11-21).