Arrest, Trial and Crucifixion

The long night after Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane was full of pain, torture and betrayal. Shuttled from Caiaphus and Annas (the corrupt High Priests) to Pilate and Herod (the corrupt Roman rulers) Jesus "held his peace," and maintained his dignity throughout. By the time the rabble (under the control of the High Priests) finally called for his crucifixion, he had a "crown" of inch-long thorns embedded in his skull, a body lacerated by ruthless scourging, and was exhausted and dehydrated from the long, cruel night of beatings and interrogation. The half-mile hike up to Golgotha, dragging either the crossbeam or the entire cross (scholars disagree about which) was more than he could manage. The man in charge of his execution squad (executor mortis) feared for his own life if his prisoner died before being crucified, so a Libyan man named Simon was given the signal honor of bearing Christ's cross those last agonizing steps.

The Lord chose a death more excruciating than most of us will ever face. And he faced it alone, deserted by his followers and even, at one point, by the spirit of his beloved Father. Some people feel that a morbid preoccupation with the crucifixion is a sign of faithfulness. (There are actually people who reenact the crucifixion each year, on purpose.) But the Lord said, "I... have suffered, that they might NOT suffer if they would repent." (DC 19:16) There is no need to bring suffering upon ourselves in an attempt to impress the Lord. But when suffering does come, He has shown us how to face it by the way he faced the last day of his beautiful life.

Why do we suffer? There are many reasons, and there is much suffering that seems so unfair. In fact, sometimes it may seem that even when we are trying to do everything right, everything seems to go wrong! This is confusing, but may actually be an important part of the plan. Heber C. Kimball once said (quoting Joseph Smith) "God will feel after you and he will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings. And if you cannot stand it, you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God." My mother taught me that one of the purposes of earth life is to fix those things that are spiritually wrong with us, a process that may involve some humbling experiences along the way. In the scriptures we see people placed in situations where they sometimes fall, yet as a result find the Lord. So if we, or those we love, fail to measure up at times, instead of shaking a fist at Heaven, we might thank the Lord for helping us see what our spiritual "Achilles heel" is, and seek His healing grace to make it right. It's not about racking up points and prizes; it's about becoming sanctified by grace.

Though He may have made many statements in the six hours that our Lord spent on the cross, seven are preserved, and have become the focus of countless studies. The recent mini-series, The Bible, offers a version of the crucifixion that is wrenching in its graphic depiction of his suffering. Yet it also helps us realize how selfless and courageous Jesus was, even under that level of duress. When Christ finally said, "It is finished," as the hymn so beautifully says, "Earth trembled and all nature sighed, in dread response, a God has died." (Hymns 192) Here is the link to the video: The Bible: Passion, Part 1.

Marvin J. Ashton said, “Greatness is best measured by how well an individual responds to the happenings in life that appear to be totally unfair, unreasonable, and undeserved.” As we respond to suffering with courage, and support each other in our trials, we are following Him to the end.