In the 24 hours leading up to the death of Christ, many events occurred, Christ was arrested, taken before Annas, then He was tried before Caiaphas, He was beaten and taken before the Council, Christ was then taken to Pilate in the Praetorium……now let’s take up the story……

Christ was crucified twice, first at the 3rd hour or 9 am and secondly before the 9th hour or 3 pm. Christ died at approximately 3 pm or the 9th hour.

So we will look at the events of each one.

Christ appeared before Annas first.

Then His trial before Caiaphas.

Then when it was day He appeared before the council {aka the Sanhedrin.}

Then to the Hall of Judgement before Pilate.

The scripture cannot be broken, there must be an explanation for this.

The following article unravels the mystery of Christ’s crucifixion.

When Christ was arrested, He was taken to Annas first.

Joh 18:12  Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.

Joh 18:13  And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.

Jesus was asked some questions on His teachings, hit and sent to Caiaphas.

Joh 18:19  The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.

Joh 18:20  Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.

Joh 18:21  Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.”

Joh 18:22  And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?”

Joh 18:23  Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?”

Joh 18:24  Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Mat 26:58  But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

Mat 26:59  Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,

Mat 26:60  but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward

Mat 26:61  and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”

Mat 26:62  And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?”

Mat 26:63  But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

Mat 26:64  Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Mat 26:65  Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!

Mat 26:66  What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.”

Mat 26:67  Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands,

Mat 26:68  saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”

The following is a very important scripture as it gives the correct day for keeping the Passover. It should be kept on the night of the 14th the start of the 15th, which the Jews were going to do, the night of Christ’s death.

Joh 18:28  Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.

This was possibly about 7.30 am when He appeared before Pilate.

At this time Judas the brother of Christ, saw what was going to happen to Christ {we do not believe that Judas thought they would kill Christ but that maybe they would put Him in prison} and Judas had remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. He then went out and hung himself.

Mat 27:3  Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

Mat 27:4  saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”

Mat 27:5  Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Then the chief priests took the silver and bought the potter’s field.

Mat 27:6  But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.”

Mat 27:7  And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.

Mat 27:8  Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

This is the first time that Jesus is confronted by Pilate and notice that He utters but a few words to Pilate.

Mat 27:11  Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”

Mat 27:12  And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.

Mat 27:13  Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?”

Mat 27:14  But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Then there was a murderer called Barabbas, note carefully that he was a murderer.

Mar 15:6  Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested.

Mar 15:7  And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion.

Pilate then released the murderer Barabbas and sent Jesus to be scourged and crucified.

Mar 15:15  So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.

During this scourging Christ suffered unspeakable injuries and was horribly mutilated.

Mar 15:16  Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.

Mar 15:17  And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head,

Mar 15:18  and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Mar 15:19  Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.

Mar 15:20  And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

Now for the first crucifixion.

The cross of Christ was carried by Simon of Cyrene.

Luk 23:26  Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

Luk 23:27  And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.

Luk 23:28  But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

Luk 23:29  For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’

Luk 23:30  Then they will begin ‘TO SAY TO THE MOUNTAINS, “FALL ON US!” AND TO THE HILLS, “COVER US!” ’

Luk 23:31  For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”

Luk 23:32  There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.

Notice the place where Jesus was crucified the first time was at Calvary. This place may not have been near a road, as people passing by are not mentioned.

Luk 23:33  And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

These people were present at the first crucifixion: rulers and people watching.

Luk 23:35  And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

There were two criminals crucified with Christ at the first crucifixion and one of these repented.

Luk 23:39  Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

Luk 23:40  But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

Luk 23:41  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”

Luk 23:42  Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Luk 23:43  And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

They also gave Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not drink it.

Mar 15:23  Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.

At approximately 9 am Wednesday morning the Passover day 14th Nisan, Jesus was nailed to the cross.

Mar 15:25  Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.

The four gospels give four different interpretations of what was written above the head of Jesus.

Matthew Mark and Luke give three different words because it was written in three different dialects:

Greek, Latin and Hebrew.

John has different words because they were written by Pilate.

Mat 27:37  And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Mar 15:26  And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Luk 23:38  And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The words written above Jesus were as follows:

THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

THE KING OF THE JEWS.

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Possibly around 10 am Jesus was taken off the cross and returned to Pilate.

Pilate desperately wanted to release Jesus and was afraid to kill Him.

He had been warned by his wife, and there were many other pressures on him.

Act 3:13  The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.

He tried to get the Jews to take care of the matter, but they would not do it.

Joh 18:31  Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,”

Joh 18:32  that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.

Pilate was overjoyed to hear Christ was a Galilean, so he then sent Him to Herod.

Luk 23:3  Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”

Luk 23:4  So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.”

Luk 23:5  But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”

Luk 23:6  When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean.

Luk 23:7  And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

Luk 23:8  Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.

Herod questioned Jesus at length and then returned Him to Pilate.

Luk 23:9  Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.

Luk 23:10  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.

Luk 23:11  Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.

Pilate gathers the people.

Luk 23:13  Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,

Luk 23:14  said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him;

Luk 23:15  no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.

Luk 23:16  I will therefore chastise Him and release Him”

Pilate now talks to Jesus, remember earlier how Christ would not answer his questions, but now He does answer Pilate.

Joh 18:33  Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

Joh 18:34  Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”

Joh 18:35  Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

Joh 18:37  Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Joh 18:38  Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.

Notice that this is a different man to the original Barabbas, the first one was a murderer, but this Barabbas was a robber.

Joh 18:39  “But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

Joh 18:40  Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

Again Jesus is flogged.

Joh 19:1  So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him.

Joh 19:2  And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe.

Joh 19:3  Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands.

Joh 19:4  Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.”

Joh 19:5  Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”

Joh 19:6  Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.”

Joh 19:7  The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”

Joh 19:8  Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid,

Pilate was afraid to be responsible for the death of Christ and he tried very hard to free Him.

Joh 19:9  and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.

Pilate explains that he can get Christ released.

Joh 19:10  Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”

Christ corrects him.

Joh 19:11  Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

Joh 19:12  From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”

This is the first time that Christ has been to this place called the Pavement or Gabbatha.

Joh 19:13  When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

Now notice very carefully the time. It is the sixth hour 12:00 midday.

Joh 19:14  Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”

Joh 19:15  But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

Joh 19:16  Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away.

Now notice another very important scripture. Jesus carried His own cross, this is for those people who will not carry their own cross, and eventually suffer the second death. Notice also that He went to Golgotha.

In the first crucifixion He went to Calvary.

Joh 19:17  And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,

Joh 19:18  where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.

Joh 19:19  Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

In this crucifixion notice there are two thieves not malefactors.

Mar 15:27  With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.

Neither one of these thieves repented. In the first crucifixion one of the malefactors repented.

Mar 15:32  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.

At the second crucifixion, Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross.

Joh 19:19  Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Also note that Pilate was present at the cross, there was no mention of him being there at the first crucifixion.

Joh 19:21  Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.”

Joh 19:22  Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

Note that Golgotha was near or on a road, as people were passing by where Jesus was on the cross. Note this also that what Pilate wrote was different to what was written at the first crucifixion. In the first crucifixion there was three different things written in three languages, Hebrew, Greek and Latin. At the second crucifixion there was only one writing mentioned but written in three different languages, as above, Hebrew, Greek and Latin.

Joh 19:20  Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

The clothes of Jesus were divided up amongst the soldiers.

Joh 19:23  Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.

Joh 19:24  They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “THEY DIVIDED MY GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND FOR MY CLOTHING THEY CAST LOTS.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.

The following scripture is very interesting. Jesus would never have left the welfare of His mother till this moment. He more than likely would have left His mother in the care of His brother, Judas, however the fact that Judas His own brother betrayed Him was totally unexpected by Christ. We have already shown earlier, Judas the brother of Christ, hung himself. Therefore, Jesus arranged for John to care for His mother. Possibly Joseph was dead at this time.

Joh 19:25  Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

Joh 19:26  When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!”

Joh 19:27  Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

Jesus died.

Mat 27:45  Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”

Mat 27:47  Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!”

Mat 27:48  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

Mat 27:49  The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

Mat 27:50  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

Then a soldier pierced His side.

Joh 19:34  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

Joh 19:35  And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.

Joh 19:36  For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “NOT ONE OF HIS BONES SHALL BE BROKEN.”

Joh 19:37  And again another Scripture says, “THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.”

Now we will look at the fate of the other betrayer of Jesus, Judas Iscariot.

Judas Iscariot bought a piece of land called Aceldama with his 30 pieces of silver. He fell, landed on his head and burst apart.

Act 1:16  “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;

Act 1:17  for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”

Act 1:18  (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.

Act 1:19  And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)

The reason for the two crucifixions is because of those people who have received the Holy Spirit of power, which is eternal life inherent and then turn away from the truth.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,

Heb 6:5  and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

Heb 6:6  if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

May God grant us the wisdom to understand the truth of the two crucifixions and the strength and courage to endure to the end.