A Picture of the Judgment

John 19:18 

There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.

I began memorizing and meditating on John 19:18 this morning. When Reading it in the past I did not realize just how incredible it is. This single sentence is a picture of the judgment.  Jesus taught His disciples about the judgment in Matthew prior to His crucifixion.

Matthew 25:31-33

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

Note that Jesus seperates the sheep from the goats and He is between them.  Now pay attention to what happens at the end of the judgment.

Matthew 25:46

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The ones on His left go away into eternal punishment, but the ones on the right into eternal life. Both the sheep and the goats deserve eternal punishment (see Romans 3:23 & 6:23), the goats get what they deserve, but the sheep get what Jesus deserved, eternal life.  Now look at what Luke says about these two men on either side of Jesus to get a more vivid picture of the judgment.

Luke 23:32-43

Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him.

When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

All I can say is that the scriptures are amazing. Three different authors, painting three different pictures of our Lord, and all three are linked together to give a picture of the judgment. Glory be to God in Jesus Christ our Lord.




Bibliography
The Holy Bible, Updated New American Standard Bible. (1995). The Lockman Foundation.