Bible Stories for Adults

God's Plan for Jesus to Die

Matthew 27:31-61

Next Week - Jesus Sends Out 70 Disciples (Luke 10:1-24)
Bible Words to Remember:
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

Were the sufferings and death Jesus experienced on Good Friday a surprise?
Matthew 16:21 = No, Jesus knew His destiny and tried to explain it to His disciples
Did knowing what would happen make it any easier for Jesus to go through with it?
Matthew 26:38-39 = No, Overwhelmed with sorrow, asked to get out of it
Did being God make it any easier for Jesus to go through with it?
Hebrews 2:18 = He was just as human as we are and just as tempted
Was Jesus tempted with any opportunities to back out? = 12 legions --> 12 x 6000 = 72,000
Matthew 26:50-54 = Yes, Peter tried to defend Him & was scolded
Since He could have easily called 10,000 angels to set Him free, why didn't He?
John 12:27 = This suffering & death is the reason He had come

Didn't Jesus come to show us God and be worshipped? Why was death His purpose?
Matthew 20:25-28 = His life was to teach us servanthood, His death to be a ransom
How could His death buy (ransom) the lives of many?
Hebrews 2:14 = Through His death He destroyed the ruler of death - Satan
Why did He have to become human to pay the price for the Father's children?
Hebrews 2:17 = To become our faithful high priest to make atonement for our sins

Atonement - "At One Ment" = Being made at one with God
What standard do we have to achieve to be at one with God?
Matthew 5:48 = Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect
What is our option if we cannot quite meet that standard?
Romans 6:23 = The wages of sin is death (but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ)
What percentage of humans can we expect to fall into each category?
Romans 3:10-12, 23 = 0 & 100%, for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God

Can't we at least get close to God by trying to obey His Laws and being as good as we can?
Galatians 3:10-12 = If we rely on obeying the law, we are under a curse
Is there any way we can get out from under this curse?
Galatians 3:13-14 = Jesus redeemed us from the curse by taking it on the cross
How could Jesus take our curse just by dying on a cross?
2 Corinthians 5:21 = He was perfect & took our sin in exchange for His righteousness

In summary, how are we made at one with God and righteous before Him?
Romans 3:20-22 = This righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe

What about the Jews? Were they able to be at one with God because He had chosen them?
Romans 3:9 = No, they were just as sinful and just as cursed
Before Jesus, how were the Jews able to become at one with God?
Leviticus 5:5-6 = Confess their sin, bring a sin offering & priest would make atonement
How would the sin offering be used to make atonement? = ...and he will be forgiven
Leviticus 4:27-28, 32-35 = Unblemished lamb slaughtered by sinner, blood poured out

Was there any other way to be cleansed of sin besides the shedding of innocent blood?
Hebrews 9:22 = No, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness
Why is the shedding of blood so important to become at one with God?
Leviticus 17:11 = life of a creature is in its blood...it is the blood that makes atonement

What about sins that are committed without knowing? Do they need to be atoned for?
Leviticus 5:17-19 = Yes, we are still guilty and must make atonement
With so many people & so many sins, how could Israel hope to be at one with God as a nation?
Leviticus 16:34 = High priest annually made atonement for the nation
Yom Kippur = Yom - Day, Kippur - Atonement

What happened on Yom Kippur, the annual Day of Atonement?
Hebrews 9:1-7 = High Priest entered Most Holy Place and sacrificed for sins of people
Did this sacrifice cleanse the worshippers once and for all?
Hebrews 10:1-4 = No, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins
How did Jesus change this annual sacrifice?
Hebrews 9:11-12 = He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood

What is the Most Holy Place that Jesus entered by His blood?
Hebrews 9:24 = He entered the Most Holy Place, heaven itself
Why did God have a Most Holy Place in the temple for the High Priest to mediate for the people?
Hebrews 9:8 = To show that the way into the Most Holy Place had not been disclosed
What is this way into the Most Holy Place of heaven under the new covenant?
Hebrews 9:15 = Jesus is the mediator to set us free from sins under the old covenant
How was this way into the Most Holy Place revealed when Jesus died?
Matthew 27:50-51 = The heavy curtain in the temple tore open

Was Jesus making atonement once and for all a new concept or part of God's original plan?
Isaiah 53:10-11 = It was revealed through prophets that Messiah would make atonement
Where does God first reveal His plan to save His children from the power of sin and the devil?
Genesis 3:15 = Promises the Messiah immediately after humans first sinned
How do we remind ourselves in our creeds that God planned atonement through Jesus?
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 = He died, was buried and rose according to the Scriptures

Where do we first see that Jesus' last week occurred according to the Scriptures?
Zechariah 9:9 = See, your King comes to you, righteous ... riding on a donkey
Where do we see the fulfillment of this prophesy?
Mark 11:7-10 = Palm Sunday
What simple prophesy was also fulfilled by the praiseful welcome He received?
Matthew 21:15-16 = Psalm 8:2 - from the lips of children...you have ordained praise
Was the fact that He would be rejected by some foretold by the prophets?
John 12:37-41 = Yes, Isaiah said He'd be rejected (Ps 118:22 - capstone rejected)

Was His rejection and betrayal by a close friend a surprise?
John 13:18-26 = Ps 41:9 - My close friend, who shared bread, lifted his heel
How would a close friend dare to betray the Messiah?
Zechariah 11:12-13 = Paid 30 pieces of silver, threw it to the potter in the temple
What was this prophesy pointing to? = Ex 21:32 - Price for killed slave
Matthew 26:14-15 = Judas was paid 30 pieces of silver to turn over Jesus
What about the second part of throwing the money into the temple to the potter?
Matthew 27:3-8 = Judas threw the coins into the temple, used to buy a potter's field
What other prophesies were fulfilled by this story?
Matthew 27:9-10 = Jeremiah's stories in Jer 19:1-13 and Jer 32:6-9

What had David written about how Jesus would be tried?
Psalm 35:11 = False witnesses would challenge and speak against Him
What does Isaiah's Great Servant Song about Jesus' Passion say about His trials?
Isaiah 53:7-8 = He did not open His mouth, Taken by oppression and judgment
How did Jesus fulfill this prophesy?
Matthew 26:62-63a; 27:12-14 = Jesus remained silent to the oppressive accusations

How was Jesus treated by His accusers?
Matthew 26:67-68; 27:26-30 = Spit on, hit, mocked, flogged
How was this prophesied?
Isaiah 50:6 = Offered my back to be beat ... didn't hide from mocking & spitting
How does Isaiah refer to the flogging that Jesus received?
Isaiah 53:5 = By His wounds we are healed (stripes - KJV)
How does Peter later described the reason for the abuse Jesus received? = stripes - KJV
1 Peter 2:21-24 = No sin, Didn't retaliate, by His wounds you have been healed

The Jewish form of execution for blasphemy & other major crimes was stoning (Lev 24:13-16)
Since Jesus was charged with blasphemy (Matt 26:65-66), why was He crucified?
John 18:31; 19:16 = Romans recently took Jews' right to execute, Rome crucified
How did David's great song of Jesus' Passion foretell this strange execution? = Zech 12:10
Psalm 22:14-17 = Described effects of crucifixion, also pierced hands & feet
What other unique prophesy did David add? = John 19:23-24
Psalm 22:18 = The soldiers would divide His clothes & cast lots for His robe
Did the prophets tell that He would be executed with common criminals?
Isaiah 53:12 = was numbered with the transgressors... made intercession

What did David say about the way the Messiah would be treated during His execution?
Psalm 22:7-8 (Matt 27:39-44) = Mocked, insulted, shaken heads, deliver yourself
How did David foretell the drugged wine vinegar Jesus was offered on a sponge?
Psalm 69:21 (Matt 27:34) = They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst
Jesus had died before the soldiers came around and broke legs. How was this foretold?
Psalm 34:20 (Exodus 12:46) = No bones will be broken (Ex. talks of Passover lamb)

What had Isaiah said about the Messiah's grave?
Isaiah 53:9 (Matt 27:57-60) = Died with the wicked, buried with the rich
What is one of many prophesies that the Messiah would be raised from the dead?
Psalm 16:10 = You will not abandon Me to the grave, nor let Me see decay
What did David say would happen to the Messiah after He rose?
Psalm 68:18 (Psalm 110:1) = ascend into heaven to sit on God's right hand