Last week we looked at several people who were present during the trials of Jesus. This week, I want us to continue our study with those who were present at His sentencing and His death.

One of the women mentioned in recounting of these events is Pilate’s wife. Only one verse describes her part in this event, but it would surely have stuck with her for the rest of her life.

She sent word to her husband, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream” (Matthew 27:19). Can’t you just see her recalling the dream and the message to Pilate?

Simon of Cyrene was just passing by (Mark 15:21), when he was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross. He was a father of two sons. Would he have felt the pain and grief being expressed by the friends and family of Jesus? Would he have looked at Jesus and felt compassion for Him, or did he just bear the cross to Golgotha, drop his load, and hastily leave?

Doubtless Simon would have a story to tell when he returned home. How could he possibly forget the anger of the crowd and the bloody Man that fell under the weight of the cross?

Hanging on either side of Jesus were two thieves. They had been tried and convicted of their own crimes. Death was eminent.

One of the men, Luke says, railed at Jesus. He said, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39). The second thief rebuked the first. He said, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? (Luke 23:40). He followed this question by confessing that Jesus had done nothing wrong and then begging Jesus to remember him.

I wonder what each of these men thought in their last hours on this earth as they waited for death. One had confessed that Jesus was guilty of nothing, and the other had mocked Him. One was to be with Jesus in Paradise, while the other would have been headed for a place of torments in the Hadean Realm.

Finally, we look at Mary, the mother of Jesus, and John, the disciple. John had been there through most of these events. He had probably followed the procession to Golgotha, and there he watched the Lord being nailed to the cross.

Mary was there as well, and when Jesus looked down from the cross He saw both John and his mother, probably weeping. In His final time on earth, He gave John a great responsibility. He told John, “Behold, your mother!” (John 19:27). John records that from that hour, he took Mary into his own home.

I suspect that John felt a responsibility to care for this woman. Mary’s other children did not believe in Jesus as the Messiah until after the resurrection. Maybe that is why Jesus gave John the responsibility of caring for His mother.

And then there is the Christian today. We have only the record of Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection. Yet every first day of the week, Christians are commanded to partake of the Lord’s Supper, remember the suffering of our Savior and His resurrection (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 11).

Do we remember, as those mentioned in Hebrews 6:6, that we have done things to “crucify once again the Son of God and hold him up to contempt”? If so, we know that as Christians we can pray to God for the forgiveness of our sins. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

May we never forget the suffering of our Savior and the price He paid for our sins.

Sandra Oliver