SESSION 5
DEATH LIKE
NO OTHER
The Point
Jesus’ sacrifice is the heart of the gospel.
The Bible Meets Life
We hurt when we see or experience injustice.
Many of us do what we can to rescue a victim
of injustice. But what do we do when an
innocent person willingly accepts injustice and
undeserved punished … and does so for those
who deserve it? This is a perfect description of
Jesus, because this is the very reason for which
He came to earth. We are still left with the
question to answer: How will we respond?
The Passage
Matthew 27:28-31,45-50,54
52 SESSION 5
WHAT DOES
THE BIBLE SAY?
Matthew 27:28-31,45-50,54
28
They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,
and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head.
They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and
mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.
29
They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again
and again.
30
After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own
clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
31
The Setting
45
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.
About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Elí, Elí,
lemá sabachtháni?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?”).
46
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s
calling Elijah.”
47
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine
vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink.
48
The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to
save him.”
49
Jesus had completed His earthly
ministry save His justifying death
and victorious resurrection.
He had been arrested in
Gethsemane, railroaded through
a sham trial of the Sanhedrin,
falsely accused before Pilate, and
rejected by the crowd in favor of
the notorious prisoner Barabbas.
At that point, Pilate released
Barabbas, had Jesus flogged, and
turned Him over to the soldiers
to be crucified.
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up
his spirit.
50
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus
saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and
exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
54
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 53
ENGAGE
(15 MINUTES)
GET INTO THE STUDY
ENGAGE: Begin the session with one or more of the Engage Options on the
next page. (This is optional. If you’d rather skip the Engage Options, just begin
with the first discussion question.)
SAY: We hurt when we see or experience injustice. Many of us do what we
can to rescue a victim of injustice. But what do we do when an innocent
person willingly accepts injustice and undeserved punished … and does
so for those who deserve it?
DISCUSS: Lead students to discuss the question, “Why do we care when
famous people die?”
GUIDE: Call attention to The Point. Explain that this is the key idea to keep in
mind throughout the session.
6
Leader Pack: Use
the Heart of the
Gospel poster at the
end of the session.
Cut the strips of
the poster with this
session’s point on
it and give them
to students to take
home as a reminder
throughout the week
of Jesus’ sacrifice.
THE POINT
ITEM
Jesus’ sacrifice is the heart of the gospel.
READ: Read and summarize The Bible Meets Life for your group.
The story is told of a young boy named Timothy whose sister was sick.
She suffered from an ailment Timothy once had but overcame. Her only
chance for survival would be if she could get a blood transfusion. The
young girl shared a rare blood type with her brother Timothy, and because
he had overcome the same sickness, his body had developed immunities
to it. Timothy was the ideal donor. His parents agreed with the doctor’s
suggestion to use a blood transfusion from Timothy. It was up to Timothy.
“Would you give your blood to help save your sister?” the doctor asked
Timothy, leaning over closely to the young boy’s face. At first, Timothy
hesitated. His chin began to quiver as he fought back tears. Then with a
solemn strength, he forced a smile. “Yes, I’ll do it,” he said. They wheeled
both children into the transfusion room and began to insert the needles.
Timothy watched the blood flow out of his arm and into the tubes. Quiet
for most of the procedure, he finally asked, “Doctor, when do I die?” That’s
when the doctor realized Timothy thought giving his blood for his sister
meant he would have to give all his blood. Timothy was willingly offering
the greatest sacrifice out of love for his sister.
PRAY: Transition into the session by praying that your students see that Jesus’
sacrifice was selfless but necessary for their salvation.
54 SESSION 5
Engage Options
YY Lead with Action
Set a timer for 1 minute. Instruct students to use the minute to list some of
their most prized possessions—both big and small. At the end of the minute,
tell students that they are moving across the world and can only take one
of these items with them. Give them a moment to choose this item. Say:
“Having to sacrifice all but one item on our lists would be difficult for
any of us. By our very nature, we are not prone to want to sacrifice.
Jesus demonstrated His great love for us with the ultimate sacrifice—
death on a cross. This sacrifice is central to the gospel.”
OPTION: Find quotes
about the significance
of Jesus’ death by wellknown pastors and
theologians. Display
them on the screen or
around the room.
YY Lead with Atmosphere
Find photos of celebrities that have died recently. Ask the students to share
how they felt when they learned about their deaths. Then show students at
least one picture of an American soldier that was killed in combat. Ask the
students to share how they feel when they learn about a soldier dying in
combat. Say: “In what ways are the deaths of these celebrities and this
soldier different?” (Expect students to talk about sacrifice, protecting others,
fighting for freedom, etc. instead of suicide, drugs, poor decisions, etc.) “In
our story today, we’ll learn more about Jesus dying on the cross. It’s
important to note that Jesus was not a victim, but he willingly gave up
his life as a sacrifice.”
OPTION: Display
a bird cage in your
meeting space. Let it
remain there while
you teach the session.
YY Lead with Media
Search the Internet for The Skit Guys’ video called “The Bird Cage.” Say: “Jesus
paid for our freedom with His life, which He willingly gave as a sacrifice.
He bought you and He bought me, and He loved us so much that He was
willing to die a horrible death so that we could be reunited with Him.”
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 55
IMPART
(10 MINUTES)
STUDY THE BIBLE
The Point: Jesus’ sacrifice is the heart of the gospel.
They stripped him and
put a scarlet robe on
him, 29 and then twisted
together a crown of thorns
and set it on his head.
They put a staff in his right
hand. Then they knelt in
front of him and mocked
him. “Hail, king of the
Jews!” they said. 30 They
spit on him, and took the
staff and struck him on
the head again and again.
31
After they had mocked
him, they took off the robe
and put his own clothes
on him. Then they led him
away to crucify him.
—MATTHEW 27:28-31
28
MATTHEW 27:28-31
READ: Read or have a volunteer read the following:
Have you ever been bullied? It’s bad enough to be bullied by someone
you don’t really know—someone you don’t particularly care for. But to be
mocked and jeered by those you love, that’s a far deeper pain. Maybe even
the deepest there is.
Jesus came to bring salvation to His own, yet His own rejected him. They
stripped Him, robed Him in purple, stuck a crown of thorns on His head,
knelt down before Him, and mocked Him. In their mockery, they stuck a
reed in his right hand as if it were a king’s scepter. They spat on Him. They
took that same reed and beat Him with it.
He stood bloodied, beaten, and mocked by those He came to save. And yet
He said nothing in return. They led Him as a sheep to the slaughter even
though He was the true King on the cross.
I can’t imagine saying nothing. I can’t imagine possessing power but
refusing to use it. I know what it’s like to run from the bully in the sixth
grade because he was bigger than me. He was stronger than me. But
bullies didn’t put Christ on the cross, and nails didn’t hold Him there. His
love for us held Him there.
DISCUSS: Lead students to discuss the question, “What are some ways Jesus
is mocked today?”
56 SESSION 5
Commentary
MATTHEW 27:28-31
[VERSES 28] These soldiers knew the Jews charged Jesus with claiming to be
their King. Thus they determined to make a mockery of that claim. In mocking
Jesus, they would also have been mocking the Jewish people over whom Jesus
was supposedly “king” and over whom the Romans ruled. They stripped Him of
His clothes, which had probably been put back on Him after His flogging, and
dressed Him in a scarlet military robe. The color scarlet was similar to purple,
the color associated with royalty and rulership.
[VERSES 29] Then the soldiers decided to add a crown to Jesus’ royal regalia.
They gave Him a reed (a substantially strong reed or bamboo cane) to hold
in His right hand, a poor substitute for the royal scepter representing a ruler’s
power and authority. But the ultimate mockery came as they knelt down before
Him in false homage saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” This may have been a
parody of the formal salute offered in honor of the Roman emperor, “Hail,
Caesar!” Such carefully planned ridicule must have intensified Jesus’ suffering.
How ironic that the soldiers’ words of mockery regarding Jesus’ kingship were
absolutely true. Unknowingly, they knelt before the King of all kings—the
sovereign Ruler of the universe.
TIP: Ensure students
see that Jesus’
death on the cross
is the greatest
example as to how
we should respond
to what we deem
as unfair suffering.
Jesus honored God
throughout His
unfair treatment.
[VERSES 30] The first people to spit in Jesus’ face had been the Jews who were
present at His trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin the previous evening
(Matt. 26:67‑68). Now the soldiers repeated that hideous insult. Spitting on
someone was one of the worst possible expressions of contempt available in
Jesus’ day. The mocking soldiers added injury to insult by hitting Him on the
head with the reed they had presented to Him as His royal scepter. Every blow
from this reed drove the thorns deeper into Jesus’ head.
These actions partly fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 20:19. Jesus’
experiences also fulfilled the prophecy concerning the Suffering Servant in
Isaiah 50:6.
[VERSES 31] When the soldiers grew weary of their evil games, they removed
the mock robe, put His clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. They
had satisfied their desire to treat Jesus with complete contempt. Now they
planned to finish the gruesome task—execution by crucifixion on a cross. The
usual practice was for criminals to be taken to the place of their crucifixion
naked. In returning Jesus’ clothes, the Romans may have been making a
concession to Jewish sensitivities concerning public nakedness, particularly
with the massive crowds present in Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 57
IMPART
(10 MINUTES)
STUDY THE BIBLE
The Point: Jesus’ sacrifice is the heart of the gospel.
From noon until three
in the afternoon darkness
came over all the land.
46
About three in the
afternoon Jesus cried
out in a loud voice, “Elí,
Elí, lemá sabachtháni?”
(which means “My God,
my God, why have you
forsaken me?”). 47 When
some of those standing
there heard this, they
said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48
Immediately one of
them ran and got a
sponge. He filled it with
wine vinegar, put it on
a staff, and offered it to
Jesus to drink. 49 The rest
said, “Now leave him
alone. Let’s see if Elijah
comes to save him.” 50 And
when Jesus had cried out
again in a loud voice, he
gave up his spirit.
—MATTHEW 27:45-50
45
MATTHEW 27:45-50
READ: Read or have a volunteer read the following:
In so much of our teaching and understanding, we have diminished
the importance of the cross; consequently, we often fail to realize its
practical relevancy for today. We forget why it happened—and all that it
accomplished on our behalf.
God will have absolutely nothing to do with sin. Holiness is the very nature
and character of God. And since holiness and sin are diametrically opposed
to each other, God and sin cannot interact together. That also means, since
sin is a part of who we are, God cannot interact with us.
But God, out of His great love, created a way for you and me—in spite of
our sin—to enter His presence. That way is through the cross. That way has
been made possible through Jesus, the sinless sacrifice who bore our sins.
We often think that the pain of the cross came from the whip, the crown
of thorns, or from the nails. But all that agony was nothing, compared
with that moment in time when He looked up to heaven and groaned,
“Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You
forsaken Me?”
SAY: At that moment, Jesus became sin, severing Himself from the
fullness of the intimacy He had always known with His Father. As the sin
of the whole world shot through His body, God the Father turned His
back on His Son. God had no choice but to look away. Jesus endured the
distance, the desertion, and the rejection for us.
DISCUSS: Lead students to discuss the question, “How does knowing that
Jesus willingly endured rejection from His father for our sins affect you?”
DO: Direct students to complete the Action Point, “Immeasurable Love.”
Immeasurable Love
Make a list of all the ways Jesus suffered on the day of His crucifixion. Spend
a few minutes reading over the list, quietly allowing the pain and suffering
He endured on your behalf to sink in. Pray, thanking the Lord for His
immeasurable love for you.
58 SESSION 5
Commentary
MATTHEW 27:45-50
[VERSE 45] Matthew, Mark, and Luke all note that darkness covered the land
for a period of time. Various explanations for the darkness have been offered—
including a violent windstorm (sirocco), a solar eclipse, and God’s supernatural
intervention. Darkness is often associated with God’s judgment at the Day of
the Lord (see Joel 2:2,31).
[VERSE 46] Jesus’ cry on the cross was so stunning that Matthew preserved
the precise language He used. “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni” is Aramaic, the
language of everyday conversation in first-century Israel. The words are from
the first verse in Psalm 22, a psalm that is woven into the crucifixion narrative.
Verses 7‑8 from the psalm reflect the mocking of the crowd (Matt. 27:39‑44),
and verse 18 reflects the soldier’s casting of lots for Jesus’ clothing (Matt. 27:35).
[VERSE 47] The term for “my God,” Eli, was very close to the name Elijah.
Since messianic expectation was so fervent at this time, someone in the crowd
perhaps mistakenly thought Jesus was calling for Elijah, the forerunner who
would appear before the Day of the Lord, to save Him. The phrase some of
those standing there refers to the Jews in the crowd around the cross, not to
the Roman soldiers present. This was likely an act of mockery, something taken
half-seriously by those present.
[VERSES 48-49] The sour wine was a popular, inexpensive beverage normally
consumed by soldiers and members of the lower social classes of society. It
also had the benefit of being more effective in relieving one’s thirst than water
alone. Jesus had been offered this before but had refused it (Matt. 27:34). This
drink typically was offered to victims of crucifixion, and this may have been
the reason the soldiers allowed someone to come near to Jesus on the cross.
While at least one person was moved with compassion, the rest were merely
morbidly curious and continuing in their mockery, wanting to see if Elijah
would come to save Jesus. Unlike the individual who gave Jesus a drink, these
others did nothing but watch Jesus suffer.
[VERSE 50] Matthew records two times when Jesus spoke from the cross with
a loud voice. The first was when He spoke the words about God forsaking Him
(Matt. 27:46), and the second here when Jesus shouted again with a loud voice
and gave up His spirit. The phrase translated gave up His spirit indicates that
Jesus stopped breathing. It may also underscore Jesus’ final authority over His
own life.
TIP: Is it time to
recruit a co-leader
for your group? Ask
parents of students
within the group
if they would be
interested in helping
lead or provide
administrative help
with the group.
What Jesus did, He did voluntarily. No one took His life. He gave it up of
His own will.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 59
IMPART
(10 MINUTES)
STUDY THE BIBLE
The Point: Jesus’ sacrifice is the heart of the gospel.
When the centurion and
those with him who were
guarding Jesus saw the
earthquake and all that
had happened, they were
terrified, and exclaimed,
“Surely he was the
Son of God!”
—MATTHEW 27:54
54
MATTHEW 27:54
GUIDE: Lead students in a discussion about the violent response of the world to
Jesus’ death and the reaction of those near the event.
The earth itself revolted when the Son of God hung there to die. The earth
shook and the rocks split apart (Matt. 27:51). Jesus formed and shaped the
earth—everything was created through Him (John 1:3). The very earth He
created now protested.
Those who stayed with Jesus while He hung on the cross that day—
including the centurion along with the others keeping guard—became
frightened by the earth’s response. Who wouldn’t have?
YY If you’ve ever been in a storm…
YY If you’ve ever seen the blue sky take on a greenish hue just before
the fierce winds of a tornado pass through…
YY If you’ve ever watched wall hangings first shake and then fall as the
ground moves beneath you in an earthquake…
YY If you’ve ever flown through a violent storm while the wind jerked
the plane around…
You know the fear that can rise up. At times like these, people get really
religious really fast! Even atheists will call out to God. People who haven’t
prayed in weeks or months will pray for hours. At those times, we come face
to face with our own humanity and the awesome power of God’s hand, and
we wake up and realize in just Whose world we live.
The centurion in this passage had just such an experience. So did the guards
keeping watch. Their experience at the death of Jesus led them to only one
response—this man really was God’s Son!
DISCUSS: Ask students to answer the question, “When in your own life did
you encounter the truth that Jesus is God’s Son?”
60 SESSION 5
Commentary
MATTHEW 27:54
[Verse 54] The centurion and those with him were the detachment of soldiers
tasked with crucifying Jesus and watching over His execution. The centurion
was in charge of a unit of one hundred soldiers (called a century; there were
60 centuries in a legion, divided into 10 cohorts of 6 centuries each).
The soldiers were terrified at the occurrence of the earthquake and the other
events involving Jesus’ crucifixion and death, and said, “This man really was
God’s Son!” The use of the term really means truly and indicates the certainty of
their statement about who Jesus was.
The soldiers’ statement stands in stark contrast to their previous actions of
verbally and physically mocking Jesus, as well as their false homage of Him
as “the King of the Jews.” Apart from the disciples (Matt. 14:33; 16:16), these
Gentile Roman soldiers are the first human beings to recognize Jesus’ unique
relationship with God and the significance of the events unfolding before them.
The fact that it is the Gentiles, not the Jews, who make this connection hints
at the spread of the gospel beyond Israel to all the nations of the world (see
Matt. 8:11-12).
TIP: Every session
will not wrap
up smoothly.
Some issues are
more difficult
for students
to respond to.
Be sensitive to
students’ needs
and end each
session prepared
to help students
process what
they’ve learned.
Jesus’ death—His sacrificial death for our sins—lies at the heart of the gospel.
His was a death like no other. Like the centurion and the soldiers with him, each
one of us is faced with answering the question, “Who is Jesus?” How we answer
that question is the single most important decision in our lives.
Do we deny and mock Him like the Jewish religious leaders and the Roman
soldiers before and during His crucifixion? Or, do we, like the centurion and
those with him gazing up at Jesus at the moment of His death, acknowledge
Jesus for who He really is—the Son of God and the Savior of all those who will
repent of their sins and place their faith in the sacrifice He made on our behalf
on the cross? Putting your faith in Jesus, God’s Son, means forgiveness of your
sins, love, and eternal life.
Choose wisely!
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 61
IMPACT
(10 MINUTES)
APPLY IT
READ: Ask for a volunteer to read aloud a few ways students can take what they
have learned and Apply It.
TIP: Spend time
on the responses
students give you
about their Live It
Out activities. This
can a be powerful
way to really live out
what is learned in the
session. If students
are responsive about
it each week consider
starting with it rather
than ending the
session with it.
YY Confess. Humbly ponder the pain He felt in bearing the burden of
your sins. Ask God to forgive you of your sins in light of Jesus’ death on
the cross.
YY Show gratitude. Give Jesus the gratitude that is due Him for the sacrifice
He made on your behalf. Express your gratitude by honoring Him in your
thoughts, words, and actions.
YY Invite. Invite someone to join you next week as your group discusses
what happened after Jesus died on the cross. The focus on Christ’s
resurrection is a great time to introduce someone to the gospel.
GUIDE: Lead students to consider which of the three suggested responses to
the Bible study most closely applies to them and their current circumstances.
ASK: Which of these responses do you personally need to focus on most
as you live this session out? Allow time for responses.
WRAP UP
PRAY: Close in prayer, thanking Jesus for His sacrifice that gave us our salvation
and access to a relationship with Him.
ASK: Ask students about last week’s Live It Out options. Discuss any responses
and encourage students as they choose to apply the Bible to their lives.
GUIDE: Encourage students to complete one or both of the Live It Out
activities for the week. Let them know you will discuss them next time
you meet.
For free online training on how to lead a group visit
MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesForLife
62 SESSION 5
LEADER LIVE IT OUT
To find the One Conversation™ for all
ages, visit www.BibleStudiesForLife.com.
Before the session, challenge yourself to grow with your students through this Live It Out.
Faith After a Quake | Matthew 27:54
Notes:
It took an earthquake for the centurion to realize that Jesus was who He said He
was. There’s no surprise about this occurrence, for many find faith after a traumatic
experience. Unfortunately, it is only in times like this that most of us take God
seriously. Answer the following questions:
YY Has anything ever happened in your life that made you recognize the
presence of God?
YY Are you looking for an earthquake-like experience to take God
seriously?
YY What does faith look like in everyday, earthquake-free life?
YY Why is it important to seek the Lord every day, not just when things
seem to fall apart?
ONE CONVERSATION™
Scripture: Matthew 27:28-31,45-50,54
Topic: Christ’s Death
Use these discussion starters to help foster a spiritual conversation with your family.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: We hurt when we see or experience injustice. Many of us do what we can to rescue a victim of injustice. But
what do we do when an innocent person willingly accepts injustice and undeserved punished…and does so for those who deserve
it? This is a perfect description of Jesus, because this is the very reason for which He came to earth. We are still left with the question to
answer: How will we respond?
STUDENTS
THE POINT: Jesus’ sacrifice is the heart of the gospel.
• How often do you think about all that Christ endured on the cross?
• This week, spend some time reflecting on the sacrifice of Jesus.
Discuss the following quote: “It was not nails that held Jesus to that
wretched cross; it was his unqualified resolution, out of love for his
Father, to do his Father’s will—and, within that framework, it was his
love for sinners like me.”1 — D. A. Carson
1. D. A. Carson, Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010), 30.
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both
Live It Out activities in the Personal Study Guide. Here are some
suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Forsaken for Me:
• Spend some time this week reading the account of Jesus’
crucifixion with your student.
• Encourage your student to ask questions and really dig deep
alongside you into the reality of what our sin cost.
If he or she plans to do Faith After a Quake:
• Tell your student about a moment in your life when God
became very real and true to you.
• Pray for your student to see God and realize how great,
awesome, and real He is.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 63