A. Physical Death

Roman execution left out one critical aspect of death – the killing. They beat the victim, impaled him, stretched him out and simply left him to die. Jesus died slowly in absolute agony.

B. Emotional Death

His emotional death began in the Garden of Gethsemanee. There God revealed to him that his death would be drinking the cup of God’s wrath. He woulod be robed with all the sin of the worst people who have ever lived. He would face the punishment that murderers and rapists deserve.

He would be dressed in our sin, and he would face death as a punishment.

He would be betrayed. He would be lied about. He would know the pain of being falsely accused. He would know he was truly righteous and yet suffer like a guilty man.

He would know the pain of being laughed at.

He would know the shame of being stripped and beaten.

The disciples must have been sitting on pins and needles waiting for him to finally fight back. Jesus never did. He never blew a fuse and exacted revenge on his murderers. He offered words of grace until the end.

C. Spiritual Death

He feared death like no man. He had no false hopes of a light at the end of the tunnel. He had no true hopes of his Eternal Father waiting just beyond the veil to welcome him. He had the knowledge that the Holy God waited for him in death to punish him for all the sins he bore.

He experienced true death. Death with all of its sting. Death with no false hopes. Death as a punishment for sin. Death as a separation from his heavenly father. Death as the extinguishing of all light.

Application – what does God hate?

One of the great hymns about the cross says this – When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the prince of Glory died. My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.

Why? Why is the natural reaction to the cross to hate pride?

The heart of pride is the desire to be noticed – Jesus veiled his glory.

Pride asserts itself as better, Jesus made himself the slave of all.

Pride thinks about self, Jesus completely forgot himself.

God hates your haughty eyes.