Although Christ had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth, He was crucified and was assigned by man a grave with the wicked, but in God’s sovereignty, He was “with a rich man in His death” (Isa. 53:9; Matt. 27:57-60). While the Lord Jesus was dying on the cross, many evil things and sufferings came to Him. Some people treated Him evilly, and others mocked Him. Everything in His environment was dark. Despite the evil events and His considerable suffering, Christ endured them all and passed through them victoriously. After the Lord’s death, His situation immediately changed from suffering to honor. Joseph, an honorable member of the Council and a rich man of Arimathea, went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Moreover, Nicodemus, a Jewish ruler (John 3:1), brought mixed spices of myrrh and aloes. These two prepared the Lord’s body for burial (19:38-40; Mark 15:43; Matt. 27:57-58). Then, as in Isaiah’s prophecy, Christ was buried in the new tomb of the rich man, Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:41; Matt. 27:59-60).
Christ was put to death in shame, but He was buried in honor and rested in human honor. According to God’s sovereignty, He rested in the highest standard of human honor, waiting for the time to resurrect from among the dead.
There are many prophecies in Psalms 22, 34, 40, and 69 concerning Christ’s death. He was reproached by men and despised by people. All who saw Him derided Him, sneered at Him, and shook their heads. Even though Christ suffered, He still trusted in God, because He had trust in God even while He was at His mother’s breasts. While He was being crucified, fierce men encompassed Him. They opened their mouth at Him like a ravening and roaring lion. Evil men, as a congregation of evildoers, surrounded and enclosed Him like dogs. They divided His garments to themselves, and for His clothing they cast lots. On the cross Christ was poured out like water, all His bones were out of joint, His heart melted like wax, His strength was dried up like a shard, and His tongue was stuck to His jaws. On the cross Christ’s hands, feet, and side were pierced. Blood and water came out of His pierced side to take away sins on the negative side and to dispense life on the positive side. God caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Christ, making Him the Substitute for unrighteous sinners. God considered Christ an offering for sin, making Him sin on our behalf and judging Him. Christ would not be stupefied; rather, He drank the bitter cup to the dregs. Moreover, not one of His bones was broken. This indicates that in Christ is an unbreakable and indestructible eternal life that can be dispensed into His believers. By being the sacrifice that satisfies God and man, Christ in His flesh offered Himself to God once for all and put away sin, thereby doing the will of God.
Isaiah 53 prophesied concerning Christ’s vicarious death and His burial. Christ bore our sicknesses and carried our sorrows, was wounded because of our transgressions, and was crushed because of our iniquities. The chastening for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we have been healed. Christ was oppressed and afflicted, but He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that is dumb before its shearers, He did not open His mouth. Those who were with Jesus did not realize His vicarious death; they esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. However, His oppression, suffering, and persecution were for us. He died a vicarious death. Christ was numbered with the transgressors, but He alone bore the sin of many. While on the cross, Christ interceded not only for the transgressors who were beside Him, one of whom confessed and repented immediately, but also for those who were killing Him, asking the Father to forgive them for their sins committed in ignorance. Christ had done no violence nor was there any deceit in His mouth, but He was crucified and was assigned by man a grave with the wicked. But in God’s sovereignty, He was with a rich man in His death. He rested in the highest standard of human honor, waiting for resurrection. He died because Jehovah was pleased to crush Him and make Him an offering for sin. Christ poured out His human life as an offering by passing through death and shedding His blood. His death was altogether a vicarious death.