The Bible Study Podcast, episode 460. Today, the Bible Study podcast finishes the study of Matthew 27.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. This is really going to be the heart of the

gospel of Matthew today, today and next week. Today is talking about the crucifixion. So we're in

Matthew 27, starting in verse 32. As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene named Simon,

and they forced him to carry the cross.

They came to a place called Golgatha, which means the place of the skull.

There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with Gaul, but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.

When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots, and sitting down, they kept watch over him there.

Above his head,

they placed the written charge against him. This is Jesus, the king of the Jews. Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at

him, shaking their heads and saying, you who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three

days, save yourself. Come down from the cross if you are the son of God. In the same way, the chief

priest, the teachers of the law, and the elders mocked him. He saved others, they said, but he can't

save himself. He's the king of Israel. Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, I am the son of God.

In the same way, the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

It's always interesting to see which of the stories from the crucifixion different gospel writers use.

Matthew's account is, interestingly, matter of fact.

It has little details like they met a man from Cyrene called Simon.

Simon, we believe, was an early Christian that he was known to the people who were reading this

because one of the other gospel writers mentions his kids' names, and that's probably why he's included here. Because of

where he's from, we've always assumed that he is black, although we really don't know much

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