Remembering Jesus' Death

Introduction

In our evening service, our church members will observe the Lord’s Supper together.

We obey the Lord’s command when we do this.

Before his death, he taught his disciples “to do this for my memorial.”

Paul told the Corinthians that “as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.”

Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are the most important historical events ever to have happened.

All of human history led to those events.

What happened to Jesus that day? We want to remember.

A Private Mocking

According to Mark 15:15, Jesus had undergone flogging after Pilate released Barabbas to the crowd.

Now the soldiers take Jesus from the flogging inside the Pilate’s palatial residence.

The whole cohort, or here we might just understand outfit, was summoned.

They dressed Jesus in purple, the color of royalty.

They crown him having weaved a thorny laurel.

They greet him with “Hail, King of the Jews.”

They were strike his head with a reed or stick.

They were spitting on him. (#6)

They were showing homage to him.

Mark clarifies for the reader that this was mockery.

Once they finished, the soldiers stripped Jesus of the purple and dressed him in his own garment.

The Supplicio

In Mark 15:20-27, Mark moves the scene to the site of the supplicio, the place of capital punishment.

The soldiers apparently commandeer an innocent bystander merely passing by as he was entering the city from the field, Simon the Cyrenian.

Because of the ordeal of suffering either the soldiers, or perhaps, Jewish women according to a written custom, offered Jesus wine mixed with myrrh as an act of kindness to ease his suffering.

Jesus did not accept.

The soldiers then crucify him and divide his garments according to the prophecy in Ps. 22.

Mark gives the time of the crucifixion…9 AM.

Seneca arguing suicide is better than crucifixion writes: “Is it worth while to weigh down on hone’s own wound and hang impaled on a gibbet in order to postpone something which is the balm of troubles, the end of punishment? Can anyone be found who would prefer wasting away in pain dying limb by limb, or letting out his life drop by drop, rather than expiring once for all? Can any man be found willing to be fastened to the accursed tree, long sickly, already deformed, swelling with ugly weals on shoulders and chest, and drawing breath of life amid long drawn-out agony? he would have many excuses for dying even before mounting the cross” (cited in Hengel, Crucifixion, 30-31).

Mark gives the posted accusation against Jesus and those crucified with him.

A Public Mocking

Now, the additional shaming of Jesus begins by the Jewish leaders.

Note the comparison between the two groups, although Mark identifies the chief priests in Mark 15:31-32.

The criminals crucified with Jesus also join in what Mark refers to as a “mocking.”

An Ominous Death

Mark quickly notes the passage of time from hour six to nine.

At noon, it comes to be dark over the whole land. This lasts for three hours.

At 3 PM, Jesus quotes from Psalm 22:1.

Notice how our attention has been brought to the cross.

What will happen?

What is happening?

We should be in awe of the straightforward account Mark gives to us.

Notice how undramatic Jesus’ death is (Mk. 15:37).

The temple vail gets rent and the centurion standing opposite Jesus’ cross attests to his deity based upon how Jesus died.

Mark concludes by naming specific individuals who witnessed all of this.