good friday 2023

The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

The Guards that received Jesus from Pilate Had no idea who he was. They had not heard him teach or seen his miracles. But they were strangers in a strange land. A land where they were hated and resented and here was a rebel called “king of the Jews” That was enough for them and they pour out their anger and their hatred on him for all the sins of the jewish people. The same peoples that had called for jesus’ crucifixion!

They dress jesus as royalty but the crown of thorns tore at his scalp and the cloak of purple burned against his flogged back. They beat him and spit on him and when they had grown tired of the sport they marched him through the morning streets of Jerusalem. While vendors sold the breads and wines that would be the perfect touch for a sabbath feast. Jesus was dragged past outside the city gates to be executed.

But he was too weak to carry the cross beam of his cross. So found another carry his cross.

Mark 15:21–24 NIV84

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.

The wine and myrrh that the offered him were for the pain, a primitive narcotic the daughters of Jerusalem were allowed to offer the captives to humanize a beastly execution.

What stood out to me as I studied this passage this week is that it is here that we see that Jesus is not passively railroaded through this journey of pain and shame. He is a purposeful participant. Though he is surrounded by pain and at the edge of even greater suffering Jesus refuses the drink. He chooses to suffer with a clear head in his darkest hour.

To experience every spasm of pain. to hear every shout mockery and to feel the bite of each of those terrible nails.

This tells us two things that there was a terrible purpose in that suffering. That was not accidental or incidental. Secondly, it was part of the divine plan. his purpose there on Golgotha was not just to die. but to suffer. To suffer for our sake! And suffer he did.

Mark 15:25–32 NIV84

It was the third hour when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews. They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

It was 9:00 am when he was hung on that cross. About the time many of us start thinking about our second cup of coffee. And from 9 to noon our crucified Christ provided some mid morning entertainment for his enemies who gathered to mock him and to enjoy their apparent victory. While Jesus struggled for every breath the wasted their breath on calling for him to show his power and “Save himself” But occupied with his great purpose Jesus made no reply. He was such a good target mark tells us those crucified beside him got into the fun as well.

But I imagine all that changed when the sky became dark at midday.

Mark 15:33–39 NIV84

At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

From noon to 3pm the sky was dark, Perhaps this darkness represented a new level of suffering for Jesus as the father poured out his wrath on the Son whom he loved. The Son who was innocent but whose purpose was our redemption.

For those who knew their prophets they would remember the words of Amos and see these darkened skies as God’s hand of judgment drawing near!

Amos 8:9 NIV84

“In that day,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.

After the sky darkened some stayed with Jesus for his last three hours. Some to gawk some to mock and some to mourn. They saw his final minutes as it is described here in mark.

His end begins with a cry of despair. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

This cry is a quote from Jesus’ earthy ancestor David’s heart as he prayed to God in Psalm 22. I would encourage you to read it at home tonight if you are able.

jesus’ cry of despair and abandonment is confused by those watching who think he is either calling for elijah, “Eloi” sounding a bit like Elijah. So one gawker looking for a miracle puts a bit of “posca” a stimulant used by roman soldiers on a sponge and feeds it to Jesus hoping to see him complete the summoning of Elijah.

But there is no last minute escape from the cross. Jesus’ purpose was to not only suffer but also to die. And after crying out he breathed his last.

Selah

Mark does not leave us waiting and wondering what effect Jesus death had.

The curtain in the temple was torn in two. And the dwelling place of God was made open to man.

And there is a witness- the centurion on duty who see’s Jesus’ suffering, his words and his death and who proclaims him to be the Son of God.

In his suffering and in his death Jesus’ profound purpose has been completed. The dwelling place of God is with man and the whole world will see and know the face of God!