Mark 15
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Moving toward the Crucifixion
Moving toward the Crucifixion
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Well friends we start with chapter 15 in the Gospel of Mark, and if you remember at the end of chapter, 14. Jesus was arrested after being betrayed by Judas.
It is a terrible time for the disciples, they really do not understand what is happening and why— — They will in the days to follow after the resurrection as they see and walk with the resurrected Jesus.
But lets pick up where we left off last week, starting in verses 1-5 in chapter 15...
1 And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
It is interesting that Mark is going to divide the day of Jesus death into 4 periods of time, 3 hours each.. Ie… very early, 3rd, hour, 6th hour, 9th hour and evening,
It was very early when the chief priests called a early meeting with the elders and scribes, these are the other members of the Sanhedrin.
The purpose of the meeting is to inform them if that they are doing and why… But it appears in this brief reference of verse 1 that these Jewish rulers reach a decision and are ready to send Jesus to Pilate.
Pilate is the Roman governor of the area of Judea. Now we know that he holds this office from about AD 26 to AD 36. Both historians Josephus and Philo describe him as cruel and without any sensitivity for the Jewish religious beliefs or practices..
He wasn’t a nice guy...
Now Jesus has only been called the king of the Jews by his enemies, and they religious leaders brought Jesus to the Romans authorities saying.. well this man claims to be king. This would be a capital crime, in the idea what a king would oppose Caesar's rule.
And when Pilate asked him about this charge, Jesus only says you have said so… those are your words in a sense… Jesus was king, but they did not understand the manner in which he was..
And even then the religious leaders continue to make charges against Jesus. Now we are not told what these charges are, but from the textual witness, Jesus gave no answer about it.
Now verse 4, Pilate is amazed at Jesus… he speaks to him, they bring many charges against you, are you not going to say anything to defend yourself.
Most people in that situation would speak up hoping to settle the false accusations, but Jesus just remained quiet. Pilate is perhaps in a little awe of Jesus, the control he had and the fact that He is just different. he doesn’t know how different He really is...
Now lets move forward and look at verses 6-7 Mark 15:6-7
6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas.
Now it was the custom of the day, in a matter to appease the Jewish people, that at this time of year, the authorities released one of their own people instead of carrying out a capital death penalty. This was like a gift given to the people in “goodwill.”
And in prison at this time was a man by the name of Barabbas. Now Barabbas, to me well he is like having a person was certainly was evil and deserving of the death penalty. He was a well known figure,a insurrectionist, a murder, one who opposed Rome and tried to start a rebellion.
Now lets look at verses 8-10 Mark 15:8-10
8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.
Pilate, well lets just say, he is smarter than the average bear, why.. Mark tells us that Pilate perceived that the whole issue was over envy, they religious leaders were opposed to Jesus, they didn’t like his popularity and they fact that the people were coming out to him and not them.
The religious leaders hate Jesus but mainly because he pointed out their sin and lead the people truthfully and it was cutting into their bottom line.
Now verse 8 the crowd had asked Pilate to do for them as was his custom, to release a prisoner to them as a gift. And so Pilate, asked, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews...
Now verses 11-15 Mark 15:11-15
11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
How sad, the chief priests who was supposed to lead the people in righteousness, does what is evil and stirs up the crowd, provokes them, and called for them to ask for Barabbas the murder over this innocent Jesus.
At hearing this, Pilate asked them point blank, what would you have me to do with Jesus, the king of the Jews. And the people cried out in verse 13, crucify him…
Wow, they called for capital punishment, they called for his death. and Pilate seems to be so confused… and rightly so, there is nothing that has been told to him that is really deserving of death.
Pilate’s words are simple Why? what has he done.… Jesus is innocent, and Pilate is confused - but what Pilate doesn’t understand is that God is the one who is a work to accomplish His will to redeem the world.
But Pilate is a politician. He gives into the crowd. Why? Well is the issue gets to loud and words get back to Rome, well Pilate could be removed so he has a fine line of balancing the will of Rome with the blessing of the people.
Pilate gives into the people, and releases to them Barabbas and has Jesus delivered up to be flogged or scourged, and then He delivered him over to be crucified.
The death sentence has been passed, Jesus will be crucified, but please understand, Jesus will lay down his life, they do not take it from him.
You know crucifixion was so terrible that Roman citizens were exempt from this punishment. You could be put to death, but not that way.
Now lets look at verses 16-20 as Jesus is mocked...
16 And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18 And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.
Having been handed over to the Roman soldiers , they led him away, taking him inside the palace area where the courtyard is located. They are taking him into an area where all the soldiers were present.
The soldiers bring him to the area. And here they mocked him, placing a purple robe on Jesus. The robe would symbolize a king or royalty, and twisting together a crown of thrones, they placed it upon his head as if it was a crown.
Now the cohort, or company of soldiers are there and they are mocking Jesus, they saluted him, in a way like they would to Caesar, saying Hail, king of the Jews… he is called a king and they are referring to him as such.. but there no respect here, no devotion or care.
They beat him with a reed, hitting him on his head, they spit upon our Lord and they knelt down in honor… still mocking him and assaulting him.
The beating of Jesus fulfills Isa 50:6
6 I gave my back to those who strike,
and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
from disgrace and spitting.
And also Mic 5:1
1 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;
siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike the judge of Israel
on the cheek.
The mocking of Jesus fulfills two OT words Ps 22:6
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Finally they stripped the purple robe off his body and dressed him in his own clothes again, and they led him out to be crucified.
Now this last section, the last 20 verses covers the way of suffering all the way to the place where He is crucified.
Lets look at verses 21-22 Mark 15:21-22
21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull).
As they are heading out of that area to make their way out of the city, they find a man Simon of Cyrene and they had him bear the cross of Jesus. Why?
In this short amount of time, they have almost beat him death. He is bloody and weak, weary and has suffered much...
Now Simon of Cyrene has been remembered and even the names of his children, for we are told he is the father of Alexander and Rufus. Simon is there to worship and celebrate the Passover most likely from what we can tell. Most likely a Jew but it was possible he could have been a God-fearer, a proselyte.
They finaly come to the place called Golgotha, the place of the skull.
Now verses 23-26 Mark 15:23-26
23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.”
Now as they get him ready for this suffering they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, now this was like a narcotic drink to make it more bearable and less of suffering. But Jesus did not take it.
He faced death in complete control of his own mortal flesh.
They crucified Jesus casting lots for this garments, these who faced his death were stripped naked and faced not only death but humiliation. Now the garments are important, clothing was more valuable in that day, it was like a little extra pay for those who were carrying out the sentencing
Psalm 22:18 says “18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
And it was the 3rd hour… 9am when they crucified Jesus...and they charges for which he faced death were placed upon his head, which was a common practice. But for Jesus it simply read, “The King of the Jews.”
Now the 3rd hour is important, it has taken about 3 hours from the time the High Priest pulled the council together and then getting him to Pilate etc...to this time the 3rd hour.
Now lets look at verses 27-32 Mark 15:27-32
27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.
So we are told, they crucified two robbers with Jesus. One on his left and one on his right.
And as Jesus hung there on the cross, people walked by, namely the religious leaders and some others deriding him, mocking him.. oh the one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in 3 days… save yourslef and come down from that cross
The High Priest and scribes mocked Jesus saying to one another, “He saved others he cannot save himself...” Let the Christ, the King of the Jews come down that we may see and believe.
Could you imagine for a moment if he had… but they reviled him all the more. Mocking him, condemning him...
Now lets look at verses 33-36 Mark 15:33-36
33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.”
By the time noon comes, the 6th hour we find that darkness is now over the land. And it remains dark the Scripture says until the ninth hour, or 3pm.
Darkness here is important, while we might often think it refers to evil or the victory of evil here, we know that is not the case, it refers to more likely a sign of the coming judgment.
It was darkness that proceed the judgment that fell on Egypt.
But thinking about the coming of Judgment listen to Amos 8:9–10
“9 “And on that day,” declares the Lord God, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. 10 I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.”
Now many have tried to predict how the darkness happened, but please know it was a supernatural act of God during one of the darkest times in history , the crucifixion of the Son of God.
And at the 9th hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice.. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me… the words we are told of course are the Aramaic, the language they spoke..
God had not forsaken the son, but we see the consequences of sin. Sin separates us from God and in the moment He bore the the sins of humanity upon his own life, being both the scape goat and the sacrificeal lamb whose blood was shed.
Jesus blood was shed to atone for that sin to remove the separation that kept us distant from God.
He bore our sin upon His own life and in that moment, Jesus was separated from the Father. God had not abandoned him, no.. but sin has terrible consequences. That is why God gave his own son.
And some wondered if he was calling on Elijah to come and take him down. Elijah being the last own they know who have not experienced a natural death. Elijah being the one who represents the entire entire group of the prophets.
Now the last section verses 37-42 Mark 15:37-42
37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.
42 And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
Mark tells us that this is the second time Jesus cries out on the cross and this time be breathed his last and gave up his spirit. He didn't die defeated, he didn't die beaten, this was a victory’s cry for He has completed the sacrifice necessary to the Father.
The tearing of the Temple curtain, the curtain that separated the holy place of the temple from the holy of holies where the Ark of the covenant lay.
This symbolizes the destruction of the temple and rendered the sacrificial system no longer valid since God has now opened the access of man to God with the death of his own son.
Verse 39 gives us one o fthe most glorious confessions, the soldier who was there before Jesus witness all of this, here is a man who is a pagan, a non believer but he says surely He was the son of God
Verses 40-41 is the first of 3 references to women disciples, , the others are at the burial and the empty tomb
Mary magalene, Jesus cast 7 demons out of her Luke 8:2, Some think she is the sinner, prostitute of Luke &.
Mary the wife of Clopas, not th emother of Jesus.
In verse 41 there was a band of female disciples who followed jesus almost as much as the men, they appeared to minister to their needs ( Jesus and the men) by preparing means and takeing care of clothing issues, mending and so forth perhaps.
Now verses 42-47 Mark 15:42-47
42 And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45 And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
Here Mark wants to explain to the Gentiles perhaos about the Jewish customs and speaking here of preparation day.
The jewish sabbath was Saturday, therefore preparation day was friday.
Now speaking of evening it would refer to the time about a hour or two before and after sunset. And we know at 6pm on Friday the Sabbath began.
Now since Jesus and these theives have been crucfied on this day, they could not be left hanging on the crosses with the Sabbath getting ready to begin
Listen to the command of Deut 21:22-23...
Deuteronomy 21:22–23 “22 “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.”
Now for Jesus, we find Joseph of Arimathea (member of the Sanhedrin, well respected and secret disciple of Jesus ) who has gathered the courage of going to Pilate and asking for the body of Jesus.
Pilate was surprised to hear he was already dead and sends for a confirmation, upon hearing Jesus is dead, Pilate grants the body of Jesus to Joseph.
Now Joseph along with Nicodimus, (John 19:39) take the body of Jesus and prepare it for burial, wrapped him in a linen shroud and laid him in the tomb and rolled a stone over this new tomb.
Mary Magdalene and this other Mary saw the place where they laid him ..
Vicotry is coming...
