From Mockery to Majesty: The Path of the Cross Mark 15:16-32

As we begin this morning, please turn in your copies of God’s Word to Mark 15:16-32. We will be reading some of those verses shortly, so please have them marked and ready for that time.

Our past 2 weeks, as we looked at Mark 15:1-15, in messages title Pilate on Trial, in some detail a lot of the history associated with Pilate, and how this trial was, in many ways for a trial of Pilate than it was of Jesus. How the multiple mis-steps of Pilate during his years as the governor of Judah, had put him at odds with the nation he had been charged to govern, and how he appeared to be in a position where if he didn’t get this right, he could loose his position as governor, which could ultimately cost him his life.

Moving forward, we looked at the apparent 180 that had taken place with the Israelites in 5 short days, from the Triumphal Entry on Sunday, with shouts of Hosanna to the King, Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord, to shouts of Give us Barabbas and Crucify Jesus on Friday.

We closed out by considering the reality that, while it may have appeared that Jesus was on trial before the Sanhedrin, Herod & Pilate, ultimately His trial was before God the Father, and He stood clothed that day not in His own guilt, for He was righteous in every way. Rather, He stood clothed in the filthy rags of our guilt, and thus He, the spotless Lamb of God, with the weight of the sins of all mankind, past present and future, thrust upon His shoulders. As a result, He drank the cup of the wrath of God, let me change that, He drank the cup of the wrath of God that we should have drank, clothed in the filthy rags of our guilt, that we, based on faith and trust in Him, based on our confession of sin and repentance, would be clothed in His righteousness, and thus be given His cup of blessing.

Let’s go before the Lord in prayer;

Heavenly Father,

What a marvelous morning we have had so far. And what a privilege it is for us to be able gather together in a time of prayer, then to corporately sing songs of praise and worship-lifting high Your Name as we consider You as our Shepherd. To move from there to reciting aloud together Psalm 23, where we see a beautiful portrait of You as the Great Shepherd of the sheep, Who walks with us, even in the Valley of the shadow of death, Who prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, and in the end paves the way, through Your death on the Cross of Calvary, for us to dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

Then, Father, to sing hymns of You, The Lamb of Glory, the precious Lamb of Glory, love’s most wonderous story, heart of God, redemption of man, we worship the Lamb of Glory. To sing of You, O God Our Help in Ages Past, our hope for years to come, and not just for years to come but for all of eternity. To know that one day, because of what You accomplished on the cross, we will be Face to face with Christ our Savior, O the blissful moment. Until that glorious day, we will seek You, that All the Way, You our Savior would lead us, because we know, whate’er befall us, Jesus doeth all things well.

Now Father, as we look into the pages of Your Word, particularly this mornings as we move even closer to the cross, we ask that You, through the Holy Spirit, would speak to us in a powerful way. May You find in us soft hearts, pliable and ready to be molded, that we would be transformed by the renewing of our minds, surrendered fully to You.

This we pray in Jesus Name, Amen

Now, would you please stand, in honr of the reading of God’s Word?

Mark 15:16–22 ESV

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. 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).

I’m not sure that many weeks have gone by as we have gone through the Gospel of Mark that you have not heard me mention the sovereignty of God, and we will certainly looking more at this as we walk the path leading to the cross. Particularly as we look at the fulfilled prophecies surrounding the Suffering Savior, prophecies like those in Isaiah 53, Psalm 22 and other passages. But the sovereignty of God doesn’t end with just the fulfilled prophecies, it actually extends in other areas we may not consider, and some of those areas paved the way for fulfilled prophecy. Let me give you an example.

While Isaiah 53 is rightly considered the Prophecy of the Suffering Servant, perhaps the passage from the Old Testament that paints the most vivid picture of all that took place during the crucifixion is what we read in Psalm 22. We will consider some of the portrait painted by King David in the coming weeks as we look at the crucifixion, but I’d like to look at one specific detail we see from the inspired words of David, where God’s sovereignty over all things, down to the minutest detail, was at work in an incredibly powerful way. We see this detail in Psalm 22:16, let’s take a look at this together for a moment.

Psalm 22:16 ESV

For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—

Theologians tell us that David wrote this Psalm in 1044 BC. Now perhaps you are thinking; “Thanks for the information Pastor Jim, but why is this relevant to me in 2025?” Which is an excellent question, it is very astute of you to ask me this question. When David wrote these words, there were many various forms of capital punishment that were prevalent in those days.

In China in 1044 BC, capital punishment consisted of things like dismemberment by chariot. You can use your imagination on how that worked. They would also boil people alive as well as several other forms of capital punishment.

In ancient Egypt, capital punishment consisted of burning the victim alive, drowning, decapitation, Impalement, among other modes of punishment.

In ancient Mesopotamia, they would use impalement, burning, “an eye for an eye”, where the punishment fit the crime, to vicarious punishment where another family member, like a son, may be put to death for a crime a father committed.

In ancient Greece, they used stoning, drowning, throwing from a cliff as well as a few other forms of death.

In Israel in 1044 BC, the most common form of capital punishment was stoning, as was prescribed in the Mosaic Law. They also used death by sword, burning, hanging as well as a couple other types of death.

While each of these deaths were particularly gruesome, none of them would have accomplished what King David wrote in Psalm 22:16, where we specifically read; “they have pierced my hands and feet”. In fact, a form of capital punishment that would even begin to fulfill what we read in Psalm 22:16 did not even start until close to 500 years later in 519 BC when King Darius, the very one we read of in the OT book of Daniel, re-conquered the Babylonian Empire. Historians tell us that upon the great Persian King’s victory, he had 3,000 Babylonians crucified as a deterrent to any of his political opponents. However, even Persian crucifixions would not have fulfilled what King David writes about. Persian victims were crucified by tying those being crucified to a pole, or a tree.

In the 3rd century BC, the Roman Empire adapted crucifixion, and sought to, in their eyes, perfect it as a particularly gruesome form of death. Even still, Roman crucifixion would not have fulfilled the prophetic words of King David. That is until sometime during the 1st Century BC, when they began to nail those being punished to a cross by their hands and feet.

So, while David wrote of the hands and feet being pierced in 1044 BC, it would be close to 1,000 years before we see this type of thing taking place.

This is one of the many things that causes me to marvel at the sovereignty of our great God. He, through the Holy Spirit, inspired David to prophetically write of the piercing of the hands and feet, a thousand years of more before this type of capital punishment began to take place. Then, He began to weave the threads of history together, behind the scenes, in ways no one could see or even fathom, so that the tapestry of the future missed not a single prophetic word of things that didn’t even exist when the words were first uttered.

Summary: In Mark 15:16-32, Jesus faces profound humiliation as He is mocked by soldiers and the crowd during His crucifixion. The passage illustrates the painful irony that the true Messiah, who came to save humanity, is subjected to scorn and derision. Moments of mockery illuminate the stark contrast between worldly perceptions of power and the hidden strength in Jesus' sacrificial love, inviting reflection on how the world often misunderstands the nature of true kingship.

Application: For believers, this passage highlights the importance of recognizing that true strength often appears weak in the eyes of the world. It encourages Christians to understand that enduring ridicule for one’s faith can be a testament to their commitment to Christ. The sermon could inspire individuals to live out their faith boldly, even in the face of societal pressure, embracing their identity as children of the King.

Teaching: This sermon teaches that the road to redemption is often paved with suffering and rejection, providing a framework for understanding how the world often fails to recognize God's greater plan. It reinforces the idea that embracing humility and sacrificial love, like Jesus, renders believers resilient and faithful, transforming their trials into opportunities for growth and witness.

How this passage could point to Christ: This passage fits into the broader biblical narrative by showcasing Jesus as the rejected stone that becomes the cornerstone of God's redemptive work. His mockery serves as a precursor to His eventual resurrection, affirming that apparent defeat in the world's eyes leads to ultimate victory in God's kingdom, which is central to the gospel message.

Big Idea: God’s glorious purposes often unfold through our moments of weakness; what the world sees as failure, God uses to reveal His true power and authority.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider exploring in Logos the cultural significance of mockery and humiliation in ancient Roman society which is critical to understanding this passage. Investigate theological commentaries that discuss the irony of Jesus' kingship demonstrated through His suffering. Additionally, examining the prophetic implications found in the connected Old Testament scripture could help deepen your insights into the fate of the Messiah's suffering and its impact on our understanding of power.

1. Soldiers' Sham Kingship

Mark 15:16-20

You could explore how the soldiers' mockery of Jesus with a crown of thorns and a purple robe represents the world's misunderstanding of true authority. This irony underscores Jesus' identity as King of Kings, suggesting that our vulnerability is often misjudged as weakness by the world, much like it was for Christ. Emphasize that believers are invited to wear spiritual crowns with humility, bearing witness to Christ’s strength through their weaknesses.

2. Simon’s Substitutionary Strength

Mark 15:21-25

Perhaps discuss the role of Simon of Cyrene who carries Jesus' cross, symbolizing servanthood and participation in Christ’s suffering. This act of service highlights the strength found in sharing burdens. Encourage the audience to carry each other's burdens, knowing that such acts of humility are noble and powerful in the eyes of God, and often viewed as weakness by the world, yet are essential for living out one’s faith.

3. Mockery Meets Majesty

Mark 15:26-32

You could highlight the irony of the crowds mocking Jesus to save Himself as He remains on the cross, fulfilling His mission. This segment of the passage illustrates the ultimate demonstration of power in sacrifice. Challenge Christians to see past immediate suffering to a greater purpose, recognizing that true victory often comes through enduring hardships faithfully and seeing God's power made perfect in our perceived weaknesses.