Suffering Savior

Mark 15:33–39 KJV 1900

33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. 37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.

The Savior Who Stayed on the Cross

Text: Mark 15:33-39

Main Idea: In Mark 15:33-39, Jesus Christ reveals Himself as the Suffering, Scorned, and Sacrificial Savior who endured the cross to accomplish redemption for sinful humanity. His suffering was not accidental, His rejection was not meaningless, and His death was not defeat, but the very plan of God to satisfy divine justice and extend saving mercy (Isaiah 53:5-6; Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 3:18). Because Jesus stayed on the cross and finished the work the Father gave Him to do, sinners can now come boldly to God through faith in the crucified and risen Son (John 19:30; Hebrews 10:19-22; Romans 5:1-2).

Introduction

There are moments in the Word of God that do not ask for casual reading. They demand consecrated reflection. They call for holy attention. They require us to slow our pace, settle our hearts, and stand still long enough to see what God is saying (Psalm 46:10; Ecclesiastes 5:1-2). Calvary is one of those moments. The cross is not merely a religious symbol to be admired. It is the center of our salvation, the place where justice and mercy kissed, the place where sin was judged, wrath was satisfied, and grace was extended to guilty sinners (Psalm 85:10; Isaiah 53:5-6; Romans 3:25-26).

If we had stood on that hill called Golgotha, we would have seen a scene that would have shaken the strongest among us. We would have seen a Savior wounded, bleeding, and dying between heaven and earth (Luke 23:33; John 19:18). To some, it looked like weakness. To others, it looked like failure. To the enemies of Jesus, it looked like the end. But to those who know the gospel, it was not the end. It was the divine plan of God unfolding before the eyes of men (Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27-28). Jesus Christ was not dying because He lost control. Jesus Christ was dying because He came to save (Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10). He was not simply suffering at the hands of men. He was sacrificing Himself for the sins of the world (John 1:29; 1 Peter 3:18).

Mark writes this scene with sacred simplicity. He does not burden the text with excess commentary. He lets the darkness speak. He lets the cry speak. He lets the mockery speak. He lets the torn veil speak. He lets the centurion’s confession speak. And when you read these verses carefully, every detail is preaching one sermon: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and Jesus Christ is the only Savior for sinful men (Mark 15:33-39; John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

And before we celebrate a risen Lord, we must first look again at a crucified Lord. Before we rejoice in the empty tomb, we must stand beneath the old rugged cross (1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 6:14). Because there is no resurrection without crucifixion. There is no victory without sacrifice. There is no Easter morning without Good Friday afternoon (Luke 24:6-7; Hebrews 9:26-28). If He had not died, we could not live. If He had not suffered, we could not be saved. If He had not taken our place, we would still be lost in our sins (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24).

So on this Easter Sunday morning, Mark invites us to behold the Savior on the cross. And when we look carefully, we see three great truths about our Lord (Hebrews 12:2-3).

I. The Suffering Savior (Mark 15:33-34)

A. He Suffered in Shadows (Mark 15:33)

“And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.” - It is dark at high noon, when the sun should have been shining at its strongest, darkness covered the land. A divine darkness covered the land as heaven pulled the shades on human history to declare that something holy, heavy, and redemptive was taking place at Calvary (Amos 8:9; Exodus 10:21-23).

Throughout the Bible, darkness signals judgment, sorrow, and the seriousness of sin (Joel 2:1-2; Zephaniah 1:14-15). So when darkness descends at the cross, God is showing us that Jesus is entering into the deep waters of suffering for us. He is not just enduring physical pain, though the pain was real. He is not merely bleeding from a Roman beating, though the blood was real. He is entering the awful place where the judgment due to sinners is being laid upon the sinless Son of God (Isaiah 53:4-6; Romans 8:3).

It was a dark day. The darkness was saying that sin is not small and holiness is not casual. It was saying that redemption is costly. It was a dark day, as Jesus was bearing more than nails in His hands and thorns on His brow. He was bearing our guilt. He was carrying our shame. It was a dark day, as He took upon Himself the full burden of human sin (Isaiah 53:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Every proud thought, every wicked deed, every hidden rebellion, every public transgression, every stain of Adam’s fallen race was being placed upon the spotless Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:18-19). It was a dark day!

When you see the darkness at noon, you ought to remember that Jesus walked into your darkness so you would not have to die in it. He stepped under judgment so you could step into grace. He entered wrath so you could receive mercy. He moved into the shadow so you could walk in the light of God (John 8:12; Colossians 1:13-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5).

Somebody listening to me today knows what darkness feels like. Darkness in your mind. Darkness in your home. Darkness in your marriage. Darkness in your body. Darkness in your finances. Darkness in your soul. But no child of God has ever known the darkness Christ endured on the cross (Psalm 23:4; Micah 7:8). He went lower than your sorrow so He could lift you higher than your sin. He went deeper than your pain so He could secure your peace (Isaiah 26:3; Romans 5:1). That is why He is not just a suffering man. He is the Suffering Savior (Hebrews 2:9-10).

B. He Suffered in Separation from God (Mark 15:34)

“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” This question is sacred and weighty. These words are not to be handled lightly. We are standing on holy ground when we hear the Son cry out from the cross (Mark 15:34).

Jesus is quoting Psalm 22, which reminds us that even in His agony He is fulfilling prophecy and completing the redemptive plan of God (Psalm 22:1; Luke 24:44). But this is not the cry of a faithless man. This is not the cry of a Savior who has lost confidence in the Father. This is the cry of the sin-bearing Substitute. This is the cry of the One who is standing in our place, enduring what we deserved because of our sin (Isaiah 53:5-6; Galatians 3:13).

Now we must speak carefully, but we must speak clearly. The Son did not cease to be God. The divine nature did not dissolve. The Trinity did not break apart. But in the mystery of His mediatorial suffering, Jesus experienced the awful abandonment connected to divine judgment against sin. He who had known eternal fellowship with the Father now bears in His humanity the horror of being forsaken judicially as our substitute (John 1:1; John 10:30; Philippians 2:6-8).

That means what should have fallen on us fell on Him. The separation we deserved, He endured. The judgment we owed, He absorbed. The abandonment that belonged to our rebellion was laid upon His holy soul (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23). He was forsaken so that everybody who trusts Him would never have to be forsaken by God (Hebrews 13:5-6; Romans 8:32-39).

That is why the believer can testify, I may be under pressure, but I am not abandoned. I may be brokenhearted, but I am not abandoned. I may be misunderstood, but I am not abandoned. I may walk through fiery trials, but I do not walk alone (Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 43:2; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Because Jesus was forsaken at Calvary, the child of God can be forever accepted in Christ (Ephesians 1:6; Romans 5:1-2).

And do not miss the tenderness even in His agony. He still says, “My God, my God.” He suffers, but He still trusts. He is wounded, but He still obeys. He is abandoned judicially, but He still fulfills the Word of God faithfully (Psalm 22:1; Hebrews 5:8; John 19:28-30). What a Savior. What holy endurance. What matchless love. He suffered in shadows, and He suffered in separation, all so sinners like us could be brought near to God (1 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 2:13). What Wondrous Love Is This 1 What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul! What wondrous love is this, O my soul! What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul, to bear the dreadful curse for my soul.\

2 When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down, when I was sinking down, O my soul! When I was sinking down beneath God's righteous frown, Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul, Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

II. The Scorned Savior (Mark 15:35-36)

As Mark moves from the cry of the Savior to the voices of the crowd, he shows us just how deep human sinfulness really goes. Jesus is dying before their eyes. He is suffering in their sight. He is giving Himself for sinners in plain view of the public, and yet the people around Him do not respond with repentance. They do not respond with worship. They do not respond with gratitude. They respond with confusion, with contempt, and with cruel unbelief (John 1:10-11; Isaiah 53:3).

A firefighter once rushed into a burning house after hearing that a child was still trapped inside. Smoke filled the rooms, flames stretched up the walls, and the heat intensified with every second. Yet he kept pressing forward. He found the child, wrapped that little one in his coat, and carried the child back through the fire to safety. But when he stepped outside, burned and short of breath, one distraught bystander began yelling at him, criticizing him, blaming him, and speaking against him as though he had done wrong. The firefighter did not stop to defend himself, because he had already given himself to save the one in danger.

That only gives us a faint glimpse of Calvary. Our Lord Jesus Christ was suffering, bleeding, and dying to save sinners, yet the crowd answered His sacrifice with scorn. They misread His words. They mocked His pain. They watched His suffering like a spectacle. Still, Jesus remained on the cross. He did not come down. He did not answer ridicule with wrath. He endured their rejection because redemption was on His mind. The same hands that could have called judgment chose instead to remain stretched wide in love (Luke 23:34; Romans 5:8).

A. They Marked His Suffering (Mark 15:35)

The text says, “And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.” They heard the sound of His voice, but they missed the sense of His suffering. They heard His cry, but they did not understand His heart. They listened with natural ears, but they had no spiritual discernment. They took the holy words of the Savior and twisted them into something shallow and mistaken (1 Corinthians 2:14).

That is the tragedy of the human heart. Men can stand close to Jesus and still miss Him. They can hear Scripture and still not receive its truth. They can be around sacred things while remaining spiritually blind. The issue was not that Jesus was unclear. The issue was that their hearts were hardened. They had eyes, but they did not see. They had ears, but they did not hear (Isaiah 6:9-10; Mark 8:18).

And there are still people like that right now. They admire Jesus as a moral teacher, but not as the crucified Christ. They respect Him as an example, but not as an atoning Savior. They enjoy the blessings associated with church, but they resist surrendering to the lordship of Jesus. They want comfort without confession. They want inspiration without transformation. They want a crown without a cross (John 6:26-27; Matthew 16:24-25).

The crowd at Calvary marked His suffering, but they missed His significance. They saw the event, but they did not grasp the meaning. They were near the cross physically, but far from Christ spiritually. And that ought to challenge everybody in this assembly today. It is possible to sit in church, hear good preaching, sing gospel songs, and still miss the true meaning of Jesus Christ if the heart has never bowed to Him in saving faith (Matthew 15:8; Titus 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:5).

B. They Mocked His Suffering (Mark 15:36)

Then Mark writes, “And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.” Even in the final moments of His earthly suffering, Jesus is surrounded by mockery. There is no wave of sympathy from the crowd. There is no tender compassion from the watchers. There is contempt at the cross (Psalm 69:21; Matthew 27:48-49).

And this is the ugliness of sin. Men can watch the Son of God die and still turn His agony into amusement. They can stand before bleeding love and remain unmoved. - They can look upon mercy in flesh and mock the very One who came to save them. - The One who healed the sick is mocked. - The One who opened blind eyes is mocked. - The One who raised the dead is mocked. - The One who fed the multitude is mocked. - The One who came to redeem is mocked (Matthew 11:4-5; John 11:43-44; Mark 6:41-44).

This reminds us that the natural heart does not honor Christ. Human pride resists a crucified Savior because the cross destroys our self-righteousness. - The cross tells us we are not good enough to save ourselves. - The cross tells us our sin is deeper than we imagined. But the cross also tells us that God’s love is greater than we dared to believe (Romans 3:10-12; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 4:9-10).

And here is the wonder that ought to make the church shout. Jesus stayed on the cross while they mocked Him. He had the power to come down, but He stayed. He had the authority to judge them where they stood, but He endured. He had legions of angels available to Him, but He remained in His place because our redemption required His sacrifice (Matthew 26:53-54; John 10:17-18).

That means your salvation is not hanging on human approval. It is secured by divine commitment. It is not built on what men said about Jesus. It is built on what Jesus chose to do for men. He endured the laughter, the insults, the misunderstanding, and the shame because He had your salvation on His heart. He was scorned so you might be saved (Hebrews 12:2; Romans 5:6-8).

So when the world laughs at your faith, remember they laughed at your Savior first. When the gospel is treated lightly, remember Christ Himself was treated lightly. When the name of Jesus is mocked in this generation, do not lose heart. Calvary already showed us how far sinful men will go in rejecting the Son of God. But Calvary also showed us how far God will go in redeeming those who trust Him (John 15:18-20; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:12-14).

III. The Sacrificial Savior (Mark 15:37-38)

A. His Sacrifice Was Willful (Mark 15:37)

“And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.” Mark is careful with his language because he wants us to see that Jesus did not simply slip away in weakness. He cried with a loud voice, and then He gave up the ghost. There is intention in that statement. There is sovereignty in that statement. There is purpose in that statement. Jesus was not merely dying. Jesus was laying down His life (John 10:17-18).

The cross was not an interruption in the ministry of Jesus. The cross was the mission of Jesus. He did not come merely to teach. He did not come merely to heal. He did not come merely to confront hypocrisy. He came to die. He came to offer Himself. He came to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45; Hebrews 10:5-10).

So when Jesus gave up the ghost, Rome did not take His life. -The Sanhedrin did not take His life. - Judas did not take His life. Pilate did not take His life. - The nails did not take His life. Jesus laid it down willingly, lovingly, obediently, and victoriously (John 19:10-11; Acts 2:23).

And that is shouting news for every sinner in the room. Because if He had gone unwillingly, we might question His love. If He had died accidentally, we might question the plan of God. But because He laid down His life deliberately, we can rest in the certainty that our redemption is anchored in eternal love and divine purpose (Revelation 13:8; Romans 8:28-32).

He did not die reluctantly.

He did not die resentfully.

He did not die under protest. He died willingly.

He loved us enough to stay on the cross.

He loved us enough to shed His blood.

He loved us enough to bow His head in death so we could lift our heads in hope (John 15:13; Romans 5:8; Hebrews 12:2).

B. His Sacrifice Was Worthy (Mark 15:38)

“And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.” This is not a small detail buried in the crucifixion narrative. This is one of the most powerful declarations in the whole passage. The veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. It stood as a testimony that a holy God could not be approached casually by sinful people. That veil was a visible reminder that sin had created a barrier between God and man (Exodus 26:31-33; Hebrews 9:6-8).

To understand the weight of this moment, you have to go back to the Old Testament. In the tabernacle, God instructed Moses to make a veil of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim skillfully woven into it. It was hung on pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold and sockets of silver (Exodus 26:31-32). This was not mere decoration. This was divine theology in fabric. The colors spoke of glory, royalty, sacrifice, and purity. The fine linen pointed to holiness. The cherubim reminded worshipers that access to God’s presence was guarded. Just as cherubim stood at Eden after sin entered the world, the veil silently declared that sinful humanity could not simply stroll back into the presence of a holy God (Genesis 3:24; Leviticus 16:2).

Its function was just as important as its design. The veil marked off the Most Holy Place, where the ark and the mercy seat signified the unique presence of God among His people (Exodus 25:21-22; Hebrews 9:3-5). Priests served regularly in the Holy Place, but beyond that veil no ordinary person could go. Even the high priest could only enter once a year on the Day of Atonement, and not without blood. He entered carefully, reverently, and representatively (Leviticus 16:11-17; Hebrews 9:7). That veil was preaching every day: God is holy, sin is serious, and access to God is costly (Psalm 24:3-4; Habakkuk 1:13).

When Solomon’s temple was built, that message remained the same. The temple veil continued to bear witness that there was distance between a holy God and sinful man (2 Chronicles 3:14). So when Mark tells us that the veil was torn, he is telling us that something greater than temple furniture had changed. A barrier that had stood for generations was opened by the death of Jesus Christ (Mark 15:38).

And notice how it was torn. It was torn from the top to the bottom. Man did not start this from below. God did it from above. This was not human interference. This was divine announcement. Heaven was declaring that the sacrifice of Jesus had accomplished what the blood of bulls and goats could never fully accomplish (Hebrews 10:1-4; Hebrews 9:11-12). Animal sacrifices pointed toward cleansing, but Christ secured eternal redemption. The old system anticipated the answer, but Jesus was the answer (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:10-14).

So when the veil was torn, God was saying the way is open. The sacrifice has been accepted. The barrier has been removed. The Son has done what no priest, no ritual, and no repeated offering could ever do. Jesus satisfied divine justice, fulfilled the law, cleansed the conscience, and brought the believer near to God (Romans 3:25-26; Matthew 5:17; Hebrews 9:14; Ephesians 2:13).

Now hear the glory of the gospel. Under the old covenant, the veil said, “Stay back.” Under the finished work of Jesus Christ, grace says, “Come boldly” (Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 10:19-22). Under the old order, one man entered once a year with the blood of another. Under the new covenant, every blood-washed believer can come through Jesus Christ our great High Priest (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:24-27). Under the old arrangement, access was limited and temporary. But in Christ, access is open, personal, and everlasting (Romans 5:1-2; Ephesians 3:12).

You do not need another priest because Jesus is your great High Priest. You do not need another sacrifice because Jesus is the final sacrifice. You do not need another veil because Jesus Himself is the living way into the presence of God (Hebrews 4:14-15; Hebrews 10:20; John 14:6).

And that means you can come.

You can come burdened.

You can come broken.

You can come ashamed. You can come weary.

You can come guilty. You can come wounded. If you come by Jesus Christ, the door is open.The veil is torn. Grace is available. Mercy is abundant. Forgiveness is free to all who will believe (Isaiah 1:18; Matthew 11:28-30; John 6:37).

The Confession at the Cross (Mark 15:39)

Although our outline centers on verses 33 through 38, Mark does not stop there. Verse 39 says, “And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.”

What a testimony. A hardened Roman centurion, a man familiar with death, a man likely accustomed to crucifixion, looks at Jesus and declares, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” The cross preached so powerfully that even a soldier had to confess what many religious men refused to admit (Mark 15:39; Philippians 2:9-11).

That is what happens when people truly see Jesus. When you really see His suffering, His holiness, His obedience, His love, His sacrifice, and His majesty, you cannot remain neutral. You will either reject Him or confess Him. But no one who sees Calvary clearly can treat Jesus as ordinary (Matthew 16:15-16; John 20:28-29).

Conclusion

So what do we see at the cross?

We see a Suffering Savior who entered the darkness for us. We see a Scorned Savior who endured mockery for us. We see a Sacrificial Savior who died willingly and opened the way to God for us.

And church, that means the cross was not a tragedy without purpose. The cross was not a defeat without meaning. The cross was not a moment of weakness. The cross was the mighty work of God to save sinners (1 Corinthians 1:18; Colossians 2:14-15).

When He hung on that cross, - He was bearing our burden - He was paying our debt - He was opening heaven’s door - He was doing for us what we could never do for ourselves (Isaiah 53:4-5; Colossians 2:13-14; 1 Peter 2:24).

That is why we still preach the cross. That is why we still sing about the blood. That is why we still lift up the name of Jesus. That is why the church still has hope. That is why sinners still can be saved (1 Corinthians 2:2; Revelation 1:5; Romans 10:13).

And I stopped by to tell somebody this Easter Sunday morning, do not just look at the nails and miss the love. Do not just look at the blood and miss the blessing. Do not just look at the suffering and miss the salvation. Every drop of blood was saying mercy. Every cry from the cross was saying mercy. Every moment of agony was saying mercy. And when He died, grace said yes (Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 2:9). - Yes to the guilty. - Yes to the broken. Yes to the bound. - Yes to the bruised. Yes to the weary. - Yes to the wounded. Yes to anybody who will come to Jesus (Matthew 11:28; John 6:37; Revelation 22:17).

If you have fallen, there is mercy. If you have failed, there is mercy. I f you have sinned, there is mercy. If you are ashamed, there is mercy. If you are tired of carrying the weight of your past, there is mercy. If you are ready to stop running and start resting in the Lord, there is mercy (Lamentations 3:22-23; Psalm 103:8-12).

The veil has been torn. The price has been paid. The sacrifice has been accepted. The way has been opened. And the invitation is still extended (Hebrews 10:19-22).

Come on and come to Jesus. Come with your tears. Come with your fears. Come with your doubts. Come with your burdens. Come with your questions. Come with your pain. But come. Come to the cross. Come to the Christ. Come to the Savior who stayed on the cross for you (Isaiah 55:1-3; Matthew 11:28-30).

Because if He stayed on the cross, you do not have to stay in sin. If He stayed on the cross, you do not have to stay in shame. If He stayed on the cross, you do not have to stay in bondage. If He stayed on the cross, you do not have to stay separated from God (John 8:36; Romans 8:1; Ephesians 2:13).

And early Sunday morning, He got up with all power in His hands. That means the cross was enough. That means the grave was conquered. That means death was defeated. That means hell lost. That means Satan is still a defeated foe. That means Jesus Christ is Lord (Matthew 28:5-6; Revelation 1:17-18; 1 Corinthians 15:54-57).

So lift up your head. Strengthen your heart. Trust in the Savior. Run to the cross. Stand in His grace. Walk in His victory. And if you know He died for you, if you know He shed His blood for you, if you know He made a way for you, you ought to give Him praise right now (Psalm 118:24; Hebrews 12:28).

Praise Him because He suffered. Praise Him because He stayed. Praise Him because He saved. Praise Him because He died. Praise Him because He rose. Praise Him because Jesus Christ is still the Son of God (Romans 1:4; Revelation 5:12).

And if there is anybody here today who has never trusted Him, this is your moment. This is your day. This is your invitation. Come believing. Come repenting. Come receiving. Come and be saved (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 6:2).

Because the Savior stayed on the cross so you could come to God (1 Peter 3:18).