What more could he do!

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The faith of the Centurion

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Introduction:

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Matthew 16:1 NASB95
1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.
John 2:
-The Pharisees said this right after Jesus feed the five thousand giving them a sign from heaven.
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Matthew 16:4 NASB95
4 “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.
Notice what John says:
Jesus stopped doing miracles for the people
John 2:18–25 NASB95
18 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. 23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
john 2:
-Jesus refuse to adopt or commit to these surface levels believers who were only expressing faith in him for he could do for them.
Jesus stopped doing miracles for the people
-His ministry caused so much trouble in the area that eventually it lead to his trial. Notice what the issue is: The issue is “Who he said he was? or his identity?
Mark 14:61–65 NASB95
61 But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? 62 And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 “You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. 65 Some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received Him with slaps in the face.
mark 14:61
-They condemned him to death for telling the truth. That he was the Son of the Blessed One. The Messiah, The Anointed One, Emmanuel God is with us.
-T
Transition Statement: No amount of miracles or signs can change a heart bent on rebellion and to stubborn to see what it right in front of their face.

I. The Pagan’s Mocked

mark 15:
Mark 15:16–20 NASB95
16 The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. 17 They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; 18 and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. 20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.
(v.16) Pilate ordered Jesus to be beat hoping to satisfy the Jews so that they would not keep screaming for his crucifixion. This would be in the courtyard of Herod’s Palace which Pilate used as governor of Judea.
(v.16) “The whole Roman cohort” Herod called the whole cohort of Soldiers to handle Jesus whipping. This would most likely be Pontius Pilate soldiers who are there to protect him. These would be like secret service. The best of the best.

The Beating:

Mark 16:17 NASB95
17 “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
Mark 15:17 NASB95
17 They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him;
Mark 16:
(v.17) They dressed him up in the clothes of Royalty, then they wove together a crown of thrones and pressed it on his head.
Mark 15:18 NASB95
18 and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
mark 15:
(v.18) After dressing him up They began to yell “Hail, King of the Jews!” This was a parody show.
Mark 15:19–20 NASB95
19 They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. 20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.
Mark 15:19 NASB95
19 They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him.
mark 15:
mark 15:19
(v.19) “They kept beating His head with a reed” They took the hard stalks of vegetables like a corn stalk and made a fake scepter, which is what a king would carry as a sign of his authority. They then took that scepter and began to beat him over the head with it.
(v.19) “and spitting on Him” you remember that the whole Roman cohort came out for the beating. A roman cohort consist of 600 soldiers. Most likely this was an auxiliary battalion sent to protect Pilate as Jerusalem was a small area. This may have been about 200-300 soldiers performing this act. Can you imagine being spit on by one person let alone 200-300 soldiers all spitting on you. Jesus would have been covered in spit. Yall let me be real I would rather get hit with the Reed than spit on. Most of can take a punch to the jaw, but human fluid is just nasty. That will make you lose your religion. This was meant to demean our Lord.
(v.19) “kneeling and bowing before him” In an act of pure disrespect they began to bow in front of him laughing.
(v.20) “After they had mocked him” We need to get a working definition of this word “Mock”—to make sport of or belittle.
(v.21) After making fun of Jesus they began the trip down the Via Delarosa(the way or road of suffering) to his final place at Calvary.
Mark 15:22–24 NASB95
22 Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23 They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. 24 And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take.
mark 15:22-24
(v.22-23) They arrived at Golgatha and put the cross in the ground. They tried to Jesus a narcotic to dull his senses, but he refused.
(v.24) While being crucified those soldiers who were part of the Cohort decided to draw straws to see who would get Jesus clothes You will not find this in Mark account it is in Luke account:

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Luke 23:34 NASB95
34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
(v.34) You see the Lord here as the cross get erected and they gamble for his clothes “He ask the Father to forgive them, for their ignorance” As the blood flows from the crowns in his head, and as the swollen knots on his head pulsate from the reed, as the exposed flesh of his body lay open to everyone, as the spittle runs down the side of his face, he finds enough strength to say “Forgive them”
-This is not King like. Kings don’t forgive they get revenge. They get Justice. When hurt they destroy.
Mark 15:25–28 NASB95
25 It was the third hour when they crucified Him. 26 The inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 27 They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. 28 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”
Mark 15:25 NASB95
25 It was the third hour when they crucified Him.
Mark 15:25-
(v.25) The word gives us some timing. It is 9am in the morning
(v.26) The charge was put above Jesus “The King of the Jews”
(v.27-28) Our Lord was put in between two thieves and this was so that the scripture would be fulfilled. The events around the cross followed a clearly delineated order so that the Prophetic events would be fulfilled.
Transition Statement-Not only did the pagan soldiers mock Jesus, his own people joined in

II. The Congregation Mocked

Mark 15:29–30 NASB95
29 Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”
(v.29) “Those Passing by were hurling abuse at Him” Now we have to remember geographically most scholar’s believe that Calvary is very close to the Jewish Temple. Let’s also remember that this is the time of the Passover. So all of the Jews from the area of Judea would have come to Jerusalem. These are Jesus’s own people who are going to sacrifice at his Father’s temple. Now did you notice that; They are going to worship Jesus’s Dad via sacrifice at the temple, but they are at the bottom of the hill laughing at his Son. Maybe they didn’t read

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John 3:36 NASB95
36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
(v.36) Dear Saints please remeber that their is absolute unity between Father and Son. If you reject the Son, by default you have also rejected his Father.
(v.29) All the sacrifices that happened after Jesus death, and the ones that happen when the Temple is rebuilt is a mockery and rejection of the blood sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross.
Mark 15:29 NASB95
29 Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
mark 15:
Mark 15:29–31 NASB95
29 Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself.
Mark 15:29–30 NASB95
29 Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”
Mark 15:29
mark 15:
(v.29) “Ha, You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” This gives us a hint that they where familiar with Jesus because he said this during his ministry, which they totally missed. Their point is that anyone who says they could rebuild a temple in 3 days that took 46 years should be able to pull themselves down from the cross. I believe there is a reason for the disrespect of Jesus.
(v.29) “Ha, You who are going to destroy the temply and rebuild if in three days
This is Jesus statement after the Miracle of feeding the 5000

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John 6:14–15 NASB95
14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
john 6:
This is after the Triumphant Entry
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Mark 11:9–11 NASB95
9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!” 11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.
Mark 11:9-
(v.9) “Hosanna” when people sing this in church they do it with smiles and celebration. But really what the people were doing was begging Jesus to act against “Rome” that word “Hosanna” means -Save now, help now, or save we pray thee. They were smiling chanting and begging because they were ready for Jesus to spill Roman Blood.
(v.11) Notice what Jesus does. Mark does not mention this but the other Gospels do. He clears them Temple, then he looks around and walks out. You talk about major disappointment. The People had an attitude. They never realized that what Jesus came to do was far more important than removing a physical enemy, he came to save them from their Spiritual enemy called: Sin & Death!!
Sidenote: You will notice that Jesus did not say “Father Forgive them”
Children of Israel “What more could he do!!!”
Transition Statement-The Soldiers Mocked, The Congregation Mocked, then if that wasn’t enough the teachers’ mocked

III. The Preacher’s Mocked

mark 15:31-
Mark 15:31–33 NASB95
31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. 32 “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him. 33 When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour.
(v.31) “In the same way” this is Mark way of bringing emphasis to this problem. He uses the prepositional phrase “in the same way” He has wrote this in a way to bring attention to all of those who have rejected Jesus at the crucifixion. He is doing this to setup the finale.
(v.31) “the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying” Mark is strategic he wants you to know everyone top down has joined in mocking Jesus.
a. The Chief Priests had regional control
b. The scribes had local control
(v.31) “he saved others, He cannot save himself” Did you see what they acknowledged. “He saved others” They are well aware of what Jesus was done, they are not questioning his miraculous power. Which is to say that they are fully culpable in their rejection of Jesus.
Mark 15:32 NASB95
32 “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.
(v.32) They are making light of Pilate’s charge of calling Jesus the king of Jews. Notice what they say “now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Just one more miracle Jesus. Just one more Supernatural act and we will submit and believe.
(v.32) Even both of the theives were clowning Jesus.
Mark 15:33–34 NASB95
33 When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
mark 1
(v.33) At 12pm the Father turned out the lights. This is not a mere lunar eclipse. This is darkness. In these times when it got dark folks went home becausse there were not any street lights. Can you imagine the scene. When it gets dark it is gradual progression, but this darkness was immediate. Now what do I believe was happening this is when Jesus is actively bearing the sins of the world and the Father has turned his back on Jesus. I say that because of (v.34)
Mark 15:34–36 NASB95
34 At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.” 36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.”
(v.34) At the ninth hour(3pm) Jesus cried out(yelled out) My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
(v.34) At the ninth hour(3pm) Jesus cried out(yelled out) My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
(v.35-36) Some of the bystanders assumed he was calling for Elijah the OT prophet because “Eloi” can sometimes translate as Elijah. They were so desperate to see another miracle that they ran up to Jesus to give him sour wine to prolong his death to see if Elijah would truly come.
Mark 15:37 NASB95
37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last.
(v.
(v.37) Rather than give them Elijah he gave them something better a receipt that said “Paid in Full” but they were too hardened to receive it.
-The Religious leaders & teacher charged with pointing the people towards the Messiah, Charge with teaching the OT truths of God’s word to the people, Charge with leading and guiding the people. Standing out front making a mockery of the very person that spoke to Moses at the burning bush, the same one that lead them by day in the cloud, and was a fire by night for the children of Israel had become the punchline to their jokes.
-The Religious leaders & teacher charged with point people towards the Messiah, Charge with teaching the OT truths of God’s word to the people, Charge with leading and guiding the people. Standing out front making a mockery of the very person that spoke to Moses at the burning bush, the same one that lead them by day in the cloud, and was a fire by night for the children of Israel.
Sidenote: Jesus did not forgive them. Why?
Matthew 27:22–25 NASB95
22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Crucify Him!” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!” 24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” 25 And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!”
-Jesus just do one more trick and “we will believe”
-Jesus just do one more trick and “we will believe”
-Chief Priests & Scribes & Pharisees and religious leaders “What more could he do!”
Transition Statement-The Sadducceas mocked, the Soldiers mocked, the Congregation mocked, and the Preachers mocked, but not everyone continued to mocked some were stopped in their tracks.

IV. The Centurion’s Marveled

Mark 15:39 NASB95
39 When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
The New American Commentary: Mark 16. The Mockery of the Soldiers (15:16–20)

The mocking was his enthronement; the cross, his throne. Mark wanted to emphasize that Jesus’ kingship was characterized by humility and servanthood and was different from all the kingships of the world.

(v.39) “When the centurion” Mark introduces another character into this rich narrative. Let’s remember that all of these writer’s are intentional and three gospel writer’s included this portion of the story; Matt, Mark & Luke.
(v.39) “When the centurion, who was standing right in front of him” During a crucifixion a squadron of soldiers would pound the nails into the hands and feet and then stand the cross up. That same group would guard the cross until all the individuals were dead. Also lets go back to the (v.16)
Mark 15:16 NASB95
16 The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort.
(v.16) For this particular crucifixion the whole cohort or battalion was present. So I would venture to say that this centurion has watch the suffering savior from the time Pilate sent him to be whip at 6am all the way until he yielded up his spirit.
Mark 15:39 NASB95
39 When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
mark 15:39
-For this last portion to get an accurate grasp of this whole interaction we need to piece this narrative together and get some more evidence from the other narrators:

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Matthew 27:54 NASB95
54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

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Luke 23:47 NASB95
47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent.”
-Now lets put the narrative together from these statements:
Mark & Luke focus on the centurion that was guarding the cross that Jesus was hanging on, but Matthew speaks about the singular centurion and his comrades. These are probably the same soldiers that were gambling for Jesus clothing.
Matthew says that the earthquake, and the things that were happening was a part of the reason that they proclaimed him to be the son of God. Matthew did not give details about “things that were happening”
Luke add these details to the narrative: When the centurion saw what had happened he began “praising God” This is not singing at song, but ascribing the right characteristics to God. Saying “Certainly this man was innocent” it is safe to assume that he repeated this statement and did not mind telling people.
Mark says “When the centurion, who was standing right in front of him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said “Truly this man was the Son of God!” Mark makes the point that the Centurion “saw the he died” no in the death itself, but all of the factors leading up to his death.
Summary: The soldiers who were watching over Jesus particularly the soldier who was guarding the cross after having watched all the events: They saw him get spit, they saw him get hit, they saw him get punched, they say him get whipped, they never heard say any words of revenge,. They heard him say to those gambling for his clothes “forgive them for they know not what they do” they were there when the Lord turned out the lights from 12pm-3pm, they heard him tell the thief on the cross while previously both were mocking Jesus that “today you will be with me in paradise” They heard speak to his father at 3pm when he says “My God, My God why have you forsaken me when he was bearing the sins of the world” They heard him yell out his final words on the cross “It is finished” They were there when he uttered his last words and the darkness turned back to light. These men where shook(frightened) to the core “and began to proclaim: This man was innocent, This man was innocent, This man was innocent!!! Truly this man was the Son of God!!! Truly this Man was the Son of God!!! Both the Beginning and End of the book of Mark end with the same testimony. At the beginning in (v.1) Jewish Mark says
Mark 1:1 NASB95
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Mark 15:39 NASB95
39 When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Mark starts off his book proclaiming him to be the Son of God, and ends his book proving it from the mouth of a pagan who personally never saw him heal the sick, exorcise a demon, feed 5000 people, nor raise the dead.
All he saw was a humble man unlawfully executed for claiming to be a king of the Jews, willfully accept his suffering and do it without uttering a mumbling word.
The Jews saw weakness, but the Centurion saw meekness(Power under control)
The Jews saw justice, but the Centurion saw injustice
The Jews saw a sinner, but the Centurion saw a saints
The Jews wanted revenge, but the Centurion saw mercy
The Jews wanted more proof to believe, but the Centurion saw enough to believe
The Jews mock, but the Centurion marvelled
-I believed that the gospel writers put this in the narrative to spurn the Jewish people to jealousy so that they would run to God....This man affirmed and Glorified God with far less revelation and evidence than any of the Jews.
-Where are you today????? What more does he have to do!! Are you still asking God to do one more thing for you before you commit to him??? Do you believe the Jesus is a good man, a great teacher, a holy prophet, or do you believe that he is the Exalted Son of the El Elyon!!! Anything less than that is a full rejection of him making you no better than those who spit on him.
Bible study in Kalamazoo when the girls said those Roman Soldiers going to get in trouble......Pastor Larry E. Johnson
John 19:6–7 NASB95
6 So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.”
The New American Commentary: Mark 16. The Mockery of the Soldiers (15:16–20)

The mocking was his enthronement; the cross, his throne. Mark wanted to emphasize that Jesus’ kingship was characterized by humility and servanthood and was different from all the kingships of the world.

Open up the Doors of the Church
a. Are you the soldiers who have no knowledge of Jesus and are not seeking any out, but are making sport of him in your lifestyle. Just having a good time
b. Are you the commited church member that is mocking Jesus with your failure to truly commit your life to him
c. Are you the leader/teacher/preacher of the Gospel that have never been converted and don’t teach what is true about our Lord.
Please come to the Altar that you may have Eternal Life
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