Mark 15:33-41 The Death of Jesus

Have you ever felt like you don’t belong somewhere?

Alistair Begg - The man on the middle cross said I could come.

Cosmic Confirmation (vv.33&38)

Mark documents the crucifixion in three hour increments.

It is now the sixth hour (NOON)

At the time when the sun is at it’s highest something extremely odd happens.

“there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour”

At the hottest and brightest part of the day it became dark. Many have tried do describe scientifically what happened here, but we need to think biblically to understand what rather than how.

First of all, darkness is seen as God’s judgement throughout the bible.

Amos 8:9 ““And on that day,” declares the Lord God, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.”

Deut 28 - The curse for disobedience includes blindness and the sky being turned to bronze.

Ex. 10:21 - The ninth plague came and it was darkness. There was pitch darkness among the Egyptians - and following this darkness came the tenth plague of the death angle.

The first born of every home who did not have the blood of the lamb as a covering would experience death.

You see, death visited every home that night - either a lamb or a child had to die.

The darkness here is a precursor to the lamb of God’s death.

There was more than just darkness, the earth shook, and some dead saints were raised from the dead.

Mk. 15:38 “And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.”

Here another cosmic confirmation displayed the effectiveness of the death of Christ.

The fabric that separated the holy of holies from the people was torn from top to bottom.

The place that only the high priest was allowed to go once a year was now accessible by Jews and Gentiles.

In this moment of darkness and death Jesus is revealed as the son of God who was providing access to the presence of God.

Mk. 1:10 “And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.”

When Jesus was baptized the heavens were torn to reveal him as the Son of God, and here the curtain is torn to reveal the same thing!

The writer of Hebrews later clarifies what this cosmic moment meant.

Heb. 10:19-22 “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

But there is more than the darkness and the curtain, the earth shook, and some dead saints came back to life.

Matthew 27:51-53 “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”

These events were cosmic confirmation of God’s involvement in the crucifixion.

Curious Care (vv.34-36, & 40-41)

The Father’s Care (v.34) - Jesus cries out “My God, why have you forsaken me?”

Here in the darkness of human suffering Jesus experiences the agony of abandonment, but God was not absent.

It was in this moment Jesus looks to the word of God for comfort (Ps. 22)

This was a deep spiritual agony which Jesus experienced alone as he endured hell on behalf of sinners. For three hours the eternal infinite wrath of God was experienced by the Son.

In this moment the thought, the Father, even as he turns from the Son, cares for his bride.

The hell Jesus experienced was because of sin, not his own, but ours and in that way Jesus cared for us.

The Crowds Curious Care

The crowd heard Jesus call out and they thought he was calling on Elijah.

They mystically believed that Elijah would return in times of crisis to deliver the righteous.

If this man is righteous Elijah would surely come to his rescue.

They believe that to be hanged on a cross was to be cursed by God (Deut. 21:23)

As Jesus cries out that he is thirsty, someone gets the sour wine and filled a sponge with it.

Sour Wine (Posea)- was kept as an energy drink by the soldiers who were watching over Jesus.

But it was also a fulfillment of prophecy Ps. 69:21 “They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.”

That was not their concern. Their superstitious curiosity drove them to give Jesus this concoction to prolong his life to see if Elijah would show up.

John 19:30 - After Jesus took the sour wine he declared, “It is finished” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Tetelestai - This word was used during NT times to show on a receipt that a bill had been paid in full.

The connection would have been quit clear to the bystanders near the cross.

Jesus was making the unmistakable connection between his death and a debt being paid.

Sproul - “When Jesus said, ‘It is finished,’ He was saying not just that his life was over but that his mission had been fulfilled.”

The agony, the darkness, the heartache - This was the mission of the Son sent by the Father.

Jesus life was not taken from him, but he gave up what was required by the Father of him.

John 10:18 - “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

The Crowds Curious Care had set the stage for the final moments of Jesus life.

The Women’s Care (v.40-41)

Mark doesn’t tell us much about these women who followed Jesus.

But we know they have been with him for quit some time.

It is easy to think of Jesus and his disciples roaming around as this elite men’s club, but that was not the case at all.

Remember the disciples have abandoned Jesus, betrayed, and denied him - but here these women do what they have been doing all along - they care for him.

Luke 23:27 “[As he was crucified] there were... women who were mourning and lamenting for him.”

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, as well as Solome were there. These were mentioned among the other many women because of the role they play in the resurrection.

Mk.16.1 “When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.”

And they later hear the first news of the resurrection and are told to go share what they have seen.

Let me say, we see here the vital role woman have in God’s work.

Some question the roles of woman in the church, some question the SBC stance on women in the church, but here we see that woman play a distinct, unique, and vital role in the ministry of God.

What the woman did men did not do, and woman were not expected to do what the men were told to do.

As complementariness we believe that each gender is created in the image of God with complementing roles to display his goodness.

Not competing roles to be coveted.

A Convicted Cry (v.39)

Now let’s turn to the Centurion and his convicted cry.

I want to point out three things from the point of the Centurion.

This man had been standing guard for the crucifixion. He had been standing/observing in the dark in the middle of the day for the past three hours.

He Stood facing Jesus - rather than mocking, assaulting, he looked upon Jesus.

He did not turn his head or his back to what Jesus was facing. No he was intrigued - like Pilate he was impressed with Jesus.

He Saw - “He saw that in this way he breathed his last.”

He watched as Jesus died quickly with dignity. He was not like others he had observed on the cross.

Their suffering went on for hour upon hour - without hope, but there was something different about Jesus.

He did not beg to be taken down.

He heard, as Luke records, - Jesus confidently commit himself to the Father.

And he heard Jesus declare, “It is finished.”

The way that Jesus faced death impressed this battle hardened Centurion. He had faced enemies, he saw the darkness of battle, he had encountered death.

But here, at Golgotha, he faced Jesus, he saw him, and then he said something

He Said, “this was the Son of God.”- It is one thing to witness something, it is another to become a witness to the event.

The Centurion had seen the entire crucifixion, he had heard Pilate declare Jesus’ innocence, he had seen the poise Jesus seemed to have in this dark moment.

He stood in the darkness, he witnessed the earth quaking, and the dead rising from the graves.

He heard Jesus say, “It is finished.”

Luke 23:46-47 - Records that the Centurion also heard Jesus cry out, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

Hearing these two statements led the Centurion to declare - “Certainly this man was innocent! He was the Son of God””

This Gentile Centurion declares at this moment what Mark set out to prove in his gospel...

Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

This was the beginning, there would be much more, and the centurion brings it all to bear when he says...

“Truly this man was the Son of God!”

The Centurion was now and eye witness to what Jesus explained in Mk 10:45 “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

Now, I ‘m not sure this was a saving declaration - but the Centurion was well on his way!

Alistair Begg says, and I agree, I would like to think that this Centurion, if this was not saving faith, is numbered among those who after hearing the gospel in Acts 2:37 “... were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”” “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Friends, what we do know is, Jesus died that the all may look to him and be saved.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness - “Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow...”

People like Pilate, Herod, Barrabas, the fearful disciples, the gentile Centurion, and people like you and me.

So, as we consider the death of Jesus let us look upon him (he is the Son of God), let us see him (he is the one who provided access for all who believe upon him into the presence of God), and let us live to declare this great news to the world!