Jesus & the Cross
The Suffering Servant • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Last week we saw when Jesus was arrested, He was alone. All of His disciples ran away. Jesus went through the false trial alone.
Peter was down in the courtyard, and he was denying Jesus, time and time again. Truly Jesus was alone.
Last week we left Jesus standing in front of the entire Sanhedrin, while the group determined what to do with Him.
This morning we pick up our story in the 15th chapter of the book of Mark. So if you have your Bibles turn with me to Mark 15, and we’ll begin reading in verse 1.
Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
Jesus Before Pilate
Jesus Before Pilate
It’s now about 3:00 a.m. Tying Jesus up, they take him to Pilate—the Roman governor who normally was located in Caesarea Maritima—but was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival.
While we don’t know exactly where Pilate stayed while he was in Jerusalem, there are two places that are the likely prospects:
Herod’s Palace in the Northwest corner of the city,
Fortress of Antonia just northwest of the temple.
Jesus Before Pilate
Jesus Before Pilate
“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.
Pilate gets right to the point! “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answer is kind of like saying, “If you say so.” He acknowledges that this is the designation of Pilate. Thus, Jesus agrees with the title, but has some qualifications. John’s description tells us more of the conversation between Jesus and Pilate. At one point Jesus talks about His kingdom.
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
The Chief Priests’ Response
The Chief Priests’ Response
The chief priests accused him of many things.
Not satisfied with Pilate’s interaction with Jesus, the religious leaders begin to hurl all kinds of accusations against Jesus. No doubt many of them were the same ones upon which they couldn’t agree upon when they were holding their own deliberations.
In fact, their barrage of accusations were so great that Pilate looks at Jesus and asks,
So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”
Pilate knew that it was because of jealousy that the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to him. He wanted Jesus to muster some kind of defense or response to the accusations.
Pilate’s hatred for the Jewish religious leaders has been well documented. Perhaps it was this hatred that made wish Jesus would give some kind of answer to their charges so that he could release Him against despite what the Jewish leaders wanted.
Look at Jesus’ response!
But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.
Barabbas or Jesus?
Barabbas or Jesus?
Mark now gives explains a Roman custom to us.
Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
The custom: the people would ask Pilate to release one prisoner, and he would release that prisoner.
A crowd asked for the release of Barabbas. Remember it is really early in the morning!
The prisoner: Barabbas
His name: Bar Abba “son of the father.”
An insurrectionist.
A murderer.
Maybe a Zealot.
He was awaiting execution.
Pilate, still trying to free Jesus, and aware of the jealousy of the religious leaders, he has an idea of how he can release Jesus.
“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
Yet the religious leaders are a step ahead of Pilate. They have already found those in the crowd that supported Barabbas, and get them chanting and calling for the release of Barabbas.
“What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
Pilate still hoping that the crowd wouldn’t follow the religious leaders, he asks a simple question. What about the king of the Jews? what am I supposed to do with him?
The people don’t give Pilate what he wants, instead the answer him with the harshest answer possible.
“Crucify him!” they shouted.
John tells us that the people began to threaten Pilate’s loyalty to Caesar.
From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
Historical records tell us that Pilate had already been reprimanded for the way he handled the Jews. To have a report get back to Caesar that he had released a reported “King” would have meant the end of his career.
Mark tells us Pilate tried again by asking for the exact crime Jesus had committed.
“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
So Pilate gives into the crowd that has been incited by the Jewish religious leaders. Look at verse 15.
Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
The Flogging
The Flogging
The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
They take Jesus inside the palace. The flogging would have been public, the mocking and fun was inside the palace.
They call together the who company, a little smaller than a 600 man cohort. So, somewhere between 200-300 soldiers.
They mock him—all of them mock Jesus and hit him.
Then they put him back in his own clothes and lead him out to be crucified.
The Crucifixion
The Crucifixion
Mark now begins to tell us about the events of the crucifixion. So they are now on their way to the place of crucifixion.
A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.
Simon of Cyrene was pressed into service to carry the cross. Normally the condemned man would be forced to carry his own cross (which weighted about 100 pounds). However, with all of the events of the night—fatigue, blood loss from the scourging, Jesus was unable to carry the cross the entire way. So the soldiers demanded that Simon carry the cross for Jesus.
Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus—apparently these two men would have been known to the Roman reader.
They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).
Golgotha—the place of the skull, was the place of execution on the outskirts of the city.
Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.
This was offered to dull the pain that would be experienced on the cross, but Jesus didn’t take any of it.
And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
This was the custom of the Romans during a crucifixion. Thus, without knowing it, these Romans fulfilled the prophecy about Jesus in Psalm 22:18.
They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
First Time Marker
First Time Marker
Mark gives us a time marker for the crucifixion.
It was the third hour when they crucified him.
This would make it 9:00 in the morning Friday morning when the crucifixion began.
Pilate continued to show his disdain for the Jews in the written charge against Jesus.
The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.
John tells us that the Jewish leaders did not like the notice that Pilate wrote, and asked him to change it. Look at John 19:21
The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
But Pilate responded
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
Mark continues the story in verse 27.
They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.
Only in much later manuscripts do we find the addition of verse 28—a quote from Isaiah 53:12. (And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘He was counted with the lawless ones.’)
Enduring Insults
Enduring Insults
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!”
Insulted by those who passed by. “You said you could destroy the temple and rebuild it in 3 days—you ought to be able to get yourself off the cross!
But they weren’t the only ones mocking Jesus.
In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him.
Even those being crucified with him, mocked him.
Second & Third Time Marker
Second & Third Time Marker
At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
Darkness fell across the entire land from 12:00 noon, to 3:00 p.m.
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
This too, seems to be a quote from Psalm 22.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
Now when he says this, the people begin to get excited.
When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
Oh boy! Here comes the show!
One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
Now right in the middle of all their excitement, Jesus dies! Look at verse 37.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
When Jesus died, some amazing things happened. First, God made a change to the temple. Look at verse 38.
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
So the God tore the thick heavy curtain that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies in two from the top to the bottom! This top to bottom was only something God could have done.
Next—a Gentile realizes Jesus’ real identity.
And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
I find it incredibly interesting that the religious leaders missed Jesus’ true identity. But a Roman centurion—a Gentile—recognizes Jesus’ true identity—the Son of God!
Mark tells us that there is another group of people that were watching the death of Jesus from a distance.
Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
Three women are mentioned by Mark, by name: the first is Mary Magdalene. She was the woman whom Jesus had cast out a demon.
Then there is the other Mary who was the mother of James the younger (or the smaller), and Joses (or Joseph). These two men were apparently well known in the early church.
Finally, Salome who was the mother of James and John and may have been the sister of Jesus’ mother Mary.
Finally, John mentions that these three women had taken care of the needs of Jesus when He was in Galilee.
Apparently there were many other women—also followers of Jesus—that were gathered around.
The Burial of Jesus
The Burial of Jesus
Another Time Marker
Another Time Marker
Mark gives us yet another time marker for this story, in verse 42.
It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached,
It is Friday evening and the Sabbath is about to begin! Something urgently needs to be done with the body of Jesus. Mark continues the story, by introducing another character.
Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.
His name was Joseph
He was from Arimathea. This town is believed to have been about 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem.
A Prominent member of the Sanhedrin.
Was a wealthy man (Matt. 27:57).
A follower of Jesus (Jn. 19:38)
Joseph asks Pilate for the body, because it could ONLY be released with his permission. And Pilate would only give such permission if the accused was truly dead!
Pilate is surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead after only six hours on the cross. Some men lasted days.
Look at verse 44
Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.
Surprised by the quickness of Jesus’ death, Pilate calls for the centurion to confirm the death.
When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.
So Pilate releases the body to Joseph.
So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
So in a hurry (because the Sabbath is almost upon them) Joseph goes and retrieves the body and wraps it in a linen sheet, and puts it in the tomb. Then he rolls a heavy stone over the entrance—sealing the tomb.
Jesus is in the tomb—just as the Sabbath begins. But watching in the shadows are some women.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
Nothing else can be done right now. The Sabbath is here. They will have to wait until early Sunday morning.
SO WHAT
SO WHAT
Do You pick Jesus or Barabbas? Don’t go past that too fast. There are many Barabbas in our day. Easy theology—like come to Jesus and never have a problem!
There’s the Barabbas of success that says Jesus wants you to be Successful—and many people believe successful by the world’s definition.
Yes, we face our own Barabbas’s
Maybe your So What is that you are like Pilate. You want to free Jesus in your life, but you’re freeing Him for the wrong reason. Maybe you’re freeing Him to get ahead, or to solve some problem in your life, or to get something from Him. We need to free Jesus in our lives because He is the Son of God!
Maybe your So What has to do with mocking Jesus. Oh you come to church and sing His praises, but the rest of the week you join in with the crowd and mock Him. Because you refuse to really accept that Jesus is God!
Maybe you mock him, by demanding He do some miracle for you in order for you to believe.
Or maybe you are like Joseph of Arimathea—a secret follower of Jesus, but a follower! One that is eagerly looking for and searching for God’s Kingdom.
Jesus hung on the cross for six pain filled hours. He took upon Himself the sin of the world—God made him who had no sin to be sin for us that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21).
This week, I want to challenge each of us to follow the admonition of the author of Hebrews who wrote:
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.