Mark 15:21-41, The Crucifixion of Jesus
Introduction:
Jesus has stood trial before Pilate who has found Jesus innocent of the charges against Him. In fact, Pilate has found no wrong that Jesus has committed. But the Jewish leaders have stirred up the crowd into a frenzy so that Pilate feels he must hand Jesus over to be crucified to prevent an uproar. Mark 15:20 tells us that once they had finished mocking Jesus, they stripped Jesus of the purple robe, tearing open the flesh recently wounded from the flogging, put His own clothes on Him and led Him out to be crucified. This is where we pick up the scene in verse 12 of Mark 15.
The Curse of the Cross (Mark 15:21 -22)
Historical understanding
The cross was so cruel that the Romans refused to allow their own citizens to be crucified, regardless of what the person had done. Cicero called crucifixion “a most cruel and disgusting punishment.” He went on to say, “It is a crime to put a Roman citizen in chains, it is an enormity to flog one, sheer murder to slay one; what, then, shall I say of crucifixion? It is impossible to find the word for such an abomination.” If the Romans considered it an abomination, then consider how horrible it truly was in light of all the abominations the Romans tolerated! The cross was so horrible that Cicero also said, “Let the very mention of the cross be far removed not only from a Roman citizen’s body, but from his mind, his eyes, his ears.”
Scriptural understanding
The cross was even more offensive to the Jews because of the law of Moses. Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says, “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.” Because of this passage, the Jews understood someone who was hung on a tree or crucified to be abandoned by God. This is also the reason why the crucifixions were not allowed to take place inside the city. The crucifixions would take place outside of the city walls because to be crucified was an abomination to the Jews as well.
Simon the Cyrene
Because the crucifixions took place outside the city walls, one would have to travel a distance from the Praetorium in the fortress of Antonia to the city walls. Normally, the person condemned to crucifixion would carry his cross, supposed by scholars to be the crossbeam, to the place of his death. However, Jesus was unable to do so, likely because of the flogging He had undertaken. Jesus is in an extremely weakened condition and the severity of the flogging He endured cannot be overemphasized. Because Jesus could not carry the cross from the city, the Romans called into service a man named Simon from Cyrene . The Romans had the power to press a person into service for a particular task. It seems that Simon had to be one of the nearest men, and therefore was pressed into service to carry the cross. It is interesting that Mark makes the side point that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus. This point suggests that Christians knew who Alexander and Rufus were. Perhaps Simon was already a follower of Christ, or became a follower of Christ because of what he saw that day. In any event, it seems clear that his sons certainly became followers of Jesus. Simon carries the cross to the place called Golgotha . In our language, the place was simply called the skull. This certainly gives a feel for the horrible place that Jesus was going for the people to know this place as simply the skull.
The Crucifixion (Mark 15:23 -32)
Wine mixed with myrrh
Once they arrive at the skull, Jesus is offered wine mixed with myrrh. Wine mixed with myrrh was a first century drug to deaden the pain of driving the nails through the wrists and through the feet. Jesus refuses the wine mixed with myrrh. We assume the reason was that He was ready to experience the full pain and suffering of the crucifixion. No one can argue that He did not feel what was happening to Him, or that He was out of His mind on the cross because He had drunk wine mixed with myrrh. Jesus felt every ounce of the suffering and pain of the cross.
Amazingly, none of the gospel writers record the details of the crucifixion. Everyone in the first century fully understood the horror of the crucifixion such that these four words were enough: “then they crucified Him.” These four words sum up the humiliation of being stripped naked for crucifixion. These four words sum up the agony as the hands were placed on the crossbeam and driven into the wood by large iron nails. These four words describe Jesus being lifted up on that cross and being put into place, on public display outside the city walls, in the place of the skull. Casting lots for clothing
In verse 24 we read that the soldiers divided up Jesus’ clothes and cast lots for them to decide what each would get. This was the accepted right of the executioner’s squad to claim the minor possessions of the victim. This event was also the fulfillment of a prophecy spoken 1000 years before. David said, “For dogs have surrounded Me; the assembly of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:16 -18).
Hanging on the cross
Therefore, the scripture tells us that it was nine in the morning when Jesus was lifted up on the cross. The inscription of the charge above Jesus read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.” The chief priests protested this inscription and demanded that it read “this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” However, Pilate would not change the inscription saying, “what I have written I have written.” Along with Jesus, we find that there were two other criminals crucified with Him. It is interesting to notice that the description given of these two criminals is also assigned to Barabbas in John 18:40. Recall that Barabbas was a revolutionary and an insurrectionist trying to overthrow Roman power in Judea . It is possible that these two criminals also had the same charge against them and may have been accomplices with Barabbas. By being crucified with these men, the prophecy of Isaiah 53:12 was fulfilled which said the Messiah would be numbered with the outlaws and transgressors.
While hanging on the cross, those who passed by were shouting insults and blaspheming Jesus, shaking their heads at Him, calling for Jesus to save Himself by coming down from the cross. The One who claimed to be able to tear down the temple and raise it up in three days (though Jesus did not say this about the temple, but about Himself) could not save Himself, the crowds believed. Of course, the Jewish leaders, including the chief priests and the scribes, were mocking Jesus as well. As we read these words, we must see the mockery and sarcasm in what the people are saying. The scribes say, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself!” The Jewish leaders consider this a great mockery, for Jesus claimed to offer salvation to those who would come to Him. However, Jesus cannot save Himself from what they are doing to Him.
Further, Jesus is taunted that if He would simply come down from the cross, they would all believe. Jesus could have come down off that cross, but it would have been too late for these people, if He had done so. How much I read this passage and wish Jesus would have come down off that cross and shown them their error, as they would have had to beg for mercy. But Jesus remained on the cross because He had a purpose, which was and is to save the world from their sins. Even worse, those who were crucified with Jesus were also taunting Jesus. One of the criminals said, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39) What mocking and blaspheming the Son of God endured that day!
The Death of Jesus (Mark 15:33 -41)
Darkness over the whole land
In verse 33 we see that it was noon . There were at least three or four miracles that took place during the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Mark records two of these miracles, and we will spend our time this morning considering only these two. The first miracle is the darkness coming over the land at noontime and lasting for three hours. While most versions say that this happened over the land, there is reason to believe that it happened over the earth. The Greek word ge can refer to earth or land. The word is used 189 to refer to the world or the earth and is used 62 times to speak of land, ground, or country. However, it seems that when the word refers to land, the context is very obvious. For example, it is used in statements like “the land of Sodom and Gomorrah ,” “the land of Zebulun ,” “the land of Israel ,” and so forth. However, when the word ge is alone, it is translated “earth.” Therefore, it is reasonable for us to understand that the darkness was over the whole earth. Tertullian says that it was a well-observed phenomenon, because he tells the heathen nations to look in their annals of history to see the record of this darkness.
Of course, this is an amazing miracle that has been explained away by unbelievers through natural means. The most common explanation is that this was simply an eclipse. However, there is no eclipse that causes this much darkness. There is no eclipse that lasts for three hours. Further, it was the time of the Passover when it was a full moon, meaning there could not be a solar eclipse. This darkness over the earth was a supernatural act of God. No other explanation can be given for it. What a powerful event that would surely have made people stop and take notice! Imagine what you would think if in a few moments instead of seeing light from twelve to three in the afternoon, it was totally dark. This is simply another proof that hanging on the cross is Jesus, the Son of God.
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
At three in the afternoon, after three hours of darkness have passed, Jesus now cries out with a loud voice, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Now, we can make some fanciful statements that the reason for the darkness was that God had turned His back on Jesus, severing fellowship with the Son, and therefore cataclysmic events were taking place. But the scriptures never say these words? So if this is not the case, why does Jesus utter these words?
I believe Jesus is showing those watching Him that the things which are happening are the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. I believe this can be substantiated in two ways. First, Jesus said that the Father would never forsake Him. In speaking about His coming crucifixion, Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:28 -29). Later, Jesus made this point again to His disciples saying, “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me” (John 16:32 ). We must accept that Jesus said that the Father would not forsake Him, even though the disciples would. So either Jesus was wrong when He said these words, or Jesus was trying to do something else. As I said, I believe He was teaching. Saying the words “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me” is the very first line of the 22nd psalm. Memorizing the first few words of passage was the way the Jews remembered and memorized the scriptures. By saying these words, Jesus is calling to the Jews’ minds this very psalm. What is the message of Psalm 22? David felt like he was forsaken by God, but came to realize that though events made it seem he was forsaken, God was right there all along (Psalm 22:24 ).
Why was this important? This was important because of the scripture that Says, “cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree.” The Jews understood that since Jesus was hanging on a cross, God had abandoned Him. Jesus is teaching by fulfilling this prophetic psalm that He was not forsaken by God. In fact, Psalm 22 ends by saying that God has done this. This is the will of God. God has done this. But if we look more carefully we will see that the word “this” is not in the original language, but is supplied by the translators for clarity. Therefore, this psalm literal ends “he is done” or “it is done,” for it is just one Hebrew word. These are the very words that Jesus Himself utters from the cross, “It is finished” or “It is done.” Jesus quotes the first verse and the last verse of Psalm 22 to teach the people that this is the will of God and that, just as He said, He is not forsaken by the Father. In verse 35 we see more of the mockery that Jesus endured. In great sarcasm, some standing there announce that Jesus is calling for Elijah. “Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.” He could have called tenthousand angels to take Him down off that cross. Yet again, Jesus endures the mockery.
Tearing the veil
This leads to the second miracle that Mark records, which is the veil of the temple being split in two from top to bottom. Now, in our minds this is not miraculous. So what if a veil was torn in two. We know the spiritual implications because the writer of Hebrews tells us that this was symbolic, signifying that all could now come into the presence of God to obtain mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:14 -16; Hebrews 9-10). It was symbolic of the end of the copies, as Jesus was passing through the holy place of heaven as a high priest making atonement for our sins with His blood. The act of the tearing of the veil has deep significance, showing the access to the blood of Jesus Christ we all can obtain. This event showed that the Old Testament had been fulfilled.
But we also must see that this was a miraculous event. In our minds, when we read this passage, we think of a veil that is large enough to cover a standard doorway. I have always had this idea in my mind. But that would be a false idea. The veil that covered the doorway into the Holy of Holies was 60 feet high and had a thickness of one cubit. No person could tear this veil. It has been said that a herd of bulls could not have torn this veil, especially in the manner it was torn. This veil could not have been torn by natural means because of its thickness. Try tearing any material that is about 18 inches thick. You will not get too far in your efforts. But even more so, note the direction the veil was torn. The veil was torn from top to bottom, not bottom to top. Man would tear a 60 foot veil from bottom to top. This was God’s tearing the veil from the top down to the bottom. Scholars say that at about three in the afternoon the priests would have been in the temple preparing for the evening sacrifice. Suddenly, the veil was torn from top to bottom, surely dropping the jaws of every priest, as they would have run out telling everyone what had just happened in the temple.
When Jesus breathed His last, one of the Roman soldiers standing there, a centurion, saw the way Jesus died and confessed, “This man really was the Son of God!” With that, Jesus dies, an innocent man, in one of the most cruel and horrible deaths known to man. From the distance, many of the women who had been following Jesus saw the agonizing events of the death of the Son of God. Thus, the words of Isaiah 53:4-9 were fulfilled.
Application
Jesus, a curse on our behalf
As we conclude, let us consider the words of Paul in Galatians 3:10-14. Paul begins by trying to make us see that each of us is cursed. God made the pronouncement that everyone is cursed who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law. God’s covenant was very simply: be like God and have eternal life; disobey and suffer eternal punishment and be cursed. No one, however, is justified by the law, because all have disobeyed the law. No one has continued doing everything that God has written. Therefore, you and I are cursed and we are all lost. But instead of leaving us in this condition, God made a plan before the creation of the world to send a Deliver who could take away our sins. We need to be purchased back to life, the concept behind the word “redeemed.” Christ came to purchase us from the curse that was against each of us. How did He buy us back? Christ purchased us by becoming a curse on our behalf. He endured great suffering as if one cursed by God. But instead of being cursed by God, this was the purpose of God so that all people could have the blessings of God.
We now can receive the blessing of Abraham in being a child of God. We can now receive the promise through faith in Jesus. The promise of true living, of deliverance, of salvation, of eternal life, of heaven, of forgiveness, and of hope are all realized and found through faith in Jesus. This conclusion is again drawn in Galatians 3:26, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” How do we become children of God? How can we be with Christ? The next verse says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27 ). When we do that, then we are Christ’s. “And if we are Christ’s, then we are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29 ).
Become a child of God
Friends, the message is as simple and as plain as that. If you have not been baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, then you are still living under the curse. If you have not been baptized, you are not a child of God. If you have not been baptized, your sins remain upon you and you are defiled in God’s sight. You are separated from Him. If you have not been baptized, you have not shown faith in Jesus, for you have not submitted to His commands. If you have not been baptized, you are not an heir according to the promise. But there is no need to wait. You can be saved this very morning by being baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. You can be a child of God, you can have the curse removed, and you can show that you trust in Jesus by being baptized. When we stand and sing this song, simply walk to the front and we will baptize you. If you do not want to walk forward, just let me know after the prayer that you want to be baptized and we will baptize you for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus came into this world for you. Won’t you respond to Him now?
