Mark 15:38-39

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38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!” ~ Mark 15:38-39

Today, we return to our study of Mark 15 where the narrative was focused on the very reason the Lord Jesus came to this earth: to give His life as a ransom for sinful mankind. As we come back in, the Lord Jesus has been on the cross since the third hour of the day which was nine o'clock in the morning. He had just spoken His last words and it was three o'clock in the afternoon.

In v.38 of today's passage we read, "Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."

At the moment the Lord Jesus cried out His last words, according to Matthew, a powerful earthquake shook the ground strong enough to split the rocks. Then, the veil of the Temple was torn from top to bottom. In the temple the veil separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple: It was there to keep sinful man away from the holy God. This veil was sixty feet high, and four inches thick. No man could have gotten up to the top of the veil without scaffolding. In fact, it took three hundred priests to hang it in the first place. 

The tearing of the veil which happened at the moment of the death of the Lord Jesus dramatically signified that His sacrifice provided forgiveness to all mankind for our sins. It now means that all who trust in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross has access into God's presence. The tearing of the veil is a proven fact of history. In fact, there are several independent historical testimonies that bear witness to it including Tacitus, Josephus, and the Jewish Talmud.

The veil in the Temple had long been a constant reminder that sin prevents mankind from entering into the presence of the holy God. On the day the Lord Jesus was crucified, God spoke an unmistakable message of acceptance. This is very important, because the message of the whole temple system was to keep sinful man away from the holy God. Through the cross of the Lord Jesus, God offered fellowship where there had been only separation in the past. It is only through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross that we may enter into a personal relationship with God.

In v.39 of today's passage we read, "So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, 'Truly this Man was the Son of God!'"

This centurion was a commander of a hundred Roman soldiers, making him a career soldier and a hardened killer. Yet the cross of the Lord Jesus brought him to a new awareness that day; an awareness of the reality that he was watching unfold. The holiness of the Lord Jesus was unmistakable that day to that commander, and, once he realized the identity of the Lord Jesus, he worshiped Him as God.

In Luke's account, Luke wrote, "He glorified God." Hardened by so many crucifixions, the Centurion and his soldiers were numb to the pain, emotions, and verbalizations going on around them. They were "just doing their job." But as the hours wore on, things began to change. This so-called “criminal” in the middle was different. He did not curse them. He spoke kindly to the other thieves, He made arrangements for His mother’s care, He cried out to His Heavenly Father, He had a look of love in His eyes even for those causing Him great pain. He retained control of His life right up until the very end. As a result, the Centurion put two and two together, and he came to faith in the Son of God.

When Mark began his gospel, he wrote, "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." In today's passage the Centurion said, "Truly this man was the Son of God." This was the first time in the entire gospel of Mark that any human being ever said those words. Mark waited until the cross to have someone say those words. The Father said them several times, and, demons said them. But no human said those words until now. Heaven said it and hell said it, and finally, a Roman Centurion said it. "Truly this man was the Son of God."

Mark 15:33-37

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33 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35 Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!” 36 Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.” 37 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. ~ Mark 15:33-37

In Mark 15 Mark gives us the vantage point of the Lord Jesus from the cross. At the foot of the cross were unbelievers and believers. Among the group were the religious leaders who thought they had manipulated the death of the Lord Jesus. They gloated over His seeming helplessness.

Many today don't like the cross because it is a reminder of their sinfulness. But, a gospel that doesn't have at its core the cross is powerless. Its power comes from its message: there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends. This is, of course, what the Lord Jesus did for us on that day so many years ago.

In v.33-34 of today's passage we read, "33 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' which is translated, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'"

In v.33, Mark tells is it was the sixth hour of the day. That means it was noon since the first hour of the day was six in the morning. At this point the Lord Jesus had hung on the cross for three hours, beginning at noon until three o'clock in the afternoon. And then it was dark over the whole land.

This was a darkness of secrecy. In the Old Testament the high priest on Yom Kippur (Passover) went into the holiest place through the veil in darkness to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat. In doing so, forgiveness for sin was granted by God for those willing enough to believe. The transaction was made alone, in secrecy and under the cover of darkness. It was a holy transaction between earth and heaven that took place in the dark. 

This also was a darkness of wickedness. The people lived in the darkness when the Lord Jesus came to this earth. He came to give those who lived in darkness light, the light of His salvation. The physical reality of darkness pictured the spiritual reality of the reign of sin and death to that point. Darkness speaks of evil in the Bible and light speaks of the righteousness of God. The cross of the Lord Jesus was the worst crime ever committed by humanity. They tried to extinguish the Light of the World but they failed to do it. "The light shined in the darkness and the darkness could not put it out." 

This also was a darkness of judgment. Before the Passover lamb was sacrificed in Egypt, the ninth plague was darkness over all of Egypt for three days. It was a darkness they acutely felt. It was part of God's judgment. And then, the tenth plague was the death of the firstborn picturing the death of God's firstborn Son. 

In v.34, we are given the fourth saying from the Lord Jesus while He hung on the cross. "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' which is translated, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

The Lord by this time had already spoken three times while hanging on the cross. The only saying that Mark records of all the seven were the words recorded in v.34. These words are the exact first words of Psalm 22 which begins with what seems to be defeat, yet ends with victory. This is the way of the God of the Bible: He always wins in the end. Of course, there have been many times when it appeared that He was done, but in the end He is found victorious always.

Mark gives this statement from the Lord in Aramaic which sounds similar to the name of Elijah in Hebrew. The people thought the Lord Jesus was calling for Elijah because there was a Jewish belief that if you were in a time of great distress, you could pray to Elijah and he would deliver you. 

The Lord Jesus spoke these words because as the Father was judging our sin in His body as He hung on that tree, the Lord Jesus deeply felt the separation. In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read, "God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us, that we might be the righteousness of God in him." God treated the Lord Jesus like you and I deserved to be treated, so He could treat you and I like the Lord Jesus deserved to be treated. 

God the Father poured out His wrath on His Son that day, so that He would not have to upon us. The Lord Jesus was damned, so that you and I would not have to be.

In v.35-36 of today's passage we read, "35 Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, 'Look, He is calling for Elijah!' 36 Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, 'Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.'"

 

When someone ran to the Lord to give Him some sour wine. At first glance, it looked like this man was moved with compassion. It appears he ran to provide the anesthetic that would have deadened the pain of the Lord Jesus. But, his motive was to see if something exciting was yet to happen as the rest of v.36 reveals. This man was moved not by compassion but by curiosity. He gave the Lord Jesus the sponge so he would not die too quickly. Of all those who were gathered around the cross that day, this man represented the thrill-seekers who desired the pleasure of watching a man die in agony. 

In v.37 of today's passage we read, "And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last."

Just before the Lord Jesus died, John tells us He cried out "Tetelestai" which means "It is finished." Tetelestai was a financial term used when a debt was paid in full. The death of the Lord Jesus on the cross was more than enough to pay the debt that our sin had created. And, in the end, God won the battle between good and evil, the war between life and death. 

Mark 15:27-32

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27 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. 28 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.” 29 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him. ~ Mark 15:27-32

Today, we return to our study of Mark 15. In today's passage, the narrative shifts, highlighting the abandonment of the Lord Jesus when He hung on the cross. The characters in the drama of the crucifixion were oblivious to the higher drama that was being played out. As we read Mark’s narrative, we learn of the unfolding of God's view of sin. In fact, it was God's view of sin that required the Lord Jesus to die on the behalf of sinful man. 

In v.27-28 of today's passage we read, 27 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. 28 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”

The word translated "robbers" can also be translated "rebels." These guys who were being crucified next to the Lord Jesus were most likely friends of Barabbas, who was himself a robber. The Lord Jesus Christ died the death of a rebel on behalf of rebels.

The two criminals who were crucified next to the Lord Jesus provide for us the study of the ages. Those two men were equally close to the Lord Jesus. One was saved and the other was lost; one went to heaven while the other went to hell. Both just as close, same opportunity, forever separated; one in glory, one in eternal punishment. 

The Lord Jesus is the dividing line between death and life, heaven and hell. And what makes the difference is the choice we make regarding Him. One choice results in a hard heart and the other results in a soft heart. The Lord Jesus did everything for both of these men but only one received the free gift of eternal life. 

That's the whole idea of Christianity; we do not get into heaven by being reformed. We get into heaven through the death of the Lord Jesus who paid the price required by God in order to make it possible for all who would believe in the Son and His work on the cross to enter into heaven.

The prophecy found in Isaiah 53:12, “And He was numbered with the transgressors,” was fulfilled as the Lord Jesus hung on His cross. Think of the possibilities of arranging this; humanly impossible. And, if the religious leaders had known their Bibles, well, they would have prevented it. But, they did not. Interestingly, Jesus fulfilled over one hundred Old Testament prophecies when He was crucified.

In v.29-30 of today's passage we read, 29 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"

Had the Lord Jesus not died the way He died, we would have no hope for eternity. The Romans & the Jews hurled their abuses at the Lord Jesus, but He never once responded. He never once defended Himself. Instead, as He hung on the cross and He absorbed the abuses. He heard the taunts not just with His ears, but with His soul.  

Everything screamed for the Lord Jesus to come down from the cross. His friends had abandoned Him, the Romans were killing him, and his countrymen were mocking him. And, in the middle of all of this, Jesus listens hard for the voice of God and He followed to this God-forsaken place, this place where even God seems strangely absent and silent. 

In context, this foreign voice speaks, "come down". Think of when you've hear that voice threatening your identity. It demands that you prove your value. This is what the Lord Jesus was dealing with while on the cross. But His identity was firmly rooted in His Father's love for Him. The identity the Father had given the Lord Jesus motivated and moved the Lord Jesus.

In v.31-32 of today's passage we read, 31 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.

The religious leaders wanted the Lord Jesus to come down from the cross so that they, allegedly, might believe in Him. But, Biblical faith is believing before seeing. What they didn't understand, if He had come down, their faith in Him would have been meaningless. Of course, it is very questionable that their statement about believing in Him was authentic. After all He had given them so much truth and so many miracles, had He performed one more miracle would not have made a difference.

The Lord Jesus resisted the temptation to come down from that cross, so that you and I would not be resisted by God. He stayed on that cross so that you and I would arrive upon the meaning of God regarding everything in our lives. He hung there suspended between heaven and earth, so that you and I could transcend to the realm that had abandoned Him. He was abandoned so that we would not be abandoned.

Mark 15:22-26

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22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (meaning “the place of the skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. 25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the Jews. ~ Mark 15:22-26

Today, we return to our study of Mark 15 where we have just witnessed the Roman soldiers volunteer Simon of Cyrene to help the Lord Jesus get to Golgotha with His crossbeam. As we learned last time, what started out as something very unwanted by Simon ended up being the greatest blessing ever. Such is the case with the ways of God. Give Him enough time, He will work miracles in and through our lives.

In v.22-23 of today's passage we read, "22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (meaning “the place of the skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it."

Golgotha means "the place of the skull," and it is located just outside the Damascus gate in the northern wall of Jerusalem. It is called the place of the skull because it looks like a skull. This is where the Roman soldiers led the Lord Jesus to be crucified. I find it most striking that God allowed puny man to order Him around. In doing so, the Lord Jesus illustrated the greatest display of strength for He gave up the right and the ability to exact His power on the lesser. 

As noted in v.23, the Lord Jesus was offered wine while on His cross. In fact, He was offered wine at two separate times. The first He refused, while He received the second. Mark did not include the second in his account of the narrative. Wine mixed with myrrh was offered to the Lord Jesus for two different reasons. The first, which the Lord refused, was offered to Him in order to decrease His sensitivity to His excruciating pain. The second, which He received, was offered to keep Him conscious for as long as possible, creating a prolonged effect of His pain. This was a sinister attempt by the Romans to be entertained by the suffering of the Lord Jesus.

In v.24-25 of today's passage we read, "24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. 25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him."

At nine in the morning the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross. He was there for six hours, from nine in the morning until three in the afternoon. All four gospel writers found it most difficult to go into the details of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. None of them described the driving of the nails into His hands and feet. They all four just wrote four words to describe it: "And they crucified him."

In the latter part of v.24 we are provided a reference to Psalm 22:18, which reads, "They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." 

Each gospel writer focused on certain aspects of the crucifixion. Mark focused on the people gathered around the Lord's cross. Mark's view was not the view of the crowd looking at the Lord Jesus, but rather the Lord's view from the cross, looking at the crowd.

The prediction written here in v.24 was made hundreds of years before this event was fulfilled by the Romans. According to Roman law, the property of the victim became the property of the executioners. The Roman soldiers cast "lots" to see which of them would get the clothing of the Lord Jesus. Their hardened hearts prevented them from seeing the real narrative which was unfolding before their eyes. They had long been trained by this world's values so much so they could not see from an eternal point of view. Because of this they had no interest in the greatest story ever told.

In v.26 of today's passage we read, "The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the Jews."

In those days the Romans included a sign above the criminal who was being crucified to explain why they were there on their cross. The sign above the Lord Jesus was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek due to where He died. Since the Lord Jesus was not guilty of any crime, Pilate simply had written above Him, "THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS." Matthew's gospel records it this way. Mark, Luke, and John record part of the saying. Pilate knew that the Lord Jesus was innocent. He knew that out of envy the religious leaders had conjured up lies about the Lord. This explains the sign above the Lord Jesus that day. 

Interestingly, only non-Jews ever used the title "King of the Jews" to describe the Lord Jesus. This seemingly insignificant observation magnifies the truth found in John 1:11, which reads, "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him." 

The word "own" appears twice in that one verse. The first time it is used, it is written in the neuter. The second, it is written in the masculine. The first "own" refers to created things, whereas the second refers to people. His creation received Him, whereas His people didn't. The water held Him up. Sickness bowed to Him every time. Even the demonic world obeyed Him. But, His people, with all of those predictions made about their Messiah, did not receive Him. 

This underscores the fact that faith is not a result of being provided more miracles or more truth. No, faith is about the informed bowing of our will to the One who created us. When we place our faith in the Lord Jesus, He will go from being our Creator to being our Re-Creator. He recreates us through His choice to bow His will to the plan of the Father. At the place of the skull, He paid the penalty that separated us from God. And, it is our faith that activates His work to begin in our souls.

Mark 15:21

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"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." ~ Mark 15:21

Today, we return to our study of Mark 15 where the Lord Jesus has been beaten by the Roman soldiers nearly to death and has been led out to be crucified. At this point in the narrative, the Lord Jesus was so weak from His enormous loss of blood, He was physically unable to carry His crossbeam. The cross of the Lord Jesus was made of two pieces: the vertical stake and the crossbeam.

The crossbeam that was tied to the Lord Jesus weighed between seventy-five and one hundred-pounds. The Lord Jesus was expected to carry His crossbeam to the place they called Golgotha. But, since He struggled to carry it, the Roman soldiers forced a man named Simon from Cyrene to carry it for Him. Simon was an African from Cyrene which was one of the most prominent cities in the country we know today as Libya. Simon was an African Jew who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and he just so happened to be walking by as the Lord Jesus was carrying His cross.

At the point that Simon was ordered to carry the crossbeam for the Lord Jesus, he thought, "I am in the wrong place at the wrong time." However, things were not as they first appeared. As is always the case, in God’s providence, Simon was at "the right place at the right time." There are no coincidences with God. Mark, not only tells us where Simon was from but he also gave us the names of his two sons, Alexander and Rufus. When Mark wrote this gospel these people were still alive. So, the story could be corroborated.

In Romans 16:13 we read, "Greet Rufus chosen in the Lord and his mother." This was the Rufus whose dad was Simon from Cyrene who helped carry the cross of Christ. Also, in Acts 13, we read, "In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul." Simeon or Simon, the same man who carried the crossbeam for the Lord Jesus, became a leader of the church in Antioch with other Christians from Cyrene.

On that day that the Roman soldier seized Simon to carry the crossbeam for the Lord Jesus, he was ordered to do something he did want to do. As a result, Simon became a follower of the Lord Jesus. And, in just a few years, he was a part of the leadership at the church in Antioch. Not only that, his family came to faith in the Lord Jesus. God used the crucifixion of His Son to get to the heart of their father. When once Simon thought he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, after a little bit of time, the whole scenario changed. I find that to be the case in my life. If I just give God time, He has been known to use even the unwanted moments for my good.

In addition, it just so happened that a certain man was being crucified next to the Lord Jesus that day in Jerusalem. Perhaps for the first time in his life, this unnamed criminal had the time to listen to and talk to God. At one point he asked the Lord Jesus to remember him when He entered into His kingdom. To that random man that awful day, the Lord Jesus gave assurance of salvation and eternal life. Again, there are no coincidences with God.

Citing coincidence is how we humans explain unexpected events and surprise meetings. But, just because we are taken by surprise does not mean that God is. Scripture is clear that God allows sinful humans to make mistakes and reap the consequences of those mistakes, but only a sovereign God could also promise that He will make "all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose." 

In ways known only to God, He takes even our mistakes and unplanned events and weaves them together to fulfill His purposes which always render the best results for us. Just like Simon of Cyrene, the criminal that hung next to the Lord Jesus was not at all in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was exactly where he should have been, hearing the Lord Jesus Christ speaking to him, and choosing to believe. With God involved in our lives, there are no coincidences. What always appears to us as random chance is in fact overseen by a sovereign God who knows the number of hairs on our head. We only have to trust Him.

Mark 15:16-20

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16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. 17 They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. 18 And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 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. 20 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. ~ Mark 15:16-20

Today, we continue our study of Mark 15 where the Lord Jesus has been beaten to a pulp and Pilate has now issued a decree to have Him crucified. Unbeknown to him, Pilate was a major actor in the struggle between good and evil. Coming into view was the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. All of the events of today's passage merely led up to that most crucial moment of all of human history.

In v.16-18 of today's passage we read, "16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. 17 They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. 18 And they began to call out to him, 'Hail, king of the Jews!'"

Essentially Pilate handed the Lord Jesus over to a brute mob. There was an ancient Roman game that was played in those days, and it's alluded to here. This game was called "hot hand" which was when the guards took a prisoner and blindfolded him. Then they formed a circle around the prisoner, and they placed him in the center of the circle. Then, all but one of the soldiers would take turns in hitting the prisoner. Then, they took the blindfold off him, and they asked, "Which one of us didn't hit you?" If the prisoner guessed incorrectly, they'd do it all over again until he got it right.

The Roman soldiers did not usually flog and ridicule those sentenced to crucifixion as they did with the Lord Jesus. The flogging of the Lord Jesus was spontaneous. And, out of spontaneity, they hurled their angst on Him. The Lord Jesus was the innocent One who was massacred on the behalf of the guilty. This is the good news which came out of the darkest day in the history of this world. The cross of Christ is good news because through His innocent sacrifice, the possibility of us avoiding hell for eternity became a real reality.

In v.19-20 of today's passage we read, "19 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. 20 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."

The Roman soldiers mockingly placed a purple robe on the Lord Jesus. Purple was the color of of a king, of royalty. Then, they placed a crown of thorns on His head. This crown was made of thorns, the product of the Fall of man. This crown included the curse and the honor. It has always been impossible for any human to earn the honor of a personal relationship with God by atoning for our sin. This is why the Lord Jesus came: to atone for our sin. And, as a result, we have the chance of being made right in God's eyes simply by believing in His sacrifice on our behalf. Only the Lord Jesus could resolve our sin and curse problem.

Bowing before the Lord Jesus, the Roman soldiers mockingly hailed Him as a king. They also beat and spit on Him. The mistreatment of the Lord Jesus Christ was for all who would believe, because all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This means that we are all guilty of rebellion against God which has caused us to not be able to dwell in His presence.

One sign that we have come into right relationship with God is that we no longer blame someone else for our sinfulness. Personal responsibility for our sin aligns with what the Bible calls confession. Agreeing with God's assessment in all areas of our lives is a possible sign that we have been born again. This is largely why those in Matthew 7 will hear the worst words ever: "Depart from me for I never knew you." It does not say, "You never knew me." No, "I never Knew you." That which makes it possible for God to know us in this way is our faith placed in Him.

The rugged Roman soldiers knew very little about this One who came to take on the sin of the world. Their pent-up hatred and resentment against the Jews came to a head on that day when the Lord Jesus was placed into their hands. They exacted their ill feelings out on this Galilean Jew whom they had heard was in some sense the King of the Jews. 

Unless we see ourselves standing there with the shrieking crowd and the cruel soldiers, full of hostility and hatred for the holy and innocent Lamb of God, we really do not understand the nature and depth of our sinfulness or the necessity of the cross. Sin was not something created or authored by God. Rather, God created a good universe and good human beings. Sin is the product of man thinking he can make it through life on his own without God.

According to v.20 when the soldiers took the purple robe off of the Lord Jesus, it was quite painful. When blood coagulates it acts like glue. Once they placed that robe on His bloodied body and the blood dried, the garment adhered to His body. And, when they took the robe off, they ripped the freshly mended scabs off of His body with it. That pain only added to the misery He was going through that day. Then they led Him to be crucified.

Crucifixion was not invented by the Romans, the Persians invented it, but the Romans perfected it. The Persians originally invented crucifixion because they thought the earth was holy and sacred, and, they did not want to taint the earth. So, the Persians elevated the guilty ones off the sacred earth for their death. But, this was not the answer and God knew it.

Crucifixion disappeared from man's purview until the Romans rediscovered it and when they perfected it, the Romans crucified thousands upon thousands. Interestingly, only One is remembered for having been crucified. The cross of the Lord Jesus was made of two parts: the vertical stake and the horizontal crossbeam. The cross is the greatest axis ever known to man. It is the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ that made it possible for all of mankind to pass out of the darkness of death into the light of His life. This is done only by coming into a personal relationship with God and the passage way into this personal relationship with God is non other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 15:12-15

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12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. 13 “Crucify him!” they shouted. 14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. ~ Mark 15:12-15

Today, we continue our study of Mark 15 where the Lord Jesus Christ was still before the Jewish mob that was gathered at Pilate's place. The Lord Jesus stood before Pilate and He was awaiting Pilate's verdict. Just a few days before, the crowd had welcomed the Lord Jesus into Jerusalem as the Messiah. Now, they see Him differently. Now, they want Him crucified. The Jewish religious leaders had swayed them to see the Lord Jesus differently. At this point, the Lord Jesus did not meet their expectations as the political King they had expected.

The disappointment of the people drove them to reject the Lord Jesus. It is really unwise to be defined by something like disappointment. In the economy of God, disappointment is necessary for the development of our faith in Him. Patience is a must when we are disappointed and we are making a very important decision. Change one little letter and our disappointments turn out to be His appointments. As Philip Yancey says in his book, Disappointment with God, "Where there is no longer any opportunity for doubt, there is no opportunity for faith either."

In Isaiah 55:8-9 we read, "My ways are not your ways, and my thoughts are not your thoughts. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

God is forever not performing in the way we prefer. His culture is quite different than the culture we grew up being defined by. And, like this crowd, when we are disappointed with God, we usually turn away from Him. When we do this we are in danger of lacking biblical understanding of Him and the situation at hand. And, when we lack proper understanding of Him, we are in danger of following the wrong Jesus.

Patience is so key in our walk with God. Waiting on God is so difficult, but if we are walking with Him, He will produce this fruit of His Spirit, patience, in us. It is in the waiting that we come to know Him and His ways best. Patience is most important because it makes us listen to the Lord. There is also another great part to patience, it seems to give us ears to hear the Lord better.

In v.12-13 of today's passage we read, "12 'What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?' Pilate asked them. 13 'Crucify him!' they shouted."

Pilate knew that the crowd wanted him to release one of his prisoners. In fact, he expected the people to call for the release of the Lord Jesus. But, when given the opportunity, they demanded Barabbas. Pilate had no ground upon which to crucify the Lord Jesus. Yet, the crowd demanded Pilate crucify Him. The crowd had been manipulated by the religious leaders of Israel.

In v.14-15 of today's passage we read, "14 'Why? What crime has he committed?' asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, 'Crucify him!' 15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified."

Pilate released Barabbas and he had the Lord Jesus beaten nearly to death. The flogging the Lord Jesus endured was bloody. Long leather cords were imbedded with bits of metal and bone, so that as the thongs whipped around the body of the Lord Jesus, the skin on His back was cut and flayed open, until He was a bloody mass. 

Pilate ordered the flogging, thinking he would not have to crucify the Lord Jesus. He had hoped to awaken the sympathy of the crowd for the Lord Jesus. In John 19:5, John tells us that after the flogging, "Pilate led the Lord Jesus out before the crowd and said to them, "Behold the man!" The Lord Jesus was a bloody mess and had lost a lot of blood. As a result, the Lord Jesus died a relatively quick death. Those who had been crucified before had hung on their cross for weeks at a time before they died. 

In John 10:18, we read, "No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." In submitting Himself to the Roman flogging, and by continuing to stand to His feet after being so severely beaten, the Lord Jesus continued to lay down His life. Medically, He died quickly, because he submitted Himself to the torture of flogging. He had once told His disciples, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down his life for his friends." 

Love comes naturally and flows fully out of a heart that is itself conscious of being loved. In Gethsemane that night, the Lord Jesus  Himself reflected on how the Father loved Him. As a result, having been strengthened and steadied, the Lord Jesus availed Himself to the cruelest form of human death. One cannot go further than laying down His life for another, especially when He has the power to wipe those who mean Him harm off the face of the earth in the twinkling of the eye. The Lord Jesus did not wait for us to arrive at the street of loveworthiness to die for us. He knew that we were incapable of such, so, when He died on the cross, He spelled out the fact that God loves us. And, that is enough.

Mark 15:6-11

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6 Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. 9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. ~ Mark 15:6-11

Today, we return to our study of the gospel according to Mark. A careful study of this account of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ enables us to see that much of the information that Mark shares was garnered from none other than the Apostle Peter. This gospel account very well could have been called the Gospel according to Peter.

In v.6 of today's passage we read, "Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested."

The setting of today's passage was Jerusalem and it was Friday morning. Beginning somewhere just after midnight the religious leaders arrested the Lord Jesus and put Him through a series of three trials throughout the early morning which was unlawful according to the law of Moses. These three trials were unlawful because they were held under the cloak of darkness. As we come back into today's passage, the Lord Jesus was standing in front of Pilate for a second time and it was Passover.

The Passover commemorated the release of an entire nation from Egypt. As the Jews who had been in Egypt for so long, the Jews of the first century longed for God to rescue them from Rome. But, they had fallen into thinking as men of this world instead of men of God. Due to their worldly thinking, they expected the redemption from God to be political.

In v.7-8 of today's passage we read, "7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did."

Such great irony is discovered in the name of Barabbas which means “son of the father.” In Exodus, God identified Israel as God’s son, the son of the Father. In Barabbas, Israel sees itself. Yet, both Barabbas and the nation were very far from being the son of the Father. Ironically, the Son of God became Barabbas so that the sons of men could become sons of God.

In today's passage, we see the Lord Jesus, the true Son of the Father, is bound by the Jews and by Pilate. The crowd asked the Roman Governor Pilate to release a prisoner of their choice, which was his custom. Up to this point, the crowds in Jerusalem had responded favorably to the Lord Jesus, but that changed as the deceit of the religious leaders began to spread.

In v.9-10 of today's passage we read, 9 "'Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?' asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him."

We are always at our worst when we are defining ourselves. We have been duped by the enemy to follow him by indirectly putting self on the throne of our lives. As a result, we think that we know what is best for us. Not so! We often choose the kingdom of men and man's values, and reject the Father and His Son and His values. If we could only understand that even the unwanted that enters our lives on a given day is a part of His divine will for us for that day. And, it is through such that God largely defines us.

In the midst of it all the Lord Jesus remained silent. Yet, He wasn't silent. His body language spoke the loudest message. As the Son of the Father, the Lord Jesus was submitted to the Father. His selfless approach to it all speaks most loudly into our souls today. If it weren't for His submissive will, we would not be redeemed and we still would be dead in our sins and trespasses.

In v.11 of today's passage we read, "But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead."

Barabbas was an insurrectionist, he wanted to overthrow the Roman government. Pilate wrongly believed that if he allowed the Jews to choose between the most despicable prisoner and the Lord Jesus, they would pick the Lord Jesus to be set free. "But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead." 

To the religious leaders and the people, Barabbas was the savior they chose that day. The Lord Jesus was there to give life, while Barabbas was the one who had taken life. The Lord Jesus was there to save the people from sin, while Barabbas was there to save the people from Rome. The people chose the fake over the real, and, in so doing the crowd fell to the deceptive powers of darkness. The crowd didn’t free Barabbas because they liked him, they freed him because they disliked the Lord Jesus. They had taken up the offense of the religious leaders of Israel. 

It wasn't that the Lord Jesus was so easy to hate. After all, He had only done good for the people. All of this just underscores the incredible deceptive powers of Satan. Having said that, these things had to happen so that mankind could be redeemed back to God. It is not that God made the people choose Barabbas that day, but He allowed the deception of Satan to manipulate the outcome.

Mark 15:1-5

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"1 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. 2 'Are you the king of the Jews?' asked Pilate. 'You have said so,' Jesus replied.  3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, 'Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.' 5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed." ~ Mark 15:1-5

Today, we transition into Mark 15 where the Lord Jesus was right in the middle of enduring six different trials at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders and two Roman governors. All of these trials were shams, but, they were necessary. All six of the sham trials led to the death of the Lord Jesus, making Him our substitute. He died in our place, this is the heart of the gospel. It’s not just that He died, but that He died for our sin.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate."

The Lord Jesus was beaten and bound, and He did not look like the king His followers expected. And the disciples struggled to find God in all of it. Like the first disciples, we fail to see the purpose of our troubles. We fail to see that our troubles all have a design which is to cause us to entertain certain unwanted questions and to take those questions to the Lord. Our questions are designed to help us to see Him for ourselves and to know Him accordingly.

For us, every day the unwanted takes place in the midst of the unfolding of God's redemption story in our lives. We fail to see that God saw the Lord Jesus as the King for He behaved as one when He conquered sin and death on the cross. Our problem, along with the first disciples is this: we lack the worldview of God.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we must never be shocked by those moments when we are beaten up and bound by the hatred of the world. It is in these times that we are being positioned to see Him most deeply with our hearts.

In v.2-5 of today's passage we read, "2 'Are you the king of the Jews?' asked Pilate. 'You have said so,' Jesus replied.  3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, 'Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.' 5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed."

Previously, the Lord Jesus answered the religious leaders with a claim of deity. Here, in this passage, He answered the Roman governor differently. Literally, He said to Pilate's question "Are you the King of the Jews?" with, "You say." Beyond  these two words in the Greek, the Lord Jesus said nothing to the secular king. He didn’t defend Himself against the false accusations of the Jewish religious leaders. Neither did He answer the charges while standing before Pilate. In each case, both before the religious leaders and Pilate, He only spoke regarding His identity as the Christ.

As prophesied by Isaiah in Isaiah 53, the Lord Jesus went to the cross as the Christ. His silence was that of a confident king. His identity as the Servant of the Lord motivated and sustained Him. He illustrated the best posture of any son of God: the heart of the servant was sustained by God's identity of Him. Out of this identity, the Lord Jesus spoke but not with His lips. No! He spoke most loudly through and with His yielded life.

This is the goal of all of God's children: to be defined by Him. In the 1980's DC TALK sang a song called Jesus Freak. That song is full of deep meaningful concepts pertaining to our relationship with the Lord. In that song we hear these words: "Been apprehended by a spiritual force and a grace that replaced all the me I've divorced." This is where we must want to be continually. To not only be apprehended by the Lord but to be defined consistently by this One who loves us so much that He sent His Son to pay a debt that we could never pay.

The Roman Governor, Pilate, wasn’t accustomed to the silence of a prisoner. Before him, defendants either professed their innocence or defiantly asserted the righteousness of their cause. The Lord Jesus offered neither of these responses. Pilate didn't define Him. As a result we are told Pilate was amazed at the silence of the Lord Jesus. Literally, the lack of a defense from the Lord Jesus "blew Pilate's mind." Standing before Pilate was someone whom he knew was being falsely accused, and He did not say anything in His own defense. 

As Isaiah had told us seven hundred years in advance, "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth."

The Lord Jesus had no interest in defending Himself because He came to defend us, the helpless. His silence before those who eventually placed Him on the cross was His defense for us. He not only accepted the unrighteous judgment of men, but He accepted the righteous judgment of God on behalf of us, unrighteous sinners, in order to make us righteous before God. 

Mark 14:65-72

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"66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said. 68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway. 69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” 70 Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” 72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept." ~ Mark 14:66-72

Today, we complete our study of Mark 14 where we are presented one of the most important lessons in our walk with the Lord. This is one of those lessons that stretches across the whole terrain of our relationship with the Lord. And, that lesson is this: Our spirituality is never about us, it is always about Him.

In v.66-68 of today's passage we read, "66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. 'You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,' she said. 68 But he denied it. 'I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,' he said, and went out into the entryway."

Today's passage has the backdrop of the Apostle Peter vowing to never ever deny knowing the Lord Jesus. In addition, while in the Garden of Gethsemane when the Lord Jesus was arrested, Peter drew his sword in an attempt to defend the Lord Jesus. But, in today's passage, Peter's determination to show himself faithful to Christ failed him greatly. 

While gathered around a fire with those who arrested the Lord Jesus, a young woman who was a servant of the high priest, recognized Peter and identified him as a follower of Christ. Immediately, Peter's defenses rose up and he hurried outside to the gateway so he would be less visible. 

In v.69-71 of today's passage we read, "69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, 'This fellow is one of them.' 70 Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, 'Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.' 71 He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, 'I don’t know this man you’re talking about.'"

In those days Galileans had a discernibly different accent which caused those who lived in Jerusalem to immediately recognize the one speaking was Galilean. This was the case here for Peter. His accent gave him away and the people noticed. This caused Peter to employ a tactic that was not known for a disciple of Christ. He cursed and swore in his response. As the truth closed in on Peter, he disassociated himself from the Lord Jesus. I have often wondered what curse words he used. I'm sure they were the worst. As a former fisherman, Peter undoubtedly had quite an exhaustive list to choose from that evening. The Apostle Peter dropped a bomb of some sort in order to save himself.

This was a defining moment for Peter. Perhaps it was then that he gave up on the idea of earning or maintaining God's love. In Gethsemane, the Lord Jesus prayed to the Father three times, receiving strength from those prayers. In that very same Garden Peter didn’t pray and he failed. When faced by his accusers, Peter lied three times. When asked whether he was the Christ, the Lord Jesus answered truthfully: "I AM." When Peter was accused of being a follower of Jesus, he repeatedly and cowardly said, "I am not." 

Like Peter, we often believe we need to be our own saviors. This is our default mode given our fallen nature. Often, there are times when we think we are being champions for the Lord, but in those moments we are really denying His lordship in our lives. Never will we be anyone's savior, especially our own. Only the Lord Jesus is the Savior!

Peter distanced himself from the Lord Jesus because, he didn’t share His view on life. It wasn't that Peter’s courage failed; it was Peter's worldview that failed him. After Peter came to believe that the Lord Jesus to be the Christ, the Lord Jesus told Peter and the other disciples three times that He would be rejected and killed. Peter and the other disciples expected a Christ that would triumph over His enemies, not understanding that at His first coming the Lord Jesus came to destroy a much more sinister enemy, sin and death.

Peter did not understand his real enemy: sin and death. The Lord Jesus came to deal a death blow to both. Peter, in some sense, speaks the truth when he says in v.71, "I don’t know this man you’re talking about." Peter knew the Lord Jesus, but he didn’t really know Him. But, after all, it really isn't how much we know the Lord that saves us; it is that we are known by Him, that is what saves us. The key is that we are increasing in our understanding and experience with the words of John the Baptist: "More of Him and less of me."

In v.72 of today's passage we read, "Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.' And he broke down and wept."

We are just like Peter! We do not really know the ways of God. We do not understand the way of self-giving love. When the rooster crowed a second time, a higher court rendered its verdict. Peter failed at something he had no business succeeding at: Following the Lord Jesus with a seriously flawed understanding of Him and His ways. He failed because his vision of God and reality failed.

Since the Lord Jesus had previously predicted Peter would deny Him, He knew Peter would do this. God is never surprised by our failure. He expects more failure out of us than we do ourselves. But, the beauty of all of this is this: Peter's darkest night was eclipsed by Peter's brightest day when the Lord Jesus raised from the grave. You see, it was after the resurrection that the Lord Jesus met Peter on that Galilean beach. And, it was on that Galilean beach that Peter began to truly love the Lord Jesus. Peter's failure was integral to the success that he experienced thereafter.