Mark 15
Mark 15:1-15. In the morning with one consent, the chief priests, scribes, elders, and whole council carry out their evil intention: they bound and carried Jesus away and delivered Him to Pilate. He responds to Pilate’s question, “Art Thou the King of the Jews?” saying, “Thou sayest it,” but to the accusations of the chief priests He answers nothing, so that Pilate marveled. He saw the envy of the priests and as the people desired the usual favor of loosing a prisoner at the feast, Pilate asks, “Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?” The priests move the people to ask Barabbas unto them. Pilate again says, “What will ye then that I shall do unto Him whom ye call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out, “Crucify Him.” Pilate says, “Why, what evil hath He done?” but all the more they cry out “Crucify Him.” Thus their bitter hatred and enmity to the Lord Jesus is made fully manifest and Pilate without regard to justice, and willing to please them, but pouring contempt upon them at the same time, released Barabbas and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified.
It was God’s will that His Son should suffer, but what brutality marks the behavior of men, while their victim was as a lamb led to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. His enemies are determined, and Pilate does not care.
Mark 15:16-32. The soldiers gather round their victim for sport. They clothe Him with purple (symbol of Gentile royalty), they platted a crown of thorns(the mark of a cursed creation) and put it on His head, and began to salute Him “Hail, King of the Jews!” They smote Him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon Him, and bowed their knees doing Him mock homage. Tired of their cruel sport they led Him out to crucify Him. What will such say when they stand before Him as Judge at the great white throne?
Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, is compelled to bear the cross of Christ,. An old writer, G. Herbert, says, “The decreed burden of every saint.” This man and his sons have special mention here, suggesting to us that they have a place among the saints.
They bring Him to Golgotha, the place of a skull. He Will not take the stupefying drink; then they crucify dividing His, garments, gambling over His vesture, and over His head His accusation was written, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” They place a thief at each side, and the Scripture is fulfilled, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.” They that passed by railed on Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ah, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save Thyself, and come down from the cross.” Likewise, also, the chief priests, mocking, said among themselves with the scribes, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” And they that were crucified, with Him reviled Him.
From the third hour (verse 25) till the sixth hour (verse 33) we see the Lord Jesus as a righteous man suffering under the hand of wicked men. It is as if evil had triumphed. Men are glad to get rid of One whose faithful witness for God was a constant rebuke to their wickedness. It is the time of His humiliation; they lowered themselves in trying to degrade Him, but in love and perfect obedience He continues to do the Father’s will through it all, through “the outrages, the blindness, the folly, and the wickedness of men and of His people Israel, which alas! filled up the measure of their iniquity.” It was love stronger than death; man’s hatred could not turn it aside.
“Himself He could not save, Love’s stream too deeply flowed.” Blessed be His name!
Mark 15:33-36. A deeper work is spoken of than the outward sufferings of the Lord, though these were deep and real. He is alone, darkness is over the whole land (or earth), there are none with Him to console or sympathize. On man’s part desertion and cruelty, on God’s part as the sacrifice for sin He is now forsaken. Psalm 22 is His soul’s experience at this moment. He may say, “Be not Thou far from Me,” but He must endure it alone. And at the ninth hour He cries with a loud voice, “My God, My God! why halt Thou forsaken Me? “This was more than the cruelty of man: it was God’s just judgment against sin, that fell upon Him as the Lamb of God.
In the garden of Gethsemane He had it before Him and He sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Here on the cross He is drinking the bitter cup of judgment for sin and so God hides His face from Him.
We know there never was a moment when He was more precious to His Father than at that moment, for He was doing all the Father’s will; but as the sin bearer He must endure fully the portion sin must have under the judgment of God. And how perfectly He has glorified God in it we can See in His hearing fully and feeling in His soul all that God is against sin. Precious to the Father is such holy, loving obedience. And also now precious to us as we understand it and see the blessed victory gained over sin and Satan’s power. He died for us for our sins. How could we help loving Him!
Mark 15:37. Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. It was not because of weakness He died, it was because He laid down His life, that He might take it again in resurrection (John 10:17). He gave up His life when all was finished. All His sufferings were over at His death, and in His resurrection we see His full triumph over sin and death and the grave.
Mark 15:38. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, it was God’s hand that did it, and now the way is open, for all believers, into the holiest (Heb. 10:19-20), where none could enter before. God is fully revealed and we brought nigh through the precious blood of Christ. All our sins are forgiven; we are in Him before God, and we shall be like Him and with Him in glory. This one offering has perfected all believers forever (Heb. 10:14). Sin cannot again be imputed to them. Christ, living at God’s right hand, is the witness of it in His own person. Sin in us is also judged in His death, our death with Him (Rom. 6:6), so that we are no longer slaves of sin. And we now can enjoy communion with God our Father, through His Spirit dwelling in us, and worship in His presence. The new creation life teaches us to apply the death of Christ to all that is of the old man and to reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And the Holy Spirit turns our eye to see Christ as our object, and’ the pattern for our ways.
Mark 15:39. The Centurion never saw a death like that one; there never was another. When Jesus so cried out and gave up His spirit to the Father (Luke 23:46), he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God;” he had put to death one who was righteous in all His ways.
Mark 15:40-41. The devoted women find honorable mention as those that followed and ministered to Him, and their affection for Him brought them there.
Mark 15:43-46. Joseph of Arimathea now comes forward. God by his means provided that He should have honor and reverence, and lie with the rich in His death. Man had appointed His grave with the wicked (Isa. 53), but this is not to be, and none but His own were allowed to handle Him. The world never saw Him again (John 14:19). Joseph and Nicodemus seem to gain courage that they did not show during His life (John 19:38-39).
Pilate marveled if He were already dead. On being assured of it by the Centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. With fine linen and spices (expressive of His own purity and fragrance) He is buried in Joseph’s new tomb hewn out of the rock. The stone is rolled to the door and the precious body of the Lord is left there, under the power of death, which could hold Him just till the appointed time.
Mark 15:47. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus saw where He was laid. Love cannot do without Him.