If you are familiar with the Easter Story, you may be tempted to "gloss over" this chapter due to its familiarity. We all have a tendency to do this with familar stories. However, this is the most significant event in the life of a Christ-follower.
In Mark 15:1-15, we encounter the exchange before Pilate. He is the local political authority. When Jesus was brought before him, Pilate recognized that the motives of the accusers (which he did not particularly appreciate) were wrong. Still, part of Pilate's job performance review by Caesar is based on how well he keeps the peace. Jesus admits to the charges that He is the King of the Jews, that it...the awaited Messiah (Mk 15:2). Pilate saw nothing in this that caused him to desire or demand Jesus' death. In fact, many people in the world today look at Jesus the same way. They are aware of His claims, yet since it does not apply to them, they see no need to consider it further.
Pilate wanted the situation to go away quietly. He knew that the religious leaders were behind the trouble before him (Mark 15:10). After being unable to win the crowd over to another solution, Pilate yielded to the voice of the CROWD and gave Jesus to be crucified (Mark 15:15).
Mark 15:16-21 speaks of the scourging that occurred prior to Jesus being sent to the cross. Remember that crucifixion was the most severe of punishments and the carrying out of the sentence was brutal. The violent nature of the crucifixion served as a deterrent to "would be" criminals.
Mark 15:22-37 details the "cross event." Jesus was stripped of all of his clothing (they cast lots for it). He was then nailed to the cross through both hands and feet. This is a public spectacle that was difficult to watch...and was comparatively more brutal in his case. While on the cross, He was insulted, mocked, and challenged. Any self-interest would have resulted in retaliation, yet Jesus had only one interest, that of completing the task of the Father...to satisfy the wrath of God against sin. In Mark 15:33, the text says that the day became dark from 12 noon to 3PM. At 3, Jesus cried out to God in Aramaic. "My God, My God...why have you forsaken Me.
The word "lama" which is translated "why" has more than one function. It is used at times as a question/interrogative. (ex: Why is this happening? Why am I here?, etc.) In this case, its use is DEMONSTRATIVE rather than interrogative. (Demonstrate/show why you have forsaken me.) Jesus is not crying out in a pitiful voice wondering how things got to this point...He is crying out, knowing that the end is coming... and asking the Father to show the world what this death has accomplished.
Mark 15:38 is the answer. When Jesus died, the veil which separated the presence of God from the people was torn in two from the top to the bottom. Now, there was nothing that separated the people from God. Before, only the priest could pass through the veil on behalf of the people. Now, Jesus becomes the gateway (the new veil) to God and people approach God, not through a priest and a veil, but through our new High Priest (Jesus) and His sacrifice alone. Even the statement of the Gentile Centurion, upons seeing how Jesus died, declared that Jesus was the "Son of God" (Mark 15:40).
Mark 15:42-47 details how Joseph, a member of the rulers and a believer in Christ received permission to bury Jesus before the Sabbath (which began at 6PM on Friday night.) This is the first day in the tomb (Friday). No one could attend to Jesus on the Sabbath (since work was prohibited on the Sabbath/ Saturday- the second day). We will resume the story tomorrow...with the following morning, Sunday- the third day.
Proverbs 25:4 is the takeaway today. Becoming what God has called us to be is more often about what we take away (the impurities/dross), than about what we add. Sometimes we think we NEED to learn more, add more, do more...when what God really wants to do is subtract some elements in our lives that are impurities. The Holy Spirit is all about surfacing stuff we need to forsake. Becoming a useful vessel is, in many cases, simply yielding and forsaking, leaving the useful vessel part for Jesus to mold and shape.
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3 comments:
I WAS "glossing over" this chapter and then verse 19 jumped out at me. "They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him." I thought about all the times I might as well have been there beating Him and spitting on Him all over again with my sin WHILE KNEELING AND BOWING BEFORE HIM. He just took it all knowing that we would continue to spit on Him. He knew that we would spit on Him even after we accepted His gift of salvation. His grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness are way beyond my comprehension! Praise You Jesus! Forgive me and please keep changing me!
Chris, the message player worked perfectly for me this morning. :)
What a great observation. Thanks for sharing. That is good. Oh, and glad the player worked for you today.
Grace,
v.12 - 14 Pilate asking the people what should they do with Jesus. It sounds like to me he was pleading the case of Jesus... what has this man done to deserve death? But they don't listen. They had already decided to kill him. So publicly and harshly... awful... all for me...
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