Session 8 > :27-39 Saves ’ death bridges the gap between and humanity caused by our .

Military history is filled with stories about valiant soldiers who saved others by falling on a live grenade, charging an enemy position, or putting themselves in the line of fire to treat and retrieve wounded comrades. In civilian life as well, we hear frequent accounts of first responders as well as everyday citizens who selflessly put themselves in harm’s way to rescue people in peril. For Jack and Frank, self- became extremely personal. Avid spelunkers, the two men went on a cave exploration. Deep inside the cave, however, they became disoriented. They frantically tried to find their way out, but without success. Each pathway seemed to lead deeper into the mountain—and into deeper despair. When Jack’s supplies ran out, Frank shared his supplies with Jack until both men became exhausted. Frank died in the cave, while Jack eventually found his way to safety. Jack realized that he probably would have been the one to die if Frank had not sacrificed for him. When we read the account and think about Jesus’ death on the cross, we are not just perusing a chapter in a dusty history book. We do better to meditate on this session’s text as though we were Jack sitting in the front row at Frank’s funeral. Jesus’ atoning death on the cross provided the way of eternal rescue from sin, death, and the grave for every believer. As we read and study this passage, may it not be a dispassionate review of an ancient text. Rather, may we draw near to Christ, sensing the presence of the risen Lord among us today, calling us to faith in Him. UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

MARK 14:53–15:41 On the divine level, Jesus’ was part of God’s eternal plan of salvation (see Acts 2:23). From a human perspective, Jesus’ death on the

80 Explore © 2019 LifeWay cross was a culmination of conspiracies that reached from the highest ranks of first-century Jewish leaders into the circle of Jesus’ twelve apostles (see Matt. 26:3-4,14-16; :1). The immediate context of this session’s core passage features several trials that followed Judas’ betrayal and Jesus’ arrest in the garden of . Jesus’ captors first took Him to appear before , a former high priest and the current high priest’s father-in- law (see :13). Jesus suffered the indignities of an illegal nighttime tribunal; then Annas sent Him to appear before the high priest, [KAY uh fuhs] (see John 18:24). The entire religious and political leadership of the gathered to judge Jesus. Jesus had prophesied that He would be condemned by this group and then killed. Without valid evidence against Jesus, Jewish leaders bribed false witnesses to speak against Him and charge Him with (Mark 14:53-65). The trial ended with Jesus’ being beaten and condemned to die. Peter had followed the arresting mob to the high priest’s home and waited outside in the courtyard, mingling with the household servants (14:66-72) around a campfire. A maidservant twice pointed to Peter as one of Jesus’ disciples, but Peter denied her assertions. When others around the campfire chimed in, Peter cursed and swore that he didn’t even know Jesus. Jesus had earlier predicted that Peter would deny Him three . In 15:1-15, Mark reported Jesus’ interrogation and condemnation by Pilate, the governor of . To Pilate’s amazement, Jesus refused to defend Himself. The governor then sought to mollify the agitated crowd by offering to release Jesus in accordance with a custom. The Jewish leaders convinced the crowd to demand the release of , a criminal, and the execution of Jesus. Pilate relented to the crowd’s demand and sent Jesus away to be flogged and crucified. In 15:16-20, Mark described Jesus’ being mocked and beaten prior to His crucifixion. Then the soldiers led Jesus to a place outside the city called Golgotha to be crucified. They forced a man from Cyrene to carry Jesus’ cross to the execution site (15:21-23). While Jesus was on the cross, passersby insulted Him and mockingly challenged Him to save Himself (15:24-32). At noontime, Jesus cried out the opening words of about feeling abandoned by God, a cry that some onlookers mistook as a plea for the prophet ’s help (15:33-36). Later, when Jesus died, the temple curtain split in two from top to bottom, and the centurion at the execution site confessed that Jesus was the (15:37-39). Mark ended the description by noting that a number of Jesus’ women followers, including Mary, His mother, witnessed Jesus’ death (15:40-41). The finality of His last cry might have sealed His story if not for the wondrous that would happen in three days .

Session 8: Saves 81 © 2019 LifeWay EXPLORE THE TEXT

CRUCIFIED (Mark 15:27) The Jewish religious and political leaders wanted Jesus out of the way. They felt threatened by His authority and reputation with the people. Having pressured Pilate the governor into condemning Jesus, the stage was then set for Jesus’ death on the cross.

VERSE 27 They crucified two criminals with him, one on his right and one on his left. By the time Jesus reached the place of execution, He had suffered massive bodily trauma and loss of . He had been beaten mercilessly with a scourge, a whip that had jagged bits of bone and metal affixed to its tail. To mock His kingship, the soldiers had forced a wreath of thorns onto His forehead as a crown. Because of the physical toll on Jesus, the soldiers had to conscript an onlooker in the crowd to carry His cross to the execution site. The actual crucifixion continued this degrading process. The soldiers crucified two criminals (“thieves,” KJV; “robbers,” ESV; “rebels,” NIV) alongside Jesus. The Greek word renderedcriminals could refer to the kind of ruthless bandits who ambushed people along roads in broad daylight to rob them. An alternate view is that the two men were revolutionaries in league with Barabbas. Mark 15:7 speaks of Barabbas’s being in prison with “rebels who had committed murder during the rebellion.” In any case, for the soldiers to position Jesus’ cross in the middle of these two crosses was meant to demean Jesus as nothing more than a despised, good-for-nothing lawbreaker. By the first century AD, the Romans had virtually perfected the use of crucifixion as a means of execution. It was meant not only to produce a slow, sure death but also to exact agonizing torture on the victim in the process and deter future lawbreakers. The person being crucified was stripped of all clothing, causing shame and removing any vestige of protection from the elements. Victims were affixed to the cross’s horizontal beam either by ropes or large nails driven through the hands or wrist bones. Similarly, the victim’s feet were tied or nailed to the vertical pole. While impaled on the cross, victims suffered excruciating pain in their muscles and joints while finding it increasingly difficult to fill their lungs with air. In some cases, executioners broke victims’ leg bones to cause even greater agony and hasten death. Often, though, victims survived several days on the cross, finally succumbing to exhaustion and asphyxiation.

82 Explore the Bible © 2019 LifeWay Based on different ancient manuscripts, some English Bible translations include an additional verse at this point. The , for example, includes verse 28 that reads “And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.” This is a reference to 53:12, where the prophet foretold that the Lord’s Suffering Servant—the —would be counted among criminals at His death. Although the verse does not appear in other ancient manuscripts of Mark’s Gospel, the reference to :12 as a of Jesus’ crucifixion is unquestionable. Thus, many English Bible translations that do not have Mark 15:28 in the main text refer to it in a note.

EXPLORE FURTHER Read the article titled “Cross, Crucifixion” on pages 368–371 in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Revised and Expanded. What aspects of Jesus’ crucifixion demonstrate the cruel and humiliating nature of this practice? What emotions do you experience as you reflect on Jesus’ suffering and sacrificial death for sinners?

MOCKED (Mark 15:29-32)

VERSE 29 Those who passed by were yelling insults at him, shaking their heads, and saying, “Ha! The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, Victims of crucifixion endured not only excruciating physical agony but also severe emotional pain in the forms of shame and ridicule. Onlookers and those who passed by Jesus’ cross shouted insults at him (“railed on him,” KJV; “derided him,” ESV). The act of shaking their heads (“wagging their heads,” KJV; ESV) was a gesture of utter contempt. The form of the two verbs yelling and shaking reflects ongoing action. People kept on deriding Jesus. The Jewish leaders had successfully stirred up a mob mentality among the many citizens and visitors to . One of the insults hurled at Jesus concerned a saying that He would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. Jesus had told His disciples concerning the temple that one day “not one stone will be left upon another—all will be thrown down” (:2). More to the point, however, Jesus had also spoken of destroying and raising up “this temple” in reference to the crucifixion and resurrection of His body (:19). The mockers

Session 8: Saves 83 © 2019 LifeWay around Jesus’ cross misapplied what Jesus said on that occasion and used it as an insult of powerlessness. In their view, no one hanging helpless on a cross could possibly destroy the temple!

VERSE 30 save yourself by coming down from the cross!” The scorners called on Jesus to save Himself by coming down from the cross. In connection with the thought expressed in the preceding verse, the mockers clearly did not expect Jesus to comply with this challenge. Jewish popular expectations about the Messiah were of an invincible military and political leader, not a bloodied, broken man dying slowly on a Roman cross.

VERSE 31 In the same way, the chief priests with the scribes were mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! Joining in with the scoffers werethe chief priests with the scribes (“teachers of the law,” NIV). Matthew’s Gospel adds that other leaders known as “elders” also joined in (Matt. 27:41). Elders probably were the patriarchs of leading Jewish clans who sat on the [san HEE drihn], the Jewish high court. The phrase chief priests referred to the current high priest, Caiaphas [KAY uh fuhs], and his father-in-law and former high priest, Annas. These two previously would not step foot in Pilate’s palace for fear of ceremonially defiling themselves (John 18:28). Yet here they were in the presence of the dying, cruelly mocking Jesus to one another (among themselves). Playing to the mob, the religious leaders scoffed that Jesus saved others but was unable to save himself. They were aware of the many ways Jesus had miraculously helped people—from healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, multiplying food for the hungry, and even bringing back to life people who had died. Yet none of these events convinced the majority of Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ true messianic purpose.

VERSE 32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with him taunted him. The derisive heckling continued, focusing on the twin titles Messiah (“Christ,” KJV; ESV) and King of Israel. One of the accusations the Jewish

84 Explore the Bible © 2019 LifeWay leaders levied against Jesus before Pilate was that Jesus claimed to be the King of the Jews. Jesus affirmed to Pilate that He was the King but also that His kingdom was not of this world (see John 18:33-37). As they had done previously with Jesus, the religious leaders demanded that He perform a miraculous sign before they would see and believe in Him as the Messiah. Again, they did not anticipate that He would come down now from the cross. Instead, they were mocking Him in front of the people so that the crowd also would conclude that Jesus could not possibly be the long awaited Messiah. In Mark’s Gospel, even the two criminals crucified next to Jesus joined in the chorus of taunts (see also Matt. 27:44). Thankfully, we learn from Luke’s Gospel that one of the criminals became so deeply stirred by Jesus’ demeanor on the cross that he repented, rebuked the other criminal, and begged Jesus to remember him in the coming kingdom. Jesus assured the man that they would be together in paradise that very day (:39-43). Jesus endured unimaginable physical and emotional suffering on the cross. He did so in order to provide atonement for our . He had the power to save Himself from the cross at any time, but He knew this was the Father’s plan to provide the way of forgiveness and salvation for sinners past and present. Such divine love deserves and demands our eternal gratitude!

EXPLORE FURTHER Read the messianic regarding the Lord’s Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. In what ways did Jesus’ crucifixion fulfill these prophecies? How can the fulfillments of these and other messianic prophecies help you explain the way of salvation to others?

FORSAKEN (Mark 15:33-36)

VERSE 33 When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. The Greek words renderednoon literally mean “sixth hour.” In the first- century Jewish reckoning of time, a day went from sundown to sundown. The twelve-hour period from around 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. was known as the night (or evening), and the twelve-hour period from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. was called the day (or morning). The term “sixth hour” could thus refer either to midnight or noon, depending on the context. In Mark 15:33, the term

Session 8: Saves 85 © 2019 LifeWay clearly refers to noon, because the spread of darkness over the whole land at this time was extraordinary, unexpected, and significant. The view of some commentators that the darkness could have been a coincidental solar eclipse misses the point of the text. Eclipses cover an area for no more than a few minutes, while the darkness mentioned in this text remained for three hours, until three in the afternoon (“until the ninth hour,” KJV; ESV). In Scripture, darkness often serves as a symbol of God’s judgment. Indeed, judgment was occurring in those three dark hours as Jesus hung on the cross. The sinless Messiah bore the sins of the world—our sins—on the cross so that we might be saved by trusting in Him (see Isa. 53:6,11-12; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24). The absence of light was a supernatural act of God in reaction to what was happening at the cross.

VERSE 34 And at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Mark’s Gospel does not report all of the events that took place while Jesus was on the cross. Of the seven sayings Jesus uttered aloud, only one is reported in this Gospel—His quotation of the opening line of Psalm 22. The quotation clearly expressed Jesus’ deep anguish in the throes of His suffering. He cried out with a loud voice. First-century Jews commonly used the Aramaic language in speech. Aramaic was closely related to the Hebrew used in the . Thus, Mark recorded Jesus’ cry first in Aramaic—the language Jesus spoke— and then translated it for the Greek-speaking readers and hearers of his Gospel. When rendered into English, the Aramaic words Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni [ee loh igh-ee loh igh-lee muh-suh BAHK thah nee] ask the question, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Did Jesus truly feel abandoned by God the Father on the cross? One view of Jesus’ cry emphasizes that in this moment of Jesus’ life, the sins of the world’s people—past, present, and future—bore heavily on the sinless Lamb of God. As the Just One took on Himself the full wrath deserved by sinners, the Father turned away from looking upon the scene. The apostle Paul later wrote of how God made the Sinless One to become sin for us, so that we might be made righteous by faith in Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:21). An alternate view holds that Jesus’ cry was meant to reflect the entirety of Psalm 22. The psalm begins with a cry of great distress and loneliness but ends on a note of victory in which God answered the psalmist’s for help. Since Jesus’ final words on the cross expressed the trustful commitment

86 Explore the Bible © 2019 LifeWay of His spirit into the Father’s hands (see Luke 23:46), Jesus thereby did not believe that the Father was absent. Rather, His cry was a prayer for the Father to draw near and give Him help to endure until victory came. Even on the cross, Jesus was the eternal Righteous One. In His earthly existence, though tempted in every way as we are, Jesus never sinned (Heb. 4:15). In a way that goes beyond full human comprehension, God placed the sins of the world on His Son at the cross. His suffering became the believer’s forgiveness and healing. His death opened the way for the believer to live.

VERSE 35 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “See, he’s calling for Elijah.” Some bystanders misunderstood Jesus’ repeated cry of “Eloi.” They thought that Jesus was calling for Elijah to help Him. Mark did not identify the bystanders, suggesting that the Gospel writer’s emphasis was on the people’s continued misunderstanding of the Messiah in general and of Jesus in particular. Many Jews believed that the Old Testament prophet Elijah would come to life again to prepare for the Messiah’s appearance (see :11-12). Some Jews, in fact, believed that Jesus was the reappearance of Elijah (see 8:27-28). Their unwillingness to believe the truth about Jesus the Messiah continued even as He hung on the cross.

VERSE 36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour , fixed it on a stick, offered him a drink, and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.” Mark did not record Jesus’ cry of thirst (see :28). However, victims of crucifixion typically suffered from severe thirst. Mark’s account picks up with the response to Jesus’ cry of thirst. Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. One view regarding the sour wine (“vinegar,” KJV) suggests that it was a mixture designed to numb the victim’s pain (see Matt. 27:34). However, the cruel purpose of crucifixion was to maximize suffering, not relieve it. Additionally, :34 reports that when Jesus tasted the mixture, He refused to drink it. Like most of the other people standing around the cross, this unnamed person who offered Jesus a drink likely was not trying to help Him. Rather, he wanted to see if Elijah would come to take Jesus down from the cross. This person may have heard about Jesus’ and hoped to see something spectacular. More likely, the entire action was another form of mockery.

Session 8: Saves 87 © 2019 LifeWay

EXPLORE FURTHER In the article titled “Sacrifice and Offering” in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Revised and Expanded, read the section titled “New Testament” on pages 1400–1401. In what ways did Jesus’ death on the cross fulfill the Old Testament ? As you think of Jesus’ dying for your sins, what response have you made to Him?

VICTORIOUS (Mark 15:37-39)

VERSE 37 Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed his last. As Jesus approached His final moments of life, He let out a loud cry. Luke’s Gospel records that Jesus’ final words on the cross were “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Jesus then breathed His last breath and died. With that final breath Jesus completed His work of atonement for sinners. His purpose for coming to earth, ministering to the needy, calling disciples, and offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice was finished (see John 19:30). His resurrection lay ahead, but His sacrifice for our sins was complete.

VERSE 38 Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Thecurtain (“veil,” KJV) of the temple represented the separation between sinful humanity and Holy God. The original curtain was made for the tabernacle during the time of the Israelites’ wilderness journeys. The temple curtain in Jesus’ day may have been woven during the temple expansion by Herod the Great in the decades before Jesus’ birth. The large, thick curtain was made of finely twined linen with blue, , and scarlet design (see Ex. 26:1-3). Only the High Priest was authorized to enter the most holy place beyond this curtain—and he only once a year on the Day of Atonement. When Jesus died on the cross, this curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. No human power could accomplish this feat. That the curtain was torn from top to bottom suggests that God tore aside the wall of separation between Him and sinful humanity. Hebrews 10:19 declares that through Jesus’ blood, believers can enter the presence of God with boldness. Jesus’ atoning death opened the way to forgiveness and restoration.

88 Explore the Bible © 2019 LifeWay VERSE 39 When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God! ” The Roman death squad that crucified Jesus was led by a centurion. A centurion, as the term suggests, had command over one hundred soldiers. However, the crucifixion squad likely contained only a fraction of that number. Centurions usually were seasoned officers whose skills, courage, character, and loyalty led to their promotion to leadership. On several occasions, the New Testament portrays centurions in a positive light in relationship to Christ and the early church (see Matt. 8:5, Acts 10). This centurion stood opposite (“over against,” KJV; “facing,” ESV; “in front of,” NIV) Jesus. From that viewpoint, he was able to watch and hear all that Jesus did and said while on the cross. He may not have participated in the soldiers’ casting of lots for Jesus’ garment (see John 19:23-24). Nevertheless, he supervised the crucifixion from start to finish. Moreover, he was deeply impacted by the way Jesus endured suffering. Jesus’ final breath evoked an amazing confession from the centurion. Bible scholars have debated the meaning of the centurion’s words that Jesus truly … was the Son of God. A typical Roman soldier or citizen believed that many deities existed. In light of this fact, one view of the centurion’s statement suggests that he was simply recognizing Jesus as an extraordinary human being who refused to lash out at scoffers and died the cruelest of deaths with remarkable dignity. A more likely understanding, however, is that the centurion confessed more than he knew. That is, he had but a limited understanding of who Jesus was, but what he saw and heard of Jesus during the crucifixion proved that this One who was said to be the King of the Jews was not merely a son of the but was the Son of God. Having been stationed in Jerusalem, the centurion perhaps had heard the accounts of Jesus’ compassionate, miraculous works. He may have become convinced that Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be. If so, the centurion’s confession was the beginning of a new road of faith for this Roman soldier. So it can be also for all who open their hearts and minds to the power of Jesus’ atoning death for their sins.

EXPLORE FURTHER Read Leviticus 16:1-19. Compare this passage with Hebrews 10:11-12,19- 22. How does Jesus’ death and resurrection give believers access to the holy presence of God? What should be our daily response to this privilege?

Session 8: Saves 89 © 2019 LifeWay