Mark 15:16-39

The text before us describes the hours preceding the death of Jesus. The four gospels present accounts of these hours which differ in descriptive detail. The description presented in Mark is almost identical to that of Matthew. A careful reading of the two accounts reveals only small differences. Differences will not be a focus of the discussion to follow.

“And the soldiers led him away” (v. 16). The soldiers led Jesus away from the home of Pilate. Shortly before, perhaps less than two hours earlier, the Sanhedrin council consulted and determined that Jesus should be brought before Pilate where He could (and would) be found guilty of treason against Rome. The religious leaders had found Jesus guilty of blasphemy and would have executed Him by stoning as set forth in the law of Moses had possessed the power to do so. Excesses by the Sanhedrin more than twenty years earlier (6 A.D.), had caused Rome to forbid Jews to execute anyone. Jesus, under Roman law, could only be executed by Rome and for offenses against Rome. Pilate, under pressure to appease the Jewish leaders, found Jesus guilty of seeking to replace Herod (the king appointed by Rome).

“And they clothed him in purple . . .” (v. 17). They clothed Jesus in royal attire in mockery. They followed this act by “honoring” Jesus with a crown of thorns and hailing Him to be King of the Jews. These acts of mockery were followed by three more. The soldiers smote Jesus with a reed, spit upon Him, and bowed before Him in pretense.

Mockery is an absurd misrepresentation that is employed to refute an assertion. The soldiers acted in ignorance. Jesus never claimed His kingdom to be of this earth (see Jn. 18:36). Their portrayal of the reign of an earthly king was as absurd as was the charge of treason.

“. . . and led him out to crucify him” (v. 20b). Jesus was subject to execution by crucifixion, a brutal death, because He was not a Roman citizen.

“And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian . . .” (v. 21). The scriptures do not state the reason for this conscription. We know that Jesus was scourged (see v. 15). The severity of His scourging was prophesied seven hundred years earlier by Isaiah. “. . . his visage was so marred more than any man” (Isa. 52:14). Psalm 22:17 suggests that bones of the rejected righteous servant would be visible to the eye. Simon may have been enlisted because Jesus was physically unable to bear His cross after being scourged.

“And they gave him to drink . . .” (v. 23). Myrrh mingled with wine served as a pain deadener. Jesus chose to suffer the full pain of death upon the cross.

“. . . they parted his garments, casting lots upon them” (v. 24). Again, the happenings of that day point us to the 22nd Psalm. David, the psalmist, was moved by the Spirit to cry out in anguish, “They in part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (Ps. 22:18). Roman soldiers cast lots for Jesus vesture. Roman soldiers nailed His hands and His feet to the cross. Did unbelieving Roman soldiers cause all that is recorded in Ps. 22:14-18 to come to pass? The text before us reveals the fulfilment of which God spoke through David in Psalm 22.

“And the superscription of his accusation . . .” (v. 26). The superscription identifies the offense for which one was crucified. Jesus was crucified because He was King of the Jews, the king they rejected (see I Sam. 8:7). The superscription identified Jesus as the rejected righteous servant of whom Isaiah prophesied (Isa. 53:2).

“And with him they crucify two thieves” (v. 27). Again, the scripture before us shouts out the words of Isaiah. Verse 28 explicitly states that Isaiah 53:12 was fulfilled.

Read the words of verses 29-31 and Psalm 22:7-8. Unbelieving Jews fulfilled the very words of the God whom they rejected.

“And when the sixth hour was come . . .” (v. 33). The darkness that fell upon the land for three hours cannot be explained by known natural occurrences. It was, however, a physical event which was observed by all. It was like the darkness which fell upon Egypt when Moses stretched forth his hand (Ex. 10:22). It was a darkness from God.

Verse 34 points all to Psalm 22:1. Men read and marvel at the words which Jesus said. Few, however, consider the question asked of God. The question is not unanswered in Psalm 22 or in the gospel of Mark. The Father, however, answered the question before Jesus went to the cross. The Father answered when the Son said: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16).

Jesus cried out in the ninth hour (the third hour of darkness). Jesus called out, asking why He had been forsaken, because He had become sin and experienced the darkness of separation from the Father. The darkness was not lifted until after His soul was made an offering for sin (Isa. 53:10).

“And the veil of the temple was rent” (v. 38). The veil that separated men from the presence of God was torn from above (top to bottom) by God when the Son was made an offering for sin. The heel of the promised seed had been bruised (Gen. 3:15) when He bruised the serpent’s head.

“. . . when the centurion . . . saw” (v. 39). The centurion (a Gentile) proclaimed “Truly this is the Son of God.” The veil was rent and the centurion saw and believed. May all men see and believe.