Mark 15:33-47
Q.1. How did God hide the alienation of His Son? What did the bystanders do? How did Jesus die? What happened when He died? – Mk.15:33-39)
From midday to three o’clock in the afternoon, an eerie darkness engulfed Jerusalem (Mk.15:33). This hid from view the alienation that God’s Son had never experienced from eternity past to that time. It was during that time that Jesus cried out – … My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Mk.15:34 c.f. Ps.22:1; Jn.17:5, 24). Psalm 22:1 foretold Christ’s alienation. Jesus suffered this abandonment, so that mankind would not have to experience such devastation. Jesus spoke in Aramaic, and the bystanders thought He was crying out to Elijah. They mockingly suggested that Elijah might return to save Him (Mk.15:35-36). Someone tried to relieve Christ’s suffering by filling a sponge with sour wine (Mk.15:36). It was the end of His earthly life – and Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed His last (Mk.15:37). The cry as Jesus yielded up His life was – Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit (Lk.23:46 c.f. Mt.27:50; Jn.10:18). Jesus died on His terms, as the sinner’s sin-bearer and substitute. The Gospel writers recorded that – the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Mk.15:38). The writer of Hebrews stated that now – we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh (Heb.10:19-20). It was also recorded that a centurion, who doubtless had seen many crucifixions beside these three, was deeply impacted by how Jesus died, and concluded – Truly, this man was the Son of God (Mk.15:39 c.f. Mk.15:27).
Q.2. Which followers saw Jesus die? Why did Joseph want the body of Jesus? Was Jesus dead? Where was He buried? Who watched on? – Mk.13:40-47)
We only have glimpses of the desertion by the apostles (c.f. Mk.14:50). However, all the synoptic writers recorded that some of the faithful women kept watch to the end – … looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome (Mk.15:40). Mark informed us that – when He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and minister to Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem (Mk.15:41 c.f. Lk.8:1-3). We learn that – Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; gathered up courage and went in before Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus (Mk.15:43 c.f. Isa.53:9). Jesus was dead, so what difference would a decent burial make? Obviously, Joseph believed Jesus should have the best (and thus he was led by the Holy Spirit to fulfil the prophecy in Isaiah 53 that predicted that Jesus would die with criminals and yet would be connected – with a rich man in his death – (c.f. Isa.53:9). If the body of Jesus had been disposed on the rubbish heaps burning outside the city, there would have been no identifiable grave … and no clear confirmation that there had been a resurrection. It took some courage to ask for permission from Pilate. It meant that the Roman Governor needed to check to confirm that Jesus had actually died (Mk.15:44-45). Joseph took the mutilated body of Jesus – and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb (Mk.15:46). Consequently, Joseph was used by God to provide independent witnesses to the death of Jesus and ensured His resurrection would be checkable. He had become a secret disciple of Jesus and had not agreed to the plans of the Sanhedrin (c.f. Mt.27:57; Lk.23.50; Jn.19:38). Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses took note of the place where Jesus was laid (Mk.15:47).