Gospel of Mark Study #56

“The End of the Story?”

Mark 16:9-20

Study #56 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

The screenwriters of television dramas and murder mysteries long ago figured out how to hold on to their audience until the very end of the program—they simply cut to a commercial just before the final scene when the villain is going to be revealed and apprehended. It works because they know that we will sit right there, fat, dumb, and happy watching the stupid commercials so that we can see the end of the story.

Paul Harvey used the same technique for years on his radio broadcasts. He would bring the audience right up to the moment of the big reveal and then cut to a commercial. We would have to sit through the ads to be able to hear “the rest of the story.” In the same way, today we are going to hear “the rest of the story” about what happened after the Resurrection of Jesus. This will be the last installment of our series of studies in the Gospel of Mark, a series that we began many months ago. Today is our 56^th study of this pivotal New Testament book.

Some of you are probably saying to yourself: “Only 56? It sure seemed like more.” Leave it to a preacher to turn a little book with only 16 chapters into a Bible study series with 56 installments! However, in my own defense I would simply point to the fact that the Gospel of Mark is foundational to our understanding of the things that Jesus did and said during His 3½ years of earthly ministry. Mark gives us important insights into the person and work of Christ, without which much of the rest of Scripture would be hard to comprehend and explain.

TRANSITION:

Last week we looked at the first eight verses of chapter sixteen. There we have an account of the events early on that Sunday morning when the three women made their way from Bethany to the tomb where Jesus had been hastily buried 36 hours previously. Upon arriving at the tomb, they were greeted by an amazing scene, indeed. First, the four Roman guards that Pilate had posted there were passed-out on the ground. Secondly, the huge stone had already been rolled away from the door of the tomb and there was now an angel sitting on top of the stone, watching them as they approached. Thirdly, we learned that, in fact, two angels had been sent by God not only to roll the stone from the door of the tomb, but also to deliver a stirring message to these faithful disciples: “He is Risen! He is not here…  Go and tell His disciples” (Vs. 6-7). The passage ends with these words in verse 8: “They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”    

Before we launch into our study for today, I need to mention here that the second part of this chapter, verses 9-20, has been under severe criticism by some textual scholars and the so-called “higher critics” for many years. That is because some of the better and more ancient Greek manuscripts, including Codex Sinaiticus (Aleph) and Codex Vaticanus (B), omit this section entirely. They end Mark’s Gospel after verse 8, leaving the story hanging with a very abrupt ending and no resolution. Moreover, a few manuscripts insert additional material after verse 14; one Latin manuscript adds the following so-called, “short ending” after verse 8: “But they reported briefly to Peter and those with him all that they had been told. And after this, Jesus himself sent out by means of them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.” Other manuscripts include this same wording after verse 8, then continue with verses 9-20.

Several explanations have been offered for these differing versions. One theory is that considerable time elapsed between the writing of verses 1-8 and the concluding section. They say that perhaps Mark lost the “flow” of the writing and did not connect the parts very well. Others believe that the last couple of pages of the original text (i.e., the “autograph”) may have been accidently torn off and lost soon after they were written by Mark, before additional copies could be made, and that scribes tried to put an appropriate ending to the account by writing from memory the things that they could remember from the original text. These are all interesting theories, but the fact is no one knows why verses 9-20 are not contained in some of the oldest manuscripts, or where the added endings come from. 

Down through the years this problem has been handled differently by different versions. For example, Wescott and Hort’s Greek version omits this block of verses from the main text but includes it in smaller type with an explanation. Nestle’s Greek text does the same thing, separating verses 9-20 from the regular text. Many of the English versions include the passage in brackets with a marginal explanation.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to go into the details of textual criticism concerning this passage. Rather, I want to deal with the meaning of the text. It is my opinion that all of chapter 16 is inspired Scripture and has been preserved for us down through the years and I will approach it from that basis. The omission of the last verses of this chapter in some of our older and better manuscripts is not sufficient grounds to declare that it was not divinely given and preserved by God, especially since most of the other manuscripts and uncial texts contain it. Moreover, while the vocabulary and style of Greek writing is indeed somewhat different in these last 12 verses, the content style is still that of Mark—brief, blunt, to the point, and full of action.

NOTES on the Text:

Verses 9-10: Now after He [i.e., Jesus] had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.

• The complete story of Jesus appearing to Mary, from Magdala (“the Magdalene”) is given in John 20:11-18. She was in the garden weeping and grieving over the death of Jesus and the Lord Himself spoke to her. At first, she did not recognize Him but mistook Him for the gardener. However, when Jesus called her by name, she recognized His voice and knew that it was indeed her Savior, and she fell weeping at His feet.
• Jesus told her to go back and tell the other disciples what she had seen and heard. Verse 10 tells us that when she arrived back at the upper room the disciples were “mourning and weeping.”

Verse 11: When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her [i.e., By Mary], they refused to believe it.

• We bad-mouth poor old Thomas about being a “doubter” but this whole band of great spiritual giants refused to believe Mary’s report. Their fear had blinded their faith. The reality of what they had observed with their eyes blinded their hearts to the truth. In fact, Mark’s account emphasizes the unbelief of the disciples (cf. vs. 11, 13, 14).
• “…they refused to believe it.” This phrase implies not merely an inability to believe but also an unwillingness to even consider the possibility that Mary might be telling the truth. In other words, their minds were made up, so they basically accused Mary of being a liar. This is the same unbelief we see in those who reject the Gospel and insist that they will make it to Heaven on their own. They “refuse to believe” the truth.

Verses 12-13: After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking along on their way to the country. ¹³ They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.

• Here we have a reference to Christ’s appearance to the two disciples who were traveling on the road to Emmaus. This story is given in detail in Luke 24:13-35.
• His appearing “…in a different form…” may indicate that His appearance was somewhat altered after the Resurrection. He likely appeared younger, less wrinkled, and less weather-beaten.

Verse 14: Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen. 

• This is referring to Jesus’ first appearance to the disciples in the Upper Room (cf. Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-23). On that occasion, Thomas was not present. However, in John 20:24-29 when the Lord made His second appearance Thomas was present and was invited to touch the nail prints in Jesus’ hands and to feel where the sword had entered His side. Thomas responded with the words, “My Lord, and my God.” Jesus then pronounced a blessing on “those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

Verses 15-16: And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.  ¹⁶ He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.” 

• Here in verse 15, we have Christ’s Great Commission. Usually when we think of the Great Commission our minds automatically go to that well-known passage, Matthew 28:18-20: “All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” However, Jesus gave some form of the Great Commission on several different occasions and in different places (cf. Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; John 20:21, Acts 1:8, etc.).
• Some have attempted to use verse 16 as a basis for teaching the necessity of baptism for salvation. However, that is a false conclusion, based on a misinterpretation of this isolated text and a failure to interpret Scripture by Scripture. The Lord does not say here that if you are not baptized you will be damned. For one thing, in the second part of verse 16 clearly the only basis for condemnation is a refusal to believe the Gospel. We must conclude that the only basis for salvation is belief in the Gospel. Moreover, this interpretation fits with the rest of Scripture (cf. Romans 3:28; Eph. 2:8-10, etc.). To single out verse 16 as a “proof text” to support the false doctrine of baptismal regeneration is a gross misuse of Scripture. It is not one’s failure to get baptized, but the rejection of Christ that brings eternal damnation: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).
• The Lord is simply saying here that the person who is saved will be baptized. This passage would have posed no problem for Christians in the Early Church because for them baptism and belief were never separated by time. Baptism was the way a person declared his or her faith in Christ. The idea of a person saying that he was a follower of Christ yet refusing baptism was something totally foreign. In fact, unbaptized people were not even considered Christians by the Early Church. They were not viewed as part of the Body of Christ and were not allowed to take Communion. For a person to refuse baptism was taken as a sign that they had not yet been truly converted, because baptism was how a person took up his cross publicly to follow Christ.
• This is still true in many mission fields today. If a person refuses baptism, they can attend all the Christian meetings and Bible studies they want. However, the moment they get baptized they are seen both by Christians and unbelievers as having “crossed the line.” It has always been so. Only here in America do we have the oddball phenomenon of people claiming to be Christ-followers who are in fact, unbaptized.  If we were to truly follow the biblical pattern such people would not be included as part of the “fellowship” but would be considered curious unbelievers or seekers.

Verses 17-18: “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

• All these things actually happened in the history of the Early Church, and we see many of them recorded in the Book of Acts.

Ø  Casting out demons, showing Christ’s victory over Satan – Acts 16:18

Ø  Speaking with new tongues on the Day of Pentecost – Acts 2:4-11

Ø  Healing the sick – Acts 28:8

Ø  Taking up snakes – this comment sums up the story in Acts 28:1-6 of Paul being bitten by a poisonous snake in Malta and suffering no ill effects. Jesus had also said something about this back in Luke 10:19.

• And while there is no biblical record of any Christian being forced to drink poison, such things occurred later in church history and the miracles were recorded.

Verse 19: So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 

• The Lord’s bodily Ascension was the final sign that Jesus truly was the Son of God. The Ascension was also recorded in Luke 24:50-51 and Acts 1:9-11.
• …”and sat down at the right hand of God.” This fact is confirmed in many passages, such as Hebrews 1:3, 8:1, 10:12, 1 Pet. 3:22, etc. Today Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He makes intercession for us. From there He will come soon to take His children home.

Verse 20: And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. 

• Basically verse 20 summarizes the whole of the Book of Acts.
• “…they went out and preached everywhere…” Here we see the obedience of the Lord’s disciples who went out to fulfil His command.

CONCLUSION:

The Book of Mark stands out from the other three Gospels as the Gospel of Action.  Throughout the 16 chapters we have seen an emphasis on the things that Jesus did to prove that He was who He claimed to be. Mark focuses attention on the miracles of Jesus rather than on the teachings of Jesus. He believed that the signs spoke for themselves and would lead any serious observer to the inevitable conclusion that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Savior, and Redeemer of the world.

Here at the end of the book we see the disciples taking seriously the Lord’s command to “Go and Tell.” In the same way, the Lord expects us to Go and Tell what we have come to know, what we have experienced, what we have seen with our own eyes of the power of God to save and restore fallen sinners.

All around us there are people who need to hear the Good News. Without Jesus they will spend eternity in Hell. Without the Savior they will be forever lost. Without a personal encounter with Him who is the Bread of Life and the Living Water they will continue to experience spiritual hunger and thirst with nothing to satisfy their longings. However, you and I have what they need. Will we share Him with others?

Gospel of Mark Study #55

“Faith Blinded by Fear”

Mark 16:1-8

Study #55 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

This week, in our continuing series of studies on the Gospel of Mark we come to the very summit of Christian Theology—namely, the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. That singular event was the theme of most of the preaching in the Early Church. Every sermon recorded in the Book of Acts focuses on the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of its strategic importance, down through the centuries this doctrine has been a lightning rod and a constant target for those who want to disprove or discredit the Christian faith. However, despite all the attacks, despite the best efforts of the scoffers and the demons of Hell, the truth of Christ’s resurrection still stands firm!           

Jesus’ bodily resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith. The resurrection is not merely a concept, a metaphor, or a spiritual truth—it is a certifiable historical fact, and has never been disproved, and never will be! Of all the things for which we should be thankful today, the fact that Jesus came forth from that tomb on third day, just as He had said He would, is our greatest motive for gratefulness. 

TRANSITION:

The outline of chapter 16 of the Gospel of Mark falls neatly into two distinct divisions. First, in verses 1-8 we read of the visit of the three women to the tomb and their conversation with the angels. Then in verses 9-20, which we will take up in our next study, we have a summary of the Lord’s resurrection appearances, ending with His ascension.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 1: And when the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him.

• The three women listed here are the same ones mentioned in 15:40, the ones who witnessed the crucifixion “from a distance.” From Matthew 27:56 we learn that this woman, Salome, was the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Mark tells us that the other Mary was the mother of James the Less and Joseph [Joses] but we do not know anything about her. Mary Magdalene, on the other hand is a familiar biblical personage. She followed Jesus almost from the very beginning of His ministry after He cast seven demons out of her and set her free from that demonic oppression (cf. Luke 8:2; Mark 16:9).
• The Sabbath began at sundown on Friday and ended at sundown on Saturday evening. The women probably went out then and purchased the supplies that they would need the next morning (Sunday) to anoint and prepare Jesus’ body for burial. These spices were used to retard decay and mask the stench of the decomposing body. The Greek word here for spices is arōmata, which refers to aromatic spices in liquid form, such as perfumed oil. For this reason, the translators of the KJV rendered the word as “sweet spices.”

Verse 2: And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

• “And very early on the first day of the week…” John’s Gospel (20:1) tells us that it was still dark out when the women set out for the tomb, probably from Bethany, where the disciples had been staying at night. Mark tells us that they arrived just as the sun was coming up. 

Verse 3: And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away [or roll back] the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”

• This was a logical question. Up in 15:46 we read that Joseph had rolled the stone down into place but rolling it uphill would be much more difficult. However, apparently, they hoped that the three of them together would be able to move the stone out of the way.
• The stone itself was probably not more than about 4 to 4.5 feet in diameter since tomb openings were not usually as tall as regular door openings. It was probably about a foot thick. However, a solid stone that size would weigh hundreds of pounds and would not be easy to move, especially by three ladies.
• It is also interesting to note that the women make no mention of the Roman guard that Pilate had placed there at the request of the chief priests. Perhaps they were still unaware of that fact.

Verse 4: And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large.

• “And looking up…” With downcast eyes and heavy hearts, they made their way up the hill to Jerusalem. Approaching the tomb, I assume that they were looking down at the ground as they walked along in that early morning half-light. However, as they drew near to the tomb, they lifted their eyes to see something that left them surprised. The stone had already been moved out of the way of the doorway, even though it was huge and heavy.
• It is difficult to harmonize the Gospel accounts and come up with an exact chronology of events because each writer adds his own details to the story. For example, Matthew 28:1-4 tells us that as the women approached there occurred a severe earthquake, the angel rolled the stone away from the door of the tomb and then sat on it, and the Roman guards were so traumatized by the whole thing that upon seeing the angel, they “shook with fear of him, and became like dead men.” That is apparently the amazing scene that greeted those three women as they walked up to the tomb.

Verse 5: And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed.

• The Scriptures tell us that Joseph’s tomb was brand-new. It had never been used. It had been carved out of solid stone. Such a project would have required expert stonecutters and would have cost a fortune. There was only one door into the tomb. There would have been several shelves or slabs, at least four, arranged like bunk beds on each side of a narrow aisle.
• The night before Joseph and Nicodemus had carried Jesus’ body from Golgotha to the tomb and had laid Him on one of the cold stone slabs. Before they left for the night, they hurriedly wrapped His body with cloth grave wrappings using some of the dry spices that Nicodemus had brought with him. Then they sealed up the tomb.
• Now the women entered the dark tomb. They may have had an oil lamp or a candle with them. We just do not know. But immediately upon entering their eyes immediately fell upon a young man, dressed in shining white apparel, seated on the stone slab to the right of the entrance. Luke says in 24:4 that there were two young men there but apparently only one of them did all the talking. Mark refers to this shining personage merely as, “a young man,” but Matthew specifically identifies them as “angels” dressed in dazzling clothes, and he says in 28:2-4 that they had removed the stone from the door of the tomb.
• The KJV says that the women “were affrighted” meaning afraid. However, the Greek word used here really means “utterly amazed, greatly astonished, or dumbfounded.” At this point they were not stricken with fear so much as with confusion and questions.
• And one of the things that amazed them was the fact that the grave cloths were still lying there, neatly folded (cf. John 20:6-7).

Verses 6: And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified [lit. the crucified One]. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. ⁷ But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before [i.e., going ahead of] you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He said to you.’”

• The angel’s first words to the women focused on their absolute amazement and his desire to calm their concerns. From his words it is obvious that he knew exactly who they were and what they were there to do. He also knew exactly what had happened to Jesus and where He had gone. He also knew exactly what Jesus had told His disciples about going ahead of them into Galilee and meeting them there.
• The English word “angel” comes directly from the Greek word, ángelos, which simply means, “a messenger.” That is their main function in relation to men, although they sometimes also serve us as guardians. They are heavenly servants of God, but they are the messengers that God uses to send specific messages to men. In this case, God commissioned these angelic messengers to bring a word of comfort and specific direction to these grieving disciples and to remind them that God was still in control of the situation, despite appearances.
• Notice how the angel singled out Peter from the rest of the disciples. He mentioned Peter by name. Why did he do that? I believe that it was God’s way of letting Peter know that despite what he had done in three times denying the Lord, God still loved him, and he had not been rejected. Comparing this passage to the other Gospel accounts we see that the disciples did not leave immediately for Galilee. We also learn in Luke 24:34 that the risen Christ appeared to Peter that very day and then to the disciples that evening (Luke 24:36). The meeting between Jesus and His disciples up in Galilee is recorded in John 21 and Matthew 28:16-20.
• One more thing—these three women were chosen by God as the first human witnesses to Christ’s resurrection. What an honor!

Verse 8: And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

• As soon as the angel finished speaking the women high-tailed it out of there. They were visibly shaken, from the top of their heads to the bottom of their feet.
• “…for trembling and astonishment had gripped them …for they were afraid.” What a cocktail of emotions these poor women were experiencing! Only moments before they were stricken with grief and sorrow as they walked to the tomb. Now that grief had been replaced by “trembling” and “astonishment.” The Greek word that Mark uses here for astonishment is an interesting choice. It is the word ekstasis from which we get the English word “ecstasy.” It is a compound word made up of the preposition ek, meaning “outside of,” and stasis, literally meaning “a standing.” It is used for any situation in which a person is thrown into a trance-like state of surprise or fear, or both. It is like our expression, “he was out of his mind,” or “he was beside himself.” It is usually translated “amazement” but often also carries the idea of “joy.” This emphasis is clearly carried by Matthew’s parallel account in Matthew 28:8 where he writes: “And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.”
• “…for they were afraid.”  This time, however, the word used really does mean “fear.” That sensation of amazement and astonishment was replaced by plain old stone-cold fear. The experience left them scared spitless, shaking in their sandals.
• “…and they said nothing to anyone.” This statement must be understood in the light of the other Gospels because we know that they quickly went back and told the other disciples. I believe that what Mark means is that they did not stop on the way to share with anyone what they had seen and heard. They went as quickly as possible directly to where the other disciples were gathered in the upper room.

CONCLUSION:

“He has risen; He is not here.” Those are some of the most thrilling words in all of Scripture. They form the basis for our hope, the foundation of all we believe. An interesting sidelight—the Greek voice of the verb the angel used, “He is risen,” is passive, and clearly indicates that Jesus was raised by an act of God. It could be translated, “He was raised,” simply emphasizing the part the Father played in raising the Son once the work was accomplished.           

In looking at the love and deep devotion of the three women we cannot help but be impressed and moved. However, theirs was an adoration of a dead Christ, just like we have in a large part of the Church today. They were committed to care for His beloved dead human body, not realizing that He was alive, and risen from the dead just as He had predicted.           

This problem was just the same old same old. For the past 3½ years the disciples had found it difficult to wrap their minds around the fact that Jesus was God incarnate. For this reason, every miracle surprised the daylights out of them and troubled them greatly. Here once again we see disciples of Jesus not getting it, not genuinely believing that He could be alive. And it was not just these three women—the men of the group who were huddled in the upper room were convinced that hope was gone, and everything had ended in tragedy. The fact is if Jesus had not risen from the dead, we would have never even heard of Him. However, the existence of the Christian Church is by far the best proof of the Resurrection.           

Jesus is not just a character in a book, He is a living presence. He is not just a memory. Moreover, our faith has a bedrock foundation and cannot be shaken by scoffers, critics, sceptics, or naysayers. Down through the centuries the fact of the Resurrection has changed sad and despairing men and women into people radiant with joy and flaming with courage.

We have much to be thankful for as Christians. However, of all the things that should top our gratitude list should be the fact that today JESUS IS ALIVE! We should celebrate and give thanks to God every day for that truth. And every Sunday should be Easter Sunday for us, the Lord’s Day, the day that Jesus rose from that tomb, victorious over death and the grave. There is a song by Bill Gaither that comes to my mind that says it all beautifully:

God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus; He came to love, heal, and forgive.

He lived and died to buy my pardon; an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives all fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future, now life is worth the living just because HE LIVES!

Gospel of Mark Study #54

“Darkness Over the Land”

Mark 15:33-47

Study #54 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

I remember back in 1959 when as a 5^th grader our teacher told us that a solar eclipse would take place in a couple of days. She explained to us that a solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the earth and the sun, temporarily blocking out much of the sun’s direct light. We were issued smoky lenses and warned not to look directly at the sun because it could blind us. When the day came, the tension mounted and sure enough for a few minutes the moon blocked out the sun and the world dimmed down a little bit. When it was over, we marched back into the classroom and continued our school day. No big deal. Nothing scary. Not particularly impressive.

TRANSITION:

In our text for this week, we learn about a day long ago when the whole land of Israel went black, not just dim, and not for just a few minutes, but totally dark for THREE HOURS! It happened at high noon and lasted until three o’clock. It scared the bejeebers out of people and sent them running to their homes. That is because they figured out very quickly that this was not a normal solar eclipse. In fact, they realized that this was not a “natural” phenomenon. During those last three hours that Jesus hung on the cross, God the Father turned out the lights. I believe He did it to call attention to the fact that the Savior was dying for the ugly black sins of the whole world, and according to the Scriptures the darkness continued to cover the land until Jesus breathed His last and died. Let’s look at the text.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 33: When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour.

• The Roman day started at sunrise, approximately 6:00 AM. That was Zero hour. According to Mark 15:25 Jesus was nailed to the cross at the “third hour,” which would have been approximately 9 AM. The “sixth hour” would have been high noon, when the sky suddenly went dark. And this was not just a big cloud temporarily blocking out the light from the sun. No, this was a major event in the heavens, which lasted for three full hours and affected the whole land of Israel. People have postulated that it was coincidently a solar eclipse where the moon passed in front of the sun. Listen, I have seen a couple of those, and they do not darken the whole sky. Things get a little bit darker for 2 or 3 minutes, but it is nothing frightening. When God blotted out the sun, He did it for three full hours and it scared the willies out of the people in Israel, especially those who were there witnessing the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. This was no coincidence, not by a long shot! Darkness at noon, by its paradoxical nature, was a fitting sign for God to give to those who had rejected His Son, who was the Light of the world.

Verses 34-35: At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  ³⁵ When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.”

• “At the ninth hour Jesus cried out…” That is, at 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon. At that point He had been hanging on the cross for approximately 6 hours. By Roman crucifixion standards that was not a long time. Depending on how the crucifixion was carried out some men suffered for days until death finally put them out of their misery. However, Jesus had already been severely beaten and had lost a lot of blood.
• What about these Aramaic words that Jesus uttered? “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  Many people believe that the God the Father abandoned God the Son on the cross. They base it on this statement by Jesus. I do not agree, however. I believe that in those last words Jesus was quoting Scripture, Psalm 22 to be exact, and that this was a triumphal statement of faith and victory rather than defeat and sorrow. Jesus cried out the words from Psalm 22:1, a familiar Messianic Psalm, one that most of those standing around the foot of the cross knew by heart. This Psalm of David starts with this plaintive cry but ends with a triumphant victory cry of praise for the God who rescues him. But the Psalm is full of references to the cross and that is why Jesus quoted it. By the way, David penned this psalm hundreds of years before the rise of the Roman Empire and the invention of crucifixion as a means of execution. Let’s see how this psalm points directly to Christ:

v  Verses 6-8: But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all!  ⁷ Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, ⁸ “Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!”

v  Verses 14-15: My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. ¹⁵ My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. 

v  Verses 16-18: My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet.  ¹⁷ I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat.  ¹⁸ They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. 

• What we do know for a fact is that in that moment when Jesus died on the cross the desolation and pain of what He felt must have been excruciating because in that moment in some way that we cannot fathom the Father regarded Jesus as sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains it this way: “He [God the Father] made Him [Jesus the Son] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [in Christ].” If there was a barrier between the Father and the Son at that moment, it could only be because of sin, but Jesus had no sin, so it could only be our sin that cost Him such agony. In that horrible moment, if the Father turned His back, it was not on His Son, but upon the burden of sin that He carried, our sins.
• Note too that some of the scoffers standing there misunderstood and concluded from Jesus’ words that He was calling to Elijah to come and save Him. This was because of the similarity between the words, “Eloi, Eloi…” and the Hebrew name of Elijah. 

Verse 36: Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.”

• This sour wine they gave Him was basically just vinegar. It was old wine that had gone bad, but at least it helped to quench His thirst. However, it was not the drugged potion that the soldiers had tried to get Him to drink earlier (v. 23).
• Their statement about Elijah possibly showing up was just more mockery. They did not really believe anyone would or could come to rescue Jesus. Little did they know, He could have removed Himself from that cross at any moment. However, if He had chosen to do that we would still be in our sins and headed for Hell. I am so glad He stayed the course. 

Verse 37: And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed His last.

• Neither Matthew’s nor Mark’s Gospels tell us what that loud cry was, but Luke’s and John’s do. They record Him saying two things: “Father, it is finished! Into Thy hands I commit My spirit.” After He shouted these words, He “expired,” that is, He breathed out one last time and gave up His Spirit unto death.
• “…and breathed His last” In Greek this is just one word. The KJV gives us the expression, “He gave up the ghost.” It has become a euphemism for death in English, but it grows out of a misunderstanding of the Greek word used here: exépneusen, which simply means to breathe out, literally, to “expire.” Notice, Jesus did not die because His organs ceased to function. He died because He had finished His work and now it was time to surrender up His spirit.
• The Jews had been very anxious all afternoon to get this whole thing over with because they all had someplace to be. Mark does not mention it, but John’s Gospel says that late in the afternoon the Jewish leaders went to Pilate to request that the legs of all three men might be broken to get them to die more quickly so that they could get on with their Sabbath rituals (cf. John 19:31-37). You see, with their lower leg bones shattered the condemned men could no longer push themselves up against the nails that were pounded through their feet into the lower wood block to relieve the pressure on their diaphragms. This would hasten their deaths because of lack of oxygen. In other words, they would die of asphyxiation. Pilate granted the request of the chief priests, so his soldiers were sent word to break the legs of the three prisoners. They first broke the legs of the two thieves, however, when they came to Jesus’ cross, they discovered that He was already dead, so they did not break His bones, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Psalm 34:20 and Exodus 12:46 that “not a bone of Him shall be broken.”
• However, just to make sure that Jesus was truly dead one of the Roman soldiers rammed a battle spear into Jesus’ side. John 19:34 tells us, “…immediately there came out blood and water…” proving that He was indeed dead because His blood serums had already begun to separate. 

Verse 38: And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

• In that moment, when the Son of God completed His sacrifice for your sins and mine, some amazing events took place. Mark only recorded one of them but there were more. Mark, as well as the other Gospel writers tells us that in that moment, at the hour of the evening sacrifice in the Temple located just a few blocks away, when the maximum number of priests would have been present, the giant curtain that hung from the ceiling inside the Temple and divided the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, was suddenly ripped in two. It was instantly split down the middle. That by itself was amazing, but what made it even more amazing was the fact that it tore, not from bottom to top, but from top to bottom.
• For those who witnessed it, that was proof that this was not a natural phenomenon. It was not the result of fabric fatigue. That veil was super-strong and very thick. It was made of many layers all woven together to form a thick, opaque curtain. But in that moment when the Son of God died, God Himself ripped the veil in two, from top to bottom.
• But why? What was the significance and symbolism of that veil? For that we turn to Hebrews 9:7-8 and 10:19-22. There we read: “But only the high priest entered the inner room [i.e., the Holy of Holies], and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. ⁸ The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning… ¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” In other words, when God ripped that curtain from top to bottom in that moment when Christ died, He was showing to everyone that the blood of Jesus had made a way for us to have direct access to God, into the Holy of Holies through the shed blood of His Son. The Final Atonement had been made.
• Just an interesting sidelight: I believe that the ripping of the veil in the Temple must have had a profound effect on many of the priests because the Scriptures tell us that many of those priests later came to saving belief in Christ. Acts 6:7 says, “And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.” I believe that some of those must have been present in the Temple that day when God tore the veil down the middle.

Verse 39: When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

• A centurion normally had 80-100 men under his command and was roughly equivalent to a Captain in our modern US Army. However, on that day the officer oversaw a small detachment called a contubernium (i.e., a squad of 8-10) assigned to carry out the crucifixion. Without a doubt, he had seen many men die, probably many of them by crucifixion. But this man, Jesus, was different from all the rest. That soldier stood facing the cross, looking up into Jesus’ face. He heard the words that Jesus spoke. He saw the love in His eyes. He heard the conversation between Jesus and the thief on the other cross. As Jesus breathed His last breath, the old soldier said, “Truly, this man was the Son of God.” Some scholars have said that we must understand his statement in light of his pagan religious views, but I believe that this man was given an insight into who Jesus really was and his testimony comes all the way down to us. He was not merely stating that Jesus was “a son of a god.” He was correctly concluding that Jesus was “the Son of the True and Living God.” In one sense, that battle-scarred Roman soldier was the first to take his stand, “beneath the cross of Jesus,” like the old hymn puts it. And that is all God has asked any sinner to do. He asks him to come in faith to Jesus. I believe that is what this centurion was doing. 

Verses 40-41: There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less [i.e., Little James] and Joses [i.e., Joseph], and Salome. ⁴¹ 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.

• It is interesting to note that these women were the last disciples to leave the foot of the cross and the first ones to arrive at the tomb. It says they looked on from a little way away but at least they were there, and they remained faithful to the end. John’s Gospel in 19:25-27 tells us that Mary, Jesus’ mother, and the apostle John were also standing near the foot of the cross.
• Mary Magdalene [i.e., of the village of Magdala] loved the Lord Jesus with all her heart and followed Him through most of His ministry. Luke 8:2 and Mark 16:9 tell us that Jesus had freed her from the demonic oppression of seven demons, which unshackled her spirit to believe in Him and become a child of God. She never forgot what Jesus had done for her.
• By the way, by comparing this text with Matthew’s account we learn that this lady, Salome, was the mother of James and John, and therefore was the wife of Zebedee (cf. Matthew 27:56).

Verses 42-43: When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

• This was Friday (i.e., “Good Friday”), and the Sabbath was about to begin. Sundown marked the beginning of Sabbath and so everything had to be fast-tracked to get it done before nightfall. Joseph of Arimathea, a good and righteous man, who was also a member of the Sanhedrin, and as far as we know, the only member to vote against the death of Jesus, went to Pilate at great personal risk and asked for Jesus’ body. Mark does not comment on the condition of Joseph’s soul, but John fills in the gaps for us. In John 19:38-40 we learn, “Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away.  ³⁹ With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.  ⁴⁰ Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth.
• It is too bad that it took this tragedy to get Joseph and Nicodemus out of the closet. It is sad that they waited so long to decide to fly their flags. But better late than never. I am certain though, that for the rest of their lives they were plagued with guilt over having done so little for Jesus before His death.  

Verses 44-45: Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead.  ⁴⁵ And ascertaining this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

• The centurion that Pilate summoned was almost certainly the one we met up in verse 39, the one who had concluded that indeed, Jesus was “the Son of God.” Upon hearing the report of Jesus’ death Pilate granted Joseph’s request. 

Verses 46-47: Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth 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. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid.

• The newly hewn stone tomb where Jesus’ body was laid to rest belonged to Joseph of Arimathea. According to Matthew 27:60 it was a brand-new family burial chamber and had never yet been used. The place where Jesus was laid was almost certainly the very spot where Joseph planned for his own body to be laid someday. The friends of Jesus were as poor as church mice. They had no tomb, no money for burial clothes or for spices. But the two rich guys, Joseph, and Nicodemus, apparently provided everything that was needed. John 19:39 tells us that Nicodemus brought over 75 lbs. of spices and herbs for the burial. By the way just as a side note, according to Middle East experts that was about what would be called for in a royal burial. Nicodemus was giving Jesus the honor of a king’s funeral. In fact, both Joseph and Nicodemus are to be honored and commended because, as secret disciples of Jesus, they took a bold stand when most of the disciples were absent, hiding in terror.
• Joseph rolled the stone down in the track in front of the door. Then the Romans sealed the tomb and posted a squad of soldiers to guard it. Matthew tells us that this was done at the insistence of the Jewish chief priests and Pharisees who went to Pilate and said: “Sir, we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’  ⁶⁴ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”  ⁶⁵ “Take a guard,” Pilate answered.  “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.”  ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard” (Matthew 27:63-66).
• This is an amazing part of the story because it was a fulfilment of prophecy. Isaiah 53:9 says, speaking about the Messiah who would appear more than seven hundred years later, “And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth.” 
• “Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid.” Evidently these were the only two mourners who stayed until the very end to witness Joseph and Nicodemus closing the tomb. But God bless them! They were faithful to the end.

CONCLUSION:

As I read these verses one thing just jumps out at me—not even one person in this story really seemed to believe that Jesus would rise from the dead. Not the 11 apostles, not that band of righteous women, not Joseph or Nicodemus, and apparently not even Jesus’ own mother. None of them said, “Cheer up guys. We don’t have to worry because He won’t be in this cold tomb for long. In a couple of days, He will rise again, just like He told us.”           

Despite all they had seen and heard over the past 3½ years, their faith had just been beaten up by the “facts.” They had seen Jesus be scourged and had watched Him die. That was their new reality. Those were the facts. The darkness had blotted out the light just as surely as the sky had been dark all afternoon.         

But is this not what often happens to us too? When something horrible happens we immediately jump to the conclusion that all is lost, that God has fallen off His throne, or that He has suddenly contracted Alzheimer’s regarding us and our personal situation. We start to “awfulize.” That is a word I made up. It means to see things in the most awful way possible.

The disciples were so busy “awfulizing” that they totally lost sight of the fact that everything that had happened was written on Jesus’ Day Planner. He and the Father had it all under control, but they lost sight of that and went all weak in the knees.

There is an old saying that goes, “Seeing is believing,” meaning that we believe in what we can see with our eyes. However, our eyes can easily be tricked. Ask any magician or sleight-of-hand artist. The reality is that “Believing is seeing.” Faith opens our eyes to see what is there, behind the scenes, behind the so-called “facts.” The fact was that everything was running according to God’s timetable. They just could not see it. Their minds and hearts were darkened to the truth. Oh, that we would learn to walk by faith rather than by sight! It is a sad commentary that none of the Jesus followers in this story managed to do that, and as a result, they missed out on much of the blessing that could have been theirs if only they had trusted in God’s plan and God’s promises rather than give in to what their lying eyes told them.

Gospel of Mark Study #53

“Hail, King of the Jews”

Mark 15:16-32

Study #53 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

This is a familiar story. We have all heard it many times. We have seen it portrayed in movies. We have a fairly good idea of the details. But I am not sure that any of us really understands what Jesus suffered for us. We often focus on the physical aspects of the story—the beatings, the cross, the nails, the pain. However, the worst pain was not physical but mental, emotional, and spiritual. 

TRANSITION:

The astonishing thing is that Jesus was going through all that agony to save the very people who were cursing Him, spitting on Him, beating Him, and blaspheming Him. That is amazing! Our natural tendency is to fight back, to protect ourselves. Jesus did not do that. He allowed His enemies to prevail over Him so that He could die to save them. It makes no sense, but that is exactly what He did. In human terms, it is incomprehensible. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 16: And the soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort.

• These were Roman soldiers under Pilate’s command. Up until now He had been guarded and escorted by the temple police. Jesus was most likely taken to the barracks area of the Fortress of Antônia, which was on the far end of the temple mount. The Latin word, “Praetorium” simply means the portable tent of a Roman commander (“praetor”) and over time came to denote a military headquarters.
• Technically speaking, a Roman “cohort” consisted of 600 soldiers divided up into 6 “centuries” of 100 men, each led by a “centurion.” Here the term is used more loosely simply to refer to a large group of soldiers.  

Verses 17-19: And they dressed Him up in purple, and after weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; ¹⁸ and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”  ¹⁹ And they kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting at Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him.

• Purple was the color reserved for royalty or at least, people of great importance. The term could apply to colors all the way from rose to deep purple. But where did they get the purple garment? We must turn to another Gospel writer for our answer. In Luke 23 we learn that Pilate sent Jesus to Herod’s court, hoping that Herod would pass judgment on Jesus and save him the trouble. Herod questioned Jesus but Jesus refused to even answer his questions. Disgusted and offended, Herod had Jesus dressed in a royal robe, probably one of his old castoffs, to show his contempt and disdain of this pretender to the title, “King of the Jews.”
• When Jesus arrived back at Pilate’s residence, He was still wearing this robe. At that point both the royal purple robe as well as Jesus’ white tunic were stripped off Him and He was scourged. After sentencing He was sent to the Praetorium with orders for His crucifixion. It is almost certainly the same purple robe that the soldiers dressed Jesus in again as they proceeded to beat Him senseless. To add to the humor of the situation someone came up with the bright idea of using branches from a thorn bush to fashion a makeshift crown for Him. To make sure that it did not fall off, they proceeded to pound it down onto His head. The Greek verbs in verse 19 are all in the imperfect tense, emphasizing the repeated nature of the beating, spitting, and mock worship.

Verse 20: And after they had mocked Him, they took the purple [robe] off Him and put His garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.

• Once they had had their fun, they stripped Him of the royal robe and put His simple cotton tunic back on Him. By this time, it was probably soaking wet from sweat and bright red from His blood because He had already received 4 beatings: (1) he was beaten by members of the Sanhedrin; (2) He was beaten by the temple guards; (3) He was publicly scourged; (4) now He was beaten again in the soldiers’ barracks.

Verse 21: And they pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), that he might bear His cross.

• There has been much speculation about this man, Simon, over the centuries, and several legends have grown up around him. Cyrene was an ancient Greek colony in present-day Shahhat, Libya. Tradition states that Simon’s sons, Rufus, and Alexander, became missionaries. The inclusion of their names in Mark’s Gospel suggests that they were of some standing in the early Christian community at Rome. It has even been suggested that the Rufus mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:13 was the son of Simon of Cyrene. However, this is all conjecture. We simply do not know who he was other than to say that he was probably a Jew who had come to Jerusalem with his two sons for the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread.
• Luke tells us that he carried Jesus’ cross and followed along behind Him. But why did Jesus need someone to carry His cross? Easy—because He had already been beaten half to death four times and had lost a lot of blood. On top of that He was weak from hunger and thirst and weary from lack of sleep.

Verse 22: And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.

• Golgotha is an Aramaic word and simply means, a skull. It probably got its name because of its shape. However, we do not know for sure the exact location where the crucifixion took place despite what the Israeli tour guides tell everyone.

Verse 23: And they tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it.

• Matthew 27:34 says that when He tasted it and recognized what it was, He refused to drink it. This drugged potion was to deaden pain and make prisoners easier to handle. Jesus did not want anything that would cloud His senses. 

Verses 24-26: And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them, to decide what each man should take.  ²⁵ And it was the third hour when they crucified Him. ²⁶ And the inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

• “And it was the third hour…” The Jewish day began at sunrise, at approximately 6:00 AM. That was when Jesus appeared before Pilate for the first time. He was nailed to the cross three hours later, at approximately 9:00 AM. It was the Roman custom to place some kind of placard or sign over the condemned man to indicate his name and the exact nature of his crime. Pilate knew His name but had trouble coming up with a crime, so he ordered the sign to read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the KING OF THE JEWS” (cf. John 19:19). But truer words have never been written for He was just that. 

Verses 27-28: And they crucified two robbers with Him; one on the right and one on the left.  ²⁸ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was reckoned [i.e., numbered] with transgressors.”

• These two guys were not mere common thieves. The Greek word means “robber, highwayman.” These were bad men. They would cheerfully slit your throat to get your wallet.
• Verse 28 is placed in the margin in some versions because it is missing in some of the oldest Greek manuscripts. However, it is not a problem and there is no doubt that it clearly refers to Isaiah 53:12, which says, “Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.” 

Verses 29-30: And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha!  You who were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, ³⁰ save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”

• “…were hurling abuse at Him,” Literally, they were “blaspheming” Him. It is so easy to abuse someone who cannot fight back. They had no idea who they were talking to. If He had chosen to do it, He could have struck them all dead in their tracks with just a look or a word. But he even loved those who cursed Him and spit at Him and said such awful things. 

Verses 31-32: In the same way the chief priests along with the scribes, were also mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself.  ³² Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!”  And those who were crucified with Him were casting the same insult at Him.

• The religious leaders got in on the mocking too. Standing there in their lovely robes you could hardly even see the blood on their hands. But it was there all right. These were the men who had made the plans, paid the betrayer, hauled Him before Pilate, stirred up the crowd, and testified against Him.
• Look again at the words they hurled at Him: “He saved others; He cannot save Himself.  ³² Let this Christ [i.e., Messiah], the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” If they had not seen and believed up until now, Him coming down off that cross would not have changed their minds. Many of them had already witnessed His miracles and walked away in unbelief, making plans to kill Him. One more miracle was not going to melt their rock-hard hearts. There is an old saying that goes, “The same sun that softens wax hardens clay.” The difference is what the heart is made of to begin with. Another miracle would have just served to harden them further.
• One more thing, the two robbers who were crucified with Him were joining in too, hurling abuse at Him. We know that later one of them repented and asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. But in the beginning, even he was cursing Jesus and saying horrible things to Him. That makes Jesus words to him even more remarkable: “Today, you will be with Me in Paradise.”

CONCLUSION:

I have told you that Mark’s Gospel is the most concise of the four. He sometimes leaves out details that one or more of the others include. Such is the case of a comment couched in among the verses of Matthew 27:22-26, which reads: Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Crucify Him!”  ²³ And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”  ²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”  ²⁵ And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!”  ²⁶ Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Verse 25 is horrible to read because it is so true, not just for those Jewish leaders who shouted those words at Pontius Pilate, but because we are just as guilty as they were. Our sins put Jesus on that cross, just as surely as theirs did. And the curse has fallen on us and our children and our grandchildren, just as it fell on theirs. His blood is on our hands, and it condemns us. But when we turn to Him in faith and repentance, that same blood washes us white as snow and cleanses us from every stain. How amazing! The same blood can save, or it can condemn.   

His blood was shed even for those who hated Him and who did everything in their power to kill Him. But the instant a sinner turns to Jesus and believes on Him as Savior and Lord, that person is changed into a new creation, a blood-washed child of God, leaving us to exclaim... 

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Hail, Jesus, King of the Jews!