DBG - October 24 - Mark 15-16

In this chapter Christ is crucified.

vs. 1 – This parallels Matthew 27:1-14, Luke 22:66-23:1, and John 18:28.  Christ is officially condemned by the Sanhedrin on charges of heresy.  He is then taken to the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate for the death sentence to be approved and carried out by the Roman authorities. 

vs. 2-5 – This parallels Matthew 27:11-14, Luke 23:2-5, and John 18:28-38.  Little is known about who Pilate was, other than the Biblical records and the writings of Josephus.  He appears to be a typical, wily politician who took his chance at ruling the territory of the Roman Empire to bring himself riches and glory.  The charges presented here against Christ are not heresy, for which Rome could hardly care.  The charges are now sedition, which the Romans could not ignore.  The inability of the Jewish leaders to present a coherent case makes Pilate leery of the situation, so he seeks a way to solve it quietly.

vs. 6-15 – This parallels Matthew 27:15-26, Luke 23:13-25, and John 18:39-40.  Pilate attempts to free Christ through a local custom of releasing a prisoner at the Passover.  The people refuse and call instead for Barabbas (“son of the father”), who seems to be a Jewish rebel leader.  Pilate gives in to the pressure, has Christ beaten, and then sends Him to be crucified. 

vs. 16-19 – This parallels Matthew 27:27-30 and John 19:1-3.  Rome did not just execute their enemies: they humiliated them.  Christ is taken to the Praetorium, which is the judgement hall of the Roman government.  A cohort of soldiers (400-600 men, 1/10 of a legion)  gathered and made Christ stand as a mock king as they beat Him.

vs. 20-23 – This parallels Matthew 27:31-34, Luke 23:26-33, and John 19:16-17.  Christ is unable to carry His cross after being beat by the soldiers.  A man named Simon from Cyrene (a territory in north Africa) is compelled to carry it for him.  Mark includes the names of his two sons, which appear to have been well-known figures at the time this Gospel was written.  The place of crucifixion was a hill called Golgotha (“the place of the skull”) outside the city.  Christ is offered the soldiers’ posca as a sedative but refuses. 

vs. 24-28 – This parallels Matthew 27:35-38, Luke 23:33-38, and John 18:18-24.  Here we have brief scenes around the cross.  We see the gambling over Christ’s clothes, the inscription on His cross proclaiming His supposed crime, and the thieves crucified beside Him.  This last is remarked to be a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12.  Time was not kept so exactly in these ancient times.  Mark says Christ was put on the cross at the “third hour,” which would be about 9:00 a.m.  John 19:14-16 has it slightly later at the “sixth hour,” which would be about 12:00 p.m.  There really is no contradiction because there was no one noting the exact times using sundials or the like.  The “third hour” would be the time of the morning sacrifice in the Temple.

vs. 29-32 – This parallels Matthew 27:39-44, Luke 23:35-43, and John 19:25-27.  Christ is mocked and scorned by the mob that surrounded the cross and by the two thieves beside Him.

vs. 33-37 – This parallels Matthew 27:45-50, Luke 23:44-46, and John 19:28-30.  Mark has darkness setting in over the land at the “sixth hour,” around noon.  This lasts until the “ninth hour,” around 3:00 p.m.  Christ calls out in Aramaic a quote from Psalm 22:1.  He is offered one last mercy of posca before laying down His life with a mighty cry.  This timing would be the time of the evening sacrifice in the Temple.

vs. 38-41 – This parallels Matthew 27:51-56 and Luke 23:45-49.  The actions immediate after Christ’s death.  The veil of the Temple is torn from top to bottom.  This would be a highly significant event, especially at Passover.  The centurion in charge of the crucifixion is moved to confess that he had witnessed the death of the Son of God.  A contingent of ladies who followed Christ were there, witnessing these awful events unfold.

vs. 42-47 - This parallels Matthew 27:57-61, Luke 23:50-56, and John 19:31-42.  Joseph of Arimathea asks for and is granted the body of Christ.  He and the a few ladies hurriedly bury Christ in Joseph’s own tomb before sunset and the beginning of Passover.

In this chapter Christ rises from the dead.

vs. 2-4 – This parallels Matthew 28:1-4, Luke 24:1-3, and John 20:1-2.  Mark does not record the resurrection of Christ itself, only its discovery.  The women came at dawn on the first day of the week (Sunday) to finish preparing the body for burial.  They arrive to find the stone rolled away from the tomb’s entrance.

vs. 5-7 – This parallels Matthew 28:5-7 and Luke 24:9-11.  Mark only notes one of the two angels that are present.  This angel announces that Christ had risen and that they should go and tell the disciples.  We note that Peter is mentioned specifically.  This is a special mercy to the one who so publicly denied his Lord. 

vs. 8 – This parallels Matthew 28:8-10 and Luke 24:9-11.  The women are frightened and not elated at what they found.  They rush to tell the disciples.  They do not run through town proclaiming the good news. 

vs. 9-11 – This parallels John 20:11-14.  The first person to see Christ alive is Mary Magdalene.  See John’s account for the details.

vs. 12-13 – This parallels Luke 24:13-35, and I Corinthians 15:5.  Christ appears to two disciples, which is certainly the two that were travelling to Emmaus in Luke’s account.   See that account for the details. 

vs. 14-18 – This parallels Luke 24:36-49, John 20:19-23 and I Corinthians 15:5.  Christ appears to the eleven disciples.  The appearances to these, both with and without Thomas, seem to both be indicated here.  He commissions the disciples to bear the Gospel into all the world and promises supernatural empowerment and protection in their mission.

vs. 19-20 - This parallels Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:9-12.  Mark very much compresses the accounts and timeline of events after Christ’s resurrection.  He jumps from that first Sunday after He had risen to the Ascension forty days later. 

Mark’s Gospel closes by stating that the Gospel spread through Christ’s followers after His Ascension.  This almost feels like it is open-ended in its closing.  Indeed, Christ’s work was not finished.  Salvation’s plan was complete, but the story of Gospel continues to today and into the future.  We have a duty to continue the work and carry the Good News to the millions who still need to hear it.

Our hymn today is “Speed Thy Servants, Savior,” written by Thomas Kelly in 1820.

Speed Thy servants, Savior, speed them;
Thou art Lord of winds and waves;
They were bound, but Thou hast freed them;
Now they go to free the slaves:
Be Thou with them, ’tis Thine arm alone that saves.
Be Thou with them, ’tis Thine arm alone that saves.

Friends, and home, and all forsaking,
Lord they go at Thy command,
As their stay Thy promise taking,
While they traverse sea and land:
O be with them; lead them safely by the hand.
O be with them; lead them safely by the hand.

When they reach the land of strangers,
And the prospect dark appears,
Nothing seen but toils and dangers,
Nothing felt but doubts and fears,
Be Thou with them, hear their sighs and count their tears.
Be Thou with them, hear their sighs and count their tears.

When no fruit appears to cheer them,
And they seem to toil in vain,
Then in mercy, Lord, draw near them,
Then their sinking hopes sustain:
Thus supported, let their zeal revive again.
Thus supported, let their zeal revive again.

In the midst of opposition
Let them trust, O Lord, in Thee;
When success attends their mission,
Let Thy servants humbler be:
Never leave them till Thy face in Heav’n they see.
Never leave them till Thy face in Heav’n they see.

There to reap in joy forever,
Fruit that grows from seed here sown;
There to be with Him, who never
Ceases to preserve His own;
And with gladness give the praise to Him alone.
And with gladness give the praise to Him alone.