“Truly this man was the Son of God!”

April 13, 2003: Liturgy of the Passion (Part B)

Mark, Chapter 15

Links to Study

Mark 15:1-5

Mark 15:6-15

	The Son of God saves the Son of the Father
	The Crime of Barabbas
	I am Barabbas; I am the Chief Priest
	Thrown to the lions

Mark 15:21

Poor Simon?

Mark 15:22-26

	The Cup Taken; The Cup Rejected
	The King of the Jews

Mark 15:27-32

	He was numbered with transgressors
	The Mocking of Jesus

Mark 15:33-39

	Darkness Fell
	My God, My God...
	Sour Wine
	And the veil
	Truly this man was the Son of God

Mark 15:40-47

	Women in the distance
	He gathered his courage
	The Stone against the entrance

Mark 15:1-47

[Mk 15:1] Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. [2] Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He *answered him, “It is as you say.” [3] The chief priests began to accuse Him harshly. [4] Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!” [5] But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.

[6] Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. [7] The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. [8] The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. [9] Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” [10] For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. [11] But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. [12] Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” [13] They shouted back, “Crucify Him!” [14] But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” [15] Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

[16] The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they *called together the whole Roman cohort. [17] They *dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; [18] and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” [19] They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. [20] After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him.

[21] They *pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.

[22] Then they *brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. [23] They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. [24] And they *crucified Him, and *divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. [25] It was the third hour when they crucified Him. [26] The inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

[27] They *crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. [28] [And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”] [29] Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, [30] save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” [31] In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were 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!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.

[33] When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. [34] 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.” [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.” [37] And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. [38] And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. [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!”

[40] There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, 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.

[42] 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. [44] 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. [46] 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. (NAS)

Mark 15:1-5

Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.

In our study of Mark, Chapter 14, we examined why Jesus answered some questions asked by the Chief Priests and not others. To not answer the questions that dealt with Jesus’ profession of his Messianic role would be to deny his ordained authority. To answer the other questions that were posed to Jesus by Pilate or the Chief Priests would be to acknowledge their authority. Jesus did not come to earth to argue; but to save. Pontius was looking for a way out for Jesus. He did not want the Lord’s blood on his hands. It is almost as if Pilate either was playing with Jesus as a cat plays with a mouse or actually seeking a philosophical discussion with the Lord. Perhaps Pilate was starved for the musings of Rome and missed the engaging debates of his fellows in the mindless rituals of the Jews and the trappings of military automatons.

Jesus refused to be a diversion.

There are a couple of important warnings in this transaction between Jesus and Pontius:

1. Do we treat Jesus as a diversion?

Is Jesus more than a philosophical debate in our lives? Does he do more than ‘make us think’? Does he make us act? Shame on us as preachers of the Word if all we do is make others think about Jesus. Shame on us as followers if we continue to listen to dribble that only tickles our ears and never engages our heart.

There is too much ‘safe preaching’ going on today! Preaching that never engages the church to act as disciples sent to radically change the world.

2. Do we engage in frivolous debates about Jesus?

Jesus is not a concept; he is not an idea. Jesus is a life-changing spiritual force that longs to be Good News to the poor, healing to the wounded and broken and living water to the thirsty. Like Francis of Assisi, I find that loving and serving others is immeasurably better than arguing with philosophers and denominational theologians. I find my life too busy to pander to antagonists. Like the Greeks that went to Philip and said, “We want to see Jesus,” I find my life full of people who desire to touch, know and feel the living presence of Christ in their lives. Let’s pledge to get out of relationships that debate the authority of Jesus or scripture and into relationships that apply his power.

Mark 15:6-15

The Son of God saves the son of the father

Here is one of the most ironic events in the entire bible. Though it is ironic, it not accidental or chance for Barabbas serves as a significant illustration in the Christian tradition. The irony lies in the name; Barabbas. It means; “son of the father.” The release of the murderer, Barabbas signifies a larger release of others who were sentenced to death. The Son of God died for all the ‘sons (and daughters) of the Father’ who were sentenced to death for the wages of sin.

We are Bar-Abba, children of the Father, awaiting our sentence of death. Jesus is the singular hope that releases us from our captivity.

The crime of Barabbas

Barabbas would not be a popular criminal with the Jerusalem crowd. In fact, Pilate must have thought that he would so repugnant to the priests that they would rapidly change their mind about demanding the death of Jesus. As far as Pontius was concerned, the terrorist, Barabbas, was a far greater threat to the Jewish Hierarchy than the peaceful Jesus.

Pontius knew the inner heart of the Chief Priests. All they really wanted was to maintain their control over Jerusalem, and in particular, the incredible riches of the Jerusalem temple. These priests knew that their positions were guaranteed by Jewish law – but they were merely pawns of Roman rule. At any moment, Rome could step in and smash the Chief Priests if it appeared that they could not control their own people. Barabbas was a reactionary terrorist. Probably a member of a radical group called ‘Zealots’. They were also known as Canaanites [GSN5711 Kananaios], a revolutionary and fanatical political group that believed that violence was the solution to Jerusalem’s occupation. They might be heard saying something like: “It is better to die a Jew on my feet; then lick the boots of a dog of Rome.”

Like many terrorists today, anarchy was their goal; to cause fear among their captors. The resultant repression of the dominant world power (Rome) over the Jewish people did not concern them. They believed that the harder Rome cracked down, the more united the repressed people would become. You can certainly see what a threat such a group would be to the Chief Priests who would do anything to keep their control over the temple under Roman’s rule.

To this end, Pontius offers up Barabbas, believing that there was no way the Chief Priests would embrace him. As far as Pontius was concerned, Jesus was no threat. He obviously was not violent; he obviously did not want to usurp the Emperor. He was just a misguided holy man. Contrasting Jesus to Barabbas was Pilate’s way of putting the ‘Jesus Thing’ in perspective for everyone.

However, it backfired. Pontius seriously underrated the hatred of the Chief Priests toward Jesus. The Chief Priests had seen the people’s adoration of the Christ. They had heard of his miracles and most likely witnessed them in the temple. They had seen the power of Christ clear the temple (and lost at least two full feast days income in the process). Barabbas never threatened the temple revenues!

I truly believe that these priests suspected that Jesus was indeed the Messiah – and despite their suspicions – they killed Jesus anyway. They knew there was absolutely no greater threat to their position, power and bank accounts than the return of God’s Promised One. They were so trapped in their power and prestige that they would rather kill the ‘Vineyard Owner’s’ son than give him back the vineyard.

Matthew 21:37-39

[37] “But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ [38] “But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and seize his inheritance.’ [39] “And they took him, and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.” (NAS)

I am Barabbas and I am the Chief Priest

As I review the trial of Jesus, the worst of me is revealed in the life of Barabbas and the judgment of the Chief Priests. At one time or another I have been both men; the sinner who held the world hostage by my selfishness and the judge who looked down upon the outcast. Through no effort of his own – the sinner was set free when the Son of God took his place upon the cross. Yet, the judge in me will never receive forgiveness until I give up my power and prestige. Save for Jesus – I have no hope.

Mark 15:16-20

Thrown to the lions

We cannot imagine the last days of Jesus. His last two days filled with teaching and healing; the agony of the Garden and the all-night beatings in the home of the Chief Priest, Caiaphas, as well as the indignity of the mock trials. After being beaten about the head and body, Jesus was then led to Pontius, then to Herod and then back to Pontius.

Pontius Pilate had obviously tired of the whole affair. No doubt he was disgusted with the Chief Priests and confused about Jesus. Pilate’s response is to quit playing politician. Like a mother lion teaching her cubs to kill, Pilate throws Jesus to his soldiers as a choice tidbit.

A Roman Cohort was 600 men. These were brutal men. They hated the Jews, they hated Palestine and this would be a great opportunity to take out all of their frustrations. It is an exceptional person who can work with the ‘fringe’ of society and not become hardened to them. These soldiers considered themselves past the fringe of Rome; in a last outpost, a place where soldiers went as punishment – not bravery or courage. In situations like that – when anger is given license – it can often turn brutal either in subtlety or overtly.

The teasing of Jesus increased in brutality. Dressing him in purple turned into pressing deep thorns into his skull. Kneeling and bowing in mock worship became a beating. John tells us [John 19:1] that during this process, Jesus was also scourged. Many people called scourging being ‘skinning alive’. That is because the torturer used a whip called a cat of nine tails which was laced with iron or bone. It was thrown across to one side of a man’s back (reaching around the rib cage) and then yanked across the back from one side to the other. It is too gruesome to discuss what this would do to the tissue and muscle of a person’s sides and back. Many people died from this whipping alone. That Jesus lived and was able to survive to be crucified is yet another testament to his desire to bear all – not part – of our sins.

It was not until after all of this horrific abuse that Jesus was finally crucified. It was not enough for Satan to have the beloved Son of God killed. Evil feeds upon itself and this was the day of evil’s triumph.

There was not a man to lift a finger to beg for our Lord’s mercy and he would not cry out either. This was the beating that truly belonged to Barabbas – to the son of the father. It was my beating – I am the sentenced criminal; that is my ransom which was paid with each blow and stripe upon Christ’s back. Those thorns belong to me for my selfishness and all the times that I denied God’s presence in my life; all the times that I thought I was King.

Even more, that was my mocking voice in the insults of the guards; laughing at a person that I have somehow placed beneath me. My hand is on the whip wherever there is oppression and violence in this world which is met only by my intentional ignorance or silence. That is my ‘dress-up Jesus’ in purple cloth and thorny crown whenever I call him Lord and yet give him no reign in my life.

I am the doomed sinner and I am the one hiding behind the mask of anonymity in the crowd of the scourging cohort. I am the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter. I am the silence of Nicodemus and Joseph and the insulting guards. I am lost save for the innocent lamb who bore my stripes, my despair and my cross.

Mark 15:21

[21] They *pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.

Simone of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus)

Even in his last march towards death, the love of our Lord captivated others. At first, we might feel sorrow for Simon. He had traveled a long and difficult distance (from Northern Africa) to simply worship in Jerusalem. It may have been a rare opportunity – or even a singular opportunity for Simon to make this religious trek. While following the crowds into the city, he is nabbed by Roman guards and pressed into the most despicable service that a person might ever have to face. He is forced to carry a heavy and bloody log for a broken criminal through the streets of the city.

The insults targeted for Jesus would include him. The spittle, stones and shoving targeted for our Lord’s face would undoubtedly batter and splatter across Simon’s face too.

Poor Simon; this is not what he expected. Who among us would be excited to book a flight on a plane to a religious experience and suddenly find out we were in the middle seat between two convicts in chains? Would we see it as an opportunity to ministry – or would we demand that the airline reseat us? Would we scramble to get out of our ‘cross-carrying’ experience?

Poor Simon…

Yet, look at the other side. Even though he was forced to carry that cross; the result of Simon’s conscripted assistance is the salvation of his own family! Simon helps to bear a cross that will become his salvation.

Am I willing to bear that cross as well? Have I ever helped carry anyone’s cross that was unexpected; a friend’s illness, loss, a sorrow to great for them that gave me the opportunity to love Jesus? Perhaps even without knowing that I was doing so? If so, this verse should be marked in my bible and carried in my wallet. This verse tells us that no cross is carried in his name that doesn’t lead to salvation – and salvation beyond our wildest imagination.

Simon must have been saved that day for he would tell his whole family about Jesus. His family must have been saved; because they become deeply endeared to Paul. So deeply endeared that Paul either calls Simon’s wife (Rufus’s mother) his own mother, or Simon’s wife became an intimate friend of Paul’s own mother.

Romans 16:13

[13] Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. (NAS)

Somehow, the Gospel travels back to Northern Africa with the man who was pressed into service. One man’s journey becomes the faith of a family and extends to a church. When later that family travels to Rome, they become members of the church that converted the Romans.

My friends, the Word of the Lord never comes back empty and any offering to Jesus becomes salvation – not just for us – but immeasurably beyond our lives; to our family; to other generations; to a lost world.

Poor Simon? Not hardly. Blessed Simon, he was allowed to share in the cross of his family’s salvation.

Mark 15:22-26

The cup that was taken and the cup that was rejected

In our study of Mark 14, we learned of the cup for which our Lord ‘had taken and given thanks’ [23]. It was the cup of our salvation and the cup of his blood. Now, we learn of the cup that Jesus would not take and drink. It was the cup that would prevent him from being totally aware of our suffering and God’s presence.

The ‘wine mixed with myrrh’ was the littlest offer of mercy that the Roman’s would allow the Jews to offer a dying criminal. For Jesus to accept that mercy would have prevented him from experiencing all of our sorrow.

It was indeed, a final and hideous temptation from Satan to choose the ‘easy way’.

Jesus was the perfect sacrifice; he could not experience only part of the pain or only part of the abandonment. Jesus didn’t take ‘most of our sins’ to the cross; he took everything.

“The King of the Jews”

Crucified criminals usually had their crimes imprinted on a wooden plaque and placed above their heads. However, Jesus was sentenced for no crimes according to Rome. What would Pontius write? Killed for political expedience? Killed to keep the peace? Killed to preserve my position? Killed for no reason?

Pilate knew that the case of Jesus had been dumped on his lap by the Chief Priests for the sole purpose of covering their rears from accusations of killing a ‘prophet’. Pilate knew that he had sentenced an innocent man to death. It was his last stab at the Chief Priests to name the crucified Jesus; “King of the Jews.”

Yet, as so often happens; our slander reveals more about the truth of our own sickness than it does about whom we slander. Our anger and hatred, our inability to forgive is more indicative of our own frailty than the shallowness of another. When we condemn – it is we who are condemned. When we hate – it is we who are enslaved.

Pontius wrote the ultimate truth about Jesus – but in his sardonic humor he left out one title. How could Pilate understand that one day, Rome too would fall and, indeed, one day; “every knee would bend” to the man whose title was meant as a joke.

Mark 15:27-32

He was numbered with transgressors

Luke focuses on the salvation of the crucified man who offers solace to Jesus [Luke 23:39-43], showing how Jesus still offered love right up to his dying breath. It also shows us how two people can be in the exact same circumstance and one can see the gateway to heaven while the other sees only hatred and cynicism.

On the other hand, Mark focuses on the prophecies that would substantiate Jesus as the Suffering Messiah:

Isaiah 53:1-12

1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no {stately} form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

3 He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 Surely our griefs He himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being {fell} upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.

6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke {was due?}

9 His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

10 But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting {Him} to grief; if He would render himself {as} a guilt offering, He will see {His} offspring, He will prolong {His} days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see {it} and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities.

12 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. (NAS)

Mark also points to the prophecy that the Suffering Servant’s clothing would be divided among the faithless:

Psalm 22:18

18 They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. (NAS)

Way back in our study of Mark 14 [v26], we learned that after the last supper, Jesus led songs among his men. It is highly possible that the songs he led included Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53; songs that would become prophetic verses ringing in their ears throughout the years the Apostles would reflect on Christ’s last moments of agony.

The chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him

The character of a person can also be revealed by how he or she responds to suffering. It was obvious, from the response of the chief priests and scribes, that these men (the most privileged of The Chosen) were nothing more than shameless and sadistic men who reveled in Christ’s agony.

However, once again, before we cast dispersions upon them; let us look at our own culture. We are inebriated with violence. Movies about violence and greed hit the highest box office sales, video games with gruesome gore are rated ‘mature’ (what a farce – what is mature about reveling in death and killing)? CD’s with sadistic overtones about sex and depictions of human depravity fly off the shelves. This is a culture that mocks Jesus. A culture that revels in violence is a victim of itself. It is not Christ that we should pity – but ourselves. We must quit supporting the degradation of the human body in any way shape or form for it is no better than mocking Christ on the cross.

We need to drag this immorality into the daylight – and though we will be scorned for doing so – we must speak against it. It is Christ who is crucified when violence is worshipped.

Mark 15:33-39

Darkness fell over the whole land

Darkness covered the face of the earth from 12:00 noon until 15:00 (3:00pm). In my sorrowful spirit, I imagine that tears must have filled the eyes of God and for an instant and… He blinked.

“ELOI, ELOI, Lama Sabachthani;” The cry of completeness

Here is a scripture that does not make sense outside of it’s total context. Outside of the context, this scripture looks like a cry of defeat and faithlessness. In the proper context, these words become a magnificent cry of faith and courage.

Indeed, Jesus was sharing the completion of the prophecy written about his life; the prophecy of the Suffering Servant, the Beloved Messiah. Look at this prophecy in its entirety and you will see how, hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, the Holy Spirit used David to write of his distant progeny:

Psalm 22:1-31

1 My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.

2 O my God, I cry by day, but Thou dost not answer; and by night, but I have no rest.

3 Yet Thou art holy, O Thou who art enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

4 In Thee our fathers trusted; they trusted, and Thou didst deliver them.

5 To Thee they cried out, and were delivered; in Thee they trusted, and were not disappointed.

6 But I am a worm, and not a man, a reproach of men, and despised by the people.

7 All who see me sneer at me; they separate with the lip, they wag the head, {saying,}

8 "Commit {yourself} to the LORD; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him."

9 Yet Thou art He who didst bring me forth from the womb; Thou didst make me trust {when} upon my mother's breasts.

10 Upon Thee I was cast from birth; Thou hast been my God from my mother's womb.

11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

12 Many bulls have surrounded me; strong {bulls} of Bashan have encircled me.

13 They open wide their mouth at me, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it is melted within me.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and Thou dost lay me in the dust of death.

16 For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me;

18 They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

19 But Thou, O LORD, be not far off; O Thou my help, hasten to my assistance.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword, My only {life} from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion's mouth; and from the horns of the wild oxen Thou dost answer me.

22 I will tell of Thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise Thee.

23 You who fear the LORD, praise Him; all you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel.

24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither has He hidden His face from him; but when he cried to Him for help, He heard.

25 From Thee {comes} my praise in the great assembly; I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him.

26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will worship before Thee.

28 For the kingdom is the LORD'S, and He rules over the nations.

29 All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship, all those who go down to the dust will bow before Him, even he who cannot keep his soul alive.

30 Posterity will serve Him; it will be told of the LORD to the {coming} generation.

31 They will come and will declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has performed {it.} (NAS)

How could anyone read this Psalm, hear Christ’s words and not know that herein is the greatest statement of faith ever made. After complete humiliation, abandonment, and physical torture, a moment before his death, the Son of God looks to the heavens and declares his work complete. The covenant is complete.

Later, in reflection, Paul (who may have well been a young pharisaical student looking on) will speak of the Savior’s last breath:

Hebrews 5:7-9

[7] In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. [8] Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. [9] And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation. (NAS)

In His suffering he became perfect. In His suffering, we too can become perfect. This moment was the crossroad of history; of eternity. Christ’s quest was complete.

Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine

I am so ashamed to be human sometimes; of my mad temptations and terrible behavior. I often long for Christ’s return. When I see injustice, when I see the consequences of sin, when I contemplate the results of my own sinfulness and when I look at what we are capable of doing.

Here is man at his worse. Reveling in the death of innocence; unsatisfied that Jesus’ life was ebbing rapidly – they filled a sponge with vinegar and tried to make him drink.

This was Satan’s day.

He had a hold of the crowd now and they were absolutely drunk with their abasement. This is the result of the darkest day. This is the hell that Satan has in store for each of us. Yet, in that hell; it will be our sorrow, our loneliness, our lost and broken lives and not our Lord’s life.

Isn’t that worth everything? Isn’t it worth giving all your worldly goods, all your worldly desires to keep those you know – even your worst enemies – from experiencing this hell? Jesus thought so. God thought so.

This is exactly why Jesus died. So that what Satan had in mind for us would be spent upon Him. But we must deny the crowd and not him. We must betray our selfishness and not our Lord. Which self will we cling to? The one that spirals into this ghastly hole of hell or the one that lifts all those we know off this sinking ship of sin and into the arms of the man who became Salvation?

And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom

We learned earlier that the Temple built by Herod was divided into four sections:

1. The Court of the Gentiles;

Anyone could enter this area. This is where Jesus purified what had become the temple marketplace.

2. The Court of Women;

Only Jewish worshippers could enter this area.

3. The Court of Priests;

On feast days, Jewish men were allowed to enter this area.

4. The Holy Place.

The Holy Place itself was 40 cubits long, 20 cubits wide and sixty cubits high. A standard cubit was the distance from the elbow to the finger tip (about 45 centimeters – 18 inches). The Holy Place was divided by a curtain that stretched from ceiling to floor and separated off the Holy of Holies.

The Holy Place was established in the earliest traditions of Judaism. It was an elemental aspect of the covenant relationship between God, Moses and the wandering slaves whom God was forming into a people.

Exodus 26:31-33

[31] "And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet {material} and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. [32] "And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks {also being of} gold, on four sockets of silver. [33] "And you shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve for you as a partition between the holy place and the holy of holies. (NAS)

The ritual of worship occurring within the Holy Place was also clearly defined by God to Moses and by Moses to Aaron;

Leviticus 16:2-10

[2] And the LORD said to Moses, "Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. [3] "Aaron shall enter the holy place with this: with a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. [4] "He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his body, and he shall be girded with the linen sash, and attired with the linen turban (these are holy garments). Then he shall bathe his body in water and put them on. [5] "And he shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. [6] "Then Aaron shall offer the bull for the sin offering which is for himself, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. [7] "And he shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting. [8] "And Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat. [9] "Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell, and make it a sin offering. [10] "But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat. (NAS)

This was a pattern of worship thousands of years old by the time of Christ, a part of the Old Covenant involving endless sacrifice and blood. Yet, it was a Covenant that had lost its purpose. It had lost the meaning of life and became instead the trappings of death. By the time of Jesus, the Law of Moses and its interpretation had become too ponderous and unattainable for all but those most privileged to attain. One could be a righteous believer only if he or she had enough resources to devote their complete working lives to its study. The law became of a law of privilege to the elite and death to the common man. Only the most privileged, wealthiest and best educated could worship properly and only the priestly line had access to God in the sanctuary of the Holy of Holies.

The Law had become a burden too heavy to bear. Even members of the early church tried to resurrect it after the sacrifice of Jesus. They attempted to use the Old Covenant once again as a yoke upon the necks of the new Gentile believers. However, Peter and James preached freedom from the yoke of the law to those disciples who tried to make Christianity merely a sect of Judaism:

Acts 15:10

[10] “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” (NAS)

In short, the Covenant destined to free man of the curse of endless laws had become – in the hands of men – an instrument of accusation. It increased the distance between God and His people and, in particular, the least of these. To all but the elite, the Law had become death. Paul, a Pharisee and a member of the elite, would himself say:

Romans 7:11

[11] For sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. (NAS)

Galations 5:1-6

[1] It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. [2] Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. [3] And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. [4] You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. [5] For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. (NAS)

Instead of a holy place, locked behind walls of ritual and legalism; Paul tells us of God’s new Holy Place. A Holy Place freed from the veil of death; a Holy Place unbound from the temple and written upon our hearts. Paul tells us that when the curtain ripped at the hour of Christ’s death, a New Covenant was born:

Hebrews 10:19-25

[19] Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, [21] and since {we have} a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled {clean} from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; [24] and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, [25] not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging {one another} and all the more, as you see the day drawing near. (NAS)

Now, we have but one High Priest. We have but one temple. We are bound by neither place nor time. We are born to a New Covenant. Our New Covenant follows us; it goes with us into the world as we, “share the Gospel and use words if necessary [attributed to Francis of Assisi].” Our new High Priest was not preserved from suffering and thus devoid of compassion. Our new High Priest suffered the pains of this world, the degradation of the cross and the isolation of abandonment. From birth to death, our new High Priest to every degradation that would make him able to sympathize with our weakness. He knows our pain and has become our mercy. He goes with us – beyond the boundaries of the temple to provide ‘grace to help in time of need.’

Hebrews 4:14-16

[14] Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [15] For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as {we are, yet} without sin. [16] Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. (NAS)

Paul tells us that our new High Priest, our Mediator, sanctified a new Holy Place in the heart of believers. Mosaic Law demanded blood for cleanliness; death-for-life. It is the Blood of Jesus that has become our cleansing sacrifice; once and for all. Christ himself became our final sacrifice; he presented himself to our God as perfect atonement for our sin.

Our Holy One is now The Holy Place. He did not argue our case – He died in our place. His blood replaced and cleansed ours to buy us the unattainable freedom of salvation. Here is how Paul put it to the Hebrews:

Hebrews 9:1-28

[1] Now even the first {covenant} had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. [2] For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which {were} the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. [3] And behind the second veil, there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, [4] having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which {was} a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant. [5] And above it {were} the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. [6] Now when these things have been thus prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle, performing the divine worship, [7] but into the second only the high priest {enters} once a year, not without {taking} blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. [8] The Holy Spirit {is} signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed, while the outer tabernacle is still standing, [9] which {is} a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, [10] since they {relate} only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation. [11] But when Christ appeared {as} a high priest of the good things to come, {He entered} through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; [12] and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. [13] For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, [14] how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? [15] And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were {committed} under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. [16] For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. [17] For a covenant is valid {only} when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. [18] Therefore even the first {covenant} was not inaugurated without blood. [19] For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, [20] saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you." [21] And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. [22] And according to the Law, {one may} almost {say} all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. [23] Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. [24] For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a {mere} copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; [25] nor was it that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood not his own. [26] Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. [27] And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this {comes} judgment, [28] so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without {reference to} sin, to those who eagerly await Him. (NAS)

“Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Should it surprise us that on this – the darkest of days; a day when evil ruled over the land – the leaders of God’s Chosen had mocked Jesus and the chosen of Christ had abandoned him? Should it surprise us that the only testimony to our Lord was made by i) a Centurion of Rome, and ii) a traitor to Rome (the criminal who hung with Christ)?

This Centurion had watched many men die. He had probably seen bravery and cowardice on the battlefields of Rome and the streets of Jerusalem. He had probably had the despicable job of carrying out the sentences of Rome on the hill of Golgotha a myriad of times. Yet, what he saw at this crucifixion stood apart from any death that the Centurion had ever seen. We can be assured, that although he might have called many men exemplary or weak, he would never have called a man; ‘the Son of God.’ And, above all, we must be amazed that the Centurion would give that awesome title to a criminal on the cross.

The testimony of John is one thing. The testimony of Mark, Luke, Matthew; of Stephen, Paul and James – all of these are different than the testimony of this man who was hardened by battle and death.

Many times, I have watched the hardest of men (and women) become the greatest testifiers to the name of Jesus Christ. Men who could not be broken by the worst this world could throw at them; the abuse of parents, the chains of addiction, the horror of combat or the hatred of crimes – even murder. Yet, in the face of Jesus Christ their hearts were rent like the torn curtain of the Holy Place. Vicious men who cried like babies the first time they grasped how much Jesus loved them.

See who loved our Lord? Babies and children who crawled into his lap and played with him on rolling hills of grass. Lepers who had forgotten what it was like to be touched by a clean hand, whores who forgot what it felt like to be caressed by a love that was pure, the blind who had never seen the face of compassion… and a Centurion. A Centurion who had been raised on the blood of Rome’s victims. Who would know the character of humanity better than this man who had watched so many as they twisted in the throes of death?

This man knew death, this man carried out the sentence of death, yet from his lips come life. This Roman foreigner, alien to the ways of the Israelites or the teachings of Jesus is the one who truly pronounces the final sentence of Jesus’ life; “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Mark 15:40-47

There were also some women looking on from a distance

Jesus was destined to die alone. It is important to realize that he knew this. He knew this from the moment he chose to go forth from the Right Hand of God. Even if we are among those who believe that the revelation of Christ’s ‘unique Son-Ship’ only came upon the Lord as he grew into a man; we still must realize that at the moment Jesus decided to follow John he knew that he was heading on a lonely collision course with Rome and Jerusalem.

Repeatedly, Jesus preached about the cross and instructed his disciples (despite their refusal to believe) that he would die abandoned and in disgraced by man:

Mark 8:34

[34] And He summoned the multitude with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (NAS)

Yet, the loneliness of our Lord’s death was prophesied years before the occurrence:

Psalm 38:11

[11] My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand afar off. (NAS)

John tells us (from his eyewitness account), that Jesus was able to call upon Mary and the youngest apostle with his last breaths. Yet, even in that last gasp, Jesus seeks no consolation for himself but only to console his mother and his youngest follower – who is like a beloved son to him.

John 19:25-27

[25] Therefore the soldiers did these things. But there were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the {wife} of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. [26] When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" [27] Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her into his own {household.} (NAS)

Even in absolute abandonment and loneliness, the Son of God thinks not of himself. He is not angry at man – even though man abandoned him. He is not angry with God; though God had to abandon him to death for the sacrifice to be complete. He does not cry out with his own needs. As we discussed before; “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” is not a statement of abandonment but an exclamation of completion.

Our beloved Savior, rejects self completely and dies completely spent in love. If this Savior would not abandon us then – we can be assured that he will never abandon us today or in all of our tomorrow’s.

He gathered up courage

It was only after Jesus died that the followers of Christ began to gain courage.

This statement cannot be understated. It was after Peter denied Jesus and wept in the dung heaps of Jerusalem that he finally became God’s servant. It was after Jesus had died and had been buried that his small band gathered in absolute despair to comfort each other (Christ would have done this for them before his death – but now the ‘little band’ had to start becoming ‘church’ and comforting each other). It was only after Jesus breathed his last breath that Joseph of Arimathea quit acting like a priest and started acting like a friend of Christ.

It is almost always in our deepest despair that we quit ‘acting’ like a Christian and start behaving like one. Christ understands this about us. He doesn’t abandon us because we didn’t come to him in a ‘timely’ fashion. He knew that no one would. He knew the attractiveness of sin. He knows the temptation to ‘stand at a distance,’ to not commit, hide behind our roles and not stand at his side.

Yet, despite knowing this, Jesus stands beside us. Even though he knows how very weak we are – what sinners we are – he does not abandon us to our rightful consequence. He still offers us his nail-scarred hand.

Jesus never really reaches us with a handshake. Not ‘man to man’ as if we had a partnership to offer him. Jesus reaches us with a hand up. A hand outstretched in love to someone who is sinking fast. When we are crushed and defeated, when we realize that we are powerless against sin… When it is TOO LATE.

Once we grasp this; it becomes endemic to our souls that we offer others the same hand of compassion that Jesus offered to us. When they are sinking fast, crushed and defeated, powerless against – yes, even when it seems too late.

He rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb

The End!

The kindness of Joseph of Arimathea, the women who followed Christ’s body to the tomb, the Apostles gathering in their anguish – they did not do this action in expectation of a risen Jesus. These were not the ministrations of joy – but of grief-stricken sorrow. These were the kindnesses of pity, remorse and the inability to let go.

In the mind of all present hope was gone and the fairy tale had been exposed. In the span of days, the bold cheering for the Messiah had turned into the shadowed pity of mourners.

If only the disciples and Joseph had remembered the prophecies. The quick death of Jesus and his hasty burial was all accounted for in scripture. He would neither be killed by the sword nor left for the carrion to feed on his body.

Psalm 22:20

[20] Deliver my soul from the sword, My only {life} from the power of the dog. (NAS)

Many of the victims of crucifixion had to finally be killed by sword or lance because the Romans would simply get bored with the days it took for them to die. Carrion was allowed to prey on the crucified bodies while they were dying. In a final insult, a crucified man was not allowed to be buried after death. Instead, their bodies were left up as a symbol of Rome’s dominance until finally their bones were scattered to street dogs.

Jesus was also destined to be crucified with the wicked; yet, buried with the rich.

Isaiah 53:9

[9] His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth. (NAS)

All of the prophecies led to that day on Calvary. Yet, if the prophecies were read, they would have pointed the hopeless to the resurrection.

The greatest sorrow of that day was perhaps this moment when the stone rolled into place (and was later sealed by the insistence of the Chief Priests and under the order of Pontius Pilate). When that stone slammed into place with a resounding thud; the hope of so many had been ravaged. They could see no further than the shadow of Christ’s death. Not because of ignorance; but because of spiritual blindness. The Holy Spirit had not come upon them yet, they had not insight into true hope. They were like the eunuch whom Philip baptized:

Acts 8:29-38

[29] And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." [30] And when Philip had run up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" [31] And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. [32] Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He does not open His mouth. [33] "In humiliation His judgment was taken away; who shall relate His generation? For His life is removed from the earth." [34] And the eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please {tell me}of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?" [35] And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. [36] And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" [37] [And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."] [38] And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch; and he baptized him. (NAS)

There are many kindly hearted people who still do the work of God out of guilt, pity or some misaligned sense of duty. Each step of their path is heavy. The look upon their face is filled with anger; pursed lips that look upon the poor and say; “Here’s your daily bread.”

I have seen it in teacher’s who forgot why they ever began teaching. Who ridicule the novices and say; “Oh that enthusiasm will pass.” I have seen it in prison guards who tell me; “I have only 12 years and two weeks before I retire – I am doing all I need to do to keep my nose clean.” I have seen it in Pastors who have lost a passion for mission and serving the least of these; who say whatever they need to say to keep the collection box from drying up and the pews from receding like a bald hairline.

Do I pity the poor? Do I do my work for the Lord out of some sense of duty or fear of punishment? These are the works of one who hears the final pound of the stone into its resting place at the front of the grave.

Only the Holy Spirit can bring us back from this despair. Only the Holy Spirit can revive us from the depth of this tiredness. New life can be found, new hope, new energy; all of that is available in the new dawn that is coming.

Let our passionate sorrow lead to a new passion for loving Jesus Christ. His resurrected Spirit longs to see joy upon our faces again. Dawn is dawning; the new day is nigh.

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