SEE (head)
Following their preliminary trial the night before, the Jewish high council brings Jesus before Pilate, the Roman governor, who asks Jesus if he is the King of the Jews. The religious leaders bring charges against Jesus and then stir up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas, a murderer and enemy of the state, rather than Jesus. The crowd demands that Jesus be put to death. Pilate has Jesus severely beaten, and then hands him over to the soldiers to be crucified.

Pilate (v. 1). "[T]the Sanhedrin, once having hold of Jesus, was determined to rush him to death because it feared the uprising of the people in case of delay. ... This meeting was held ... early in the morning, before the pilgrims were astir. ... [T]he resolution that had to be passed in this second session was the formal confirmation of the death verdict that had been pronounced at the night session. ... In all formality they took the final vote on the death penalty for Jesus. The next step followed as a matter of course: the Sanhedrin had to take Jesus to Pilate." [ref] "Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor for the regions of Samaria and Judea from A.D. 26–36. Jerusalem was located in Judea. Pilate's normal residence was in Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea, but he happened to be in Jerusalem because of the Passover festival. With the large crowds that flocked to the city for that celebration, Pilate and his soldiers came to help keep the peace. He stayed in his headquarters, called the Praetorium." [ref]  

Why did the Jews need to go before the Roman governor, whom they despised almost as much as he despised them? "The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it being used to execute Roman sympathizers." [ref] As another source explains: "Though the Sanhedrin could pronounce a death sentence it could not exercise capital punishment. So a condemned prisoner had to be turned over to the Roman authorities for a death sentence to be carried out (cf. John 18:31). The Roman governor could either ratify or rescind the Sanhedrin's death sentence (cf. John 19:10). If rescinded, a new trial had to be conducted before a Roman court in which the Sanhedrin had to prove that the defendant had committed a capital crime under Roman law." [ref]

One Bible commentator notes how the Sanhedrin was guilty of "group think": "Years ago, sociologists concluded that intelligent, capable people would fail to see the fault in their group decisions as each person dismissed evidence that might thwart consensus. They called it 'group think.' The people who condemned Jesus were not stupid, just afraid, confused, and desperate. Alone they would never perpetrate this crime - setting up a man for crucifixion by perjured testimony and concocted allegation. Together they pulled it off without dissent. They were wrong, but no one raised a voice once momentum built." [ref] (The key to combating group think is to look out for, and offer rational alternatives to, "decisions based on fear, prejudice, and greed." [ref])

King of the Jews (v. 2). "King of the Jews" was a Roman designation, with Jewish equivalents being "Messiah," "son of David," and "king of Israel." [ref] From Pilate's perspective, "King of the Jews" carried "political implications of sedition against Rome." [ref] Jesus' response to Pilate's question regarding his kingship "is best understood as a yes answer but with a qualification attached. As Messiah, Jesus is the King of the Jews but His concept of kingship differed from that implied in Pilate's question (cf. John 18:33-38)." [ref] Jesus "wasn't claiming kingship in any way that would threaten Pilate, Caesar, or the Empire. Jesus' kingship was spiritual; a charge of treason required it to be political. The religious leaders were attempting to build a case on this political twist - their only and best chance of winning Pilate's approval for a crucifixion. But ... Pilate could sense that the solemn rabbi standing before him was unlikely to lead a revolt against Rome. In Jesus' eyes, Pilate did not see the hardened glare of a zealot. Jesus was no revolutionary." [ref]  

Many crimes ... all these charges (vv. 3, 4). The charge of blasphemy would have meant nothing to Pilate. And so, as detailed in Luke's gospel (see Luke 23:2), the religious leaders accused Jesus of no less than three very serious crimes: "(1) encouraging the people to not pay their taxes to Rome, (2) claiming he was a king - 'the King of the Jews,' and (3) causing riots all over the countryside. Tax evasion, treason, and terrorism - all these would be cause for Pilate's concern. These accusations were false, but the religious leaders were determined to have Jesus killed." [ref] As one Bible commentator explains: "In reality these three charges amounted to one: 'This man is a revolutionary, a seditionist, a politically dangerous person.'" [ref] It is more than a little ironic that "Jesus, who disappointed the crowds for failing to lead a political revolution, was now being charged with that very crime." [ref]  

"Pilate's low regard for the Jewish leadership sank even lower as their frenzied testimony continued. Pilate knew the charges were preposterous, and he obviously expected Jesus to defend himself against the false accusations." [ref] For their part, the religious leaders knew that crucifixion would place Jesus in the same league as rebels and slaves, and thus publicly and (hopefully) permanently disgrace him, his teachings, and his followers. It would also shift the blame for his death from the religious leaders to the Roman government. [ref]  

Jesus said nothing (v. 5). Any other man would have begged Pilate to spare his life. Why didn't Jesus?

Just exactly why it was that Jesus remained silent has not been revealed. The following possible reasons, however, deserve consideration:

1. He "opened not his mouth" in fulfilment of prophecy (Isaiah 42:1-4; 53:7; 57:15; Zechariah 9:9). See also 1 Kings 19:11-12; Matthew 5:7-9; 12:18-21; 21:5.
2. Pilate did not deserve an answer, for he knew very well that Jesus was innocent. The governor had declared this openly (John 18:38; cf. Luke 23:4). He should have acquitted Jesus.
3. The Jewish leaders knew very well that they were lying. Not once during his ministry had Jesus spoken or acted as a political rebel. Rather, the very opposite (Mark 12:17; John 6:15). [ref] (quoted verbatim)

In short, "It would have been futile [for Jesus] to answer [Pilate's questions], and the time had come to give his life to save the world." [ref]  

"Learning that Jesus was a Galilean and hoping to avoid making a judgment against Him, Pilate sent Him to Herod Antipas, governor of Galilee (cf. Mark 6:14), also in Jerusalem at the time. But Herod soon returned Him to Pilate. Only Luke recorded this middle phase of the civil trial (cf. Luke 23:6-12)." [ref] (These events occur between verses 5 and 6 in Mark's gospel. [ref])

Barabbas (v. 7). It was an annual custom for the governor to grant clemency to one prisoner. Many within the crowd that morning saw Barabbas as a hero for daring to stand up against the oppressive Roman government, and they had gathered specifically to ask for his release. [ref] [ref] [ref]  Pilate fully realized that Jesus was innocent; if he had thought Jesus' kingship in any way posed a threat to Rome, he would have acted immediately. [ref] Pilate did, however, perceive a very real threat to his political career:

There is no interest in justice here; only politics are at work. Pilate probably knew that Jesus was popular. He was not about to risk offending the populace, especially at Passover season, and so instigate a riot, the very thing he wished to avoid. ... Pilate is happy to accommodate the ruling priests' recommendation that Jesus be put to death - as long as in doing so he incurs no political risks. His only concern is that his condemnation of Jesus not provoke the Jewish people or be seen as yet another example of Roman brutality. Pilate is not about to create a problem for himself; he wishes only to extricate himself from responsibility. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

Pilate "had placed Jesus beside a murderer [= Barabbas] - the man whom he himself had pronounced innocent beside the man whose bloody guilt was beyond a doubt. The flagrant injustice to Jesus is glaring." [ref] In the final analysis, Pilate chose to murder the Savior and save the murderer. Of course we must keep in mind that Pilate's actions, including his declaration of Jesus' innocence, were part of God's plan: Behind "Pilate stood God himself. The responsibility for the sinful act, to be sure, remained with Pilate and with those who pressured him into delivering Jesus to be crucified. But the actions of all these sinners were included in the all-comprehensive, eternal decree of God: 'This man, having been handed over (to you) by the predetermined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you, by the hand of lawless men, have crucified and slain' (Acts 2:23)." [ref]

In Pilate we see "the impossibility of evading Jesus. Pilate had tried again and again to bypass Jesus. He discovered that this was entirely impossible. He was forced to take a stand, and he took the wrong stand." [ref] There is no such thing as neutrality toward Jesus Christ: We are either for him or we are against him.

In Barabbas we find a divinely orchestrated object lesson: "Barabbas was released, though guilty and condemned, because the Lord Jesus took his place. Christ was his substitute." [ref] The point is worth repeating: "Barabbas represents yet another example of the purpose of Jesus' death: to take the place, not just of one condemned man, but of all who stand condemned before God's perfect standard of justice. ... God commutes your sentence and sets you free. Because of Jesus." [ref] We can easily imagine Barabbas, having been set free, making his way to the crucifixion site and, looking up at Jesus, declaring, "He died for me; He paid my penalty." [ref]  

The crowd (vv. 8, 11). "[Pilate] did not want to sentence Jesus to death. Yet, it was becoming more and more clear to him that this by now had become the desire of the fickle multitude. When the prophet of Galilee was still healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the lepers, holding the multitudes spellbound by means of his marvelous discourses, he was popular. When he rode into Jerusalem, he was applauded. But now that he is seemingly helpless, and the leaders have used their strongest arguments to persuade the people to demand his crucifixion, they turn their backs on him." [ref] "All the Gospels stress that it was actually the leaders more than the people who were guilty. Here we have the first time in Mark that the crowds turned against Jesus, and Mark stressed that they were incited to do so by the leaders." [ref] "[I]n the end Jesus did not prove to be the kind of Messiah the people desired and were expecting." [ref] It is no different today, as scores of people profess admiration for Jesus' miracles and/or teachings but refuse to accept him as their king. For most people, the image of Jesus as some sort of miracle-working holy man is fine; Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords, however, is too much to bear.

The tipping point came when the crowd uttered a semi-veiled threat against Pilate himself:

[W]hat turned the scale so that Pilate finally decided to yield to the mob's clamor was the frightening and diabolical outcry, "If you release this man [Jesus], you are no friend of the emperor. Whoever makes himself king rebels against the emperor" (John 19:12). It was this outcry that floored the governor. In his feverish imagination he saw how he was about to lose his prestige, position, possessions, freedom, even his life perhaps.

Pilate understood immediately that the people's angry statement implied much more than it expressed. It implied: "We will lodge a complaint against you. We will tell the emperor that you condone high treason against the government; that you have released a man who was guilty of continuous sedition, and who allowed himself to be called king. We will accuse you of 'softness toward rebels.' Then where will you be?" [ref] (quoted verbatim)

The Roman government pressured Pilate "to do whatever was necessary to maintain peace. We know from historical records that Pilate had already been warned about other uprisings in his region. Although he may have seen no guilt in Jesus and no reason to condemn him to death, Pilate wavered when the Jews in the crowd threatened to report him to Caesar (John 19:12). Such a report, accompanied by a riot, could cost him his position and hopes for advancement. Pilate became afraid. His job was in jeopardy. The last thing Pilate needed was a riot in Jerusalem at Passover time, when the city was crowded with Jews from all over the Empire." [ref]  

Flogged with a lead-tipped whip (v. 15). Pilate ordered for Jesus to be severely beaten and crucified. Scourging/flogging "was standard pre-crucifixion procedure," [ref] [ref] although "it could also be a separate punishment." [ref] Regarding this hideous practice, one source notes: "Slaves or non-Romans could be punished with whips made of leather straps or knotted cords often weighted with pieces of metal or bone. Roman law allowed their use in four situations: as a torture to promote the questioning of a prisoner, as a self-standing punishment, as a capital punishment (people were sentenced to death by beating), or as a preparation for execution. On some occasions these beatings were so severe that bones and organs were left exposed." [ref] And another source tells us: "A Roman flogging (traditionally, 'scourging') was an excruciating punishment. The victim was stripped of his clothes and bound to a post with his hands fastened above him (or sometimes he was thrown to the ground). Guards standing on either side of the victim would incessantly beat him with a whip (flagellum) made out of leather with pieces of lead and bone inserted into its ends. While the Jews only allowed 39 lashes, the Romans had no such limit; many people who received such a beating died as a result." [ref] [ref]

HEAR (heart)
Pilate's Sin

Pilate had the ethics of his class, and obviously tried to act up to the standard which he had formed. There was in him, however, no deep moral basis of character, as is shown by the utter skepticism of his question, "What is truth?" When he found that the doing of strict justice threatened to endanger his position, he reluctantly and with a great deal of shame gave way to the demands of the Jews. He sent Jesus to the cross, but not before he had exhausted every expedient for saving Him, except the simple and straightforward one of dismissing the case. He had the haughtiness of the dominant race, and a profound contempt for the people over which he ruled. This contempt ... continually brought him into trouble. He felt deeply humiliated at having to give way to those whom he utterly despised, and, in the manner of a small mind, revenged himself on them by calling Christ their king, and by refusing to alter the mocking inscription on the cross. It is certain that Pilate, in condemning Jesus, acted, and knew that he acted against his conscience. He knew what was right, but for selfish and cowardly reasons refused to do it. He was faced by a great moral emergency, and he failed. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

Pilate is a striking instance of the danger of trifling with conscientious convictions, and not acting at once upon the principle of plain duty. Fear of man, the Jews' accusations, and the emperor's frown, and consequent loss of place and power, led him to condemn Him whom he knew to be innocent and desired to deliver. His compromises and delays were vain when once the determined Jews saw him vacillating. Fixed principle alone could have saved him from pronouncing that unrighteous sentence which brands his name forever (Psalm 82). His sense of justice, compassion, and involuntary respect for the Holy Sufferer yielded to his selfishness, worldly policy, and cynical unbelief. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

DO (hands)
??? Believers today face the same pressure from the crowd to deny Jesus' claims and to give him no place in our life - in effect, to crucify him all over again. What can Pilate's negative example teach us about what it takes to stand up for Jesus?

SEE (head)
The soldiers take Jesus and, after calling out the entire regiment, dress him in a robe and a crown of thorns. Then they ridicule and beat him. Finally, when they grow tired of their sadistic sport, they dress Jesus in his own clothes again and lead him away to be crucified. Along the way, a man named Simon is forced to carry Jesus' cross to the execution site. Once there, Jesus is nailed to the cross, and soldiers gamble for his clothing.

A purple robe ... a crown ... saluted him ... a reed stick ... mock worship (vv. 17-19). Taking advantage of their superior numbers and his weakened condition, the soldiers subjected Jesus to both verbal and physical abuse. (While "[a] Roman 'cohort' [NASB; Greek speiran] was a tenth of a legion, about 500-600 soldiers," [ref] "in this case it may have been an auxiliary battalion of 200-300 soldiers that had accompanied Pilate to Jerusalem from Caesarea." [ref] [ref]) The soldiers' "mockery mimics aspects of the Roman triumph, whereby Caesar is hailed as emperor and receives homage. The purple cloak ["probably a discarded and faded soldier's mantle of a 'purple' hue" [ref] [ref] [ref]], the crown of thorns (resembling the crown of ivy), the reed, with which Jesus is struck on the head, and the bowing in mock homage are all components of the apparel worn and homage received by the Roman emperor, who at the triumph wore a purple robe and laurel wreath and held a scepter." [ref] (Some see in the crown of thorns a symbol of "God's curse on humanity (cf. Genesis 3:18) being placed on Jesus" [ref] [ref] - thus delivering nature, including humanity, from God's curse. [ref]) "All of this had been prophesied. Isaiah had written, 'I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting' (Isaiah 50:6)." [ref] Little did the soldiers realize that the one they were mocking was far superior to Caesar, for whom any Roman soldier would have laid down his life. Not only did Jesus endure punishment from them, he also endured death for them. "Now they would lead Him outside the city and nail him to a cross, and the Servant would die for the sins of the very people who were crucifying Him." [ref]

Crucified (v. 20). Following his humiliating abuse at the hands of the Roman soldiers, Jesus was "led ... away to be crucified" (v. 20). "In being led out to be crucified, condemned prisoners would carry the crossbeam of their own cross, which weighed about one hundred pounds. It was carried across the shoulders. Carrying the crossbeam was intended to break the prisoner's will to live. It said to the prisoner, 'You are already dead.' Like flogging, it caused the prisoner to die more quickly. The heavy crossbeam was placed on Jesus' already bleeding shoulders (John 19:17), and he began the long walk out of Jerusalem." [ref]  

Without a doubt, "[d]eath by crucifixion was one of the cruelest forms of capital punishment ever devised." [ref] Originating as an upright wooden stake, with time the cross (Greek stauros) evolved into a vertical pole with a horizontal beam attached. Although several ancient nations employed crucifixion, it was the Romans who turned it into a macabre art form of public humiliation, torture, and death. It was reserved for the lowest and worst criminals, and "Roman citizens could be punished in this way only for the crime of high treason." [ref] "The victim was forced to carry his cross along the longest possible route to the crucifixion site as a warning to bystanders. There were several shapes for crosses and several different methods of crucifixion. Jesus was nailed to the cross; condemned men were sometimes tied to their cross with ropes. In either case, death came by suffocation as the person lost strength and the weight of the body made breathing more and more difficult." [ref] (See Cross in Mark 8.) The practice was done away with by Emperor Constantine (ruled A.D. 306-337). [ref]  

Simon (v. 21). "Customarily a condemned man carried the patibulum of his own cross, that is, the crossbeam weighing about 100 pounds, through the city streets out to the place of crucifixion." [ref] (It is debatable as to whether it was the crossbeam or the entire cross that Jesus carried. [ref] [ref]) Although Jesus started out carrying his cross (see John 19:17), he was too "weak from trauma and loss of blood" to continue doing so. And so Simon of Cyrene, who doubtless had traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, was pressed into service by the Romans and made to carry Jesus' crossbeam along the narrow, winding streets and then outside the city to Golgotha. The soldiers would have taken "not the shortest but the longest way to the place of execution," following "every possible street and lane so that as many as possible should see and take warning." [ref] ("The condemned were generally led through the most populous streets, and the place of execution would be near a highway, where many people would congregate." [ref] [ref]) Merely touching the cross - a bloodied instrument of death - would have rendered Simon ceremonially unclean and thus "unable to participate in the important religious festival for which he came 'in from the country.'" [ref] There is good reason to believe that eventually Simon came to realize the true and full significance of the cross which he had helped to carry, as he and his family became devoted Christians (see Acts 19:33; Romans 16:13). [ref] [ref]

Wine ... soldiers (vv. 23, 24). After being nailed to the cross, Jesus was offered the customary drugged wine. He refused it, choosing instead to remain fully conscious for what lay ahead. [ref] Meanwhile, the soldiers there gambled for his last remaining earthly possession: his clothes. "The division of the crucifixion victim's property, including his clothing, was apparently customary." [ref] [ref]  

HEAR (heart)
Return the Cross to Golgotha

I simply argue that the cross be raised again at the center of the market place as well as on the steeple of the church,

I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles:

But on a cross between two thieves; on a town garbage heap; at a crossroad of politics so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek ...

And at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse and soldiers gamble.

Because that is where He died, and that is what He died about. And that is where Christ's men ought to be, and what church people ought to be about. -- George MacLeod [ref] (quoted verbatim)

DO (hands)
??? How can the courage with which Christ faced the cross help us in our efforts at living out the Gospel before an always-watching world?

SEE (head)
It is 9:00 in the morning and Jesus is hanging on the cross. On either side of him are two criminals who have been crucified for their crimes against the state. Passersby stop long enough to mock Jesus, daring him to save himself by coming down from the cross. The religious leaders mock Jesus, declaring that they will believe in him if he comes down from the cross. And "even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him."

A sign ... King of the Jews (v. 26). "A written notice or sign stating the condemned man's crime was placed on his cross as a warning. Pilate wrote this notice in three languages (Aramaic, Latin, and Greek, see John 19:20) so that anyone going to and from the city would be able to read it. Because Jesus was never found guilty, the only accusation placed on his sign was the 'crime' of calling himself king of the Jews." [ref] Most likely Pilate intended that the official charge against Jesus - "The King of the Jews" - serve "as an insult to Jewish aspirations for independence (cf. John 19:21-22)." [ref] As one Bible commentator has it: "Why did the governor word it thus? ... Although we cannot be sure, perhaps the true answer is as follows: Pilate hated the Jews, especially their leaders. He was keenly aware that just now they had won a victory over him; for, as he probably saw it, they had forced him to sentence Jesus to be crucified. So, now he is mocking them. By means of the superscription he is saying, 'Here is Jesus, the King of the Jews, the only king they have been able to produce, a king crucified at their own urgent request!'" [ref] We know, of course, that the "charge" was/is true: "Jesus, who turns the world's wisdom upside down, was just coming into his kingdom. His death and resurrection would strike the deathblow to Satan's rule and would establish Christ's eternal authority over the earth. Few people reading the sign that bleak day understood its real meaning, but the sign was absolutely true. All was not lost." [ref] (We also know that Christ's kingdom encompasses the entire world - Jews and Gentiles alike.)

Two revolutionaries (v. 27). "When James and John had asked Jesus for the places of honor next to him in his kingdom, Jesus had told them that they didn't know what they were asking (10:35-39). Here, as Jesus was preparing to inaugurate his kingdom through his death, the places on his right and on his left were taken by dying men - robbers. ... Luke records that one of these robbers repented before his death, and Jesus promised this robber that he would be with him in paradise (Luke 23:39-43). ... The way to the kingdom is the way of the cross. If we want the glory of the kingdom, we must be willing to be united with the crucified Christ." [ref]  

The two men crucified with Jesus were extremely violent criminals. The same Greek word (lestes) is used for both Barabbas and the two "robbers" crucified with Christ (cf John 18:40 and Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27), which leads to the conclusion that "these two men were probably colleagues of Barabbas and were originally meant to be executed with him that day." [ref] [ref] The Jewish historian "Josephus uses the term for the Zealots  ... For many Jews the Zealots [were] patriots rather than bandits, even though they often [took] what they need[ed] from their own people." [ref] (The Zealots were "a Jewish political group that sought to throw off the yoke of Rome by violence." [ref]) This association of lestes with the Zealots, as well as Mark's comment regarding "the insurrection"/"an uprising" (NASB/NLT) (Mark 15:7) leads to the possibility that Barabbas and the two "robbers"/"revolutionaries" (NASB/NLT) (Mark 15:27) were members of the Zealots. [ref] It also explains why one source says "[t]he lestes, as in the case of the penitent one on a cross near Jesus, may have been a person who turned insurgent for some presumed righteous cause, thus seeking by the wrath of man to work out what he presumes to be God's righteousness." [ref]  

We should be very careful to bear in mind, however, that in general this particular class of criminal possessed anything but noble motives. Drawn "primarily from among runaway slaves, bankrupt peasants, and military deserters," they lived in caves, banded together in armed groups, routinely (and violently) robbed travelers, and stole sheep. [ref] Hence after clearing out the court of the Gentiles in the temple, Jesus declared that God's house had been made into "a robbers' [lestes] den" (Mark 11:17, NASB). To the mob that had come to arrest him at Gethsemane, Jesus complained that they were treating him like "a robber [lestes]" (Mark 14:48, NASB). And in crucifying Jesus between the two robbers, Pilate's intended message may have been that Jesus was "a king of bandits." [ref] [ref]  

Shouted abuse (v. 29). The insults of the passersby reflect their "glee, scorn, and sense of victory." [ref] ("Woe to us!" would have been a much more appropriate response. [ref]) They accused Jesus of uttering a false claim regarding destroying and rebuilding the temple in three days, and they dared him to save himself by coming down from the cross. In fact, Jesus had predicted that he would lay down his life (the temple of his body) and raise it up again three days later (see JOHN 2:18-22). Thus while they had misinterpreted him, the mockers were nonetheless testifying to the fact Jesus had prophetically predicted his own resurrection. While the passersby implied that it was weakness that kept Jesus on the cross, in truth "it was strength, the strength of his love for sinners." [ref]  

One Bible commentator explains, and applies, the amazing love that kept Jesus on the cross:

Jesus could have saved himself, but he endured this suffering because of his love for us. He could have chosen not to take the pain and humiliation; he could have killed those who mocked him. But he suffered through it all because he loved even his enemies. We had a significant part in the drama that afternoon because our sins were on the cross, too. Jesus died on that cross for us, and the penalty for our sins was paid by his death. The only adequate response we can make is to confess our sin and freely accept the fact that Jesus paid for it so we wouldn't have to. Don't insult God with indifference toward the greatest act of genuine love in history. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

The leading priests and teachers of religious law (v. 31). "Apparently the chief priests and scribes had followed the executioners out to Golgotha, eager to see their evil plot finally completed in Jesus' death. Not content to have brought him to an unjust death, they also mocked him as they talked among themselves." [ref] The religious leaders added insult to injury by speaking about Jesus rather than to him:

[N]ot once in the narrative of Christ's crucifixion - whether in Matthew, Mark, or Luke - do the leaders address Jesus directly. Each time they talk about him, to each other. They never talk to him. So thoroughly do they hate him. Matthew and Mark relate that these Sanhedrists, in their conversation with each other about their enemy mocked him. And so they did indeed! Luke uses a different word, however. He shows that this mockery was of the worst possible kind. Their ridicule was mingled with hatred and envy. Says Luke, "They turned up their noses at him," that is, they sneered, they scoffed (Luke 23:35). [ref] (quoted verbatim)

The religious leaders also testified to Jesus' mission to save the lost - even as they adamantly ignored the mountain of evidence that he was/is indeed the Son of God and Messiah. For the religious leaders "[t]he issue ... was not lack of evidence but unbelief." [ref] As one Bible commentator has put it:

When to the words "Let the Christ, the king of Israel, now come down from the cross" the chief priests and scribes add these others: "that we may see and believe," they are uttering a gross untruth. If healing all kinds of diseases, restoring sight to those born blind, cleansing lepers, and even raising the dead, if these works of power and grace, all of them performed in fulfilment of prophecy!, did not cause them to believe in Jesus, but rather hardened their hearts so that they hated him for it, would a descent from the cross have caused them to accept him as their Lord and Savior? Of course not! We are reminded of the words found in the parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus: "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead" (Luke 16:31). [ref] (quoted verbatim)

In the minds of the religious leaders Jesus could not be the true Messiah since he was dying a weak, powerless, disgraceful death of a common criminal. What's more, his inability to save himself from the cross meant that he had no real saving power and hence all his previous mighty miracles amounted to little more than an elaborate con job. [ref]  

We know, of course, that while Jesus certainly could have chosen to come down from the cross, to do so would have been to abort his earthly mission of dying for the sins of the world. [ref] As one source has it: "If Jesus were going to save humanity from sin, then he could not save himself from the penalty sin deserved." [ref] His love for God and humanity kept Jesus on the cross, and his death was (and is) the greatest proof of God's incredible love for humankind. [ref] [ref]

HEAR (heart)
Criticism Answered

While contending with the manifold problems of geography and climate in the building of the Panama Canal, [Col. George Washington Goethals] had to endure the carping criticism of countless busybodies back home who freely predicted he would never complete his task. But he pressed steadily forward in his work and said nothing.

"Aren't you going to answer your critics?" a subordinate inquired.

"In time," Goethals replied.

"How?"

The great engineer smiled, "With the canal," he said. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

Jesus answered his critics not with words but with his life. He gave his life so that others could live. Anyone willing to investigate rather than insult, to research rather than ridicule, will find that the crucified Christ remains the one and only way to eternal life.

DO (hands)
??? What can Jesus' example teach us about the proper way to respond the next time we are criticized for our Christian beliefs?

SEE (head)
Three hours after Jesus is nailed to the cross, a thick darkness covers the entire area. Then Jesus cries out to God, quoting from Psalm 22:1. Some of the bystanders misunderstand him and think he is calling for Elijah to come and rescue him. Jesus dies. The curtain in the temple is torn in two. The Roman soldier in charge of the execution proclaims that Jesus truly was the Son of God. Several women disciples of Jesus witness the scene from a distance.

We may wish to note some of the parallels between Jesus' crucifixion and the Passover.

• Less than 24 hours earlier, Jesus had celebrated the Passover dinner with his disciples. At that time Jesus revealed that his death would open the way to a new covenant - that is, a permanent, personal relationship in which God's people would experience forgiveness and deliverance.
• The annual Passover lamb was being sacrificed at the same time that Jesus, the perfect and spotless Lamb of God, was offering up his life for the sins of the world. [ref]
• The first Passover, in Egypt, was preceded by the ninth plague, darkness, and then the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn (Exodus 10:22-11:9). Jesus' death was preceded by darkness and resulted in the death of God's firstborn.
• The first Passover was followed by the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, an event marked by an earthquake (Exodus 19:16-18). According to Matthew's account, Jesus' death was followed by an earthquake (Matthew 27:51). [ref]

"Climactically Mark recorded five phenomena that accompanied Jesus' death: (a) darkness (Mark 15:33), (b) Jesus' cry, 'My God…' (Mark 15:34), (c) Jesus' loud cry (Mark 15:37), (d) the temple curtain torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:38), and (e) the Roman centurion's confession (Mark 15:39)." [ref]

Darkness (v. 33). The darkness that covered "Palestine and environs" - most likely "a miraculous solar eclipse" - "was probably a cosmic sign of God's judgment on human sin (cf. Isaiah 5:25-30; Amos 8:9-10; Micah 3:5-7; Zephaniah 1:14-15) which was placed on Jesus (cf. Isaiah 53:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Specifically it pictured God's judgment on Israel who rejected His Messiah, the Sin-Bearer (cf. John 1:29). The darkness visualized what Jesus' cry (Mark 15:34) expressed." [ref] [ref] [ref] The darkness can also be understood as a period of mourning: "The darkness on that Friday afternoon was both physical and spiritual. All nature seemed to mourn over the stark tragedy of the death of God's Son." [ref]  

One Bible commentator has noted how darkness is a key concept in Scripture (verses from NET):

• Darkness represents the power of God's presence. "The people kept their distance, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was." (Exodus 20:21).
• Darkness stands for God's judgment. "So Moses extended his hand toward heaven, and there was absolute darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days" (Exodus 10:22).
• Darkness is controlled by God. "I am the one who forms light and creates darkness" (Isaiah 45:7).
• Darkness represents people's sinful rebellion against God. "The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness" (Proverbs  4:19; see also John 3:19; Romans 1:21; Ephesians 5:8).
• Darkness represents people's ignorance of God. "the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light" (Matthew 4:16; see also John 1:5; Ephesians 4:18).
• Darkness represents people's condition without hope in God. "My God illuminates the darkness around me." (Psalm 18:28; see also 1 Peter 2:9). [ref] (quoted verbatim)

Abandoned (v. 34). Shortly before his death, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34, NASB). Both this and other scenes from the crucifixion - including the mocking of the passersby, the guards' gambling for his clothing, and his cry of thirst - were a fulfillment of Psalm 22. "Some have felt that Jesus' cry of dereliction shows his utter agony in tasting for us the very essence of hell, which is separation from God." [ref] Up to this point, Jesus had experienced everything common to our humanity except for one thing - the consequence of sin. "Now if there is one thing sin does, it separates us from God. It puts between us and God a barrier like an unscalable wall. That was the one human experience through which Jesus had never passed, because he was without sin." [ref] As "God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21), for the first time ever Jesus was separated from his Heavenly Father. It was this separation that led to his outcry. However, "Jesus has not lost his faith in God, as the two-fold address, 'My God, my God,' implies, but he feels utterly abandoned." [ref] ("This is the only one of Jesus' recorded prayers in which He did not use the address 'Abba.'" [ref])

"Commentators sometimes combine the forsaking with the death, yet the two are quite distinct. The forsaking had passed when the death set in. When Jesus died he placed his soul into the hands of his Father and was thus certainly not forsaken. But while they are distinct, the forsaking and the death occurred side by side. The death was the penalty for the sins of the world, and thus there had to come this forsaking of the dying Savior in connection with it. When this had been endured, Jesus could cry, 'It is finished!' and then yield his soul into his Father's hands as a ransom for many." [ref]  

A comparison with the other gospel records shows that Jesus made a total of seven statements while on the cross: [ref] [ref] [ref]  

1. "Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing.' And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice." (Luke 23:34)
2. "And Jesus replied, 'I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.'" (Luke 23:43)
3. "When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Dear woman, here is your son." And he said to this disciple, 'Here is your mother.' And from then on this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:26-27)
4. "Then at three o'clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means 'My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?'" (Mark 15:34)
5. "Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, 'I am thirsty.'" (John 19:28)
6. "When Jesus had tasted it, he said, 'It is finished!' Then he bowed his head and released his spirit." (John 19:30)
7. "Then Jesus shouted, 'Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!' And with those words he breathed his last." (Luke 23:46)

Elijah (vv. 35-36). It is a debated point whether or not the remark regarding Elijah was intended as a further mockery of Jesus. "Popular Jewish belief held that Elijah came in times of distress to deliver righteous sufferers." [ref] And of course it was "a Jewish belief that Elijah would introduce the Messiah and live beside him for a while as his assistant." [ref]"At their annual Passover feast, each family would set an extra place for Elijah in expectation of his return." [ref]  

Loud cry (v. 37). "Jesus' loud cry (Luke 23:46) before He breathed His last indicated that He did not die the ordinary death of one who was crucified (cf. Mark 15:39). Normally such a person suffered extreme exhaustion for a long period (often two or three days) and then lapsed into a coma before dying. But Jesus was fully conscious to the end; His death came voluntarily and suddenly. This accounts for Pilate's surprise (cf. Mark 15:44)." [ref]

The curtain (v. 38). Immediately following Jesus' death, inside the temple in Jerusalem, as the priests "were conducting the Jewish evening sacrifice," [ref] [ref] the large, thick curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was ripped in two from top to bottom. The curtain was ripped from the top, indicating that God himself had torn it in two. "God's rending the veil meant that he was now available apart from the temple system and that the old temple order stood judged and abolished." [ref] [ref] It is also possible to see in the tearing of the temple's curtain the declaration that Jesus' ministry had ended: "Just as the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus at his baptism tore the heavens (cf. Mark 1:10), so now the loud exhalation of Jesus' spirit has torn the veil of the temple." [ref]  

The Roman officer (v. 39). "The Roman officer" in charge of Jesus' crucifixion was a centurion - that is, "a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion." [ref]  

It is more than coincidental that, following Jesus' death, a pagan Gentile is the first person to openly confess Jesus as the Son of God. This was a very serious thing indeed, as "the Roman centurio confesses of Jesus what he should only confess of the Roman emperor." [ref] As another source explains: "Because of his pagan background [the centurion] probably viewed Jesus as an extraordinary 'divine man' much like the Roman emperor who was acclaimed 'son of God.'  Consequently some interpreters translate the phrase with an indefinite article, 'a son of God' (NIV marg.). However, Mark regarded the declaration in its distinctive Christian sense; the centurion unwittingly said more than he knew." [ref] [ref] (A similar example might be when the rich young man called Jesus a "good" teacher.) And so "Mark used this centurion's words to highlight the central truth of all his Gospel." [ref]  

Some women (v. 40). The women had been bold disciples of Jesus, risking public scandal in order to travel with and minister to him. They had watched closely and listened intently as Jesus preached the Gospel and healed the multitudes. Now they could do little but look on from a distance as their Master died an ignoble death at the hands of his enemies. (It may well be that Mark notes the women's faithfulness as a way to encourage "faithful discipleship among women in the church at Rome." [ref])

While "many" women were there, Mark notes three in particular. As one source explains:

Mark, like Matthew, names three of these women. As Peter was the leader among the Twelve, the men, so "Mary the Magdalene" was the foremost among the women. The Mary who was the mother of James and Joses was the wife of Cleopas and a sister of the mother of Jesus. These two women were with Jesus' mother and John beneath the cross. Mary's son James is distinguished from others of this name by being called "the little." The third woman is Salome, who is by Matthew called the mother of the sons of Zebedee (James and John), whose husband it seems was dead at this time. The name is enough; it needs no addition to identify her. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

HEAR (heart)
Alive Forever

The famed evangelist, Dwight L. Moody, once remarked in a sermon: "Some day you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody of East Northfield is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all-out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal; a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint, a body fashioned like unto His glorious body. That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the spirit will live forever." [ref] (paraphrased)

To friends and enemies alike, it appeared that Jesus had been conquered by death. But, as we know from the rest of the story, the grave could not hold him. And just as Jesus arose from the dead to spend eternity with his Father, so we his followers shall do the same.

DO (hands)
??? Think of a funeral service for a non-Christian that you attended. Now think of a funeral service for a born-again believer that you attended. How were they similar? How were they different? What does that say about the hope we have in Christ?

SEE (head)
Jesus' crucifixion has taken place on Friday, the day before the Sabbath. It is now evening and the Sabbath is about to begin. Joseph, a secret follower of Jesus and a member of the Jewish high council, goes to Pilate and asks for the right to bury Jesus. Pilate calls for the Roman officer, who testifies that Jesus is actually dead. Pilate then gives Joseph permission to bury Jesus. Joseph wraps the body in a linen cloth, places it in a cave-tomb, and then rolls a rock in front of the entrance. Two of Jesus' female followers see where he has been buried.

Joseph of Arimathea (v. 43). Because the Sanhedrin "had condemned Jesus and because his disciples had fled, the onus falls on the members of the council to arrange for Jesus' burial. Refusal to bury Jesus would have been provocative to the Jewish public. The sooner the corpse of Jesus was out of public view, the better. The task of burial is assigned to Joseph." [ref] (While the Sanhedrin's role/responsibility in Jesus' burial makes sense, none of the gospel writers mention it specifically.) Jewish law required that a crucified person be taken down and buried prior to sunset (see Deuteronomy 21:23), and of course the fact that the Sabbath - a day when no work was allowed - was fast approaching only added to the need for haste. [ref] "If Jesus had died on the Sabbath when Joseph was unavailable, his body would have been taken down by the Romans. An executed man lost all dignity - it was common to simply leave the body to rot away. Remains would be thrown into a common grave. Had the Romans taken Jesus' body, no Jews could have confirmed his death, and opponents could have disputed his resurrection." [ref]  

Why did Joseph need permission to bury Jesus' body? As one source explains: "Taking down a crucifixion victim required permission; to do so before the victim was dead was a serious offense, comparable to aiding an escape from prison." [ref] Obtaining the required permission required much courage on Joseph's part. While "the Romans quite generally allowed the relatives and friends of men who had been executed to bury their bodies if they so desired," [ref] nonetheless Joseph's "interest in giving Jesus a decent burial could be interpreted as support for Jesus' cause" [ref] - which, in turn, would put him at odds with the authorities both Roman and Jewish. [ref] ("Only Mark recorded Pilate's questioning of the centurion, perhaps to show his Roman readers that Jesus' death had been verified by a Roman military officer." [ref])

While they did not apply to Jesus (because he was resurrected), nonetheless it is interesting to note Jewish burial practices in general:

Jews of the NT period buried their dead promptly, as soon as possible after death and almost always on the same day. Preparations began at the moment of death: the eyes of the deceased were closed, the corpse was washed with perfumes and ointments (Acts 9:37), its bodily orifices were stopped and strips of cloth were wound tightly around the body - binding the jaw closed, the feet together and the hands to the sides of the body (John 11:44). The corpse was then placed on a bier and carried in a procession to the family tomb (Luke 7:12). Eulogies were spoken, and the corpse was placed inside the tomb, along with items of jewelry or other personal effects. The funeral was thus conducted without delay, and most bodies were interred by sunset on the day of death. But Jewish burial rituals did not conclude with this first, or primary, burial. A year after the death, members of the immediate family returned to the tomb for a private ceremony in which the bones were reburied after the body had decayed. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

Sheet of linen cloth ... a tomb (v. 46). The apostle John's parallel account reveals that Joseph was assisted by another secret disciple, "Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night" (John 19:39). Knowing that their actions - that is, the touching of a dead body - would render them ceremonially unclean, nonetheless together they wrapped Jesus' body in a linen cloth which, according to custom, would have included about one-hundred pounds "of a gummy, sticky resinous mixture of myrrh and aloes" (see John 19:40) used both to help slow decay and to mask the odor associated with a decaying body. [ref]

Joseph and Nicodemus laid Jesus' body inside a cave-tomb. Typically the stone used to cover the opening of such a tomb was no more "than three or four feet in diameter, since tomb openings were not usually as tall as doorways. In fact, John 20:5 plainly says that one had to stoop down to peer in." [ref] The stone covering the entrance "fit into a sunken groove," making it "difficult to remove." [ref] Jewish burial customs dictated that family members be buried in the same tomb. The body of the deceased would be allowed to decompose for one year, after which "the eldest son or other closest family member would return, gather the bones for burial in a box and deposit them in a slot on the tomb wall." [ref]

Mary ... Mary (v. 47). Mark notes that two Mary's "saw where Jesus' body was laid." "[S]imply to say that these two women 'saw' where Jesus was laid fails to bring out the full picturesque description. They were watching, were observing ... carefully, intently, devoutly." [ref] Their careful observation anticipates their return on Sunday morning: because they saw where Jesus was buried, they knew exactly where to go. [ref] At a time and place where women were not allowed to testify in court, God nonetheless chose two women to be witnesses to the most significant event in history: the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For their part, the women were doing all they could do. While they could not testify before the high council, or appeal to Pilate, or overpower the Roman guards, they did stay at the cross, follow Jesus' body to the tomb, and prepare spices for his body. As a reward for their devotion and diligence, they were the first witnesses to the resurrection. [ref]

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It is always very instructive to compare and contrast the different gospel records. Here is the parallel account of the events surrounding Jesus' death: [ref] [ref]

THE DEATH OF CHRIST

Betrayal & Arrest

• Jesus betrayed, arrested, and forsaken (Matthew 26:47–56; Mark 14:43–52; Luke 22:47–53; John 18:2–12)

Trial

• First Jewish phase, before Anna (John 18:13–24)
• Second Jewish phase, before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:57–68; Mark 14:53–65; Luke 22:54)
• Peter's denials (Matthew 26:69–75; Mark 14:66–72; Luke 22:55–65; John 18:25–27)
• Third Jewish phase, before the Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:1; Mark 15:1a; Luke 22:66–71)
• Remorse and suicide of Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:18–19) (Matthew 27:3–10)
• First Roman phase, before Pilate (Matthew 27:2,11–14; Mark 15:1b–5; Luke 23:1–5; John 18:28–38)
• Second Roman phase, before Herod Antipas (Luke 23:6–12)
• Third Roman phase, before Pilate (Matthew 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; Luke 23:13–25; John 18:39–19:16)

Crucifixion

• Mockery by the Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:27–30; Mark 15:16–19)
• Journey to Golgotha (Matthew 27:31–34; Mark 15:20–23; Luke 23:26–33a;John 19:17)
• First 3 hours of crucifixion (Matthew 27:35–44; Mark 15:24–32; Luke 23:33b–43; John 19:18–27)
• Last 3 hours of crucifixion (Matthew 27:45–50; Mark 15:33–37; Luke 23:44–45a, 46; John 19:28–30)
• Witnesses of Jesus' death (Matthew 27:51–56; Mark 15:38–41; Luke 23:45b, 47–49)

Burial

• Certification of death and procurement of the body (Matthew 27:57–58; Mark 15:42–45; Luke 23:50–52; John 19:31–38)
• Jesus' body placed in a tomb (Matthew 27:59–60; Mark 15:46; Luke 23:53–54; John 19:39–42)
• Tomb watched by the women and guarded by the soldiers (Matthew 27:61–66; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55–56)

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HEAR (heart)
Only Three Showed Up

Late one evening in mid-September of 1898 a traveling Christian businessman named John Nicholson checked into a hotel in Boscobel, Wisconsin. Because there were no vacancies, he wound up sharing a room with a fellow believer named Samuel Hill.

When he was only a boy John had promised his dying mother that he would read from the Bible every evening at bedtime. As he began reading to himself, Sam asked him to read aloud. And so he John read John 15, and then the two men knelt for prayer. After that, they stayed awake until 2:00 in the morning discussing the spiritual needs of traveling Christians.

After running into each other again some eight months later, John and Sam decided to start an association of Christian salesmen, and their first meeting would be on July 1, 1899. Their first meeting consisted on a grand total of three people: John, Sam, and a fellow named Will Knights. Despite the embarrassingly low turnout, the men proceeded with their plans to launch an "organization to mobilize Christian commercial travelers for encouragement, evangelism, and service." After mulling it over, they decided to name their organization the Gideons.

"The Gideons have since distributed over seven hundred fifty million copies of Scripture in over one hundred seventy nations." [ref] (paraphrased)

Jesus' powerful life and ministry ended with two disappointed men seeking to be true to their faith by giving Jesus a decent burial. But because he did not remain in the grave, today there are millions of people around the world who know the love, joy, and peace that comes only through following Jesus. Faithfulness to a mundane task on the part of two seemingly insignificant men helped to make this a reality.

DO (hands)
??? How can our faithfulness to ordinary, everyday tasks bring glory to God and help to further his kingdom on this earth?