Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Mark 15

1 - 15 Jesus before Pilate

When Pilate asks Jesus if He's the King of the Jews, Jesus says, "You have said so" (but he doesn't deny it. Pilate offers to release a prisoner, "but the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead."

16 - 20 The Crowning of Thorns

The soldiers lead him away and mock him.

21 - 41 The Crucifiction and Death of Jesus

Simon of Cyrene carrys his cross. Mark specifies that Jesus was nailed to the cross at "the third hour" (between nine o'clock and noon). At the ninth hour, Jesus says, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" When Jesus dies, the centurion says, "Truly this man was the Son of God.

42 - 47 The Burial of Jesus

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw Jesus buried.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The "trial" began first thing Friday morning, day break.
15 Jesus was flogged. Notes indicate that this was a whipping with a cat-o-nine-tails with bits of bone and lead in the ends of the strips of leather. Notes indicate that the legal limit was 40 lashes and that most people didn't survive.

21 Simon, a passer-by who was coming into town for the Feast, was forced by the soldiers to carry Jesus' cross.

Notes indicate that crucifixion was only for slaves, the basest of criminals, and non-Roman citizens.

25 3rd hour - 9 A.M. Jesus was placed on the cross.
Notes indicate that it was customary for the crucified to have a sign above them with their charge. This sign would be carried in front of him on the way to the event. The wording varies among the gospels but all agree that the charge was for claiming to be king of the Jews.

32 "Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him." Nothing is mentioned of the robber who repented and was saved on the cross.

33 Darkness fell on the land from "the 6th hour till the 9th hour" - noon til 3 P.M.

34 At 3 P.M. Jesus cried out in a "loud voice" (indicating some strength) pleading to God. I believe that God was not with him on the cross if not the whole morning; being part of the punishment for the sins of mankind. Hell is (if not at the very least) an absence from the presence of God. Jesus had to experience some of this. I can't imagine what a lonely, hopeless feeling that would be.

37 "With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last." Notes indicate that the strength of the cry indicates that Jesus did not die the normal death of crucifixion. Normally people would live 2 or 3 days hanging on a cross.

Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Sanhedrin, asked Pilate for Jesus' body for burial. Pilate was surprised that he was dead already but, after confirmation, granted the request which was unusual because of the charge (treason) and Joseph wasn't a relative.