Mark 15: 16-47
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The New
Testament Witness of the Apostle
Peter |
The Pulpit at Pilgrim's Rest Christ Covenant Reformed (PCA) |
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There is a lot going on in our text for today, yet we may safely divide it into four distinct scenes. In verses 16-20 Christ the King is crowned in jest by the crude Roman soldiery. In verses 21-32 Jesus is taken to the hill of crucifixion and there raised up on a cross already prepared for another. In verses 33-41 Mark tells us what Peter knew of the death of Christ. And finally in verses 42-47 the body is given to unexpected friends of Christ and quickly buried in a borrowed tomb.
There are no surprises here in Mark's record. Certainly, other disciples knew more from a wider range of sources. We have to remember that the sparseness of Peter's knowledge must have been gleaned from a distance. Only John and the women were up close to the cross where they could hear and see every detail.
Peter's bare presence reminds me of an ice show that I once saw. We were so high up in the bleachers that I'll bet most of those nearby inherited the same genes for their pocket book that I did! When the skaters came on the ice it was difficult to tell who was skating, and many of the details of the performance I missed. Providentially, the same show was being taped for television and within a few months I was able to get a better view of what had been going on.
Certainly, in the weeks, months and years to come, Peter filled in many of the blanks of what had happened from those who were nearer to the cross than was he on that day of all days in history. And yet, when Mark transcribes Peter's experience, they are both minimal in their exposition. We can tell that certain details only became known at a later date, after all - the "coronation" of Christ was not meant to be a public spectacle - but a private humiliation done dirty by barbarian riff-raff from the ends of the earth.
The soldiers here in this scene are not the traditional honest and sturdy Roman yeoman farmers serving voluntarily as warriors. No indeed, by this time in history, very much of the Roman Army was composed by long term veteran mercenaries, who were not welcome in the Holy City and probably out of sorts because of the continual difficulty of serving in place that was not a morally wide open as most other places in the Empire. And so, they took their entertainment where they could. No doubt, because of the holy season their hours had been extended and crowd management had been more than tiresome. I can remember one weekend in Germany in the sixties when the whole brigade in Auschaeffenburg was confined to quarters because a singing anti-war crusader was protesting our presence to standing room only spectators. Believe me, if rioting had broken out in the city and we had been ordered out to help restore order, the combat edge was keener than most weekends!
And so - Jesus was given into the unfriendly hands of the Roman garrison. Look at verse sixteen - the whole garrison was called out to see the man whom the crowds had alternately welcomed and condemned. Here was the man, whom it was assumed was just another in a long line of Zealots claiming to be the true King of Israel. Here was the man for whom crowds bigger than the whole garrison in Israel had turned out. Here was the man, who need only call the nation to arms and none of those present would ever escape from the city where they were almost imprisoned by circumstance.
They took their vengeance out and then some. Ironically, their coronation and and homage befitted the once and future King that He truly was. May we see the grudging attitude of the world who must stand by when the culture recognizes Christ as Lord and King - in their attitudes? I have known several people in my time, who only came to church to protect their future life - all the while hoping their investment of time and treasure was not really a waste. It has been a few decades since I knew people like that - in today's climate the attitude of the soldiers here in derision is more in keeping with a busy life style and a care-less attitude. Just as the worldly today would see and sense Christ in everyday clothes instead of royal clothing fit for a movie star, so too do the soldiers soon tire of their game and return the man Jesus to the clothing that was his everyday attire.
The execution squad takes charge of the prisoner and marches Him away to the killing ground. Since it is already midmorning and the deed must be done before sundown, they grab a convenient citizen and have Simon the Cyrenian take up the burden of Christ. Quickly now - they are able to climb to the bald knob of a hill where the executions were commonly held.
Before doing the deed, the soldiers - who knew a lot about pain, wounds and suffering - allowed the pious women of the city to offer cheap drugged wine to the Lord. This was commonly done to soften the gruesome nature of what was about to happen. However, Jesus refused the sedative and faced the prospect stone cold sober. A fact that must have caused the soldiers to take note. Already that night, in another Gospel, the Roman authorities noticed what a Man's Man Jesus really was, since he had taken a beating that would all but do in any normal person and was still standing aloof and uncowed before Caesar's appointed judge!
Now the hour had come, never mind whether it is Roman or Hebrew time that is calculated in the various reports. Once the details of those reckonings are taken into consideration, there is no perceived problem. Those who would argue about such arcane issues will probably miss what Peter saw from a distance. The Lord of heaven and earth was literally nailed to a cross-tree of wood.
But before the cross was set in the hole already dug, a sign was nailed above the head of Jesus. In three languages, we know from other reports - Jesus was labeled as "THE KING OF THE JEWS". No doubt the pun was intended to harass the Jewish dignitaries and the irony of the reality was yet to be realized. The gospel records shows that two others were also executed at the same time. And so, as the apostles later remembered, the scriptures were fulfilled exactly.
There He was in the place of Barabas - in the midst of common thieves. This was not the social register with whom He is hobnobbing by choice. No indeed, the leaders of the Jewish Church and nation have put Him here by conscious decision because they will not accept the reality of His person and the purpose for which He came. And so it was, willing actors in the greatest story every told accomplish the perfect will of our Father in heaven even though that is the farthest thing from their minds. Willing participants heckle the Lord of all the earth, His own very words and actions are turned against Him and the afflictions reserved for the wicked are turned against Him.
The circus scene that we see here was once very common. Execution days would once draw large crowds who would little appreciate the finer nuances of their national law. Social ostracism was heaped on top of the punishment ordained by the authorities and everyone was carefully reminded that there but for the grace and mercy of the ruler - they would be. In a similar international parody of justice - we have watched the rival claims for possession of a small boy in Miami, Florida. The rule of law is ignored by both great and small alike as the boys future is decided politically instead of by following the local legal structures already in place.
And so it was also in Jerusalem - suddenly into the execution as entertainment scene comes an unexpected ordeal. The Sun is darkened for three hours. Very likely many people hurry home and others who may have expected it, continue with their purpose. Not everyone would know what events took place in the Holy of Holies in the inner precincts of the Temple. Only later would that occurrence be connected with the giving up of life by Jesus on the cross.
Jesus died quickly that afternoon. It was not uncommon for criminals to hang around for several days. As it was, this execution coming the day before the Sabbath was to be sped up for the other criminals. Their legs were broken so that they would suffocate the more quickly. Earlier, Jesus had been tendered a sponge of sour wine. Moments later, Jesus shouted a battle cry of victory and gave up His spirit. Dying, some doctors claim from a broken heart, from bearing the burden of sin put upon His shoulders.
Just this week, I was carrying seven large map books from my room to the library. Like the proverbial Atlas I felt after that trip. "Seven worlds" had I in my arms and I was glad to put them down on the counter. Now we will never realize what pressure of the moment that Jesus felt. Yet in His death He knew there was victory.
The observing scholars and doctors of the Old Covenant Church heard the words from the twenty-second psalm and mistook the language for the coming of Elijah and so they missed the appropriate nature of the last words of Christ in the context of that particular psalm. However, while the blind religious leaders of Jerusalem missed the boat completely, the shrewd Centurion who was in charge of the soldiers detail, saw something that they did not. "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"
The women of the future church were at the edges of the crowd, seeing and hearing all. Unfortunately they could not do the normal preparations of the body for burial that they would have licked to have done. However, they observe that one or two leaders of the Jewish Church have taken it upon themselves to see to a proper burial. Joseph of Arimathea, goes directly to Pilate and asks permission to bury Jesus. The Centurion confirms that Jesus is dead and so the final arrangements are made. Lovingly, the body is wrapped and the essential perfumes are applied. Into a borrowed tomb, Christ is taken and the women must have followed so that they could come on the first day of the week and finish the funerary scene more to their liking.
And so the scenes are played out. All the world supposes that the last act took place on the cross, even the disciples and the ladies of the church as well. With dusk, the Sabbath had arrived and everyone had hurried and scurried to be in their appointed places. There to await the sacred one day in seven and then with further intent the day after that. Some commentators suppose that in the year Christ was crucified that there were two Sabbaths in a row. One - the normal last day of the week and the other the leap year sabbath to set the calendar in order once again.
At least we are privy to the knowledge that more than just the annual calendar was set in order. The salvation history of all the elect was set in order by the voluntary giving up of His life - that Jesus Christ accomplished within God's providence. Here was the Lord of all the earth working at cross purposes with the agenda of mere men and even though it would appear that mere politicos had triumphed, God indeed will have the last word. In this scene - in three days time. In our day - in the final coming at the close of the age. Did any one of the disciples or followers understand what Jesus had told them? Did any of them pray for the morrow - or did their mourning drown out their intellect and dampen their hope beyond measure?
We know where they were emotionally - we have their records. And while we already look forward to the great news of the message of Resurrection Sunday - their Holy Weekend was merely one of gloom and doom! Praise be the God of heaven and earth that death and Hades could not hold our Lord. May we readily appreciate and anticipate what they did not know - Jesus Christ has risen and turned death, hades and the whole world upside down. In Him and through Him we have eternal hope. And let us hold onto that precious hope as we eagerly await His return at the end of the age.
Come quickly Lord Jesus, Come quickly. Amen.
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Cole, Alan. |
Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries: |
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Keener, Craig S. |
The IVP Bible Background Commentary:
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"Bringing the Light of the Reformation to Scripture" (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995) |
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B2b29 |
16 April 00 |