The Murder of the Great King

354Mark will only record the words of one (15:34) and the “cry” of another (15:37). His focus is the forsakenness of the great King.

Jesus has been on the cross for three hours. Suddenly at about “noon,” darkness engulfed the whole land “until three.” This was not a solar eclipse, since the Passover was held at the time of a full moon. This is a miracle of God, a cosmic sign of God’s judgment on sin poured out on His Son (Isa 5:25-30; Amos 8:9-10; Mic 3:5-7; Zeph 1:14-15). The ninth plague in Egypt was a three-day period of darkness followed by the final plague, the death of the firstborn (Exod 10:22-11:9). Wiersbe notes, “The darkness of Calvary was an announcement that God’s firstborn and Beloved Son, the Lamb of God, was giving His life for the sins of the world!” (Be Diligent, 148-49).

The cry of verse 34 may be the most heart-wrenching one in the whole Bible. It is a quote from Psalm 22:1, and it identifies Jesus as the righteous sufferer of that psalm. Our Savior cried out in Aramaic, His mother tongue, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” The cry was not one of physical pain, psychological confusion, or dread of death. No, it was the cry of the Son of God, who was now experiencing something He had never known in all of eternity: separation from and forsakenness by God. Tim Keller captures beautifully the transaction of the moment:

Jesus’ cry and the darkness that covered the land declared the same truth: there was real abandonment from the Father as Jesus took on every sin of every man, woman, and child. As Isaiah 53:6 teaches, “The Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.” This was the price He paid as “a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

355And why “My God” and not “My Father”? Because in this one moment in all of time and eternity, He views Himself and knows Himself not as the Father’s Son but as the sinner’s sacrifice.

Some standing by mistakenly thought He was calling out to Elijah. They waited, probably with additional ridicule, to see whether Elijah would come to take Him down. However, if the Father would not intervene to spare His Son, it is certain Elijah would not come. The great King would die alone as the sinner’s substitute.

God separated from God—who can understand? I may never understand it, but I will forever praise Him for it.

“Jesus let out a loud cry” and died (v. 37). Almost certainly it was the cry recorded in John 19:30, “It is finished!” Atonement has been made, and the work of salvation is done. As tangible evidence, “the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two”—and do not miss this—“from top to bottom” (Mark 15:38). This was God’s doing. The significance of the tearing of the curtain that separates the holy place from the holy of holies is rich in symbolic allusions. Pastor Sam Storms notes at least three:

Now we arrive at the destination Mark has intended since 1:1. On the lips of a Gentile Roman Centurion, we hear the confession, “This man really was God’s Son” (15:39). It was not one of His marvelous miracles or tremendous teachings that evoked this confession; it was His passion. Like the centurion, Mark wants his readers to confess Jesus as the Christ. The question is, have you? Will you? It is a question only you can answer.

While no men are mentioned by Mark, he does note three women who were there: Mary of Magdala whom Jesus had delivered from demonic possession (Luke 8:2), a second Mary who had two sons named James and Joses, and Salome who is only mentioned by name in Mark (15:40; 16:1). This last was the mother of the disciples James and John, and probably the sister of Jesus’ mother (Matt 27:56).

Their presence establishes eyewitnesses to His death and burial (Mark 15:47). Further, they were true disciples who had followed Him and ministered to Him (v. 41). They, along with “many other women,” were faithful to Him to the bitter end. They may have watched the brutal events of the cross “from a distance,” but unlike His male disciples their devotion was not marked by absence. Their love and devotion to Jesus would not go unrewarded (16:4-8)!

Mark 15:42-47

Jesus is dead. John 19:34 tells us “one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear” just to be certain. Normally, a man who died by crucifixion would be left on the cross to rot or be eaten by dogs or birds of prey. What was left of the corpse would then be thrown into the Valley of Hinnom (see comments on Mark 9:43-48). Jesus, however, would be spared this humiliation because

(1) Jewish law demanded that even executed criminals receive a proper burial and that those hanged on a tree be taken down and buried before sunset (Deut 21:23), and (2) Joseph of Arimathea “boldly went in to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body” (Mark 15:43).

It is late Friday afternoon. Preparation for the Sabbath would already be underway so any decision as to what to do with the body of Jesus must be made quickly (v. 42).

Joseph of Arimathea, who (1) was “a prominent member of the Sanhedrin” and (2) “was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God ... asked for Jesus’ body” (v. 43). Luke 23:51 informs us he did not support the Council’s decision to seek Jesus’ execution. He may have even thought Jesus was the Messiah (John 19:38). As far as he and the others could tell, such hopes had now been lost. Still, his love for Jesus moved him to go public and make clear his affection for Jesus.

357Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus “was already dead.” Often, a man would suffer several days on the cross. Receiving confirmation from the centurion that Jesus was in fact dead, “he gave the corpse to Joseph.”

Joseph purchased “some fine linen,” wrapped the Savior in it, and put Him in his own tomb. Then “he rolled a stone against the entrance.” Once again the Scripture was fulfilled, “They made His grave ... with a rich man” (Isa 53:9).

In addition to Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (see John 19:38-42), Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses “were watching where He was placed.” Thus the only people at His grave were two Pharisees and two women. The apostles, who had professed proudly that they would die for Him (Mark 14:31), are in hiding. By contrast those who once remained in the shadows or were hardly noticed by the “really important” people are there by His grave. They do not care who knows of their loyalty and love for Jesus.

And so it is over. He is finished. Or ... is He? I know it’s Friday. But Sunday is coming! S. M. Lockridge (1913-2000) was a powerful and passionate African-American preacher. He captured so well what just happened ... and what’s coming in just a few days.