MARK 15
This chapter of Mark leads us to the cross. Jesus is led before Pilate to be tried by the local government. He is then mocked, crucified and buried. Throughout this chapter, “King of the Jews” is used multiple times. This is a stark contrast to references to the kingdom of God throughout the gospels. We will look at three of these instances below.
1. Pilate asks Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” This would almost be comical if life and death were not at stake. Pilate was a powerful man in the region, but he was just a regional governor serving under Emperor Tiberius. Compared to the incomparable power of God, Pilate was nothing. In other gospels, we see that Pilate was reluctant to crucify Jesus. His wife urged him not to have anything to do with Jesus since he was innocent. John tells us that Pilate was looking for truth but ended up compromising with bloodthirsty crowds to allow Jesus to be crucified. He met Jesus, saw him to be innocent and crucified him anyway. Some people we come in contact with will do the same thing as Pilate. They may see that Jesus is good, read his teachings and think he is a good teacher, or even admire him, but never choose to follow him. What makes the difference between someone who acknowledges Jesus’ goodness and someone who bows to his authority?
“In the presence of God, who gives life to all, and of Christ Jesus, who gave a good confession before Pontius Pilate, I charge you to keep this command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. God will bring this about in his own time. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to him be honor and eternal power. Amen.” – 1 Timothy 6:13-16
2. Soldiers led Jesus away and called an entire company of soldiers together. The clothed him with a purple robe and drove a crown of thorns into his skull. They mocked him and beat him, calling out, “Hail, king of the Jews!” This gruesome scene is a mockery of subjugation. The soldiers could not know the future, but we do. Jesus, who was mocked with a purple robe and crown of thorns will come again. When he does, we see a very different picture. In Revelation 19, a very different Jesus appears on the scene. Compare this to the image of a beaten Jesus in a Roman palace, bloody and battered, with thorns piercing his skin from a crude crown. When Jesus returns, he rides a white horse with eyes like flames. No longer a crown of thorns, but many crowns are on his head. His robe is no longer stained with spit and his own blood, but dipped in blood. He is not surrounded by an army of Roman soldiers but by the armies in heaven, also on white horses and clothed in white linen. A sword and iron rod are with him and he is no longer being called the King of the Jews but King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If the soldiers could have seen this, what would they have done? People mock Jesus frequently. How can we reconcile this future picture of Jesus with the Jesus we think of today?
“Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with justice he judges and makes war. His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on his head. He had a name written that no one knows except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. The armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. A sharp sword came from his mouth, so that he might strike the nations with it. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. And he has a name written on his robe and on his thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” – Revelation 19:11-16
3. Imagine the scene we read of the cross. Jesus, beaten and bloody is nailed to a wooden cross on a craggy hill outside Jerusalem. Near the place where trash was thrown out and burned for Jerusalem, the stench would have been terrible. Next to Jesus are two thieves also dying. Jesus struggles to breathe, his chest filling with fluid. His lips are cracked and dry, his skin ragged. At his feet are a crowd made up of hateful, mocking Jews and brutal Roman soldiers. From a distance, a small group of women watch in horror and grief as their son, rabbi and savior is near the end. He cries out the words of David, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” Darkness falls over the land. Above his head is a stark reminder of the only charge against him. It says “King of the Jews.” Why would the son of God allow himself to be here? Why would anyone go to this length? Surely the man who raised others from the dead and healed all sorts of maladies could have rescued himself. When you think about whether Jesus loves you, remember this scene. He allowed himself to be put into this agony for you. He suffered so that you would not. He paid what we could never have afforded. How can we ever thank him enough for his sacrifice?
“For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth;[ when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” – 1 Peter 2:21-25
Life Application: As we head into Good Friday and Easter, we should ponder the cross and Jesus’ willingness to die for our sins. He was punished for my wrongs. This is a great opportunity to share with others what Jesus has done in your life.
For Prayer: Pray for those who have previously been in church, either as kids or as adults, that have walked away from God. Ask that this season would remind them of Jesus’ goodness and salvation and that they would come back to him.