DIE TO SAVE - by Revd Gilbert Wong

SCRIPTURE:    Mark 15:1-39 (40-47)

Palm/Passion Sunday

9 April 2006

Opening Prayer:

True and humble king hailed by the crowd as Messiah: grant us the faith to know you and love you that we may be found beside you on the way of the cross, which is the path of glory. 

SERMON IN A SENTENCE:     Dying to save to the way away from popularity 

VERSES 1-5:  ARE YOU THE KING OF THE JEWS?

"As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council" (v. 1a).  The council did its work during the night, in part to avoid inciting Jesus' followers and, in part, because Roman officials begin work early in the morning.  As noted above, it might constitute a violation of Jewish law (the Mishna) to conduct a trial at night that could lead to a death penalty.  If so, it is possible that the chief priests and elders ratify their nighttime findings once it is morning as a way of skirting that law.

If the council is to get action from Pilate before the Sabbath, they need to hand Jesus over to him early in the morning, because time is short.  First, they must get Pilate to agree to a crucifixion.  Then the crucifixion must be carried out.  Finally, the body must be removed from the cross and buried prior to sunset, when the Sabbath will begin, to comply with the requirements of Deuteronomy 21:23.

"They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over (paredokan -- from paradidomi) to Pilate" (v. 1b).  This word paradidomi (handed over) has a sinister quality.  It is first used in this Gospel to speak of John the Baptist being arrested (1:14).  Jesus uses it to tell his disciples that he will be betrayed (9:31; 10:33).  He then uses it to warn his disciples that they will be handed over to councils (13:9) -- and that "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death" (13:12).  Paradidomi is used to speak of Judas' betrayal, and is translated "betrayed" (3:19), "betray" (14:10-11, 18), or "betrayer" (14:42, 44) when used in conjunction with Judas.  It is used to speak of the chief priests handing Jesus over to Pilate (15:10) and Pilate handing Jesus over to be crucified (15:15).  However, while Jesus and the disciples seem to be victims of this "betrayal" or "handing over," the power of God is at work here and it is God's plan of salvation that is being implemented by the "handing over." 

"They...handed him over to Pilate (v. 1b).  Jews are subject to Roman law.  Rome offers subjects some measure of local rule, but retains authority over serious matters, including capital crimes.  Pilate lives in Caesarea Maritima, but brings a contingent of soldiers to Jerusalem at major festivals to maintain order.  During his stay in Jerusalem, he most likely resides either at Herod's palace or the Fortress Antonia -- most likely the palace.  Pilate has served as the Roman procurator since 26 A.D. and will serve in that capacity until 36 A.D., when he will be relieved because of official complaints by his subjects.  He has a reputation for despising Jewish people and dealing insensitively with them.

"Pilate asked him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' " (v. 2a).  Mark provides no record of the conversation between the council and Pilate.  Pilate's question to Jesus makes it clear that the council has accused Jesus of seeking to establish himself as king, a treasonous act against Rome that would require Pilate's immediate response.  Since the death of Herod the Great, the Jews have had no king -- Rome having denied that title to Herod's sons. 

The charge against Jesus is not entirely without substance.  Jesus has admitted to being the messiah (14:62), and the Jewish people expect the messiah to be a king like David, who will re-establish the greatness of their nation and drive out the Romans.  However, if the council truly believed Jesus to be the messiah, they would support him to the hilt.  Instead, they believe him to be a blasphemer and a threat to their personal power, so they want him dead.  They have no authority to impose the death penalty, so they bring Jesus to Pilate, who has that authority.  Pilate would not care about charges of blasphemy, so the council couches their charges against Jesus in terms actionable under Roman law -- sedition -- treason.

The irony, of course, is that Jesus is, indeed, the messiah and King of the Jews.  "Mark presents the crucifixion of Jesus almost as though it were an enthronement:  Jesus has been hailed by the crowds as he entered Jerusalem (11.1-10), anointed (by a woman! -- 14.3-9), 'identified' by the high priest (14.61), proclaimed to the people by Pilate (15.9, 12).  (Soon he will be) 'enthroned' on the cross, with an inscription telling the world who he is, and with two thieves occupying the places of honour at his right and his left (10.37)" (Hooker, 371). 

"He answered him, 'You say so' "  (v. 2b).  Jesus gives a non-committal response to Pilate's question.  To admit that he is a king would give the false impression that he is establishing himself as a rival to Rome's power, which is not true, but denying that he is a king would be equally false.  He is, indeed, King of the Jews, but in a spiritual rather than a political sense.  He is not plotting violence against Rome, but is establishing a spiritual kingdom that will wax even as Rome wanes.  An irony is that, before long, Rome will no longer be known as capitol of the Roman Empire but of the messiah's church.

"Then the chief priests accused him of many things" (v. 3).  Mark provides no details about these charges, but we can imagine Jesus' enemies shouting all sorts of accusations in their attempt to persuade Caesar to prosecute Jesus. 

"Pilate asked him again, 'Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you' But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed" (vv. 4-5). Pilate cannot imagine anyone refusing to defend himself against capital charges.  Pilate also senses that he is being used to implement the council's agenda rather than his own, so he wants Jesus to give him reason for acquittal.  Jesus, however, gives him nothing.  He has already explained to his disciples that "the Son of Man must (Greek: dei -- it is necessary -- a divine necessity) undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again" (8:31).  Now that his hour has come (14:41), he is cooperating, not with the council or Pilate, but with that divine plan.

VERSES 6-15:  CRUCIFY HIM!

"Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked" (v. 6).  Not a great deal is known about the custom of releasing a prisoner at the festival, and some have questioned the authenticity of the practice.  There is, however, a record of similar amnesty being granted to Phibion a few years later, so which provides support for Mark's account (Lane, 553).  If there is anything odd about the story of Barabbas, it is that Pilate would release a zealot who engaged in treason against Rome.

"Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection" (v. 7).  Barabbas is a common name made up of two words, bar (son) and abba (father).  The name thus presents us with yet another irony -- an innocent Son of the Father (Jesus) dying in the place of a guilty man named "son of the father" (Barabbas) -- a substitutionary sacrifice in keeping with the Passover, where an innocent lamb is sacrificed to save the people. 

In his Gospel, Matthew identifies the insurrectionist as "Jesus Barabbas," which adds another layer of irony.  The crowd must choose between Jesus Barabbas and Jesus the messiah.

It seems likely that Barabbas is a zealot who has participated in treason against Rome.  This would make him a popular figure among Jews, and the crowd seems to come for the purpose of asking for Barabbas' release. 

"So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom.  Then he answered them, 'Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?' " (vv. 8-9).  The crowd demands the release of a prisoner, and Pilate offers to release Jesus, not Barabbas. His reference to Jesus as King of the Jews is sarcastic and contemptuous.  If Pilate truly wanted to influence this crowd, he would stifle his sarcasm, which only alienates the crowd.  Pilate, however, is not a man accustomed to ingratiating himself with people, and has little stomach for wooing Jews.

"For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over" (v. 10).  Pilate has his limitations, but he is no fool.  He understands that the chief priests are unlikely ever to hand over anyone to him except to serve their own agenda. 

"But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead" (v. 11).  The crowd favours Barabbas, but the chief priests stir them up even further in Barabbas' behalf. 

"Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?" (v. 12).  Again Pilate uses the title, King of the Jews, in a sarcastic manner.  He compounds the negative effect of his remarks by referring to "the man you call the King of the Jews."

"They shouted back, 'Crucify him!'  Pilate asked them, 'Why, what evil has he done? ' But they shouted all the more, 'Crucify him!' " (vv. 13-14).  By this time Pilate and the crowd are locked into an adversarial relationship, and there is no room for dialogue. 

"So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them" (v. 15a).  Josephus records other incidents that reveal Pilate to be an obstinate leader who would nevertheless back down under pressure by a crowd.  His actions in this incident, therefore, are entirely in character. Pilate has brought a cohort of soldiers to Jerusalem to keep peace during the festival, and does not want this crowd to get out of control now.  He has no desire to punish Jesus, but feels little obligation to protect a person who is not a Roman citizen against his own people.  He understands that the chief priests are acting "out of jealousy" (v. 10), but wishes "to satisfy the crowd" (v. 15).  He might be sympathetic to Jesus, but business is business.  He would like to do the right thing, but only at the right price. He presents us with further irony -- a governor who turns over governance to the governed.

The trial has not been properly concluded nor Jesus pronounced guilty.  Pilate's offer to release Jesus suggests that he is treating him as guilty, but also demonstrates his doubt that Jesus constitutes a threat to Rome.  Whether he sees something attractive in Jesus, wants not to condemn an innocent man, or simply dislikes acting as a pawn of the Jewish establishment, he clearly does not want to sentence Jesus. 

"and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified" (v. 15b).  Earlier, on the road to Jerusalem, Jesus warned the disciples that he would be flogged (10:33-34).  This flogging also fulfils Isaiah's prophecy, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). 

Romans customarily flog people sentenced to be crucified. Flogging is a punishment almost as terrible as crucifixion.  Its victims are beaten by thongs embedded with pieces of bone or lead, and sometimes die of the flogging.  Survivors weakened by flogging die more quickly when crucified.  Then Pilate "handed over" (Greek: paradidomi) Jesus to be crucified.

VERSES 16-20:  HAIL, KING OF THE JEWS!

"Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort" (v. 16).  As a condemned prisoner, Jesus has no rights -- the soldiers are free to do with him as they will.  They lead him into the courtyard of the palace, most likely Herod's palace, and call together the whole cohort (v. 16), as many as 600 soldiers.  These are strong, rough men accustomed to using physical force.  Their mockery of Jesus is the day's entertainment.  This is the second of three mockeries that Jesus will experience -- the first being at the Jewish council (14:65) and the third at the crucifixion (vv. 26-32). 

"And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him.  "And they began saluting him, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him" (vv. 17-19).   Compared to the flogging that Jesus has just sustained, the soldiers' horseplay is nothing.  The flogging was intended to punish -- to brutalize -- but this horseplay is intended only to mock. 

Purple is a royal colour, so the soldiers put a purple cloak on Jesus.  The crown of thorns may inflict injury, but is a really a parody of the radiate crown (a laurel crown that encircles the head) worn by rulers portrayed on coins.  The salute and the greeting, "Hail, King of the Jews!" is mockery based on the greeting, "Hail, Caesar!"  The reed with which they strike Jesus is too light to inflict injury, but suggests a king's sceptre.  To strike a king with his own sceptre is to use his symbol of power to demonstrate his weakness.  Spitting could be a parody of the kiss of homage.  The soldiers kneel before Jesus.  Each of these actions is intended to mock Jesus for his pretensions to royalty.  The irony, of course, is that Jesus really is a king and deserving of honour.  This mockery contributes to "a basic theme underscored throughout this unit …that Jesus goes to his death as God's anointed, the King of the Jews" (Williamson, 272). 

This mockery fulfils two Old Testament scriptures:  "All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads" (Psalm 22:6-7) and "He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account" (Isaiah 53:3).

"After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him" (v. 20).  The condemned man would be led on a long route through the streets by four soldiers, two in front and two in back.  He would carry the crossbar of the cross -- the upright portion would already be in place at the crucifixion site.  He would carry a sign on which the nature of his offence would be written -- in this case, "King of the Jews."  The lengthy route through the streets is intended to impress on the populace the folly of criminal behaviour. 

VERSES 21-24:  AND THEY CRUCIFIED HIM

"They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus" (v. 21).  Cyrene is a Greek colony in the country that we now know as Libya. 

Being required to carry a cross for a criminal must be a crushing disappointment for Simon, who has come to the Holy City on a religious pilgrimage -- very possibly a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage.  Hoping for spiritual uplift and wonderful memories, Simon instead finds himself at the centre of an ugly affair.  To say that this incident spoils his weekend would be a gross understatement.  However, Mark identifies him as "the father of Alexander and Rufus," as if these two men are well known to the Christian community.  Perhaps Simon became a Christian as a result of walking the way of sorrows with Jesus.  Perhaps his sons followed in his footsteps, becoming familiar figures in the early church.  If God can redeem Good Friday for Jesus, he can do the same for Simon.

Earlier Jesus said, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (8:34).  Now, although not by choice, Simon becomes the first literally to do just that.

"Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull)" (v. 22).  The old Gospel song says, "On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross" -- but the scriptures do not tell us that Golgotha is a hill. We don't know the origin of its name.  Perhaps it is shaped like a skull.  It is unlikely that it would be a place where there would be human skulls lying around, because Jews are fastidious about burials, even of criminals (Deuteronomy 21:23) (Brooks, 257).

"And they offered (Jesus) wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it" (v. 23).  Scholars are divided on the issue of myrrh -- whether it has a narcotic effect or is simply intended to make the wine more drinkable.  This seems to be an allusion to Proverbs 31:6, "Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress,"  the intent being to relieve suffering.  Jesus has come to take the world's sin and suffering upon himself, and so refuses the drink.

"And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take" (v. 24).  So much has been written about the horrors of crucifixion that I will not elaborate here -- and the Gospels tend not to pander to our interest in the horrid details.  Crucifixion is death by exhaustion, and victims typically live several hours or several days, depending on their physical state when first hung on the cross.  Men are usually crucified naked, but the Romans sometimes defer to Jewish sensibilities, allowing the victim a loincloth.  Romans usually leave the corpse to rot on the cross to warn the populace of the folly of crime, but sometimes defer to Jewish sensibilities that require immediate burial in accord with Deuteronomy 21:23, which says, "his corpse must not remain all night upon the tree; you shall bury him that same day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God's curse. You must not defile the land that the Lord your God is giving you for possession." 

"And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take" (v. 24).  The soldiers have an unpleasant and boring job.  Some people remain alive on a cross for several days, and soldiers are required insure that nobody rescues the victims.  They must maintain their vigil day and night with little to do but wait.  In such circumstances, soldiers develop routines to pass the time.  Dividing the victim's clothing would be such a routine.  With a little luck, they might sell the victim's clothing for enough to buy a skin of wine to help them forget the unpleasantness of the affair.  The irony, of course, is that the most momentous event of history is taking place in their midst, but they are looking down at a pile of clothing instead of up looking up to see Jesus.  It is a common human experience to bury one's nose in the trivial and to miss the crucial (this last word is related to the word cross).

VERSES 25-32:  SAVE YOURSELF!

"It was nine o'clock in the morning (Greek: hora trite -- the third hour) when they crucified him" (v. 25).  This early hour raises two issues:  The first is whether it would be possible to try Jesus before Pilate and to have him flogged, mocked, and marched to the crucifixion site by such an early hour.  The second is that the Gospel of John has Jesus still with Pilate at noon (the sixth hour).  There are no definitive answers to the issues raised by Mark's early hour.

The inscription above Jesus' head reads, "The King of the Jews" (v. 26).  As far as the Jewish leadership is concerned, Jesus' crime is blasphemy -- his claim to be the messiah.  As far as the Romans are concerned, Jesus' crime is that he has set himself up as King of the Jews -- a rival to Caesar.  As far as Mark is concerned, Jesus is both messiah and King of the Jews, and the cross is his enthronement.  In the Gospel of John, Jesus' cross is presented as a part of his glorification.  Mark does not use the word, glorification, but that is very much how he views the cross.

"And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left" (v. 27) -- an allusion to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53:12, "he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors."  The two bandits could be insurrectionists rather than common thieves.

Earlier James and John requested of Jesus, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory" (10:37).  Now James and John are nowhere to be found.  Only women are present, watching from a distance (v. 40).  Peter has denied Jesus (14:66-72), and everyone else has abandoned him.  Those who remain (with the exception of the women) are there for the purpose of crucifying or mocking him.  Jesus is cosmically alone.

There are many reasons to believe that Jesus was, in fact, crucified.  One reason has to do with the shameful nature of crucifixion -- no death was more shameful or degrading.  "That Jesus was crucified was not the kind of thing early Christians would have invented if they wanted to impress their contemporaries" (Donahue & Harrington, 445).

The NRSV leaves out v. 28.  At some point in time, a scribe inserted Isaiah 53:12, which became v. 28, but it is not found in the best manuscripts.  A number of modern translations leave it out.

"Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, 'Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, "save yourself, and come down from the cross!' " (v. 29-30).  Passers-by, priests and thieves join together for the third and last mocking of Jesus.  They challenge him to save himself and to come down from the cross (v. 30).  "Shaking their heads" is a gesture of contempt.

"the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, 'He saved others; he cannot save himself' " (v. 31).  Again, these verses are steeped in irony.  Jesus cannot save himself and come down from the cross without aborting his mission to save the world.  It is true that "he cannot save himself," but not because he is helpless.  The challenge to come down from the cross so that they might believe (v. 32) demonstrates their lack of faith -- faith does not require such signs. 

" 'Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.' Those who were crucified with him also taunted him" (v. 32).  Even the thieves join in this tormenting of Jesus (v. 33) -- Mark does not mention the good thief who takes Jesus' side -- only Luke tells us that part of the story.

VERSES 33-39:  TRULY, THIS MAN WAS GOD'S SON!

"When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon" (v. 33).  The darkness from noon to three o'clock is an allusion to Amos 8:9, "On that day, says the Lord God, I will make the sun go down at noon, and darken the earth in broad daylight."  It is reminiscent of one of the plagues of Egypt, in which God caused darkness to fall over the land of Egypt, a darkness that could be felt (Exodus 10:21).  It is an eschatological sign, signifying the judgment of God, not just on Jerusalem or Israel, but on the whole earth (Greek:  gen). 

"At three o'clock (Greek: horas enates -- the ninth hour), Jesus cried out, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" -- "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (v. 34). The words come from Psalm 22:1, a psalm that is at the same time the lament of a righteous sufferer and his confident hope of vindication.  The psalmist who asks why God has abandoned him also says that God, "did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him" (22:24).  Mark quotes the Psalm in Aramaic, and then gives the meaning in Greek.

Jesus, who has "emptied himself" of his heavenly glory (Philippians 2:7) and has taken on human flesh now suffers not only the pain of his wounds but also the pain of spiritual loneliness.  Psalm 22:1 expresses that kind of painful loneliness, but also expresses great hope in God the deliverer.  Its last verses are celebratory in tone.  The Jews who witnessed the crucifixion and heard Jesus' words would be quite familiar with Psalm 22, and would know that the grim beginning words quoted by Jesus serve only to set the stage for God's deliverance.

"When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, 'Listen, he is calling for Elijah' " (v. 35).  Jesus has taken upon himself all of the world's sin, along with all the pain that comes with sin.  He has refused wine and myrrh so that he might bear the pain full force.  He experiences all the alienation that sin brings with it -- alienation from religious authorities, bystanders, thieves -- desertion by his friends -- separation from God.  Bystanders either misunderstand Eloi, Eloi or decide to mock Jesus once again by re-interpreting those words to mean Elijah, a person who is supposed to help people in distress.  But "for Mark, …Elijah has already come.  He came not to rescue Jesus from the cross, but to prepare the way that leads to it (9:11-13; 1:2, 14)" (Geddert, 379). 

"And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, 'Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down' " (v. 36).  A sponge of sour wine could be intended either to ease Jesus' discomfort or to torment him even more.  The comment about Elijah, however, constitutes part of the mockery.

"Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last" (v. 37).  "Most people who were crucified grew weaker and weaker and gradually and quietly expired.  Mark's account suggests that Jesus' death was sudden and violent, that he was still quite strong at the moment of his death, and that he voluntarily and deliberately died with the shout of a victor (cf. John 19:30)" (Brooks, 262).

"And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom" (v. 38).  Like the darkness, this is an eschatological sign, but we are not certain of its meaning.  The temple has two veils, one between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies and the other between the Court of Israel and the Court of Women.  The first veil blocks entry to the Holy of Holies -- God's dwelling place.  Only the high priest can enter through it, and he only on the Day of Atonement.  The second veil separates the male and female faithful.  If the first veil is torn, it signals that the death of Jesus has ripped open the barrier between God and humans -- breaking down the dividing wall (Ephesians 2:14) -- granting free access to all -- and this is the usual interpretation.  If the second veil is torn, it has "the character of a public sign, comparable to the darkness that covered the land" (Lane, 574). 

The Roman centurion, seeing Jesus die, says, "Truly this man was God's Son" (v. 39).  He is responding, not to signs such as the darkness or the torn veil, but to Jesus himself.  This centurion, captain of the squad guarding Jesus, has seen men die, but he sees in Jesus' death something that he has not seen before.  His comment reminds us of the beginning of Jesus ministry, when the heavens were torn apart and the voice of God declared, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased" (1:10-11) -- so Jesus' ministry begins and ends with affirmations that he is the Son of God.  We are not surprised that God would say this at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, but we are surprised at this centurion's statement.  This is the first such confession of faith in this Gospel, and is a portent of things to come -- the opening of the Gospel to Gentiles.

VERSES 40-41:  LOOKING ON FROM A DISTANCE

"There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome" (v. 40).  As Jesus is crucified, his disciples, the twelve, are nowhere to be found.  Throughout his Gospel, Mark has portrayed them as unfaithful and unseeing.  These women stand in marked contrast.  We would expect them to stay away, because it would be so difficult to watch Jesus being shamed and brutalized -- but they come and stay.  They watch from a distance, but we can be sure that Jesus knows that they are there.  Their presence speaks loudly of their love.  They cannot rescue Jesus, but they can be present with him in his darkest moment.  All others have either abandoned or tormented him, but these women remain faithful. 

The role of these women as witnesses is remarkable.  Jewish law does not acknowledge women as witnesses, but these women will serve as witnesses to the crucifixion, the burial (15:47) and the resurrection (16:4-6).

Mark gives us the names of these three women: 

-- Mary Magdalene is a woman from whom Jesus has cast out demons (16:9; Luke 8:2).  Tradition suggests that she might have been a prostitute, but there is no biblical evidence for that. 

-- Mary is the mother of James and Joses.  Mark mentions these men's names as if they are well known to the church.  Earlier Mark told us that two of Jesus' brothers are named James and Joses (6:3), so it is possible that this Mary is the mother of Jesus -- but it seems more likely that Mark would identify Jesus' mother as such.  We know from John's Gospel that the mother of Jesus was present at the crucifixion, as was Mary Magdalene and Mary, the wife of Clopas (John 19:25). 

-- Salome could be the mother of James and John (see Matthew 27:56).

Mark tells us that these women "used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee" (v. 41).  Limited by gender roles, there was much that these women could not do, but they found much that they could do.  They quietly undergirded Jesus' work.  Mark says that there were "many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem."  This is the first that we have heard of them. 

VERSES 42-47:  AND THEY LAID HIM IN A TOMB

"When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus" (vv. 42-43).

Jesus died at three o'clock (v. 34).  It is Friday afternoon, and the Sabbath will begin at sundown, about six o'clock at this time of year.  Once the Sabbath begins, it will no longer be possible, according to Jewish law, to proceed with the preparation or burial of Jesus' body.  Anyone who has ever arranged a funeral for a loved one will understand the difficulty of recovering a body from a cross, preparing it and burying it in only three hours.

Rome's usual custom is to leaves bodies on the cross as a continuing warning to those who might otherwise break the law.  Jewish law, however, requires burial before sundown of anyone hung on a tree.  The purpose is to avoid defiling the land rather than to honour the body, because "anyone hung on a tree is under God's curse" (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).  If asked, Rome will sometimes turn over the body to the family for burial -- but not if the person was convicted of treason.  Pilate, however, is surely aware of Jewish sensibilities regarding burial and is clearly unconvinced of Jesus' guilt.

Joseph of Arimathea is "a respected member of the council" (v. 43).  All four Gospels mention Joseph of Arimathea.  The council of which he is a member is the Sanhedrin, the governing body of the Jews.  The Gospels tell us that Joseph was a secret disciple "because of his fear of the Jews (John 19:38) -- that he had not agreed to the council's plan and action (Luke 23:51) -- that he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God (Mark 15:43; Luke 23:51) -- that he was rich (Matthew 27:57) -- that he "went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus" (Mark 15:43) -- that he and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus' body "with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews" (John 19:40) -- that the tomb in which he buried Jesus was "a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid" (Luke 23:53) -- that it was "his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock" (Matthew 27:60) -- and that he rolled a great stone to seal the door to the tomb (Mark 15:46; Matthew 27:60).

Mark tells us that Joseph goes boldly to Pilate to request the body for burial -- BOLDLY!  He has, no doubt, been chosen to serve on the Sanhedrin because of the respect that people have for his reputation.  It takes a great deal to establish such a reputation, but it takes little to compromise it.  Joseph assumes a good deal of personal risk by going to Pilate with a request to bury a man so despised by his peers on the Sanhedrin -- a man who was crucified for treason by the Romans. 

An ordinary man would find it difficult to gain access to Pilate, but Joseph's position as a member of the Sanhedrin gives him access. 

"Then Pilate wondered if (Jesus) were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time.  When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph" (v. 44-45).  It is not uncommon for people to suffer for two or three days on a cross, but Jesus lived only six hours.  Pilate summons the centurion to confirm Jesus' death -- presumably the centurion who has just said that Jesus is the Son of God.  Having confirmed Jesus' death, Pilate releases the body to Joseph.  This incident has the effect of eliminating any question about whether Jesus was really dead.  The centurion certifies the death, and Joseph buries Jesus.  Neither would have taken these actions unless they were certain of Jesus' death.

"Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb" (v. 46). Given Joseph's high status, the difficulty of handling a dead body, and the short time available, it seems likely that Joseph employs servants to remove Jesus' body from the cross and to prepare it for burial.  Mark tells us that he wraps the body in a linen cloth, signifying an honourable burial.  He lays it in a tomb hewn out of rock, and rolls a stone against the entrance to protect the body from animals or grave robbers. 

"Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid" (v. 47).  Two of the women whom Mark named in v. 40 as witnesses to the crucifixion also witness the burial.  All three will serve as witnesses to the open tomb (16:1-4). 

Closing Prayer: