Mark 15:22-47

Summary
Jesus was taken to a place called Golgotha (place of skull) to be crucified. Prior to his crucifixion at nine in the morning, he had his clothes divided, he was mocked and insulted by the people and chief priest recounting Jesus statement that he would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days and yet couldn’t save himself from the cross. The two rebels crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

By noon till three in the afternoon, darkness had covered the land; Jesus cried out to God and gave up the ghost. The curtain at the temple was torn and the centurion who witnessed his death affirmed that he was the Son of God. Joseph of Arimathea, asked for Jesus’ body from Pilate who on hearing of Jesus death released the body to him. He wrapped his body in linen and placed it in a tomb sealing the entrance with a stone.

Life Application
This passage demonstrates the depth and extent of Jesus love for us and obedience to God the Father, who despised the humiliation and shame of the cross to bring salvation to us all! By His singular act of obedience and love, righteousness and salvation we have received through grace.
It’s our responsibility to make good of the grace we have received to reach out to all men in love even when we suffer rejection and humiliation from them and even family members for spreading the good news. Be encouraged! He has promised never to leave nor forsake you.
God is waiting on your little acts of love and kindness through obedience to bring deliverance and healing to the world. It starts with you.

Personal Declaration
I will be encouraged in the Lord at all times when spreading the word for truth!

Reading – Mark 15:22-47

²² They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).²³ Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. ²⁴ And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.

²⁵ It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. ²⁶ The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.

²⁷ They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. ^{[28] [a] 29} Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, ³⁰ come down from the cross and save yourself!” ³¹ In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! ³² Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus

³³ At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. ³⁴ And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).^[b]

³⁵ When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

³⁶ Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

³⁷ With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

³⁸ The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,^[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

⁴⁰ Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,^[d] and Salome. ⁴¹ In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

The Burial of Jesus

⁴² It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached,⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. ⁴⁵ When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶ So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

Footnotes:

1. Mark 15:28 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Luke 22:37.
2. Mark 15:34 Psalm 22:1
3. Mark 15:39 Some manuscripts saw that he died with such a cry
4. Mark 15:40 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph; also in verse 47

All scriptural passages are taken from the NIV version of the bible.