As we look at the events following the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah let’s get one fact straight: Jesus really died on the cross. The Roman Centurion who oversaw the execution testified to it in Mark 15:39. We know from John 19:31-34 that the soldiers made double sure by piercing His side. For all intents and purposes the disciples of Jesus had a slain leader on their hands and nothing more. No one was thinking of the resurrection at this point, only in what to do with the body and what was going to happen next.
So I thought it might be a good opportunity, as we go through Mark 15:42-47 to talk a bit about what actually happened on the cross, not so much physically, but spiritually. What does the cross mean? We’ll probably cover this in a couple of studies and before we get there, let’s look at the events just after the crucifixion.
42
Remember, it is Passover and on the eve of the Sabbath. No work could be done on the Sabbath so if someone didn’t remove the body then the Romans would have done it. Often a body was simply left to rot, or if it was a Roman, it was thrown into a common grave. For the Jews, a body could not be left overnight (Deuteronomy 21:23). If the body had not been removed by the Jews, no one could have testified about His death, or His resurrection.
43
John records that it was Joseph and Nicodemus who came to claim Jesus’ body. Both of these men were secret disciples until this moment. Nicodemus had come to Jesus in John 3 by night. Jesus’ statements about being born again confused Nicodemus, but later must have made sense. Joseph was also a part of the Sanhedrin (the council) and was from a town about 20 miles from Jerusalem. He was a Pharisee because he “was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God.” Not everyone on the Sanhedrin hated Jesus or took part in the murder plot. Now for these two it was time to step forward. As the Sanhedrin was the group who brought Jesus to be crucified, it would have made sense to Pilate that they would claim the body. Once secret disciples, now they come “boldly.” Sometimes it takes a crisis to shake us from our fears of making it known that we belong to Jesus.
44 – 45
As I mentioned last time, it usually took days for a victim of crucifixion to die. Because it was a Passover Sabbath, the Jews had asked the Romans to break the legs of those crucified so they could no longer support themselves to breath, thus dying from suffocation. Pilate wouldn’t have known this so he asks the centurion to confirm the death. So not only was it confirmed by the soldiers but Pilate too was satisfied. So just as the religious leaders saw Him die, and the soldiers confirmed it for themselves and Pilate—all of the three major institutions that rejected Him, religious, civil, and military, admitted to His death. He did not “swoon” on the cross as the Muslims claim. He died—period. It is highly unusual that Pilate gave permission. Usually only family members could claim a body, but since Jesus was accused of treason, He wouldn’t have been considered fit for a proper burial. Perhaps lingering feelings about Jesus’ innocence led Pilate to his decision.
46
Joseph bought the linen cloth, Nicodemus bought about 75 pounds worth of spices and together the two men took Jesus down, pulled the nails out of his hands and feet, wrapped the body up in the cloth between layers of spices, and carried it away. Joseph put Jesus in his own tomb, one of the many cut out of the limestone hillsides around Jerusalem. It was large enough to walk into and the two placed Jesus’ body on a slab. He was given the burial fit for a king.
They rolled a large stone across the entrance—a stone that weighed a considerable amount. It would have been rolled downhill in a trough and settled over the entrance. It was not designed to be removed.
47
The women who had been at the crucifixion followed the men and saw where they laid Him. The religious leaders also paid attention. Matthew 27:62-66 tells us that the religious leaders also were there and placed a guard of the temple police there with a seal over the entrance. In fact, it appears that Joseph beat them to Pilate. When the group came before the governor they requested that the tomb be made secure until the third day. They were smart enough to have known of Jesus’ prediction of resurrection. Isn’t it ironic that they accused Him of trying to destroy the temple, yet got the fact that He wasn’t really talking about the physical temple, but His body?
And that’s where it ends. Three years of miracles and astonishment. Three years of following this Man that they had pledged their lives to. Now it was all gone. But what they didn’t realize was that to lose Jesus meant to gain eternal life.
So what exactly happened on the cross to gain that life for us? Before we go there, I wanted to pause for a moment and look back at what happened in Chapter 15:16-20.
The torture:
The soldiers mocked Jesus by putting on Him a robe, a crown, and gave Him a reed. In a way, I see these generally as representative of authority—since the reason for Jesus’ death was because we rebelled against God’s authority in the Garden. So in a way, the soldiers are acting out physically what we as the human race did spiritually in the Garden of Eden—thumb our nose at God’s authority in our lives. We as humans continue to do this today. We want to be god in our own lives. But let’s look a little closer at what they did:
The robe: The robe was the symbol of the right of kingship. 1 Samuel 18:4, Saul’s son Jonathan gave his robe to David. According to Matthew 27:28, the robe was scarlet—probably one of the scarlet capes worn by the Roman soldiers. Scarlet is blood red. Revelation 19:13 says that “He wore a robe stained in blood.” In some ways these elements show a weakness in man and the strength of our ultimate action hero. When man took control from God, the result was bloodshed and death (think Cain and Abel). For Jesus, in order for Him to regain authority over the earth, He must shed His own blood.
The crown: The crown symbolized victory. In 2 Samuel 12:30 when David defeated the Ammonites they placed that Ammonite crown on his head. This crown was made of thorns, representing the result of man’s efforts to rule himself. Genesis 3:17-18 “The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you.” The thorns represent man’s defeat from sin. God gave us the earth to tend, but because of sin, our power over the earth is at best a struggle. We think we can do good but all that comes from our efforts are weeds that bear no fruit. Jesus wearing a crown of thorns perhaps represents the fact that man is incapable of saving himself. In the end, Jesus will wear “many crowns” symbolizing unequalled victory.
The reed: The reed symbolizes power. Here man is mocking God’s authority by striking the Messiah with the symbol of power. To regain power Jesus had to endure the rejection of His power. The reed could symbolize that man really has no power, though he thinks he does, just as a reed doesn’t really do much damage. Jesus, of course, will have a “rod of iron” to rule the universe (Revelation 19:15 “He will shepherd them with an iron scepter”).
To see the full extent of Jesus as the King of Kings:
Revelation 19:11-15 Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a fiery flame, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knows except Himself. 13 He wore a robe stained with blood, and His name is called the Word of God. 14 The armies that were in heaven followed Him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. 15 From His mouth came a sharp sword, so that with it He might strike the nations. He will shepherd them with an iron scepter.
So what does this mean to us?
Every bit of the crucifixion shows weakness from the mocking to the cross to the tomb. Why would God do it this way? To show that real power comes from God and that the way to that power is through weakness and death.
2 Corinthians 13:4 In fact, He was crucified in weakness, but He lives by God's power. For we also are weak in Him, yet toward you we will live with Him by God's power.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me. 10 So because of Christ, I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in catastrophes, in persecutions, and in pressures. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
So when life seems to throw you a curve ball and you feel weak and helpless, know that it is an opportunity for God to work much more deeply in you than at any other time. And remember too don’t make a judgment based on the outward circumstances, but on the inward transformation that is taking place. That’s where God’s focus is. By transforming us inwardly, He can work more powerfully through us outwardly.
