A Rich Man’s Tomb
Mark 15:33-47
Good morning.
The Frazier consultant’s website talks about some expensive places to bury the rich.
Woodlawn cemetery in New York is one of the larger cemeteries in America and is the final resting place for many important public figures. A single plot there, costs $6,000.
Santa Barbara cemetery has an ocean view and manicured gardens. A plot near the water costs as high as $20,000 and a view from atop the bluffs will cost you around $83,000.
Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery sold a plot above Marilyn Monroe in 2009 for $4.6 million.
My question: What cemetery plot in this world would be fitting for the King of the universe?
Please open your Bibles to Mark 15, as we return to that study.
Last time we learned about the Mock worship of the King.
The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace which was the governor’s residence and called the whole company together.
Jesus wore a purple robe, a crown of thorns, and was given a reed for a scepter.
After the beatings and being awake for 24 hours, Jesus was having a hard time standing let alone carrying a crossmember. So, the soldiers see Simon and made him carry the cross.
Jesus came from heaven to earth to accomplish our salvation. He willingly let go of absolutely everything, even His clothing, becoming poor for us, so we could be spiritually rich in Him.
We also learned about the saying Pilate ordered to be placed above the cross, “THE KING OF THE JEWS”.
Pilate intended this to be an accusation against the Jews for killing their King, but Pilate unknowingly wrote the first ever Gospel tract that day and put it above Jesus’ head on the cross.
As practical application we discussed the 3 men on the crosses.
The first man was a robber who represented the world that wants to be saved without receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The second criminal put his burden of sin on Him who bore the sins of the whole world, and because he trusted Jesus, he received the assurance that he would be with Jesus in Paradise.
The thief who trusted in Jesus inherited eternal life.
The third man was the God-Man, Jesus Himself. Jesus not only took our sins on His body up on the tree, but He who knew no sin was made sin for us as we become the righteousness of God.
This morning, we will learn of the last moments of Jesus on the Cross and also learn where they buried Him the day He died.
I. Did a solar eclipse happen, as the Son died?
Read Mark 15:33-36
Using the Jewish system of telling time, “The sixth hour” was noon when the darkness began, and at “the ninth hour” or 3:00 PM, Jesus died, and creation began to mourn its Creator.
Some try to explain this occurrence as a normal eclipse, but this happened during Passover and there was a full moon, which was on the wrong side of the earth to produce an eclipse at Passover.
Luke 23:45 says the sun’s light failed! This darkness was also remarkable because it happened during a full moon which made it impossible for an?eclipse of the sun to occur.
I believe that the sun was divinely darkened by the Father because it was the darkest moment in the history of the universe.
C.H. Spurgeon said, “The darkness is the symbol of the wrath of God which fell on those who slew his only begotten Son. God was angry, and his frown removed the light of day.”
In Mark 15:34, Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1, fulfilling prophecy with both joy and agony.
The Joy: Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. NKJV
The Agony: as John MacArthur said, “Jesus was crying out in anguish because of the separation He now experienced from His heavenly Father for the first and only time in all of eternity.
“It is the only time of which we have record that Jesus did not address God as Father. Because the Son had taken sin upon Himself, the Father turned His back.” (John MacArthur)
The Father turned His back when Jesus was on the cross because He could not look upon sin.
Habakuk 1:13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look on wickedness. NKJV
Some ask how God can’t look upon sin, because the Lord is all knowing and present everywhere, so how can He not see sin? After all He flooded the world because of sin.
The words, “look on” from Habakuk 1:13 in Hebrew, mean to respect or show favor. God will not respect or show favor to sin.
Jesus is fully man and fully God and didn’t stop being God at any time. But as a man, Jesus had real feelings and emotions.
As the sin from mankind was placed upon Jesus, He felt the respect and favor of the Father removed from Him physically.
Jesus died as a substitute sacrifice for the sins of the world, as the righteous Father had to judge that sin.
John MacArthur also said, “At this moment, a holy transaction took place.
“God the Father withdrew His fellowship from God the Son as He paid for the sin of the whole world for all time.”
The great exchange 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. NKJV
As bad as the physical suffering of the cross was, it was nothing compared to the suffering Jesus endured taking the world’ sin.
Timothy Keller said, “But this forsakenness, this loss, was between the Father and the Son, who had loved each other from all eternity.”
Martin Luther was reading the verses that says, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” and he was so overwhelmed by it that he sat almost frozen for nearly 13 hours!
Martin Luther, “God forsaken of God! Who can understand it?”
Stuart Townsend wrote, “How Deep the Father’s Love”. “How great the pain of searing loss the Father turns His face away, as wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory.”
Everything that transpired in three hours on the Cross is so far beyond our finite minds, we will never fully comprehend this side of heaven, as our sin penalty was paid in full at Calvary.
In the Garden, Jesus prayed, “Let this cup pass from me.”
Well in the three hours of darkness while on the Cross, Jesus drank the cup of God’s eternal wrath for our forgiveness of sin!
Some there offered Jesus some sour wine. John’s Gospel tells us that they gave Jesus that drink because He said, “I thirst.”
William Lane said, “A sour wine vinegar is mentioned in the OT as a refreshing drink and in Greek and Roman literature as a common beverage appreciated by laborers and soldiers.”
Some thought Jesus called Elijah when He said Eloi, meaning "my God", so they offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down."
II. The death of the King.
Read Mark 15:37-41
John 19:30 when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
“It is finished” is one word in Greek, “tetelestai” and it literally means paid in full. He didn’t take out a mortgage, He paid for us in full.
With His last breath, Jesus wanted mankind to know that the work of redemption was complete before He gave up His Spirit.
In Bible times, if a debt was paid off, the person who was paid off would take the receipt and write “paid in full” on it, and nail it to the post signifying there was no longer an outstanding debt.
Jesus had finished the eternal purpose of the Cross and now that is the foundation of Christian peace and faith.
Jesus paid the debt we owed, in full. The Cross made peace between man and God, for those who receive Jesus by faith.
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
Colossians 2:14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. NKJV
No one could take Jesus’ life from Him, instead He yielded up His Spirit willingly, for me and you.
John 10:17 "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
John 10:18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
Though He never sinned, Jesus suffered as if He did and died the criminal’s death, but no one took His life from Him.
And to prove the fact that redemption was paid in full, the Lord allowed Mark to write Mark 15:38, “Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” NKJV
The Temple had a veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple.
The Holy of Holies represented the earthly dwelling place of God’s presence and the curtain represented man’s separation from the Lord, because of our sin.
Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. NKJV
Only the High Priest was permitted to go into the Holy of Holies to enter God’s presence and make atonement for Israel’s sins. If the High Priest entered with current sin in his life, he would die.
gotquestions.org said, “When Jesus died, the veil was torn, and God moved out of that place never again to dwell in a temple made with human hands.
God was through with that temple and its religious system, and the temple and Jerusalem were left “desolate” (destroyed by the Romans) in A.D. 70, just as Jesus prophesied.”
The tearing of the veil of the Temple demonstrated sin is now paid for because of the sacrifice of Christ. Man can boldly enter in the Holy of Holies, come before the Lord, and receive grace.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. NKJV
Warren Wiersbe said, “The veil had separated man from God, but now, through His death, Jesus had opened for the whole world a “new and living way.”
Re-read Mark 15:39
By this time in history, there had been 6,000 men crucified along the Apian Way, outside of Rome.
This Gentile centurion had seen men on crosses before but as he looked at Jesus and watched all of these events unfold, he declared, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!"
This centurion could have been put to death for this profession of faith because both the Jewish and Roman leaders would have been upset by his words professing Jesus as the Son of God.
But after all of the miracles and events at the Cross that day, this soldier had to confess, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!"
We also see the faithfulness of the women in Jesus’ life as they stood by the cross. But where were His Disciples? Remember they had all promised that they would die for Him if needed.
III. The King placed in a tomb.
Read Mark 15:42-47
William Lane said, “In antiquity the execution of a condemned man did not mark the final moment of his humiliation.
It was not at all uncommon for a body to be left upon a cross either to rot or to be eaten by predatory birds or animals.”
Because Jesus’ crucifixion happened during Passover, the Jews did not want Jesus’ body to rot on the Cross.
Matthew tells us a little more about this man named Joseph.
Matthew 27:57 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. NKJV
Along with Joseph was Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee who had come to Jesus at night in John 3 and he was also a member of the council, like Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38–42).
In John 7 Nicodemus defended Jesus before the council as well.
We must realize that there was a lot of preparation that had to go into making this burial for Jesus possible. But when you have a religious leader and a wealthy man join forces, a lot can happen.
However, there is very little room for doubt that the Lord orchestrated all of these events because the council also had to have knowledge of what was happening, as well as Pilate.
Sometimes we get all worked up when we watch the news and hear of current events and elections.
But we have to realize that it is God who places people in positions of authority, and it is God who removes people from positions, as well.
Daniel 2:20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His.
Daniel 2:21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. NKJV
Joseph and Nicodemus probably studied the Scriptures and knew the Messiah, as the Lamb of God would die at Passover.
Had these men not acted boldly, and joined the Lord in His will, the body of Jesus might have been thrown into the trash.
The Lord is Sovereign and able to use anybody or anything. Had Joseph and Nicodemus failed to cooperate with the Lord, the Lord would have blessed someone else with this task.
This fulfilled prophecy…Isaiah 53:9 And they made His grave with the wicked — but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. NKJV
Releasing Him for burial is proof Jesus died on the cross. Pilate would not have released the body without proof He was dead.
Notice, “Pilate marveled that He was already dead.”
John 19:31 Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
John 19:32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.
John 19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
John 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
And John witnessed Jesus’ death…
John 19:35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. NKJV
David Guzik said, “The death of Jesus on the cross was and is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love towards all mankind.
It is the power of God unto salvation, though it seems foolish to those who reject it.
“If Jesus had not endured the cross, it might be said that there is a limit to God’s love, that there was something God could have done but was unwilling to do in order to demonstrate His love.”
And notice vs. 46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb.
Had Joseph not obeyed the Lord by retrieving Jesus’ body and placing linen cloths on Him, when Peter arrived at the tomb, he wouldn’t have witnessed the lined cloths lying there.
John 20:6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,
John 20:7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. NKJV
So, we end today with Jesus buried in a rich man’s tomb.
IV. Practical Application.
The Bible says the Cross was not simply an act of injustice on the part of men, but it was Jesus’ substitutionary suffering.
The Cup of God’s indignation also known as the Cup of God’s Righteous Anger, is mentioned all throughout scripture.
Jesus Christ received the Cup of God’s indignation and the suffering that the people He saved, actually deserved.
The Cup that the Father presented to His Son was filled with God's Holy wrath against our sins.
Christ assumed our place, taking God's judgment for sin, by placing His own body upon the cross. But there is no Tomb on planet earth fit for our King, so He rose again on the third day!
William Barclay said, “Men sins separated them from God; and wrecked their life for the world and for God himself.
A ransom is something paid to liberate a man from a situation from which it is impossible for him to free himself.
Therefore, what this saying means is quite simply--it cost the life and the death of Jesus Christ to bring men back to God.”
John 19:30 when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
“It is Finished” is one word in Greek, “tetelestai” and it literally means paid in full. Joe Focht said, “He didn’t take out a mortgage on us. He paid us off.”
With His last breath, Jesus wanted mankind to know that the work of redemption was complete before He gave up His Spirit.
In Bible times, if a debt was paid off, the person who was paid off would take the receipt and write “paid in full” on it, and nail it to the post signifying there was no longer an outstanding debt.
Jesus had finished the eternal purpose of the Cross and now that is the foundation of Christian peace and faith.
The tearing of the veil of the Temple demonstrated sin is now paid for, because of the sacrifice of Christ. Man can boldly enter in the Holy of Holies, come before the Lord, and receive grace.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. NKJV
When we hear about the atrocities Jesus endured for our freedom from sin and shame, what should our reaction be?
Now that we have been freed from the slavery of sin, it only stands to reason that we become Servants by choice to this King who loved us so much, He willingly laid down His life for us.
If we belong to Jesus, then all that we are, and all that we have, is not ours, but it all belongs to Him. Our time, talents and treasures should be offered to Jesus.
Everything we are and everything we have belongs to the Lord, to be used for His glory and purpose.
We should not serve as a duty but rather as a response to His great mercies toward us and from gratefulness for our Salvation.
When we serve as a response, it will become our passion!
Remember the narrative of the rich young ruler who had his riches and possessions as his master passion. Well, the Lord desires us to have Him as our master passion.
When we serve Him with the right motivation, we find fulfillment and the abundant life, as Jesus promised.
Again, we should serve Him as a response to His great love for us. Then, He will be what moves us and our master passion!
When we are fulfilling our God-given calling, we finally find fulfillment and joy within our Christian walk, because we were made for so much more than the daily grind of life.
We were made to be people on a Mission for Christ’s Kingdom.
Greatness in the Kingdom comes from Serving the King. We are men and women on a mission!
Christians serve because we imitate the King of the Kingdom!
