MARK LESSON 34
We will begin this lesson in Mark 15:21.
Mark 15:21 "And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by,
coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear
his cross."
"Cyrene" is a country of Africa, so this was a black man. Jesus had
carried the cross part of the way, and when they saw His body was
weak, they took hold of Simon and compelled him to carry the cross for
Jesus. There are several mentions of Alexander in the book of Acts,
and in Romans we read of Rufus, which makes us think that they were
followers of the Lord. Possibly, they were part of the 120.
Mark 15:22 "And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is,
being interpreted, The place of a skull."
In Luke chapter 23, this place was called "Calvary". This hill
really does look like a skull.
Mark 15:23 "And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh:
but he received [it] not."
This was a drink to kill the pain, but the Lord refused the pain
killer, because He wanted not to be numbed from the pain, but to endure
the full impact of the cross.
Mark 15:24 "And when they had crucified him, they parted his
garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take."
We see, here, that Mark doesn't go into great detail about the
crucifixion, it just states that they crucified Him. His coat was a
coat that had no seam. They didn't want to tear it, so they cast lots.
In St. John 19:23, we read that four soldiers each got a part, and then,
they cast lots for His coat.
Mark 15:25 "And it was the third hour, and they crucified him."
This was at nine o'clock A.M. Jesus suffered on the cross six
hours, symbolic of six days of work on the earth.
Mark 15:26 "And the superscription of his accusation was written
over, THE KING OF THE JEWS."
In St. Matthew 27:37 the superscription was, Matthew 27:37 "And set
up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE
JEWS."
Mark 15:27 "And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his
right hand, and the other on his left." Mark 15:28 "And the scripture
was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the
transgressors."
Of these two thieves, the one on the right repented and was saved,
and the one on the left died in his sin. These two symbolized the lost
of all humanity on the left, and those saved by the blood of the Lamb
on the right. In heaven, it will be Jesus, the Judge of all the world
who will put the sheep on the right and the goats on the left; the
separation, sheep (saved) goats (lost). Both the man on the left and
the man on Jesus' right were sinners and deserved their punishment.
The difference was the one on the right repented, and Jesus promised him
eternal life.
Mark 15:29 "And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their
heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest
[it] in three days," Mark 15:30 "Save thyself, and come down from the
cross."
You see, they had no idea that He was speaking of His body in
this. Jesus spoke in parables, so that the unbelievers would not
understand. Understanding of this and all other Scriptures comes from
the Holy Spirit of God revealing the meaning to us. He could have
come down off the cross any time He wanted to, but had He gotten down
before the body died, all of humanity would have been lost. This was
the choice that Jesus Himself made to endure the shame of the cross
that we might be renewed to God and live.
Mark 15:31 "Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among
themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save."
If there ever was an incorrect statement, this was it. Jesus did
save others (this is true). He could save Himself (He just wouldn't
for our sakes). One terribly false teaching going around is that
demons took Jesus off the cross. Satan, a demon, or nothing else ever
had power over the Lord Jesus. He stayed on the cross, because He
chose to. He defeated Satan for all time on the cross. Jesus -did
not-suffer in hell. He was victorious on the cross, and the Father had
planned it. This was victory, not defeat.
Mark 15:32 "Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the
cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with
him reviled him."
They would not believe even if He came down from the cross. Jesus
raised the dead, opened blind eyes, freed the demoniac man, fed the
5000, and they did not believe. Even a voice from heaven came and
called Jesus God's Son at Jesus' baptism. This would not alter their
opinion any more than all of these things did. You either believe, or
you don't; and they didn't. Jesus did not use His great power for
personal reasons. He would suffer the pain and humiliation of the
cross to fulfill the will of the Father, and to save all who will
believe. We, Christians, can learn a lesson from this. When others
revile us for the gospel's sake, just hang in there that much firmer.
Mark 15:33 "And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness
over the whole land until the ninth hour."
I believe this three hours of darkness was symbolic of the three
days the Light of the world would not shine, because Jesus' body would
be in the belly of the earth. Satan thought he had put out the Light
of the world, but Satan never counted on the resurrection.
Mark 15:34 "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,
saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
God the Father cannot look upon sin. Jesus had taken the sin of
the whole world upon His body, so that sin might die upon the cross.
The Father, for a moment, turned away so the full pain of the flesh
could be experienced by Jesus our Lord (His Son) . Sin was crucified
with Jesus on the cross.
Mark 15:35 "And some of them that stood by, when they heard [it],
said, Behold, he calleth Elias."
In Malachi the 4th chapter, it had been promised that Elijah
would come before the great and terrible day of the Lord. Some of
these people thought Jesus was calling Elijah.
Notes
Mark 34 Questions
1. Who did they compel to carry Jesus' cross?
2. What country was he from?
3. What did that tell us about him?
4. Who are Alexander and Rufus, probably?
5. Give two other names for Golgatha?
6. What did they offer Jesus to drink?
7. Why did He not take it?
8. After they crucified Him, what did they do with His garments?
9. Why did they not separate the coat?
10. How many soldiers were His garments given to?
11. At what hour did they crucify Him?
12. How long would Jesus be on the cross?
13. In Mark 15:26, what was the superscription of His accusations?
14. In Matthew 27:37, what was said?
15. Who was crucified with Jesus?
16. Who did the two thieves symbolize?
17. What was the difference in the two here?
18. What did those wagging their heads say to Jesus?
19. How do we read and understand a parable?
20. Had Jesus come down off the cross, what would have happened to all
of humanity?
21. In verse 31, what did the chief priests mockingly say about Jesus?
22. What is a terrible teaching going around about demons and Jesus?
23. Where was Jesus victorious?
24. In verse 32, what did the priests call Jesus?
25. Why do we know that they would not have believed, even if He had
come down?
26. What lesson can we, Christians, learn from this?
27. At what hours was the darkness over the land?
28. What does this three hours of darkness symbolize?
29. What did Jesus cry out at the end of the ninth hour?
30. What had Jesus taken on His body?
31. Who did some of the people believe Jesus called?
32. What Old Testament prophecy caused them to believe this?
Notes
Home