Mark Lesson #24

Related Articles

Mark

September 21, 2015

Mark Lesson #01

January 12, 2010

Mark Lesson #02

January 12, 2010

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
MARK 15:16-41
LESSON #24
DETAILS OF THE CRUCIFIXION

• MEMORY VERSE: MARK 15:38

• READ MAR 15:16-21 THE SUFFERING BEFORE CRUCIFIXION
• THE ROMANS HAD A SPECIAL GROUP OF SOLDIERS THAT PERFORMED CRUCIFIXIONS. THESE SOLDIERS HAD PERFORMED THOUSANDS OF THESE BRUTAL EXECUTIONS.
• THEY WERE A HARDENED GROUP OF MEN USED TO TREATING CRIMINALS IN AN INHUMANE MANNER.
• THEY ARE THE ONES WHO BEAT AND MOCKED JESUS.
• THE ROMAN SCOURGING:
• THE SOLDIERS USED A COMMON ROMAN GAME CALLED, “HOT HAND”. THEY BLINDFOLDED THE PRISONER. ALL EXCEPT ONE SOLDIER WOULD HIT THE PRISONER. THE PRISONER WAS SUPPOSED TO GUESS, WHICH OF THE SOLDIERS DID NOT HIT HIM.
• THE BEATING WAS SO VICIOUS THAT PSA 22GIVES US THE PROPHECY ABOUT IT.
• READ PSA 22:6-8
• THE ROMAN SCOURGING WAS SO VICIOUS THAT MANY PRISONERS DIED BEFORE THEY WERE EVER PUT ON THE CROSS. FEW MEN REMAINED CONSCIOUS BY THE END OF THE SCOURGING. THE BEATING WAS DONE WITH A CAT-O-NINE-TAILS. THIS WHIP WAS MADE OF LEATHER STRIPS. AT THE END OF EACH PIECE OF LEATHER WAS A SMALL PIECE OF METAL, OR BONE. LEGALLY A PRISONER COULD BE BEATEN WITH THIS WHIP FORTY TIMES. HOWEVER, TO INSURE THAT THE ROMAN LAW WAS NOT BROKEN, THEY USUALLY BEAT A PRISONER WITH 39 LASHES OF THIS WHIP. THE BIBLE CALLS THEM “STRIPES” BECAUSE THE WHIP MADE BLOODY STRIPES ACROSS THE PRISONER’S BACK.
• IT IS INTERESTING THAT BY THE “STRIPES” OF JESUS WE ARE HEALED (1PET 2:24) AND THAT MEDICAL SCIENCE HAS DIVIDED ALL ILLNESSES INTO 39 CATEGORIES.
• THE MOCKERY AS “KING OF THE JEWS”
• REMEMBER THAT THE GOVERNMENTAL CHARGE AGAINST JESUS WAS INSURRECTION, THAT HE CLAIMED TO BE A KING.
• THE IRONY, OF COURSE, IS THAT HE IS THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. HE IS THE TRUE “KING OF THE JEWS”.
• AS PART OF THE MOCKERY, HE IS DRESSED IN ROYAL PURPLE AND A FAKE SCEPTER IS PUT IN HIS HAND.
• IN MOCKERY, JESUS IS GIVEN THIS TITLE ON THE CROSS WHEN A SIGN “KING OF THE JEWS” IS NAILED ABOVE HIM IN THREE LANGUAGES, CONTRARY TO THE WISHES OF HEROD (JOH 19:19-22). THIS SIGN STATING THE CHARGES WAS USUALLY HUNG AROUND THE PRISONER’S NECK OR CARRIED BY A SOLDIER IN FRONT OF THE PROCESSION.
• EVERY EVENT IS IN THE HANDS OF GOD, AND THIS SIGN SERVES AS A PROPHECY OF THE ROLE HE WILL TAKE AT HIS SECOND COMING.
• THE PRISONER IS USUALLY MADE TO CARRY HIS OWN CROSS IF HE IS STILL ABLE TO DO SO AFTER THE BEATINGS. IF HE WAS UNABLE TO DO SO, THE SOLDIERS WOULD CONSCRIPT A BYSTANDER TO CARRY IT.
• THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS USUALLY MEANT ONLY THE CROSS BEAM THAT WAS TIED TO THE PRISONER’S ARMS AND CARRIED ACROSS THE BACK OF THE SHOULDERS. THE VERTICAL BEAMS OF THE CROSSES WERE KEPT AT THE LOCATION OF THE CRUCIFIXIONS AT GOLGOTHA.
• SOME ARTISTS ERRONEOUSLY DEPICT JESUS CARRYING THE WHOLE CROSS.
• ON THE WAY TO GOLGOTHA, SIMON OF CYRENE, BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, IS CONSCRIPTED BY THE SOLDIERS TO HELP JESUS CARRY THE CROSS.
• WHO WAS SIMON OF CYRENE?
• THIS MAN WAS MOST LIKELY A BLACK MAN, BECAUSE HE WAS FROM CYRENE, A LOCATION IN NORTH AFRICA.
• THE LOCATION OF THE CRUCIFIXION: GOLGOTHA
• THE WORD, GOLGOTHA, LITERALLY MEANS = THE PLACE OF A SKULL.
• AT THE LOCATION THAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE PLACE OF THE CRUCIFIXION, THE NATURAL FORMATION OF THE ROCKS ON THE HILLSIDE DEPICT, WITH IMAGINATION, A SKELETAL SKULL.
• THIS HILL TOP WAS MT. MORIAH, A PART OF A RIDGE THAT EXTENDED FROM SOUTH OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT, THROUGH THE TEMPLE MOUNT TO CALVARY.
• THE JEWS DID NOT BUILD THEIR TEMPLE ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE BECAUSE THE HEATHEN PEOPLE DID THAT.
• HOWEVER, ABRAHAM OFFERED ISAAC AS A SACRIFICE TO GOD ON THE HIGHEST POINT EXACTLY WHERE JESUS DIED ON CALVARY. (GEN 22:2)
• BELIEVERS CALL THE LOCATION OF THE CRUCIFIXION, MT. CALVARY.

• READ MAR 15:22-41 THE CRUCIFIXION
• THE HISTORY OF THE PRACTICE OF CRUCIFIXION:
• THE PRACTICE OF CRUCIFIXION BEGAN IN PERSIA WITH A PAGAN BELIEF THAT THE EARTH BELONGED TO THE GOD ORMUZ. THE CRIMINAL WAS NOT WORTHY TO HAVE HIS FEET TOUCH THE EARTH. HIS BODY WAS ELEVATED ABOVE THE EARTH. FROM PERSIA, THE PRACTICE OF CRUCIFIXION TRAVELED TO CARTHAGE IN NORTH AFRICA AND THEN TRAVELED TO ROME.
• ROME PERFORMED CRUCIFIXION ONLY ON THE WORST PRISONERS, AND NO ROMAN CITIZEN WAS EVER SUPPOSED TO BE CRUCIFIED.
• THE PRACTICE OF CRUCIFIXION:
• THE BODY OF THE PRISONER WAS HUNG NAKED ON THE CROSS.
• REMEMBER THAT THE SOLDIERS GAMBLED FOR JESUS GARMENTS AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS.
• LONG SPIKES WERE PLACED IN THE JOINT AT THE TOP OF THE HAND AT THE WRIST. THIS LOCATION WOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY.
• THE SHOULDER AND ARM BONES WERE USUALLY OUT OF JOINT (PSA 22:14) BECAUSE THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY.
• USUALLY A PERSON DIED OF ASPHYXIATION ON THE CROSS. BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY. THE PRISONER WOULD HAVE TO PUSH HIMSELF UPWARD USING THE PRESSURE OF THE HEEL OF HIS FOOT AGAINST THE CROSS IN ORDER TO TAKE A BREATH. WHEN THE PRISONER BECAME TOO WEAK TO PUSH HIMSELF UPWARD, HE DIED OF SUFFOCATION.
• NOTICE THAT JESUS’ HEEL WOULD BE BRUISED BY THIS ACTION AND FULFILLED THE PROPHECY IN GEN 3:15.
• IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT JESUS DID NOT DIE FOR LACK OF BREATH. THE BIBLE SPECIFICALLY TELLS US THAT HE GAVE UP HIS LIFE WILLINGLY. HE DETERMINED THE MINUTE HE WOULD DIE.
• IF A PERSON WAS NOT DEAD BY THE SABBATH OR BY THE SPECIAL PASSOVER SABBATH, THE ROMAN SOLDIERS WOULD BREAK THE LEG BONES TO PREVENT THE PRISONER FROM PUSHING HIMSELF UPWARD TO GET A BREATH.
• THE SOLDIER DID NOT BREAK JESUS’ LEGS BECAUSE HE WAS ALREADY DEAD.
• THIS WAS A FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY.
• THE SOLDIER PIERCED JESUS’ SIDE TO MAKE SURE HE WAS DEAD. (JOH 19:31-37)
• THIS, TOO, WAS A FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY.
• THE TIMING OF JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION:
• JESUS WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS AT THE EXACT TIME THAT THE PASSOVER LAMB WAS TIED ON THE ALTAR. (9 AM.)
• MARK SAYS IT WAS THE THIRD HOUR. MARK USED THE HEBREW WAY OF COMPUTING TIME. JOHN USED THE ROMAN COMPUTATION OF TIME.
• JESUS DIED AT THE EXACT TIME THE HIGH PRIEST KILLED THE PASSOVER LAMB AND SAID, “IT IS FINISHED.” (3 PM)
• JESUS HUNG ON THE CROSS FOR 6 HOURS. THE FIRST 3 HOURS WERE DURING DAYLIGHT. THE LAST 3 HOURS WERE DURING A MYSTERIOUS, SUPERNATURAL DARKNESS.
• PERHAPS GOD MAKE IT DARK TO GIVE JESUS PRIVACY AS HE BECAME SIN FOR US AND DIED.
• WHY DID JESUS REFUSE THE DRINK OF WINE WITH MYRRH (23) AND YET ACCEPT THE DRINK OF VINEGAR (36)?
• THE DRINK OF WINE WITH MYRRH WAS OFFERED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CRUCIFIXION.
• CERTAIN WOMEN IN JERUSALEM TOOK PITY ON CRUCIFIED PRISONERS. THEREFORE, THEY MADE A DRUGGED DRINK OF WINE WITH MYRRH WITH A TRACE OF FRANKINCENSE THAT DEADENED THE PAIN OF CRUCIFIXION. THE ROMAN SOLDIERS PERMITTED THE OFFERING OF THIS DRUG.
• JESUS REFUSED THE DRUG BECAUSE HE HAD NOT YET PAID THE FULL PRICE FOR OUR REDEMPTION. HE HAD NOT YET BECOME SIN FOR US. IT WAS GOD’S PLAN THAT JESUS BEAR THE FULL PENALTY FOR OUR SINS. (MAT 27:34)
• JESUS ACCEPTED THE DRINK OF VINEGAR LATER (JOH 19:28) BECAUSE FULL REDEMPTION HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
• JESUS’ WORDS FROM THE CROSS:
• NO ONE GOSPEL TELLS US ALL THE THINGS JESUS SAID FROM THE CROSS. HOWEVER, IF WE PUT ALL THE GOSPELS TOGETHER, THERE WERE 7 STATEMENTS FROM THE CROSS (7 IS GOD’S NUMBER FOR COMPLETENESS):
• =1= “FATHER FORGIVE THEM” (LUK 23:34)
• =2= “WOMAN BEHOLD THY SON” (JOH 19:26-27)
• ALL THE DISCIPLES FLED EXCEPT FOR JOHN AND A GROUP OF WOMEN FOLLOWERS.
• =3= “TODAY YOU SHALL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE” (LUK 23:43)
• =4= “I THIRST” (JOH 19:28)
• =5= “MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME.” (34) (MAT 27:46)
• BECAUSE JESUS BECAME SIN FOR US, (2COR 5:21) GOD COULD NOT LOOK UPON SIN. THEREFORE, THE FELLOWSHIP BETWEEN GOD, THE FATHER, AND JESUS, THE SON WAS TEMPORARILY BROKEN. (PSA 22:1)
• =6= “IT IS FINISHED” (JOH 19:30)
• THIS WAS A VICTORY SHOUT.
• =7= “FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT.” (LUK 23:46)
• THE BIBLE IS CLEAR THAT JESUS PICKED THE POINT IN TIME OF HIS DEATH. HE GAVE UP HIS LIFE. IT WAS NOT TAKEN FROM HIM.
• THEREFORE, HE WAS NOT A MARTYR, BUT A REDEEMER, WHO WILLINGLY PAID THE PRICE.
• THE MOCKING STATEMENTS AROUND THE CROSS:
• “SAVE YOURSELF AND COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS” (29-30)
• “HE SAVED OTHERS, HIMSELF HE CANNOT SAVE.” (31)
• JESUS WAS IN FULL CONTROL OF THE SITUATION. HE COULD HAVE SAVED HIMSELF AT ANY MOMENT. HOWEVER, IF HE HAD SAVED HIMSELF FROM CRUCIFIXION, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAVE US. THEREFORE, HE CHOSE TO SAVE US AND NOT SAVE HIMSELF.
• “LET US SEE WHETHER ELIJAH WILL COME TO TAKE HIM DOWN.” (36)
• BECAUSE OF THE SIMILARITY OF THE WORDS, “ELOI, ELOI” (34) AND “ELIAS” (35), SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS CALLING FOR HELP FROM ELIJAH.
• THE TWO CRUCIFIED THIEVES:
• THESE TWO MEN AT FIRST REVILED JESUS. (32)
• EVENTUALLY ONE OF THE THIEVES BEGAN TO SEE THAT JESUS WAS DIFFERENT. HE ASKED FOR SALVATION AND JESUS SAID HE WOULD BE IN PARADISE THAT VERY DAY. (LUK 23:43)

• A SUMMARY OF THE HOURS OF CRUCIFIXION:

THE FIRST THREE HOURS OF DAYLIGHT 9 AM TO 12 NOON	THE LAST THREE HOURS OF DARKNESS 12 NOON TO 3 PM
MAN WAS DOING HIS WORST DEEDS	GOD WAS DOING HIS BEST DEEDS
JESUS WAS SUFFERING AT THE HANDS OF MEN	JESUS WAS SUFFERING AT GOD’S HANDS FOR MAN
JESUS WAS DYING AS A RESULT OF MAN’S SIN	JESUS WAS DYING AS A PAYMENT FOR MAN’S SIN
SATAN WAS WORKING TO DESTROY THE SON OF GOD	GOD WAS WORKING TO DESTROY SATAN’S POWER (GEN 3:15)

• THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE (38)

• WHAT DOES THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE REPRESENT?
• READ HEB 10:20
• IN A STUDY OF THE TABERNACLE, THE VEIL THAT SEPARATED THE HOLY PLACE FROM THE HOLY OF HOLIES REPRESENTED JESUS’ HUMAN BODY.
• NO ONE COULD ENTER THE HOLY OF HOLIES EXCEPT THE HIGH PRIEST AND THEN ONLY ONCE A YEAR.
• IT IS THE HUMAN SINLESS LIFE OF CHRIST THAT SEPARATES SINFUL MAN FROM A HOLY GOD. WE SEE CHRIST’S LIFE ON EARTH AND KNOW WE CAN’T LIVE UP TO HIS EXAMPLE. AND YOU CAN’T GET TO GOD EXCEPT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S SON.
• THE HIGH PRIEST COULD NOT GET TO THE HOLY OF HOLIES EXCEPT THROUGH THE VEIL.
• WHEN JESUS DIED, THE VEIL WAS TORN BY GOD (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM).
• 3:00 PM WAS THE TIME OF THE EVENING SACRIFICE IN THE TEMPLE WHERE ALL THE PRIESTS WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE. MANY OF THEM ACCEPTED CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR AFTER THAT. (ACT 6:7)
• WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TEAR IN THE TEMPLE VEIL? (38)
• READ HEB 6:19
• WHEN THE TEMPLE VEIL WAS TORN, IT OPENED THE WAY FOR ALL TO COME INTO GOD’S PRESENCE. HOWEVER, NOTICE THAT THE PRIEST WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE TO GET TO THE HOLY OF HOLIES EVEN THOUGH IT WAS TORN.
• MAN CAN NOW ENTER INTO GOD’S PRESENCE BUT HE MUST COME BY WAY OF THE SACRIFICED BODY OF JESUS CHRIST.
• THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CAN NOW ENTER BOLDLY AND AT ANY TIME.

• THOSE AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS:
• THE CENTURION SOLDIER
• AT JESUS’ DEATH, THE CENTURION CONFESSED HIS FAITH IN JESUS AND WAS SAVED.
• THE WOMEN AFAR OFF:
• THERE WERE MANY WOMEN WHO FOLLOWED JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES AROUND FROM PLACE TO PLACE. THEY HELPED WITH FOOD. SOME WERE WEALTHY AND SUPPLIED MONEY. WOMEN WERE LAST TO LEAVE THE CROSS AND THE FIRST TO COME TO THE TOMB. THEY WERE FAITHFUL TO THE END.
• MARK NAMES THREE WOMEN CALLED, MARY, THERE:
• MARY, JESUS’ MOTHER.
• MARY MAGDALENE
• MARY, THE MOTHER OF JAMES
• MARK ALSO NAMES SALOME AND MANY OTHER WOMEN.

HOMEWORK

MARK 15:42-47

• APPLICATION OF MAR 15:16-41
• WHICH DETAILS OF THE CRUCIFIXION ARE NEW TO YOU?

• WHICH DETAILS ARE ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL TO YOU?

• HOW DOES THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TORN TEMPLE VEIL AFFECT YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?

• PREPARATION FOR MAR 15:42-47
• READ MAT 15:42-47
• WHY DO THINK JESUS’ MOTHER, MARY, DID NOT CLAIM JESUS’ BODY?

• FOR DOCTRINAL DETAILS ABOUT THE TIME BETWEEN THE BURIAL AND HIS RESURRECTION, READ EPH 4:8-10 AND 1PET 3:18-22 AND HEB 9:24

• MEMORY VERSE: HEB 9:24