"THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

The Death And Burial Of Jesus (15:33-47)

INTRODUCTION
  1. Following a night and morning of torture and ridicule, Jesus was crucified - Mk 14:53-15:25
  2. For six hours as He hung on the cross, the mockery continued - Mk 15:26-32

[We come in our study of the gospel of Mark to the time of our Lord's death and burial. Let us use this time to reflect upon the details of those events, beginning with...]

  1. THE DEATH OF JESUS
    1. THE DARKNESS...
      1. Lasting from the sixth hour (noon) to the ninth hour (3pm) - Mk 15:33
      2. The significance? Several possibilities:
        1. A sign of mourning
        2. A sign of judgment
        3. A veil covering the shame of the crucifixion
    2. THE CRY OF AGONY...
      1. "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" - Mk 15:34
      2. A proverbial expression of distress from Ps 22:1 - ZIBBC
      3. It is possible that citing the first verse of the psalm refers to the entire psalm - ibid.
      4. Psalms 22 begins with bitter despair, but ends with supreme confidence - ibid.
      5. This interpretation does not deny the real anguish that Jesus experiences but understands his cry as an expression of trust that God will intervene and ultimately vindicate him - ibid.
    3. THE MOCKERY AND SYMPATHY...
      1. The mockery seen earlier continues - Mk 15:35-36; cf. Mk 15:29-32
      2. Yet one offers a gesture of sympathy (sponge full of sour wine) - Mk 15:36
    4. THE DEATH...
      1. Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last - Mk 15:37
      2. "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit" - Lk 23:46
      3. He "yielded up" His spirit (suggesting a voluntary death) - Mt 27:50
      4. Some suggest He died from a ruptured heart, others that it was dehydration and loss of blood
    5. THE CURTAIN OF THE SANCTUARY...
      1. The veil of the temple torn in two from top to bottom - Mk 15:38
      2. Likely the veil separating the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place
      3. Perhaps indicating the end of the Old Covenant, and beginning of the New - He 10:19-20
    6. THE CENTURION...
      1. Observing the manner in which Jesus died, confessed faith in Jesus
      2. "Truly this Man was the Son of God!" - Mk 15:39
    7. THE MINISTERING WOMEN...
      1. Looking from afar - Mk 15:40-41
        1. Mary Magdalene
        2. Mary (wife of Clopas) the mother of James the Less and Joses - Jn 19:25
        3. Salome - the mother of the sons of Zebedee (James and John) - cf. Mt 27:56
        4. Many other women - including Mary the mother of Jesus - Jn 19:25
      2. Women who had followed Jesus
        1. Ministering to Him in Galilee - cf. Lk 8:1-3
        2. Coming with Him to Jerusalem

        [Jesus is now dead, His body mangled as it hung on the cross. Mark now records for us in his gospel...]

  2. THE BURIAL OF JESUS
    1. THE TIME OF THE BURIAL...
      1. "when evening had come", likely late afternoon - Mk 15:42
      2. "the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath", i.e., Friday - Mk 15:42
    2. THE REQUEST FOR THE BODY...
      1. Made by Joseph - Mk 15:43
        1. From Arimathea (the city of Ramah, city of Samuel)
        2. Prominent member of the council (Sanhedrin)
        3. Who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God
        4. A rich man - Mt 27:57
        5. A disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews - Mt 27:57; Jn 19:38
      2. Together with Nicodemus - Jn 19:38
        1. A ruler of the Jews who came to Jesus by night - Jn 3:1-2
        2. Also a member of the council - Jn 7:50
        3. Who brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds
    3. THE CONFIRMATION AND RELEASE...
      1. To convince Pilate that Jesus was dead - Mk 15:44
      2. Confirmed by the centurion, the body was released - Mk 15:45
    4. THE BURIAL...
      1. The body was wrapped in fine linen - Mk 15:46
      2. Laid in a new tomb hewn out of rock, located in a garden - Jn 19:40-42
      3. A stone rolled against the door of the tomb
    5. THE WOMEN...
      1. Mary Magdalene and Mary of Joses observed where He was laid - Mk 15:47
      2. They left, prepared spices and fragrant oils, then rested on the Sabbath - Lk 23:55-56
CONCLUSION
  1. Thus Jesus, the Son of God, gave His life for our sins and was buried; but the story is not over, in our next lesson we will read of His amazing resurrection from the dead...
  2. Until then, remember what we should learn from this death of Jesus... - cf. He 12:2-3; 1Pe 2:21-25