JESUS IS CRUCIFIED

Mark 15:16-32 / Keywords 15:20

And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

 

15:16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. 17 They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. 18 And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.

25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.

27 They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. [28] [a] 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Footnotes

a. Mark 15:28 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Luke 22:37.

1. After Jesus was condemned to death, he was led into the palace, where the whole company of soldiers brutally tortured him. They mocked him by saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” To the eyes of this world the kingship of Jesus is a mockery. But this is how his kingship over us is established. Jesus bore all this punishment, but by his wounds we have been healed (Isa 53:4-5).

 

2. Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry the heavy cross of Jesus. Jesus refused to take any pain-relieving drug. He bore all the pain on himself. The soldiers, who were assigned to the execution detail, were hardened men, unmoved by human suffering. They were only interested in what they could get. But Jesus died for them, too. The charge written above him was ironically true--"The King of the Jews." He is indeed the eternal King. Jesus was crucified like the two rebels next to him. But he was different. The passersby and even the chief priests taunted him. They tempted him to save himself. Jesus is our king because instead of saving himself, he offered himself and was crucified for our sins.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you sending your Son as the king who saves me.

One Word Jesus, the king who was crucified