Mark 15:21-26 - The King on the Cross

Mark 15:21-26 
21 They *pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.
22 Then they *brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23 They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. 24 And they *crucified Him, and *divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. 25 It was the third hour when they crucified Him. 26 The inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”


Message: The King on the Cross

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - Jesus is on his way to being crucified. He has been tried before the Jewish Council for blasphemy because he has admitted to being the Messiah, the Son of God and then the Jewish leaders take Him before Pilate with the charge He is King of the Jews. Jesus agrees but throughout all of the other assaults on him verbally he remains silent. A crown of thorns is placed on his head and then a reed or staff is used to whip that crown and drive those thorns into him while others spit on him and mock him. 

It is Friday and Jesus is on his way to being crucified for the crime of being King of the Jews. The Jewish people want him crucified, having been persuaded by the chief priests, scribes, and Jewish leaders who I believe are threatened by Him. 

Jesus' crucifixion was carried out by Roman authorities for they had jurisdiction over capital punishment. On the way to being crucified the prisoner would carry a crossbeam or patibulum and then when arrived at the site of the crucifixion would be joined with a stipes or upright post. Jesus has already been beaten and scourged to the point that his body can't carry the crossbeam. They *pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross. The soldiers grabbed Simon as he passed by to help Jesus bear the crossbeam and carry it. Then they *brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. At this point the upright post is joined to the crossbeam.

They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. It was a custom of the Jews to offer to those preparing to be crucified a strong drink or narcotic to help dull the pain or mask the pain the person would be enduring on the cross. But Jesus would not take it. Jesus would bear the full burden of pain.

And they *crucified Him. Mark does not here dwell on the specific events of the now crucifixion, but simply remarks that He was crucified though this period of time would be a longer period that other Gospel writers go into more detail about. Mark instead emphasizes the garments of Jesus and dividing them up. and *divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. This act was prophesied by the Psalmist - They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots. (Psalm 22:18). This is really another moment of humiliation. The only thing that Jesus owns at this point is the clothes on his back and even at this moment, those clothes are stripped from him and they are taken by the soldiers and divided up among them.

It was the third hour when they crucified Him. This is a point many have brought up as a contradiction because John states in 19:14 - it was about the sixth hour. And he *said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” The Pulpit Commentary offers these words - "The third hour would literally be nine o'clock. But we gather from verse 33 that our Lord was on his cross, and still alive, at the sixth hour, that is, at twelve o'clock. The simplest mode of solving the chronological difficulty seems to be this: The Jews divided their day into four parts, which they called hours, namely, the first, from six to nine; the third, from nine to twelve; the sixth, from twelve to three; and the ninth, from three to six. It was, then, within the third hour, that is, between nine and twelve, that they crucified him; and it was from the sixth to the ninth hour that he was actually upon his cross. St. John employs the Asiatic mode of computing time."

The inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” This inscription was meant to humiliate Him and yet Jesus has proclaimed this to be the truth when questioned by Pilate. He is the King of the Jews but this was the reason for the execution because Caesar was instead the true emperor over everyone in the land.

Summary - Jesus is taken to Golgatha to be crucified but he is to weak to carry the crossbeam and so a passerby is pulled in to bear the cross and carry it for Jesus to Golgatha. At this place the upright post is fastened to the crossbeam and Jesus is brought up to hang on the cross. He denies the offering of a strong drink by the Jews to help alleviate some of the pain. His garment is divided up among the soldiers, thus humiliating him more and a sign is placed over him bearing his crime, King of the Jews.

Promise: Matthew Henry states here - Whenever we look unto Christ crucified, we must remember what was written over his head; he is a King, and we must give up ourselves to be his subjects.

Prayer: Jesus, you were crucified to death for me. You were the lamb led to the slaughter. You experienced a pain I never will. I avoid pain at all costs and hate it when it disturbs my life. Thank you for suffering for me. I want to live for You. I thank you for bearing my pain and going to be crucified. Help me to not forget this especially as I take the Lord's Supper. Use that time taking the Lord's Supper to take me back to the pain that you experienced for me.