Jesus Who Died on the Cross

[John 19:30; Mark 15:42–46]

Last Sunday, we observed Palm Sunday. It is called Palm Sunday based on the account where people welcomed Jesus by waving palm branches. Jesus entered Jerusalem in preparation for a feast. That feast was the Passover. Another name for the Passover is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Then, fifty days later, there is the Feast of Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest. After that comes the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2). In the Old Testament, this feast is also called the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16; 34:22).  During these three major feasts, the Israelites, regardless of where they lived, would travel up to Jerusalem to celebrate. Not many people lived in the city of Jerusalem itself, but during the feasts, up to two million people from outside the city would gather there. So when Jesus entered Jerusalem during the Passover season, many people came out to meet Him, waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” as they praised Him while entering the city (Matthew 21:9, 15; Mark 11:9–10; John 12:13). That is what happened on Palm Sunday. Now, on this Friday of Passion Week, we will reflect on what Jesus did.

What Jesus did on Friday is recorded in all four Gospels, but today we will focus on Mark chapter 15. Mark 15:1 says: “Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law, and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate.”  Here, "very early in the morning" likely refers to around 6 a.m. Because the chief priests were in a hurry, they “immediately” consulted with the elders and scribes—that is, the most powerful ruling body, the Supreme Council known as the Sanhedrin—about Jesus. Then they bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate, the Roman governor.  Mark 15:2 says: “Pilate asked Him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ ‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied.”  Pilate interrogated Jesus, asking, “Are you the King of the Jews?” The reason for this was that the Jewish chief priests had accused Jesus, claiming He called Himself a king. Jesus replied, “You have said so.” He answered this way because He truly is the King of kings.  Mark 15:3 says: “The chief priests accused Him of many things.”  The chief priests brought many accusations against Him. They tried everything they could to frame Him by labeling Him as one who called Himself a king and by attaching various charges to Him.  Mark 15:4–5 says:
“So again Pilate asked Him, ‘Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.’ But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.”  Pilate asked Jesus again, “Why do you not say anything in your defense when they are accusing you of so many things?” (v. 4, paraphrased from the Contemporary Translation). But Jesus remained silent (v. 5). Pilate was astonished at His silence.

One thing we need to reflect on here is this: on Palm Sunday, many people welcomed Jesus as He entered Jerusalem, waving palm branches. But in Mark chapter 15, we see that they accuse Jesus and even try to have Him killed. The question is, why? The reason is that the Jews had a wrong understanding of the Messiah.  In the Old Testament, it is prophesied that the Son of God, the Messiah (Christ), would come. However, the Jews expected that when the Messiah came, He would become their king, liberate them from Roman rule, establish peace, and lead them into prosperity. But Jesus, the King, did not come to free them from Rome and bring worldly peace and prosperity according to their expectations. Instead, as the King of kings, He came to deliver us from the kingdom of Satan and bring us into the Kingdom of God, where we can live forever.  So when the people saw that Jesus did not rescue them from Roman oppression but was instead arrested and put on trial by the Roman governor, they became disappointed. This was not the kind of Christ they had hoped for. As a result, they turned against Him and shouted for Him to be crucified.  Mark 15:13–14 says: "They shouted back, 'Crucify him!' 'Why? What crime has he committed?' asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, 'Crucify him!'"  As a result, Pilate, wanting to satisfy the crowd, had Jesus flogged and handed Him over to be crucified (verse 15). The Roman soldiers mocked Jesus, humiliated Him, and led Him away to be crucified (verses 16–20).

Mark 15:22–25 says: “They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of the Skull). Then they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it. And they crucified Him. Dividing up His clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. It was the third hour when they crucified Him.”  The Roman soldiers led Jesus to Golgotha (Place of the Skull) and crucified Him. The "third hour" refers to 9:00 a.m. by our time, meaning Jesus was crucified at 9 a.m. on Friday.  Mark 15:33–34 states: “At the sixth hour, darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’—which means, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’”  Jesus was crucified at 9 a.m., and until noon (the sixth hour), He suffered under the scorching sun. Then, from noon to 3 p.m., darkness came over the land. At 3 p.m., Jesus, who had been silent until then, cried out loudly: “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” (meaning: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”). In that moment, Jesus was forsaken by God the Father. He cried out with a loud voice and breathed His last (v. 37).  Luke 23:46 explains this cry: “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ When He had said this, He breathed His last.”  Mark 15:38 says: “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”  When Jesus cried out, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46), and then died, the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:38).  There were two curtains in the temple. Inside the temple, separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies), there was a curtain. This curtain allowed entry from the Holy Place into the Most Holy Place. It was woven with the finest thread—blue, purple, and crimson yarn, along with finely twisted linen—and it was about 2 cm (an inch) thick. No one could tear it by hand. Embroidered on the curtain were three cherubim (angels), symbolizing that only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies—and only once a year—because it represented God's holy presence. Anyone entering unworthily would die, so the cherubim symbolically guarded the entrance.  However, when Jesus died on the cross, this curtain was torn from top to bottom, signifying divine intervention. But how did people know the curtain in the inner sanctuary was torn if Jesus died on Golgotha hill outside the city? The answer lies in the timing: it was 3 p.m., the hour of the afternoon sacrifice, and the priests were in the temple. As seen in Acts 3:1–8, Peter and John went to the temple at the hour of prayer, 3 p.m., when the healing of the lame man took place. Therefore, the priests were present when the curtain tore.  So who tore the curtain?  It was God—by His command and His authority (according to commentators).  What does the torn curtain mean?  Hebrews 10:19–20 says: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body.”  The author of Hebrews states that the curtain represents the body of Christ. His body was torn—crucified—on the cross, and as a result, the temple curtain was torn. Just as people could now physically enter the Most Holy Place, we too, through Christ’s death, can enter God's presence. Now God can also come to us. The reason we no longer die when God approaches us is because we have become His children.  Thus, we have confidence, through Jesus’ blood, to enter the Most Holy Place and stand before our holy God. Even though our conscience may feel burdened by guilt and shame from the past week, and we may feel unworthy to approach God, it is through the blood of Jesus that we can draw near with boldness.  Hebrews 4:16 tells us: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  This verse ultimately refers to approaching God’s throne in heaven, but it also applies to the present—coming before God here and now. Today, as we worship in the church building, we must remember that we are truly worshiping in God's presence.  To do so, our souls must come boldly before God through the blood of Jesus to encounter Him. Whenever we need help, we can go to Him in prayer. Why? Because Jesus shed His blood on the cross, and the curtain was torn.  Our prayers are answered because they come before God Himself, who hears and responds to them.

Mark 15:42–45 says: “It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that He was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.”  Here, “Preparation Day” refers to the day on which the Passover was prepared. This day, being the day before the Sabbath, points to Friday. “Joseph of Arimathea” was a member of the Sanhedrin, a man of high status and authority.  Pilate had seen many people die by crucifixion and knew that a person nailed to the cross usually did not die in six hours, but rather took two to three days. So when Jesus died within six hours and Joseph requested His body, Pilate was naturally surprised (verse 44). That’s why he summoned the centurion to ask whether Jesus had been dead for long (verse 44). After confirming with the centurion, Pilate gave Jesus’ body to Joseph (verse 45).  At that time, the two criminals crucified on either side of Jesus were still alive. This is because most crucified individuals would survive at least two days. Therefore, the soldiers went and broke the legs of the two who had been crucified with Jesus to hasten their deaths (John 19:32), and then removed their bodies. But seeing that Jesus had already died, they did not break His legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear to confirm His death, and blood and water came out (verses 33–34). That is how they confirmed His death and handed over His body.  Nicodemus, who had previously visited Jesus at night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes—about 33 kilograms. Together with Joseph, they prepared Jesus’ body for burial according to Jewish customs, anointed it with spices, wrapped it in linen cloth, and placed it in Joseph’s tomb (verses 39–40, Modern Translation).

Thus, on Friday, the burial of Jesus in the new tomb of the wealthy Joseph was completed. And on Sunday, Jesus rose again, having conquered the power of death.  Ultimately, everything concerning Jesus happened just as it was prophesied. In other words, Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies. The first prophecy about Him appears in Genesis 3:15: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”  Here, “the offspring of the woman” refers to Jesus Christ, and the “serpent” represents Satan. This is a prophecy that Jesus Christ will crush Satan.  From that first prophecy, the Bible contains many predictions about the death of Jesus, and all were fulfilled. One example is Isaiah 53:9: “He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death.”  The “rich man” here refers to Joseph of Arimathea. Jesus obeyed the will of God completely, just as prophesied.  We, too, should live according to God’s will. If it means being beaten, we accept it. If it means lacking something, we accept that too—if it is God’s will. When we live like this, God is truly pleased.  Therefore, we should continually pray to discern God’s will and live by the principle: “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  If we make this the standard of our lives, whether we live or die, everything becomes for God’s glory, it becomes a blessing, and it pleases God.  Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, suffered exactly as foretold and died on the cross for us. Through His death, He opened the way for us to approach God. In gratitude and praise, we must follow that way.  If we do, we will meet God and enjoy His blessings.