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Mark | 1 -7 | 8-12 | 13:1-13 | 13:14-27 | 13:28-37 | 14:1-9 | 14:10-21 | 14:22-31 | 14:32-52 | 14:53-72 | 15:1-20 | 15:21-41 | 15:42-47 | 16 | PDF |

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Mark 15:22-41 Bible Study – Jesus’ Death on the Cross

Outline

I. The crucifixion of Jesus (21-32)
II. Jesus’ death on the cross (32-41)

I. The crucifixion of Jesus (21-32)

Discussion Questions

• What did they have Simon do? Why might he have been in Jerusalem?
• Why might the passage tell us that he is the father of Alexander and Rufus?
• What is Golgotha?
• What prophecies were fulfilled while Jesus was on the cross? (See cross-references)
• What dialogue did Jesus have with the two thieves? What can we learn from this?
• How was the crowd acting while this was going on?
• What does Jesus’ self-control in not replying to their accusation in verses 31 and 32 teach us?

Cross-References

Matthew 27:52 – The tombs broke open and many saints came out.

Fulfilled Prophesies

1. The Messiah would be hated without cause. (Psalm 69:4, John 15:24-25)

2. The Messiah would be crucified with criminals. (Isaiah 53:12,
Matthew 27:38, Mark 15:27-28)

3. The Messiah would be given vinegar to drink. (Psalm 69:21, Matthew 27:34, John 19:28-30)

4. The Messiah’s hands and feet would be pierced. (Psalm 22:16, Zechariah 12:10, John 20:25-27)

5. The Messiah would be mocked and ridiculed. (Psalm 22:7-8, Luke 23:35)

6. Soldiers would gamble for Messiah’s garments. (Psalm 22:18, Luke 23:34, Matthew 27:35-36)

7. The Messiah’s bones would not be broken. (Exodus 12:46, Psalm 34:20, John 19:33-36)

8. The Messiah would be forsaken by God. (Psalm 22:1, Psalm 35:19)

9. The Messiah would pray for his enemies. (Psalm 109:4, Luke 23:34)

10. Soldiers would pierce Messiah’s side. (Zechariah 12:10John 19:34)

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. Simon of Cyrene –

Mark 15:21 – And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

Cyrene was a city in Libya, Northern Africa. There was a community of roughly 100,000 Jews there. It is very possible that Simon (since his name is likely Jewish) was a Jew visiting Jerusalem for the Passover.

His two sons are also mentioned. This is very curious and would seem to point to the fact that they would be well-known by Mark’s readers in Rome. Thus, they were probably well-known believers in the church. Some believe that the Rufus Paul mentioned in Romans 16:13 is the same one, and he very well could be.

Simon was merely a passerby. He could have been drawn to the commotion and wanted to take a look to see what was going on. Then, suddenly, Roman soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. This surely wasn’t in his holiday plans! It was dirty, painful, and arduous work to carry the cross. Even worse, it was a great indignity. Here he was being treated as a criminal when he hadn’t done anything (kind of like Jesus was). So what do we learn from Simon’s story?

Not everything that seems bad is.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

This was not the ideal way for Simon to spend his “vacation.” Most people facing similar situations would complain and grow bitter and angry. Yet this event appears to have been integral in saving two of his children. That indicates that he was likely saved as well.

God had a purpose even for this. Simon likely came to Jerusalem for the Passover to worship the Lord. Little did he know that he would come face to face with the Lord and witness the Messiah being slain for his sins.

God is sovereign. He can use the worst inconveniences and trials to bring us to him.

Application – Next time you face an inconvenience, remember Simon and how God used an unexpected disruption in his life. Maybe He wants to use the inconvenience and trouble in your life as well. This is especially applicable to parents, who need to set a good example for their children in how to respond to difficulties. Our children will learn from us.

2. Crucified at Golgotha –

Hebrews 13:12 – So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.

John 19:20 – Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.

Jesus was crucified at Golgotha. It was known at that time as the place of the skull because the hill resembled one. This was a place near the city, but just outside the city walls. The Romans wanted to intimidate the Jews and also warn them of the serious consequences of breaking the law, so they chose a public place on a hill that could be seen easily from all around.

3. Wine mixed with myrrh –

An ancient Jewish tradition was to offer this narcotic drink as a small way to decrease the sensitivity of the condemned to pain and ease their final time on earth. Someone took compassion on Jesus (Matthew 10:42). Just because everybody else is doing something evil doesn’t mean you have to join in. You can choose to be different and show mercy when others show none.

Jesus rejected the wine and thus opted to endure with full consciousness the pain and agony of the cross. He didn’t take the easy way out. But He chose the best way. He kept His wits about Him so that He could be in full control of His actions and words and also feel the full force of the suffering for sin.

Application – You may go through a difficulty and be tempted to indulge yourself in something to ease the pain of the experience. It could be alcohol, sleep, excessive medication, or binge-watching television. Do not give in to the temptation. The world tries to avoid pain at all costs, but Jesus did not.

Note that later, Jesus was offered wine a second time and accepted it (verse 36). However, this was a sour wine. It was a drink designed to re-energize Him. This drink would help Him have a clear mind instead of dulling it, so He took it.

4. They cast lots for his clothing – Many Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled here at the cross and this is one of them (Psalms 22:18, John 19:23-24). Jesus’ clothes were divided up among them and his seamless tunic remained, so they gambled for that. The picture we get is one of utter shame as Jesus is hung naked on the cross. In His life, He had few possessions, and at His death, the ones He had were stolen right in front of Him. They are making a mockery of Him, which was all part of the goal to inflict as much shame and suffering on Him as possible.

5. Jesus was crucified at the third hour –

Jesus was crucified at the third hour. Their day started at 6 AM, so this would have been 9 AM. The religious leaders rushed to crucify Jesus as fast as possible. That included 6 trials, many of which took place very early in the morning. It shows us just how corrupted the people were by their sin. They rushed as fast as they possibly could to kill their Creator.

5. The inscription –

John 19:21 – So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’”

The religious leaders tried to have this inscription changed to say that Jesus said He was the King of the Jews. Pilate wouldn’t have it. In order to preserve his dignity, he finally showed a little bit of spine. This the like the parent who finally relents by buying their sixteen-year-old son the sports car he has been asking for, but firmly draws the line by saying “No!” to a new paint job.

6. Jesus is mocked –

Mark 15:27-31 – And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.

Criminals and religious leaders join in mocking Jesus. “Save yourself and come down from the cross,” they scoffed.

Jesus was still able to talk on the cross. He talks to several people and says seven of his statements on the cross are recorded. But interestingly, not one time does He talk to any of the people accusing or mocking Him. He does not give one word of response to their accusations. It is not because He is too tired. He summoned the energy to talk to the thief who stood up for Jesus and to His mother. These insults did not deserve a response. Jesus demonstrated remarkable self-control in resisting the urge to argue with these fools or to give them a demonstration of His deity in the form of a lightning bolt from heaven.

If it were me on the cross, I would be tempted to say, “Ok, you don’t believe, watch this!”

Fortunately for all of us, Jesus is not me. He was not only humble in meek in not replying, but also wise. It was wise, firstly, because no amount of signs would convince these hard-hearted people.

Jesus was a silent sacrifice.

Isaiah 53:7 – He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

Secondly, He gave us a wise example of self-control.

Arguments are difficult for us to stop once started (Proverbs 17:14). When others insist on trying to stir up a quarrel, silence is often a good response.

Jesus never did miracles just for the sake of showing He could.

Many times, unbelievers demanded signs of Jesus to prove who He was and He refused every time. This power was not a toy to twirl around and show off. It was serious and used for people who were serious-minded.

This is a reminder that spiritual gifts are to be used to glorify God and edify the body and not for personal glory or showmanship (1 Corinthians 12). Our gifts, skills, and talents must always be used to bring people to God and not to say, “Look at me.” This applies to every type of Christian ministry, but especially to those who are in the spotlight, such as pastors, worship leaders, and choir members.

Application – Before arguing or debating, I should evaluate my motives. Wanting to prove myself or my intelligence is not a good reason. I should only engage in order to glorify God and win the hearts of people to Him.

II. Jesus’ death on the cross (32-41)

Discussion Questions

• What time are the sixth and ninth hours?
• List everything Jesus is recorded as saying while hanging on the cross. What can we learn about Jesus from these? What can we learn about His relationships with the people around Him? What can you learn that you need to apply to your own life?
• Do you notice anything interesting about the moment of Jesus’ death?
• How did the centurion respond to it? Why did he respond like this?
• What happened at the moment of Jesus’ death? Why?

Cross-References

Jesus’ last words:

• Luke 23:34 – Father, forgive them…
• Luke 23:43 – Today you will be with me in paradise.
• John 19:26-27 – Jesus talks to Mary and John.
• Matthew 27:46 – Why hast thou forsaken me?
• John 19:28 – “I am thirsty.”
• John 19:30 – “’It is finished.”
• Luke 23:46 – Into Your Hands I commit My spirit.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. The sixth hour – Noon.

2. Darkness fell –

Mark 15:33 – And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

The longest solar eclipse in the 20th century was 6 minutes and 39 seconds. While Jesus was hanging on the cross, darkness fell over the land for three hours. This was not just a typical solar eclipse. It was a supernatural event. Darkness is a symbol for evil and for lies. Sometimes it also represents depression, grief, or sorrow. All of these are appropriate here.

Mankind had just committed the worst evil in the history of the universe. They did it based on the biggest lie in the history of the universe (the lie that Jesus was a devil and not the Son of God). It was the saddest event in the history of the world and God the Father must have been filled with infinite sorrow and grief. People had never descended further into sin or further from God than they did when they crucified His Son, who came to save them.

Reflect – How do you feel when you read this? Where are you in this story?

3. My God, My God, Why have You Forsaken Me? –

As bad as we feel about Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus felt a lot worse. He said, “My Father, My Father, why have you forsaken Me?” To this point, we have seen some of the physical agony Jesus went through: the whip, the thorns, the rod, the nails, the scorn. All of his pails, in contrast to what Jesus was facing spiritually.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus became sin for us. Sin is what separates us from God. God is holy. People are not. Therefore, people have no fellowship with God. On the cross, for the very first time ever, Jesus experienced a loss of fellowship with His father. More than that, His father was angry with Him.

Most commentators agree that separation from the Father was the worst of all the punishment and agony that Jesus endured. His perfect, eternal, and intimate relationship with the Father had been shattered and the one He had perfect harmony with was now pouring out wrath upon Him. There is nothing in our world that can compare to what Jesus felt at that time. But the following example can perhaps give you a taste of what Jesus felt.

Imagine a soldier who marries his childhood sweetheart. The couple love each other dearly. They do everything together. They dream and plan about the future. They laugh and sing. Then one day, the soldier gets called to duty. He needs to fight for his country. He does many heroic deeds in the battle, but instead of receiving a hero’s welcome, the king accuses him of treason out of jealousy.

His close friend turns him in and the rest of his friends flee and refuse to stand up for him. But all of this is insignificant to him. The betrayals and accusations of those around him pale in comparison to the love he has for his wife.

She will come and the joy of seeing her will wipe away all his tears. One day, she does come. But instead of embracing him and telling him everything will be OK, she is the first one to pick up a stone and cast it at him. His last memory of this life is his wife angrily throwing a rock at him. Why? His heart is broken and he dies from despair even before the wounds from the rock take him.

Jesus is our substitute. That is the pain He went through on our behalf.

Reflect – How should you react to the cross?

4. Bystanders thought he was calling for Elijah –

It is not clear why they thought this, but clearly their theology needed some work. One more sympathetic individual ran to get him a drink (albeit of terrible-tasting sour wine.)

5. Jesus breathed His last –

Mark 15:37 – And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.

Matthew recorded that He “yielded up His spirit.”

The way Jesus died is clearly very remarkable. The centurion was very well acquainted with death and he considered it so amazing that he immediately became a believer in Jesus. Why? The text is not very clear, but it would seem that the way Jesus died showed His complete control over the situation. Jesus chose to give up His life rather than having it forcibly taken from. Jesus could have used His divine powers to hang on the cross forever without dying, but He didn’t. He was not helpless on the cross. He made the conscious choice to give up His life just at that moment.

John 10:18 – No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.

It wasn’t the nails that held Jesus there. It was His love for us.

Application – Reflect on this truth. You are loved.

In the world today, people are really into self-esteem. There are seminars to build self-esteem. Tens of thousands of books have been written on this subject. We don’t need a book or a seminar to give us self-esteem. You are valuable in God’s sight.

Jesus loves you. He loves you so much that He endured all of this for you. You have great value in His sight. Our sense of worth should come not from how we feel about ourselves, but from how God feels about us. And Jesus showed how much we mean to Him when He stayed on that cross and gave up His spirit. He loves you so much. How much do you love Him?

6. The torn temple veil –

When Jesus gave up His Spirit, something amazing happened. The veil in the temple was torn in two. Josephus records that this veil was about 17 meters (53 feet) tall and 10 centimeters (4 inches) thick! The veil separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple. The Holy of Holies was the home of the Ark of the Covenant and the place where God’s glory dwelt on earth. God is holy and people are not. The veil formed a physical barrier that represented the spiritual barrier between God and us. No one could enter it except the high priest, who entered once per year on the Day of Atonement to offer atonement for the sins of the people.

When the veil was torn, it represented the spiritual reality that because of Christ’s work on the cross, every person can approach God. We can approach a holy God not on the basis of our good deeds or religious rituals, but on the basis of His perfect Son’s sacrificial atonement on our behalf.

It was torn top to bottom. This was done by God, not man.
Right before Jesus died, He said, “It is finished.” He came to save us. He Himself stated this as His purpose (Luke 19:10). The veil being torn is divine proof that Jesus’ mission was accomplished. He is our Savior. He has saved us from the wrath of God. He has saved us from an eternity in hell. He has saved us from living a life of guilt and shame. He has saved us from a life of sin. What a wonderful Savior we have!

7. The centurion’s statement of faith –

Jesus did many things in His life that proved He was the Son of God. But it was the way that Jesus died that convinced this pagan Roman that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. This Roman centurion was in the army and here he is on execution duty. He had seen many deaths. He knew what people looked like and what they did in their last moments. They cling to life. They panic. They are afraid. And finally, unwillingly, their life is wrenched away.

Jesus didn’t die like normal people do. The centurion saw that Jesus died differently. He didn’t just say, “That is weird” or “That is different.” He said, “That man was the Son of God!” He recognized that Jesus’ death was extraordinary. The darkness or how Jesus acted on the cross may have partly convinced Him. But the way Jesus gave up His own spirit brought him to the point of confession, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”

Here we see the Old Testament prophecy that the Messiah would be a light to the nations starting to be fulfilled. The Jews had rejected their king. But here, a Gentile who was assigned to execute Jesus recognized He is the Son of God. The veil was torn instantly at Jesus’ death and immediately afterward, the first person (a Gentile!) confesses Jesus is the Son of God. Everyone, Jew or Gentile, now had free access to God through His Son.

Application – In light of the passage today, what do you need to do? What do you need to obey? How should your life be changed?

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