“Truly, this man was the Son of God.”
Read Mark 15
Although the bloody physical details of the death may overwhelm you, there is a surprising dignity in the way Jesus handles Pilate, the crowds, the chief priest and even the soldiers who perform the execution. Jesus does not deny that he is the King of the Jews so there is an inscription written above his head that every witness can see. He does not try to defend himself but instead he gives a calm silence to all his accusers. When Jesus is mocked by the soldiers, by the crowd and even the thieves who are hanging next to him on their own cross he does not complain. Only when he witnessed the lonely exile of the Son of David who wrote in the Psalms,
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
When he dies , Jesus continues to teach those left behind. A Centurian, left to tend to the bodies of the prisoners, saw a miracle in the death of this man. He saw the power of the Son of God making his exodus from this life to take up his throne in glory. Pilate is reminded once more that this was no ordinary prisoner when Joseph comes to take his body and bury Jesus. For Joseph, this corpse represents the hope for Israel. In his death, Jesus reigns forever.
Now we are ready for the surprise on the third day.
Lord, keep us near the cross that we may stop and wonder at Jesus in his glory. Amen.
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