“Crucifixion” – Mark 15:21-32

A Facebook friend posted an article with the headline indicating that Jesus didn’t die for our sins, but because of His threat to Roman rule. I meant to read the article, but the header made me think that the person who wrote the article missed the point.

There were all kinds of reasons why Jesus had to die. For the Jewish leadership, Jesus had to die because He had blasphemed by claiming to be God and for violating so many of the Pharisaic laws. For the Romans, Jesus had to die to keep the peace in Jerusalem. Pilate was on shaky ground with the people of Jerusalem, and those in Rome who controlled his position wanted peace in the region. Pilate personally didn’t think Jesus was guilty of anything worthy of death, but that didn’t stop him from letting Jesus be crucified.

Those were reasons why Jesus seemed to have to die. Both the religious leadership and Pilate could justify what they were doing with Jesus. Both could perhaps privately believe He didn’t have to die, but publically both understood why He had to die.

Proverbs 16:2 says, “All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.” Regardless of why the Jewish leaders and the Romans crucified Jesus, God knows that His Son died for our sins.

Background

Opposition to Jesus had been growing almost from the beginning of His earthly ministry. His brothers did not believe in Him (cf. John 7:5), the Pharisees opposed Him every step of the way, fearing that Jesus, left unchecked, would ultimately bring Rome down on Him and them (cf. John 11:45-53). Caiaphas even went so far to say, “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish” (John 11:50).

Any time someone comes along and threatens the status quo with a new idea or new teaching, he or she finds those who are opposed to them. There are those who are comfortable with the status quo. Some for the fact that they are complacent, others that the current system is comfortable for them and that a change in the system may threaten their place in the world.

Jesus definitely came to bring change. His teachings stressed a new way of understanding our relationship with the Father and with each other. He spoke not of obedience to a set of rules and regulations, but of obedience to Him. He challenged us to break down barriers and become inclusive in our relationships with others.

Because Jesus espoused change, the religious leaders came to believe that Jesus had to die. Because Jesus threatened the peace of Jerusalem, Pilate decided Jesus had to die.

As we come to today’s text, we find that Jesus has been abandoned by almost everyone in His circle. Only the women stood in the distance, watching and observing. By this time, Jesus had been beaten by the Temple guards and by the Roman soldiers. He had been condemned to die, and as we look at today’s text, we read Mark’s description of Jesus’ crucifixion.

I find it interesting that neither Mark nor Matthew don’t seem to focus so much on Jesus as they do the people surrounding Jesus at the crucifixion. Sometimes, the supporting characters can tell the story while the main character is in the background. This is the case here. So, let’s look at the people Mark mentions and how they reacted to the crucifixion of the Son of God.

Central Truth: The people involved in Jesus’ crucifixion had no awareness of why Jesus had to be crucified.

The people involved in Jesus’ crucifixion:

1. Simon and the Romans (21-24)

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. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The 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.

Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time? We like to be in the right place at the right time, because that usually means something good happened to us. But to be in the wrong place at the wrong time implies something going wrong. Oddly enough, though, for Simon of Cyrene, being in the wrong place at the wrong time may have brought him into the kingdom of God through faith in Christ.

Mark tells us that Simon was from a town called Cyrene. Cyrene was in northern Africa, and it was known that a large Jewish settlement was found in the city. It is possible that Simon had travelled to Jerusalem for Passover, or it may be that he had moved to the city. All we can really know is that Simon was forced to carry Jesus’ cross to Calvary.

It was the practice of the Romans to have the condemned man carry the horizontal bar for his crucifixion to where the upright post was located. There the condemned man was attached to the horizontal bar, either through leather or rope binding or by nails, then the bar was placed on the upright. The condemned man would then either be strapped down at the feet on a small stand or, as in Jesus’ case, the ankles would be crossed and nailed to the upright. Apparently, Jesus had grown weak from the abuse He had endured at the hands of the Temple and Roman guards, and was no longer able to carry His cross. Simon was forced to pick up the cross and carry it out of the city to the hill called Golgotha, Calvary in Latin.

The fact that Mark mentioned that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus suggests that at least the sons were known to Mark’s audience. It is possible that Simon was known, too. Because Mark was writing to disciples of Christ, it is likely that at least Alexander and Rufus were known to be followers of Jesus. This is all we know about Simon, but it is significant to note that Simon is one of a few people who literally picked up a cross and followed Jesus.

Although not mentioned specifically, the Romans are included in these verses. They are the ones who forced Simon to carry the cross. They are the ones who nailed Jesus to the cross and they are the ones who divided up Jesus’ clothes at the foot of the cross. It was customary for the executioners to get the condemned man’s possessions, and apparently Jesus’ robe was of such quality that the Romans gambled for the robe rather than tear it into pieces.

Also mentioned in these verses are those who offered Jesus wine mixed with myrrh. We are not sure who offered the wine. Some maintain that there were Jewish women who attended each crucifixion and offered the mixture to the condemned to help ease their suffering while they died. Whether the women or soldiers offered Jesus the wine and myrrh, Jesus refused it. We know that later He did take a sip from a sponge dipped in wine. The reason Jesus refused the wine and myrrh is because He wanted to keep His senses about Him while He hung on the cross.

This is our first group of characters in the story of Jesus’ crucifixion. Looking at these groups of people, we find that Simon is a person we can identify with, particularly if his brief encounter with Jesus led to his salvation. When we come face-to-face with Jesus, we, too, are confronted with our need for Him and turn our lives over to Him. The Romans represent those who are indifferent to Jesus. For them, it was just a job to do, simply obeying orders. There are many in our world who are indifferent to Jesus, and as a result, fail to know Him as Savior and Lord. Whether the Romans or women giving the wine and myrrh, there are a lot of good people, doing good things, but who never come to know the saving grace found only in Jesus.

2. The robbers, the mockers and the chief priests (25-31)

It was the third hour when they crucified Him. The written notice of the charge against Him read: The King of the Jews. They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. 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, come down from the cross and save yourself!” 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! Let this Christ, 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.

When a person was condemned to be crucified, they would march through the city or town, naked and exposed, with a sign hanging around their necks stating the reason for their condemnation. Once the person was crucified, the sign would be hung above the condemned man. The sign over Jesus read: “The King of the Jews.” John’s account said that the religious leaders tried to get the sign changed to say, “He claimed to be the king of the Jews,” but Pilate refused to change it. It is possible that Pilate intentionally placed this marker over Jesus in order to taunt the religious leaders, but it may also indicate the only reason to justify the crucifixion. Regardless, the sign accurately reflected one of the truths surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion: He gave up His life because He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The next characters we see are the two robbers, one on Jesus’ left and the other on His right. Recall when James and John came to Jesus to ask to have the places of honor with Jesus when He came into His kingdom (cf. Mark 10:35-45; Matthew 20:20-28). They wanted one to be on Jesus’ left and the other on His right. Jesus’ comment was that He was not in a position to decide who would be in the places of honor when He drank from the cup. When we recall that Jesus asked God to remove the cup from Him if it was the Father’s will, we can see that the robbers’ position in relation to Jesus has a hidden meaning. Mark notes that both robbers hurled insults at Jesus, while Luke recorded that one asked Jesus for forgiveness.

Not only where the robbers insulting Jesus, but the crowds who had probably followed Jesus to the cross now were shaking their heads and taunting Jesus. The shaking of the head was an insulting gesture, and the taunt concluded with “save Yourself.” Little did they understand that Jesus could have easily come down, but in doing so He would have short circuited His entire ministry and purpose for coming to our world. Rather than saving Himself, to come down would have meant His lostness, too.

The chief priests and lawyers also mocked Jesus. They taunted Him with come down and we will believe. The reality, though, is that Jesus had done many miracles and signs for them to demonstrate His place and His Messiahship, yet they refused to believe. Even coming down from the cross would not be sign enough for the blind eyes of the chief priests and lawyers.

In this group, we see those who are content to denigrate Jesus. Not only do they not believe, but they voice their disbelief for all to hear. To their sorrow, there will come a time when they will be judged for their careless words.

3. Jesus

Finally, we come to the main reason for the crucifixion. While the others we mentioned played minor parts in this drama, it is Jesus who brings significance to the cross. By willingly going to Calvary, by allowing Himself to be crucified, Jesus transformed our lostness into forgiveness. He changed the cross from a symbol of death and condemnation into one of hope and salvation. Jesus alone was the One who could effect a true change in our world by going to the cross and remaining on it until Jesus’ task was completed. He came to die for us, and He willingly did exactly that. More accurately, Jesus said that He would lay down His life for His sheep, only to pick it up again (cf. John 10:17-18).

Make no mistake. Jesus suffered horribly both before and during His crucifixion. He suffered emotionally, physically and mentally. He was beaten, berated and allowed to die a horrible death so vile that no Roman citizen could be crucified. Jesus died on that cross, and He did so you and I can live in forgiveness of sin and in fellowship with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

Why did Jesus die? There are those who would insist He did because He upset the Jewish religious leaders. There are those who would say He died because He threatened Roman rule in the Middle East.

But Jesus died to set us free. And no one else’s opinion—Simon’s, the Romans, the robbers, the mob or the religious leaders—doesn’t really matter. Jesus was crucified to fulfill God’s plan of salvation.

If Jesus was willing to pay the supreme sacrifice for us, what are we prepared to do for Him?