Mark 15

Scripture

‭‭Mark‬ ‭15:31-32‬ ‭

“The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.”

 

Observation-What does it say?

 

Theelders, leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the entire high council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. They accused Jesus of various bogus crimes. They asked Pilate to take Jesus into custody and demanded that Jesus be crucified for his crimes. Although Pilate found that no crimes were committed on Jesus’ part, and soon realized that the leading priests had Jesus arrested out of jealousy, Pilate ultimately caved in to the crowds' persuasion, and had Jesus crucified.

 

Understanding-What does it mean?

 

It wasn’t nails that held Jesus up on that cross, it was love.

From being flogged with a lead tipped whip, spit on, mocked, beaten, taunted, and ultimately crucified, Jesus had to endure so much even before reaching Calvary. Why though? He was in fact God incarnate. He could have easily done what the crowd was mocking him to do, which was to save himself and come down from the cross that day. But Jesus was on a mission. It was to fulfill God’s will, not his. The whole world’s sins would be placed on him that day, and Jesus was the perfect sacrifice to fulfill God’s requirements. The bloodshed of the lamb without any blemish. His blood covered this world’s sins. Jesus paid the debt he did not owe because we had a debt we could not pay. Jesus’ love for us kept him on that cross that day. He knew God’s desire for an eternal relationship with mankind. A relationship with a mankind that is so sinful, and a God who is so Holy. And the only way that was going to happen is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Now if only mankind would put their trust and faith in Jesus, that relationship would be restored.

 

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”-‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭

 

Life Application

 

Who said life was going to be easy?!

 

Life is filled with its ups and downs. Life is never easy. No one ever said that it would be. What makes us think we can go through life without any hardships and pains, when God did not even shield His one and only Son from them? But take heart! Put your faith and trust in Jesus. He is on our side! Jesus has overcome the world and even overcome death so that all who put their faith and trust in him can do the same!

 

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”-‭‭John‬ ‭16:33‬

 

-Moses Gaddi