The Crucifixion, Death, and Burial of Jesus – Mark 15
1 Corinthians 15:3-4, "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures"
After the unlawful trial the Lord Jesus endured he was handed over to Pilate by the religious leaders. They did this because they did not have the legal authority to crucify anyone. The religious leaders lost their authority to execute people. Later in the book of Acts when they killed Stephen it was illegal. In the case of the Lord the religious leaders took Jesus to Pilate to have him executed by Roman crucifixion. They knew they could put political pressure on Pilate to crucify the Lord Jesus.
Pilate never found the Lord Jesus guilty of anything. He realized it was for envy the religious leaders handed him over. Though Pilate never convicted Jesus of any crime he handed him over to be crucified. The Lord Jesus suffered by the Romans and was led away to the cross.
A Satanic frenzy came upon the crowd in Jerusalem, and they screamed for the blood of Christ. They screamed in the streets: "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
The soldiers mocked Christ when he was turned over to them. They twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They found a purple robe and draped it around him. They bowed down to him and said, "Hail King of the Jews!"
The Lord Jesus could not carry his cross all the way to Calvary, but had help to carry the cross. Even today the Lord Jesus needs people to bear the cross with him. The Lord Jesus wants to partner with us in this generation to bring the message of the gospel to this lost generation.
He was crucified between two thieves. While he hung there the crowds asked the question, "If he is the Christ, why doesn't he save himself?" This question showed that they did not understand that Christ had to suffer and die for their sins.
Before Jesus died he cried out: "My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?"
At this point all the sins that ever have been or ever will be were placed upon the Lord Jesus Christ. He bore the sins of many and made atonement by his death on the cross.
When Jesus died on the cross a Roman centurion rendered the verdict of Jesus Christ. Mark 15:39, "And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God." A Roman soldier could see the truth about the Lord Jesus but the religious leaders did not.
After the Lord died he was buried by his friends. He was buried in a tomb which belonged to Joseph of Arimathaea.
The Lord Jesus was accused of blasphemy for being who he was. The Lord Jesus was the Son of God. He is God the Son. For this reason he was condemned by the religious leaders and murdered by the Roman government. Those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ also experience similar treatment from the religious world and the secular world.
Christians do not belong to this world. Our kingdom will come one day. Until then, we must deny ourselves, take up the cross, and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:5-11, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
