The End
The trial of Jesus was only the beginning of the end. The Great Sanhedrin had sentenced him to death but since the Romans were in control they (Jews) needed their condemnation.’
Let’s take a look at the physical time that Jesus spent being led from place to place.
- The Last Supper – Thursday evening from about 8-9 in the evening to Gethsemane.
- Gethsemane – He agonized in prayer for several hours before being arrested and led to Chief Priest. He was kept there until daylight before being sent to Pilate.
- Pilate’s judgment hall was located in the Antonia Fortress where Pilate tried to “wash his hands” of the whole situation.
- A brief time before Herod, the son of Herod the Great.
- Return to Pilate for whipping and sentencing.
Mark begins his rendition of the trip to Golgotha by introducing us to Simon of Cyrene.
Cyrene: Located in Libya in the continent of Africa. Cyrene is the oldest and most important of the five Greek cities located in the region. It lay in a lush valley in the uplands area. It was the site of a famous school of philosophy founded by Aristippus, a disciple of Socrates. It was known as “Athens of Africa.” A minority of Jews lived in the area and were treated like everyone else until the Roman period when they experienced increased oppression. The people of Cyrene are mentioned in Acts 2 at Pentecost.
Read Mark 15:21-32
- Jesus came into this world in very humble surroundings and leaves this world with nothing having been stripped of the clothes on his back. Have you ever been humiliated where you were berated? How does it compare to that of our LORD?
- The third hour mentioned here was early in the AM with the sixth hour at midday when darkness covered the whole land for several more hours.
The events of the crucifixion are very important here including the darkness, the temple curtain and the earthquake.
Read Mark 15:33-41
- Have you ever seen total darkness at midday? Was it frightening? What does the darkness symbolize?
- The temple curtain was torn from top to bottom. What was the purpose of the curtain and where was it located?
- The earthquake is not described in Mark. Go to Matthew 27:51-55. One theologian exclaimed, “It was God’s salute to the conquering Savior.”
- Perhaps the greatest miracle of the cross was the centurion’s witness for all to hear, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Agree or disagree?
The end is just the beginning. After Jesus’ proclamation, “It is finished,” the glorious resurrection where victory is pronounced over sin, death and the devil himself is to follow.