Phil. 2:5-11, The Fullness of Humility

As we continue through Mark’s account of the cross of Christ we come to an event that was recorded by all four of the Gospel writers: the dividing of His garments.  Does that surprise you that by the Holy Spirit they all were led to include this story?  I was and wondered about it: what point do we gain from this story?  I remember as a child that a teacher said it was special for Jesus to have a robe of one piece of cloth, so that the soldiers didn’t want to tear it in pieces but gambled for it.  That has a ring of truth, and I can imagine that among the women, some of them wealthy, who followed Jesus throughout His ministry, might have given it to Him.  Most of that is not important since it involves the imagination and not Scripture.

When I read Psalm 22:16-18, where it is part of the prophecy of the crucifixion, and thus adds greater importance to the event, it seems to be that it is in a context that emphasizes the humility of Christ.  Dogs have surrounded Me … they pierced My hands and My feet … they look and stare at Me … they divide My garments.  To me it has a little bit of a circus show.  People staring at the gruesome sight, jeering, while soldiers are playing a game.  All at the feet of the Son of God. 

Let me remind you of the seven steps in Jesus’ humiliation from Phil. 2.

Being in the form of God … He emptied Himself … Taking the form of a bondservant … Being found in the likeness of men … He humbled Himself … To death … Even death on the cross.

It is what Rome always intended for crucifixion: pain but shame!  “Fun and games” while the Savior suffers for sin!  All this is part of “death on the cross.”  As Isaiah prophesied: He was despised, and we did not esteem Him (Isa. 53:3).

·       15:25: Here is a reminder of the timeline, given in Scripture.  Crucified the third hour (9AM).  Both the Jews whose Sanhedrin met at sun-up, and the Romans who received the Prisoner shortly thereafter, things moved quickly.  There were no seemingly interminable legal moves like we have in our courts.  From noon to 3PM there was darkness (15:33, 6^th to 9^th hour), after which He entrusted Himself to His Father in death.  By 6ish the Body was in the tomb.

·       15:27: He was crucified with two “robbers,” also called “malefactors” or “evil doers” in Lk. 23:33.  I have heard a senseless theory that there were five crucified.  As I say, senseless.  Robbers are evil doers.

·       15:29-32: The blasphemy, head-wagging and mockery are a big deal, prophesied and anticipated in Psa. 22:6-7; 69:5-12; 109:21-25.  Remember: there is respectful disagreement with people of every religion, but not with Christ or His followers.  Quit acting surprised.  If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. … If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (Jn. 15:18-20).