Mark 15:21-32, The Passion of Christ (4)

We have spent a long time at the cross of Christ, which, of course, is a good thing.  The cross and the empty tomb should be part of daily meditation.  And we are still at the cross as we return to our verse-by-verse study through Mark’s Gospel.  We are under the same title, “The Passion of Christ,” picking up where we left off just over a week ago.  (There might be some duplication.)

·       15:22: “Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.”  Golgotha is from the Hebrew/Aramaic term; Skull is from the Greek.  The Greek term was became “Calvary” in Latin.  Why did this location have this name?  1) Possibly it was littered with skulls from previous executions, an explanation with very little evidence.  2) Possibly it looked like a skull, a thought that captured Gen. Charles Gordon who popularized the site in the 1800’s.  3) Possibly because Adam’s skull was at the base of the cross, which is the Catholic tradition behind the location inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  4) Possibly because Goliath’s skull was in the area, having been brought to Jerusalem by David (1 Sam. 17:54).  As you should know by now, I favor the sight that Gen. Gordon identified, not because it looks like a skull although that is possible, but because it fits Gen. 22:14, that salvation would be provided in “the land of Moriah;” and because it aligns with Leviticus where all the sin offerings involving a lamb were to be killed on the north side of the altar (cf. Lev. 1:11, etc.); and because it is outside the city (Heb. 13:12); and because it was by a busy road where many could see (Jn. 19:20).  The exact location is not important, but the truth of God’s word IS important.

·       15:20-22: “led … brought.”  There is an interesting possibility here.  They “led” Him out to Golgotha, but He was unable to bear His cross so they enlisted Simon to help.  Then it says they “brought” Him to the place.  “Led” means to be “led.”  “Brought” is a Greek term that clearly means to “carry.”  It is possible He was so weakened by all that had already taken place that He had to be carried.  In God’s plan, Jesus would not die somewhere short of the cross.  He must be lifted up.

·       15:23: “wine mingled with myrrh.”  We have already noted that the point here is that Jesus was not interested in this anesthetic that would reduce His pain.  This took place when Jesus was first on the cross; it was the only hint of Roman mercy for those being crucified.  You will remember that later, Jesus said “I thirst.”  In terms of the “seven sayings of Christ” from the cross, He only said “I thirst” after the darkness, after “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me,” and shortly before He would pronounce, “It is finished” and then “into Thy hands I commit My spirit.”  We refer to this as “the fullness of suffering.”  Why did Jesus want to endure all the suffering?  This sounds like someone with a “martyr’s complex.”  It is not, of course.  Let’s continue this in our next post.