 Religious Education
The GCSE Course: Mark's Gospel
The Crucifixion
Mark 15:21-47
Read the passage in your Bibles
Notes
Mark's Account
Mark gives the essential details in his account of the
crucifixion in a simple form. The other gospels fill in much more
detail which you may be familiar with. Don't think that Mark's
Gospel includes something which it doesn't. In particular, Mark
does not mention the conversations which Jesus had with his
Mother and John (that's in John) or with the two thieves (Luke).
Timetable
Jesus was crucified 'at the third hour', which is 9am. (verse
25) From the sixth to the ninth hour Mark says there is darkness
over the land (v33). Jesus died at the ninth hour (about 3pm).
Crucifixion
Crucifixion was not an unusual punishment. It was the way
Romans usually executed those who rebelled against their rule.
One attraction of this form of punishment was that the condemned
was on display as a warning to others. We now know that the
prisoner carried only the cross-beam to the place of execution,
and nails were driven through the wrist (not the palm of the
hands) and the feet. Death was slow - sometimes several days, and
was usually caused by suffocation, as the condemned became unable
to support his body in order to breathe. Mark's readers would
have known what crucifixion was, so Mark does not give any
description at all. (v24).
Details
Simon of Cyrene, who was an African, is made to carry
the beam of the cross. Mark mentions his sons, which probably
means that his sons became Christians and that Mark's readers
knew them.
Golgotha means 'skull' in Aramaic. From the Latin word
for skull comes the English word Calvary. We don't know for sure
where the site was: the name may come from a hill which looks
like a skull, or from its use as a place of crucifixion.
They offer Jesus a simple anaesthetic in the form of
wine drugged with myrrh. He refuses it.
The soldiers who crucified Jesus were entitled to his
clothes, so they played dice for them. Mark reveals them to be
quite unconcerned about the one dying above them.
The charge against Jesus is placed at the top of the
cross: 'King of the Jews'. The Romans probably intended this as a
warning to any Jewish rebels. Of course, Jesus never claimed to
be a king of that kind. (Note: in Saint John's Gospel it
says that the notice read 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews'.
The first letters of this in Latin are I.N.R.I. which you often
see on crucifixes).
Two robbers are crucified with Jesus. The word used
could mean that they are Zealots, rebels against Roman rule.
Jesus is mocked by passers by, teachers of the law and
even those crucified with him (Mark does not mention a good
thief crucified with Jesus). They want to see Jesus perform a
miracle. Perhaps Mark is making the point (again) that Jesus is a
different kind of Messiah: his death on the cross is part of his
Messiahship.
At noon darkness fell over the land (v33). Mark gives
no explanation for this. It probably represents God's
disapproval. In the Old Testament, darkness of the sky is often a
sign of judgement. Some explanations suggest this was an eclipse,
but it could just as well have been cause by poor weather
conditions.
Jesus makes a cry of despair (sometimes called a 'Cry
of Dereliction'). This is the first line of Psalm 22, which
begins with despair but ends with hope. We can only guess what
Mark thought Jesus meant by these words. Even onlookers
misunderstood them, thinking Jesus was calling for Elijah.
The curtain of the temple split in two at Jesus' death.
The curtain separated the Holy of Holies, where God's presence
was thought to be, from the rest of the temple. This may
symbolise the end of the Jewish temple as the true place of
worship (the temple was destroyed in AD 70). It may be a sign of
God's disapproval (just as the High Priest tore his robes at
Jesus' 'blasphemy').
It is the Centurion who says that Jesus is the Son of
God: Mark has a Gentile expressing faith in Jesus, immediately
after the temple curtain rips. Mark's account is making it clear
that Jesus' death means that God's salvation is for everyone, not
just the Jews.
It is the women who are there to see what happened. The
male disciples have fled. (Mark does not mention John being at
the cross.)
The Burial
The Romans respected Jewish burial customs (at least in this
instance) and let Jesus be taken from the cross. Pilate is
surprised that Jesus had died so quickly. Because it is
Preparation Day (Friday), and the Passover, they had to move
Jesus' body quickly. (Remember, the Jewish day begins at sunset.)
It is a member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph of Arimathea who gives a
tomb, and the women seb e where Jesus is buried.
Good Friday
The Church remembers these events on Good Friday, in
particular in the Liturgy which is usually celebrated on the
afternoon of Good Friday, between 2pm and 3pm. The Liturgy
includes the reading of the Passion according to John, and an act
of Veneration of the Cross. Catholics also remember the
Crucifixion in the Stations of the Cross and in the saying of the
Rosary.
Why 'Good' Friday? The name was probably originally 'God's
Friday'. However, Christians also believe that this is the day
when the Father's showed love for humanity most fully by allowing
the death of his Son. In this sense, it is 'good'.
Further Information
Holy Week Liturgy a description of
the ceremonies of Holy Week in the Catholic Church, which
commemorate the last week of Jesus’ life on earth, his
suffering, death and resurrection.
General Information
GCSE Directory
GCSE Glossary
Set Texts
The complete text of Mark's Gospel
Other Links
RE Department
Resources for Key Stage 3
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