The Sentence, crucifixion and burial  (Mark chp 15)

Jesus was brought before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate.  It was the time of the Passover festival, and the Jews traditionally released one prisoner as part of the festival.  But the crowds requested the release of Barabbas (a murderer), clamouring for the crucifixion of Jesus.  Jesus was beaten and handed over to soldiers in order to be crucified, and they dressed him in a purple cloak, put a crown of thorns on his head, and mocked him.  After this, Simon of Cyrene was made to carry the cross to Golgotha (meaning "the place of a skull") for him.  When they arrived, Jesus refused to drink wine mixed with myrrh.  The guards then cast lots for his clothes, and at the third hour, they crucified Jesus.  There was an inscription attached to his cross which read "King of the Jews".  And two robbers were crucified with him - one on either side.  The chief priests mocked Jesus while he was hanging on the cross.  At the ninth hour, Jesus called out "My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?", and some bystanders thought that he was calling Elijah.  He was given vinegar to drink, then uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last.  And at that time, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, and the centurion who was standing guard over Jesus proclaimed "Truly this man was the Son of God".  Some female followers of Jesus were present at his crucifixion, looking from afar - Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.  And when evening came, Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate, who gave him permission to take Jesus' body and place it in a tomb.

Themes

• Humiliation - Jesus felt rejected, and he was jeered at by the priests and the bystanders.
• Abandoned - Jesus even cried out that he had been abandoned by God.  His only followers present at the time of the crucifixion were the women Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James the younger and Salome.
• Crucifixion - this represented an incredibly painful and long-drawn-out death.
  
• But by his death, he not only acts as a sacrifice for people's sins, but also acquires new followers - the centurion immediately acknowledges Jesus as the Son of God.
  
  

Contemporary Issues

• Suffering for a belief.
  
• What do we need to be saved from in this day and age?
• Is there anyone/anything that you would be prepared to die for?

Revision