Mark 15:33-41 | Session 64 | Mark Rightly Divided
Mark 15:16-41 | The Crucifixion
verses 16-32, see sessions 62 and 63.
Mark 15:33-39 | The Death of Jesus
Verse 33
This well-remembered darkness lasted three hours. Many assume it was a solar eclipse and search for eclipse dates to determine when the crucifixion occurred. However, this appears to be a futile effort, since no eclipse darkens the earth for three hours. Furthermore, Passover occurs during a full moon, while a total eclipse can only happen during a new moon. Finally, Luke 23:44-45 mentions that "the sun was darkened." As a Biblical literalist, I cannot interpret this as merely "the sun was obscured." Rather, this appears to be a supernatural event, thus not searchable on an astronomical timetable. I would liken it to Exodus10:21-22.
This event can be viewed as a foreshadowing of Amos 8:9, which says, "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day." While the context of Amos 8 refers to the final judgment and thus cannot be considered a direct fulfillment, we can see a parallel in Christ becoming the recipient of final judgment for those who will believe in Him.
As 2 Corinthians 5:21 reminds us, "He made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin," it's fitting that a cosmic event would occur when Christ the Creator became the ultimate sin offering for His creation.
Verse 34
The Lord cries out "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" preserving the exact words Jesus spoke in His original language. This phrase in Mark 15:34 is one of only seven instances where Jesus' precise Aramaic words are recorded in the Gospels, and it stands as the longest Aramaic phrase attributed to Him. Matthew's account uses the Hebrew Eli instead of the Aramaic Eloi, highlighting the close relationship between the two languages—Aramaic being a dialect of Hebrew with subtle differences. This linguistic connection is further evidenced by lama sabachthani appearing identical in both Matthew and Mark, suggesting consistency between the Hebrew and Aramaic forms.
Mark consistently records Jesus' Aramaic words, always providing a Greek translation alongside them. Here the translation in English is the familiar phrase, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” These words are taken from Psalm 22:1.
Verses 35-36
Some of the bystanders thought Jesus was calling for Elijah (Elias in Greek). They wanted to "see whether Elias will come to take him down" (v. 36). This reaction revealed their Messianic expectations, since Malachi had prophesied that Elijah would appear before the Messiah. They wondered: Would Elijah arrive to rescue Jesus and establish Him as their King?
One of these interested bystanders gives Jesus “a spunge full of vinegar…to drink,” although none of the Gospels specify whether Jesus actually drank, though John 19:28-30 comes closest to doing so. The purpose, according to Mark, seems to be to allow Jesus to speak clearly. John tells us that Jesus said, “I thirst” (John 19:28). This is all in fulfillment of Psalm 69:21.
Verse 37
Literally, this phrase means "he breathed out" or "expired" or "he quit breathing." The KJV's use of "ghost" reflects not a spiritual or metaphysical meaning, nor even a tripartite view, but rather the 15th-century usage of the term, which was associated with wind or breath (think "gust"). To interpret this as "Jesus offered His Spirit up to God" or similar readings would be adding meaning beyond what the words themselves convey.
In Luke 23:46, Jesus says "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." While the passage sounds like Jesus preparing for a trip to heaven, this is not about Jesus' spirit leaving His body to dwell in heaven. Rather, it demonstrates Christ's complete submission to the Father. Just as Philippians 2:5-8 instructs, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who... became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." His statement reflects total surrender to God's will, following the pattern of Psalm 31:5, "Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth."
Verse 38
Mark 15:38 states, “And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.” I contend that this refers to the outer veil of the temple, not the inner partition between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The common assumption that it was the inner veil fails to account for the structure of Herod’s Temple and the apparent visibility of the event.
Herod’s Temple, like the Tabernacle before it, contained two veils:
1. The Outer Veil – This was a massive tapestry that covered the entrance to the Holy Place, separating it from the outer courts.
2. The Inner Veil – This was the partition within the temple, separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, explicitly describes both veils. In The Wars of the Jews 5.5.4, he states:
“Now the temple had doors at the entrance, and over these doors hung a veil of equal largeness with the doors; it was a Babylonian curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, and purple: and of a contexture that was truly wonderful.”
This was not a small, hidden curtain deep within the temple; it was a massive, highly decorated tapestry at the front entrance, embroidered with images of the heavens. Josephus further describes how it symbolized the universe:
“…the scarlet seemed emblematical of fire, the fine flax of the earth, the blue of the air, and the purple of the sea… This curtain also had embroidered upon it all that was mystical in the heavens…”
This veil was enormous, spanning the entrance and separating the Holy Place from the view of anyone in the outer courts. The sheer size of this curtain, combined with its grandeur, made it the most visible and dramatic element of the temple’s façade. If this veil was torn, it would have been immediately noticed by priests, temple officials, and even common worshippers standing in the courts outside.
Could the tearing of the outer veil align with the judgment pronounced upon the temple system? In Matthew 23:38, Jesus declares, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” Could the rending of the great entrance curtain be taken as a foretelling of the coming destruction of that judgment, which would come in A.D. 70?
Verse 39
According to Matthew 27:54, the centurion was not alone in his response to these events. He and the other soldiers who were guarding Jesus witnessed the earthquake and other supernatural occurrences, and together they responded with great fear and acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God.
While the reaction of the Jewish leadership to these events is not directly recorded at the moment of the crucifixion, their response to the Resurrection provides insight into their likely disposition. Matthew 28:11-15 details how the chief priests, upon hearing the testimony of the soldiers who witnessed the empty tomb, did not question the truth of the event but instead bribed the soldiers to spread a false report:
"And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept." (Matthew 28:12-13)
This contrast is striking. Both the Roman soldiers and the Jewish leaders undeniably saw the darkened sun, the earthquake, and the other supernatural signs at the crucifixion. The centurion and his men feared greatly and openly confessed, “Truly this was the Son of God.” The Jewish leadership, by contrast, responded to the soldiers’ later testimony of the resurrection with bribery and deception, choosing to suppress the truth rather than acknowledge what had occurred.
This difference highlights an irony: The Gentile Roman soldier, a man of war and pagan background, reacted with reverence to what he saw, while the very religious leaders who had the Scriptures and the Messianic prophecies in their hands refused to acknowledge the truth, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Their response demonstrates a willful rejection rather than mere ignorance.
Mark 15:40-41 | The Women Afar Off
Verses 40-41
The Gospel accounts present a group of women at the crucifixion, identified as follows:
Mary Magdalene – mentioned in Matthew 27:55–56, Mark 15:40, and John 19:25.
Mary, the mother of James and Joses – listed in Matthew 27:55–56 and Mark 15:40.
The mother of Zebedee’s children – recorded in Matthew 27:55–56.
Salome – noted in Mark 15:40; she is sometimes identified as the mother of Zebedee’s children.
Mary, the mother of Jesus – found in John 19:25; her name appears in Greek as Miriam (reflecting the Hebrew form), while the other Marys are rendered as Maria.
Mary, the wife of Cleophas – mentioned in John 19:25.
His mother's sister – also in John 19:25, possibly identified as the wife of Cleophas.
Other women – collectively referred to in Mark 15:40 and Luke 23:49.
