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Twist family Bible study: the Gospel of Mark
Wayne:
Well, things are not going well for Jesus either in Mark 15. In the early morning the local authorities take him to the court of Pontius Pilate, the Roman "prefect" of Judea from 26 to 36 AD.
Pilate is concerned with any political threat, and asks Jesus if he is "King of the Jews." According to Mark, Jesus answers "You say it." This seems pretty enigmatic, very much in Jesus's style.
Sometimes this gets translated as "Yes." But it seems it could also mean anything ranging from "If you say so," to "Listen to yourself, even you say so." It probably left even Pilate wondering what he meant (verse 5).
Wikipedia says that in modern times, Western traditions of Christianity hold Pilate and thus Rome accountable for Jesus's death, while Eastern traditions believe Pilate was exonerated by washing his hands as indicated in other gospels. Mark does not mention the hand-washing ceremony.
Mark writes that Pilate suggested Jesus be released under the annual tradition of release of prisoners at Passover, but the people said release Barabbas instead. Mark says "Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection." Other gospels say he was a robber.
Wayne:
Jesus is scourged, mocked, and taken to be crucified. They offer him wine containing myrrh, but he did not receive it. In Luke, of course, myrrh is one of the 3 gifts that had been brought to Jesus as a baby. It was sometimes worth more than gold, 5 times as costly as frankincense, used in perfumes and to dress dead bodies. Here is some myrrh:
When he was crucified, people mocked him saying "You saved others, why don't you save yourself now?"
After six hours, he said "My God, my God, why did you forsake me?" He cried out and died. Mark says he "yielded the spirit." The word "spirit" comes from the same source as "breath." So when God's spirit moved upon the waters in Genesis, you can also think of that as the breath of God.
Wayne:
I don't have any myrrh, but I do have a bottle of lavender.
I just now sprinkled a little where we buried Mister Mew about this time yesterday.
Wayne:
Mark says the veil of the sanctuary in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. This represents of course an opening of the block between earth and heaven.
I can't find this right now but I have read an interesting hypothesis that some of the disciples may have gone into the temple and torn the veil.
No idea how plausible this is, but it's an interesting thought.
Wayne:
The centurion guard watching him die said "Truly this man was Son of God."
Joseph of Arimathea requested the body. The centurion certified to Pilate that Jesus was dead, and the body was granted. He and several women who were disciples from Galilee wrapped the body in fine linen and laid his body in a tomb that had been carved out of rock.
They placed a heavy stone across the front of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid.
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