Scripture Reading : Mark 15:33-47
Theme : The Atonement by the Servant
- Jesus’ Pain. The cross was designed to torture the victim with the greatest physical pain for the longest stretch of time. However, what was most painful for Jesus was not the physical pain (He rejected the wine mixed with myrrh – Mark 15:23), but the turning away of God the Father from Him. As Jesus bore the sins of humans on the cross as the substitute for sinners, God’s wrath was poured out on Him and God abandoned Him.
- Jesus’ Death. At the sixth hour (3pm in the afternoon), Jesus died. John 19:30 tells us that after Jesus said “It is finished”, “He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (Also see Matthew 27:50). Jesus did not die because of the physical crucifixion, but because He willingly allowed His spirit to be separated from His physical body (physical death) after He has completed the work of redemption on the cross. The curtain of the temple separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the sanctuary. The tearing of the curtain signified that the death of the Son opened the way into God’s presence.
- Jesus’ Burial. Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Sanhedrin (Council) who opposed Jesus’ condemnation (Luke 23:51). He “took courage” to approach Pilate because it was the Sanhedrin who led the Jews to pressure Pilate to crucify an innocent man. Pilate was surprised that Jesus was already dead because crucified victims usually took days to die. Nicodemus was another prominent member of the Sanhedrin who helped Joseph (John 19:39-40). The tomb was unused and belonged to Joseph himself (Matthew 27:60). Jesus’ burial was further proof that He died.
Praying the Scripture
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” God poured His wrath on Jesus, who bore our sins on the cross. Let us thank God that He “did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32).
- Hebrews 9:12 “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” By His death on the cross, Jesus opened the way into God’s presence. Let us thank God for reconciling us to Him through the Son (Romans 5:10).
- Joseph and Nicodemus openly came and buried Jesus, while His disciples hid. It is during times of trial that true faith is revealed. During good times, many proclaim to follow Christ, but when trials come, many fall away. Let us pray that we will be like Joseph (and Nicodemus), who “took courage” to openly acknowledge Jesus during an extremely dangerous time.
经文：马可福音15:33-47
主题：仆人赎罪
- 耶稣的痛。十字架是为以最大肉身之痛，以最长时间折磨受害者而设的。可是，耶稣最大的痛苦并非肉身之痛（祂拒绝服下用没药调和的酒—23节），而是父神弃祂而去。由于耶稣在十架上代罪人背负他们所以的罪，神的愤怒便倾倒在祂身上，而神也离弃祂了。
- 耶稣的死。在申初的时候（下午三点种），耶稣死了。约翰福音19:30告诉我们，耶稣说：“成了！”之后，“便低下头，将灵魂交付神了”（也见：太27:50）。耶稣并不是因为十架的酷刑死去，而是在十架完成了救赎的工作后，甘愿让祂的灵从肉体离去（肉体的死）。殿里的幔子是将至圣所与其他场所隔开的；幔子撕裂则代表圣子的死开通了往神面前的道路。
- 耶稣被埋。亚利马太的约瑟是反抗判决耶稣的公会成员（路23:51）。他“放胆”去见彼拉多，因为向彼拉多施压叫一个无辜人上十架的正是怂恿犹太人的公会。彼拉多诧异耶稣已经死了，因为被钉的人通常过了数天才会死。尼哥迪慕是另一位帮助约瑟的显著公会成员（约19:39-40）。那坟墓是空着的，并属约瑟自己（太27:60）。耶稣被埋更是祂真死了的凭据。
用经文祷告
- 哥林多后书5:21：“神使那无罪的替我们成为罪，好叫我们在他里面成为神的义。”神向在十架背负我们罪孽的耶稣倾倒了祂的愤怒。让我们感谢神，因祂“不爱惜自己的儿子，为我们众人舍了”（罗8:32）。
- 希伯来书9:12：“（基督）并且不用山羊和牛犊的血，乃用自己的血，只一次进入圣所，成了永远赎罪的事。”藉着十架上的死，耶稣开通了往神之面的道路。让我们感谢神借着祂的儿子与我们和好。
- 约瑟和尼哥迪慕公开前来埋葬耶稣，但其他门徒却躲起来。试炼之时能显出真正的信心。风平浪静的时候，很多人宣称是跟从基督的，但试炼临到后，不少又跌倒了。让我们祷告我们会像约瑟（和尼哥迪慕）一样，在极度危险的时候“放胆”公开认耶稣。
