Gospel Of Mark Lent Readings Day 36: Mark 15:16-39

This Bible passage forms part of our Lent reflections series on the gospel of Mark. We offer these gospel readings as an aid to your devotions, and invite you meet Jesus of Nazareth anew through these timeless texts.

Featuring original music by Our Healing Space. Text taken from the World English Bible (public domain).

Transcript

The soldiers led him away within the court,

Which is the Praetorium,

And they called together the whole cohort.

They clothed him with purple and weaving a crown of thorns they put it on him.

They began to salute him.

Hail,

King of the Jews.

They struck his head with a reed and spat on him and bowing their knees did homage to him.

When they had mocked him they took the purple robe off of him and put his own garments on him.

They led him out to crucify him.

They compelled one passing by coming from the country,

Simon of Cyrene,

The father of Alexander and Rufus,

To go with them,

That he might bear his cross.

They brought him to the place called Golgotha,

Which is being interpreted the place of a skull.

They offered him wine mixed with myrrh to drink but he didn't take it.

Crucifying him they parted his garments among them,

Casting lots on them what each should take.

It was the third hour and they crucified him.

The superscription of his accusation was written over him,

The King of the Jews.

With him they crucified two robbers,

One on his right hand and one on his left.

The scripture was fulfilled which says he was counted with transgressors.

Those who passed by blasphemed him,

Wagging their heads and saying,

Ha,

You who destroy the temple and build it in three days,

Save yourself and come down from the cross.

Likewise also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said,

He saved others,

He can't save himself.

Let the Christ the King of Israel now come down from the cross that we may see and believe him.

Those who were crucified with him also insulted him.

When the sixth hour had come,

There was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying,

Eloi,

Eloi,

Lama sabachthani,

Which is being interpreted,

My God,

My God,

Why have you forsaken me?

Some of those who stood by when they heard it said,

Behold,

He is calling Elijah.

One ran and filling a sponge full of vinegar,

Put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink,

Saying,

Let him be.

Let's see whether Elijah comes to take him down.

Jesus cried out with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.

The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.

When the centurion who stood by opposite him saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last,

He said,

Truly,

This man was the son of God.

Reviews

This reading was especially heavy. Even though I have read and listened to it many times before, it was still hard to listen to the crucifixion of Jesus and those who mocked him while he suffered. I remember visiting Golgotha during pilgrimage and the heaviness I felt at the holy site. And yet Jesus's suffering also brings us into connection with the human condition, as suffering surrounds us and is with us in this life. There is so much suffering happening in the world right now and it feels overwhelming. This story of the crucifixion and this Holy Week has taken on another level of meaning for me this year. The line where Jesus cries out as his spirit leaves his body especially stood out to me. The reality of mortality, of death, of his death. He was one of us and yet he is also the Son of God. And so, I am leaning into the sorrow this Lent that even the Son of God suffered in this human life.