The Suffering and Crucified King

Rev. Nate Hill, pastor at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Winchester, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Mark 15:16-32.

Jesus’ suffering intensifies. The entire Roman battalion, about 600 men strong, joins in mockery and blasphemy for their sadistic pleasure. The purple cloak and crown of thorns are intended to show Jesus what they think of His kingship, and the spitting and mockery add great shame to growing pain. Jesus’ wounds make Him too weak to carry His own cross, so Simon of Cyrene is compelled to do the task in Jesus’ place. Simon, likely well-known personally in the early Church, serves as a literal example of a disciple who picks up his cross and follows Jesus. Upon arriving at Golgotha, Jesus is crucified in complete shame and nakedness. The mockery comes from every side. The religious leaders, the passersby, and even the two thieves join in the insults. Jesus endures it faithfully, refusing to come down from the cross in order to save us sinners. For this reason, we Christians rightly worship Jesus as our suffering and crucified Lord.

“The Gospel in Action” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the Gospel according to St. Mark. The Evangelist hits the ground running with the very first verse of his Gospel account, and he never lets up the pace. As one deed of Jesus comes right after another, always paired with His authoritative Word, St. Mark proclaims the good news that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, revealed conclusively by His death on the cross.