_PILATE’S SIN_ ‘And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified.’ Mark 15:15 The story of Pilate and his yielding to the clamour of the chief priests, and delivering up Jesus to be crucified, though he knew... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHRIST’S HUMILIATION_ ‘Pilate … delivered Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified. And the soldiers … did spit upon Him.’ Mark 15:15 The prophecy, ‘I gave my back to the smiters … and I hid not my face from shame and spitting’ (Isaiah 1:6) was literally fulfilled. From this most dreadfu... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE MORTIFICATION OF BODILY DESIRES_ ‘And they bring Him unto the place Golgotha.… And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but He received it not.’ Mark 15:22 The first great law of Christian life as revealed in the Passion is obedience; the second finds expression in this incident.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE LESSONS OF FAILURE_ ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save.’ Mark 15:31 I. THIS IS THE GREAT LESSON OF FAILURE.—It is God’s will. What a world of meaning there is in those few words! If you believe in Him, if you believe that He has made you, and that He loves you and desires your good, w... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE WORD FROM THE CROSS_ ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’ Mark 15:34 The tragedy of the Crucifixion reached its climax at the sixth hour. The Blessed Master had passed through the outer circle of sorrow, and now the pale, bruised Form is lost in the thick darkness which surrounds Him... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE RENT VEIL_ ‘And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.’ Mark 15:37 As the rent rocks and open graves proclaimed Christ victorious in death, so may the rent veil have declared that He had won for Himself a... [ Continue Reading ]
_A CONFESSION OF FAITH_ ‘Truly this man was the Son of God.’ Mark 15:39 These also are words of unconscious prophecy, spoken by an officer of the Roman army, as the words, ‘Never man spake like this Man’ were spoken by officers of the Temple guard. I. THEY WERE A FIRST CONFESSION OF FAITH, made... [ Continue Reading ]