It’s kind of interesting to look at the literal Greek translations of the words of Jesus in Mark 15.
Mark 15:2 And questioned the Pilate, “You are the King of the Jews?”
And answering of him he says, “You have said so.”
It’s not hard to see that Jesus doesn’t really answer the question. According to some of the commentaries I read, the religious leaders were in a tough situation if they wanted to get rid of Jesus. While he had certainly violated their tenets by claiming to be the Son of God or the Messiah, that wasn’t disobeying any Roman laws and in order to have him executed, they needed to be able to accuse him of breaking a Roman law. Hence, they accuse him of purporting to be a King.
I don’t think Jesus ever wanted to be the King anyways. If anything, he wanted to serve. It’s kind of ironic that what ultimately was used to crucify him is exactly the opposite of what he actually taught and lived.
I’m not sure what I can take from this. Certainly, I want to remember that my call is not to be the queen, but to serve. But I’m wondering if there is something else I can take from the response of Jesus? He really didn’t spend time defending himself. In fact, that was part of Pilate’s frustration with him. Jesus just didn’t put up a fight.
Maybe that’s what I need to take home from this: If it’s not about the Gospel, then it’s probably not worth spending a whole lot of time fighting about it….
Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour cried out the Jesus with a voice loud, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “The God of me, the God of me, to why have you forsaken me?”
If we believe that sin separates us from God, then these words of Jesus prove to us that Jesus did in fact take our sin, our separation from God upon himself and died for us.
I love the way the Greek says it: “the God of me.” God was the God of Jesus, just like he is the God of me……..
I suppose what I should take from this today is to take note of the anguish and pain that Jesus silently experienced as he journeyed to the cross, yet what caused him to cry out was the separation from God. The troubles or pain I experience now are certainly real and may need to be dealt with, but the end game is my relationship with God. My first priority is to make sure I guard against any sin that gets in the way of that.
2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.