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In the very first sentence of his Gospel, Mark told us who Jesus is: "the Son of God". But all through the story, who has actually said it? God the Father, at Jesus' baptism. Evil spirits, who knew exactly who he was. Peter got close when he called Jesus "the Christ". But no ordinary person has yet called Jesus the Son of God.
Today we reach the end of Mark, where the big question we've asked all term, "Who is this?", is finally answered. And the person who says it is the last one you'd expect.
What you'll learn
- How Mark ties the end of his Gospel back to the beginning
- Why a Roman soldier's words answer the question "Who is this?"
- The evidence Mark gives that Jesus really died and really rose
Mark ties it all together
As Jesus goes to the cross, watch how many moments link back to earlier in Mark:
| At the cross | Earlier in Mark | The link |
|---|---|---|
| Simon of Cyrene carries Jesus' cross (15:21) | Mark 8:34 | Jesus said his followers must take up their cross. |
| Two robbers on his right and left (15:27) | Mark 10:37 | James and John asked for those seats. |
| The mockers say he can't save himself (15:31) | Mark 10:45 | He saves others by not saving himself. |
| The temple curtain is torn (15:38) | Mark 1:10 | The heavens were torn open at his baptism. |
| The centurion speaks (15:39) | Mark 1:1 | The first sentence of the book. |
Darkness and a cry
From noon until 3 pm, darkness covers the land. In the Old Testament, darkness is often a sign of God's judgment. Then Jesus cries out:
"At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’" (Mark 15:34)
Jesus is quoting Psalm 22:1. At his baptism, the Father called him his loved Son. Now the Son cries out that he has been forsaken, abandoned. Christians believe that on the cross Jesus took the punishment for sin, which is being cut off from God. He was forsaken so that we never need to be. If you've ever felt abandoned, Jesus knows that feeling from the inside.
And Psalm 22 doesn't end in despair. It finishes with God rescuing his servant and people from every nation turning to him.
The curtain and the centurion
"And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’" (Mark 15:38–39)
The curtain. In the temple, a thick curtain hung in front of the Most Holy Place, where God's presence was. Only the high priest could go in, once a year. Now it is torn from top to bottom: God did it. The way back to God is open.
The centurion. A centurion commanded about 100 Roman soldiers. He wasn't Jewish, he worked for Caesar, and he had just crucified Jesus. Yet he is the first person in Mark's story to say that Jesus is the Son of God. And he doesn't see it in a miracle. He sees it in the way Jesus died.
Mark's first sentence says Jesus is the Son of God. Near his last page, a Roman soldier says the same thing.
Dead, buried and risen
Mark wants us to know that Jesus really died:
| Evidence | Verse |
|---|---|
| Women watch him die | Mark 15:40–41 |
| Pilate checks with the centurion that Jesus is dead | Mark 15:44–45 |
| Joseph of Arimathea buries him in a rock tomb | Mark 15:46 |
| The same women see where he is laid | Mark 15:47 |
Early on Sunday, the women come back to the tomb, and it's empty. An angel says:
"But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’" (Mark 16:7)
Notice two things. Peter is named. The disciple who denied Jesus three times is not left out. And Jesus said this would happen. He predicted it three times (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34).
Then comes a surprising ending: the women run from the tomb, trembling, and say nothing to anyone because they are afraid (Mark 16:8). Many Bibles note that the oldest copies of Mark finish here. But we know the women did tell, or we wouldn't have the story! Remember, Mark called his book "the beginning of the good news". The story keeps going through everyone who hears it and responds.
"Who is this?" clue
| Verse | Clue about who Jesus is |
|---|---|
| Mark 15:39 | A Roman centurion: "Truly this man was the Son of God!" |
Key words
- Centurion: a Roman officer in charge of about 100 soldiers.
- Forsaken: abandoned, left all alone.
- Temple curtain: the curtain that blocked the way into the Most Holy Place.
- Resurrection: being raised from death to new life.
How this points to Jesus
Mark's whole Gospel has been heading here. The King who forgave sins, calmed storms and came to serve gives his life as a ransom, and then rises from the dead, just as he said. The torn curtain shows what his death achieved: the way back to God is open to anyone.
Think about it
Why is it surprising that a Roman soldier was the first person to call Jesus the Son of God?Show answer
He was an outsider who worked for Caesar and had just crucified Jesus. Yet he saw who Jesus really was, while many insiders didn't.
Why do you think Mark gives so much detail about Jesus' death and burial?Show answer
To show that Jesus really died. That makes the empty tomb even more amazing: he didn't just faint and recover.
Why might Mark leave his story open at the end?Show answer
Because the good news is only "the beginning". Mark wants every reader to answer the question for themselves and carry the story on.
Take it further
Look back over this term. What are the three clues that convince you most about who Jesus is? Has your answer to "Who is this?" changed? It's fine to say you're still working it out. Your worksheet helps you gather the clues from the whole of Mark.
If you'd like to, you could pray:
Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God. Thank you that you died for us and rose again. Thank you that the way back to God is open. Help me to answer your question honestly, and to follow you. Amen.