From Mark 15-16
They call him the Christ, the King of Israel. They don’t believe this, rather they say it to ridicule Jesus as he dies. The irony is, Jesus is the Christ, the king of Israel and God will save him by raising him from the dead. Q. What would you say of Jesus hanging on the cross?
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
I read the following account with a sense of irony. Irony according to google is ‘the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning’. As I walk through I will explain why.
21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. (Mk 15.21-24)
I’m always saddened by the familiarity they had with crucifixion. Just a simple few words communicate hours of torture and humiliation. ‘They crucified him…’ Today Christians have to explain what is happening to give us a sense of what this involves. The listeners at that time however knew all that was entailed in those three, perhaps easily passed by words.
25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” (Mk 15.25-26)
So now the irony. Above Jesus is his charge which reads, ‘the King of the Jews’. They crucified him because he claimed to be the king of the Jews and they didn’t believe him. The irony is Jesus is the king of the Jews.
27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” (Mk 15.27-30)
They deride Jesus saying, ‘you who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days’. They didn’t believe him. The irony is Jesus was talking about himself, he will die and be raised on the third day.
31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him. (Mk 15.31-32)
They call him the Christ, the King of Israel. They don’t believe this, rather they say it to ridicule Jesus as he dies. The irony is, Jesus is the Christ, the king of Israel and God will save him by raising him from the dead.
About Jesus
Through use of irony, Mark asks two main questions of the listeners of the gospel.
- Do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the King?
- Do you believe God raised him from the dead?
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2014. All Rights Reserved.
