“Even the Pagan Knew” – MARK 15:29-41

It may be the greatest tragedy in all of human history.

No, the crucifixion of Jesus was no tragedy – it was a necessity! The tragedy was the blasphemy hurled at the Son of God as He died for the sins of the blasphemers (15:29-32). The Roman guards could hardly be expected to see any deep spiritual meaning in the crucifixion on one out of so many they witnessed and participated in.

On the other hand, the Jews knew the prophecies.

The Jews witnesses the healings and resurrections.

The Jews heard the teachings and had the theological training to compare Jesus to the Torah.

They did not see truth.

Tragic.

These people knew all about the awesome power Yahweh wrought in the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They knew the ways that Yahweh moved Joseph through his life and raised up and delivered the Hebrew nation. They knew how Yahweh had shaken up everything when He gave His Law through Moses. They stood in the Promised Land. They looked for the promised Messiah.

On this day, however, all they could do was shake their heads and wag their tongues (15:29).

They could never trap Jesus in His words, but now they trapped Him against a cross with iron spikes. They would not understand that it was FOR them, and not BY them Jesus’ life was slipping away.

They could not see truth.

Tragic.

Yahweh was not finished. Darkness. Three solid hours of unexplainable darkness (15:33). A final word (15:34-36) and fulfillment of prophecy. A final cry out (15:37) and His spirit departed. Then, Yahweh intensified His message to the blasphemers … the curtain in the temple ripped from the top to the bottom (15:38). They knew that this curtain separated God from man. They knew that the scarlet at the top represented Deity and the blue at the bottom represented humanity. The purple in the middle of the curtain was the key to understanding the truth about Jesus – a blending of scarlet and blue … a blending of deity and humanity.

The Jewish leaders were not moved.

They would not see truth.

Tragic.

Disciples and family watched from a distance, but we have no record of their words (15:40-41). They believed Jesus, but were quite confused as to what was transpiring. It would be another seven weeks until everything was clarified for them on Pentecost. They had been with Jesus and heard Him predict His death and resurrection. But their minds could not process it all. It was left to a pagan centurion to make sense of these tumultuous events. “Of a truth this man was God’s Son!” (15:39b).

The tragedy is not that Yahweh has confused people and failed to make things clear.

The tragedy is that hearts are hardened and deflect the truth.

Even a pagan saw God’s glory in the cross.

Marvelous!