15:21–22 According to Roman custom and for the sake of serving as a maximum public deterrent, Jesus must be taken outside the city walls: “they led him out” (Mark 15:20; cf. Heb. 13:11–13). This is also prescribed on account of the Jewish purity laws set down in Leviticus 24:14 and Numbers 15:35.775 The narrative has now taken the reader to the morning of the second half of Nisan 15. According to Roman law, someone like Simon of Cyrene could be forced to carry the horizontal beam (patibulum) of Jesus’ cross.776 Due to the severe and protracted abuse of Jesus, such forced assistance becomes necessary (cf. John 19:17). It is unhelpful to speculate whether Simon of Cyrene had been working in a field on a sacred Passover day.777 The text simply states that he comes from the countryside; the Greek phrase ap agrou can mean “from the country” or “from the field.”

The vertical beam of the cross has probably already been put in place on “Golgotha,” a hill outside the western city walls. Crucifixion ranks as an ultimate and horrifying means of publicly warning everyone not to rebel against the authority and power of Rome if they wish to avoid the fate of the one crucified. On uncounted occasions, Roman authorities resorted to this cruel form of execution, especially in the provinces.

15:23–24 Especially in the ancient world, “wine mixed [or “flavored”778] with myrrh” was considered to have a slightly numbing effect (cf. Prov. 31:6–7). Notably, Jesus refuses to take such a mixture. We can contrast this refusal, however, with the wine vinegar in Mark 15:36, which he does accept.779 To be crucified, his hands are nailed above the wrist to the horizontal beam, or else his arms are bound with a rope to the beam. Subsequently, the horizontal beam is put on top of the vertical beam or nailed to it. Placed above each other, the feet are then nailed to the vertical beam. We can note in this context the exclamation in Psalm 22:16, “They have pierced my hands and feet.” They “divided his garments among them”; Roman soldiers were used to “casting lots” for the possessions of a crucified person.780

15:25 In the present instance, John gives a rather precise time reference, i.e., around midday (John 19:14). Mark’s time references tend to be more general than specific. It is thus possible that Mark’s reference to the “third hour” points to a period commencing sometime after 9:00 am and ending by noon, during the second half of Nisan 15.

15:26 Following the crucifixion, the “inscription of the charge against him” is nailed above Jesus’ head so that everyone can read for which crime he has been so shamefully punished (cf. John 19:19). By means of the inscription, Pilate appears to justify his deplorable actions. He thereby suggests that Jesus was indeed crucified as a political enemy of Rome. Simultaneously, he aggravates the Jewish authorities by insisting on the wording of the inscription, which they fundamentally contest (Mark 15:10; John 19:19–22).

15:27–32 Both criminals alongside Jesus are guerilla-type freedom fighters or anarchists, deserving death under Roman law. The people “who passed by derided him”—because of the Passover festivities there are hundreds of people on the much-frequented road leading into Jerusalem. In concert with the Jewish authorities, their mocking (cf. Lam. 2:15), including their half-truths, echoes sections from various psalms.781 The half-truths include the false accusation against Jesus that he had claimed to destroy the temple in Jerusalem (cf. comment on 14:57–59). Another statement, that “Christ” is the “King of Israel” (Mark 15:32), is cast falsely in political terms. This Jewish expression is in contrast to the consistent phrase “King of the Jews” used when communicating with Roman officials (cf. comment on 15:2–5). Likewise, the authorities “mocked” him (cf. 14:65). Part of their mocking includes a sarcastic concession on the part of the Jewish authorities, namely, that Jesus is able to “save” (Gk. sōzō) others (15:31).782

The opponents are now confident that they have achieved their goal (15:31; cf. 10:33). Jesus seems forever silenced and even divinely cursed for his many blasphemies, since “a hanged man is cursed by God” (Deut. 21:23). In sharp contrast to this, Jesus had predicted vindication and resurrection (Mark 8:31; 10:45; 14:21, 36, 49). The cynical and triumphant mocking (cf. Ps. 22:7, 9) on the part of the Jewish leaders and others (“Let the Christ . . . come down . . . from the cross that we may see and believe”; Mark 15:32) brings to light what Jesus had exposed all along. The pious-sounding demand for a “sign from heaven” (8:11–12) had been issued in order not to find truth, repent, or believe but rather to persist in fixed and self-centered attitudes and ways, which necessitated the destruction of Jesus.783 By speaking in this way, Jesus’ opponents imply that even Scripture is on their side (cf. Deut. 21:23). They are neither able nor willing to see that this salvific humiliation of Jesus serves to rescue the many.784

Even the two criminals who are crucified with Jesus “reviled him.” Note the durative imperfect of the Greek word oneidizō (“they kept heaping insults,” “they continued to reproach”). Sometime before the death of Jesus, however, one of the two reviling rebels undergoes a profound change of heart (cf. Luke 23:39–43).785 Perhaps he sees indications of the innocence of Jesus, as does the centurion (cf. Mark 15:39). He must take notice, for example, that Jesus refuses stupefying drink.786 Thus he turns in repentance to God by asking Jesus to remember him “when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42).

15:33 During the timespan of roughly midday to 3:00 p.m. there occurs “darkness” (cf. Luke 23:44). This darkness is not caused by a solar eclipse, since Nisan 15 falls on a full moon. At times, darkness can convey a time of lament (Amos 8:9–10). There was also darkness to signal divine judgment at the time of the original Passover (Ex. 10:21–23).787

15:34 Agonizingly, Jesus has to endure final death-pangs for an additional three hours (cf. Mark 15:25). Already the preceding beatings could have brought death to Jesus. His crucifixion adds to the torment. He begins to recite Psalm 22: “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means,788 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The Greek phrase phrase eis ti (“why”) can also be rendered “to what end?” or “to what purpose?” Most importantly, however, the excruciating cry is addressed to God. It is to him that Jesus shouts out, even amid the immense pain of abandonment by God (cf. Isa. 59:2), divine judgment (Mark 10:38–39; 14:36), and physical agony. Thus he suffers in a substitutionary way (10:45; 14:24; cf. Isa. 53:5–12). Because of the Jewish propensity to recite all verses of a given psalm, it is possible that Jesus sets out to recite the entire psalm amid his agony. The following context of Psalm 22:1 conveys deep and sustained trust in God (Ps. 22:4–5, 9–11, 19–21). Eventually, the psalmist anticipates divine intervention and vindication (Ps. 22:4–5, 22–31).789

15:35–36 At least according to later, popular superstition, “Elijah” may be called upon in times of great need.790 “Sour wine” (Gk. oxos, “wine vinegar”; Mark 15:36) is given to quench thirst and perhaps even to prolong the agony of the crucified person (see John 19:28; cf. Ps. 22:15). As stated above, sour wine is to be distinguished from wine mixed with myrrh or bile (onion meta cholēs, “wine . . . with gall”; Matt. 27:34), the latter of which is intended to numb the senses of the suffering person.791 Even though Jesus is near death (Mark 15:36–37), he still accepts the wine vinegar (John 19:28–30), while never accepting numbing wine mixed with myrrh.792

15:37 “Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.” There is absolute clarity in the four canonical Gospels, Acts, and the remainder of the NT that the same Jesus who lived and taught in Galilee and Judea actually and literally died.793 We can note, first, the predictions of Jesus that he would have to die.794 Second, his opponents repeatedly state their intent to put Jesus to death.795 Finally, we read the various statements that he does, indeed, die (e.g., 15:44).796

At the moment of Jesus’ actual death, all mocking comes to an end in Mark’s account. The parallel narration in John 19:30 mentions one final giving over (Gk. paradidōmi, “gave over”) of Jesus, that is, literally “he handed over” or “gave up the spirit.”797 Psalm 31:5 states, “Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” Following Jesus’ death, only respectful (the centurion) and mourning (women) voices are mentioned. He dies near the time of the daily afternoon sacrifice in the temple. It is now Friday late afternoon and close to the end of Nisan 15. It is not long before the special Sabbath, that is, a Sabbath during a Passover week, begins.798

15:38 Mark likely speaks of the inner “curtain” of the temple being “torn” (cf. Mark 1:10). This curtain divides the inner temple (Holy Place) from the Most Holy Place (cf. Ex. 26:31–33; 40:21; Lev. 21:23).799 It is less likely that the outer curtain is in view here, separating the entrance from the “forecourt to the temple proper.”800 Because this inner curtain is torn “from top to bottom” (lit., “from above”; cf. James 3:15), it is likely a direct act of God. More importantly and by the supreme intervention of God, direct access to him is now offered through the unique sacrifice of Jesus.801 Such access is given once-and-for-all and thus surpasses the Mosaic sacrificial system, thus also making temple sacrifice unnecessary (cf. esp. John 4:20–24). In Hebrews 10:20 the inner curtain is likened to the body of Christ, which, once broken, provides access to God. This also hints at the discontinuity of the temple itself.802

15:39 The “centurion” must have seen the crucifixion of many a rebel. He recognizes the purity and innocence (cf. Luke 23:47) of Jesus, that is, he “saw that in this way he breathed his last.” He thus respectfully declares Jesus a “son of God” (ESV mg.). The centurion likely bases this exclamation on his familiar, Roman polytheistic belief system. If this is assumption is correct, he probably means by this expression that Jesus is an innocent, divinely inspired man. However, in analogy to the centurion Cornelius (cf. Acts 10:1–48), it is conceivable that the centurion further inquires about the person of Jesus. From Peter, for example, he could learn about Jesus’ eternal and uncreated sonship.803

According to Peter’s witness, Jesus’ eternal sonship is to be seen as a reference to deep closeness to—and honor of—his eternal Father. Both the Father and the Son share divine essence but are distinguished in person. The unique sonship of Jesus thus had no beginning. As misunderstood in the Qur’an, for example,804 Jesus was not a “son of god” procreated by a sexual union between a god and a woman. Such beliefs were held among pre-Islamic Arab pagans, for example, who would worship idols as “daughters of god.” Rather, Jesus always existed and continues to exist as part of the one God (Yahweh is always [Hb.] ekhad, “one”). According to Peter’s witness in Mark, Jesus is the uncreated second person of the Trinity.805 By being born of Mary through the miraculous impregnation of the Holy Spirit, this eternally existing, second person of the Trinity takes on human flesh for a period of time (beginning at his incarnation and stretching through eternity) and for a specific purpose.806

Subsequent to his death and resurrection, Jesus returns to his former state of existence as the eternal, uncreated Son, now including his resurrection body.807 Only because of this is it proper to worship Jesus as part of the triune God.808 Jesus was thus not a mere created human being who eventually died.809

15:40–41 Even Jesus’ closest male disciples abandon him (cf., however, John 19:26).810 In contrast to such disheartening desertion, “many” (Mark 15:41) female Galilean disciples do not abandon Jesus in this terrible hour (cf. John 19:25). They have persistently “followed him” (Gk. akoloutheō) and “ministered to him” (diakoneō; cf. Luke 8:3) all along (cf. Mark 1:31). Both of these verbs are cast in the durative imperfect, signaling the ongoing action of following and serving.811

The fact that women are mentioned here signals that they received dignity and value from Jesus during his time of public work. They are restored to the creation order in which women and men are of equal value and dignity (Gen. 1:27).812 They also serve as crucial and significant witnesses to Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.813

Many women followed Jesus. Luke 8:3, for example, refers to Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, as well as to Susanna (cf. Luke 24:10) as followers of Christ. Only some of these women are mentioned here by name (“among whom were . . .”; Mark 15:40). Chief among the women who do not abandon Jesus even at this critical point are:

(1)  “Mary Magdalene” (15:40, 47; 16:1, [9]),814 who had been freed by Jesus from seven demons.815

(2)  “Mary, the mother of James the younger and of Joses” (15:40, 47; 16:1).816 Some interpreters have wondered whether this Mary is the mother of Jesus. It is true that Mark 6:3 names James and Joses as sons of Mary and thus half-brothers of Jesus. However, in the scene at the empty tomb, Matthew 27:61817 identifies our Mary, mother of James, as “the other Mary.” Such a reference to the well-known Mary, mother of Jesus, would be odd, to say the least. R. T. France notes that Mark identifies the well-known Mary in Mark 6:3 as the mother of Jesus. Why would Mark now suddenly identify Mary, the mother of Jesus, by the lesser known names of two of her sons? It is also important to note that the names “James” and “Joses” were rather common at the time of Jesus.818

(3)  “Salome” (15:40; 16:1). If one reads Mark 15:40 together with Matthew 27:56 (which does not mention Salome by name),819 one arrives at the possible conclusion that Salome is the wife of Zebedee and thus the mother of Jesus’ disciples, James and John.820

Finally, John 19:25 supplements the Markan examples of faithful women: “Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” Some of these women become key witnesses to the death of Jesus (Mark 15:37, 40), his burial (15:47), the empty tomb (16:1–4), and the resurrection proclamation of the angel (16:6).

15:42–45 The law of Moses stipulates that a corpse must be buried on the day of death (Deut. 21:23). Laws governing burial thus take precedence over various Passover laws (cf. John 19:40).821 The “day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath” (15:42) was Friday,822 Nisan 15.823 In this context, the “day of Preparation” is idiomatic for the “day before a regular, albeit special, Sabbath,” since that particular Sabbath fell within the seven-day Passover week.824 This “day of Preparation” for the special “Sabbath” (cf. John 19:14, 31, 42) is thus to be distinguished from the first day of Unleavened Bread, i.e., Thursday, Nisan 14, when the Passover lambs were sacrificed.825

Joseph of Arimathea, a “respected member” of the Jewish advisory council, that is, the Sanhedrin (cf. Luke 23:50–56),826 courageously intends to bury Jesus before the Nisan 16 Sabbath begins at sundown. He has been “looking,” that is, waiting, “for the kingdom of God.”827 As such he might not be fully convinced at this point that Jesus is the Messiah of God. Nevertheless, he considers him to have been at least a true messianic candidate before he died. In John 19:38, however, Joseph is identified as a “disciple of Jesus.”

In contrast to the law of Moses, Roman law does not specify how an enemy of Rome is to be buried. Pilate thus holds sole jurisdiction over the request to permit the burial of the corpse. As soon as he has ascertained that Jesus is indeed “dead” (Mark 15:44–45), Pilate, while “surprised” (15:44; cf. also 15:5), agrees to the burial as a magnanimous gesture (15:45). The Gospel of John notes that Nicodemus assists Joseph of Arimathea with the task of burying Jesus (John 19:39–40). All attempts at claiming that (1) Jesus was not really dead when he was taken from the cross, (2) another person died on the cross instead of Jesus himself, or (3) Jesus died a mere natural death828 rather than death by violent crucifixion go against the clear, straightforward, and simple statements in Mark.829

15:46 Along with Nicodemus’ burial spices830 (John 19:39–40), Joseph hurriedly folds a “linen shroud” around the corpse and places it on a stone bench situated “in a tomb . . . cut out of the rock” (cf. John 19:41–42). A sizeable stone covers the entrance (cf. Mark 16:3) to the rock tomb, which in turn gives access to a several burial sites within.831

15:47 Two of the three women mentioned in 15:40, namely, “Mary Magdalene” and “Mary, the mother of [James and] Joses” know where the burial site is located.832 The site is not far from Golgotha.833

16:1–2 The three women mentioned in 15:40 (cf. 15:47), namely, “Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome,” once again provide the witness continuity that is so crucial at this point. As soon as the Sabbath is over at sundown on Saturday evening, the beginning of Nisan 17 (Luke 23:54–56), the women are able to buy essential oils extracted from herbs.835 They intend to accomplish the circumstantially postponed embalming of the corpse on the first workday of the week, i.e., after sunrise on Sunday morning, Nisan 17. Matthew 28:1 and John 20:1 (“while it was still dark”) may refer to the time they set out to walk to the tomb, while Mark 16:2 (“when the sun had risen”) and Luke 24:1 may refer to the time when they reach the tomb at sunrise. According to the Jewish cycle of a week, this day marks the “first day of the week.”836 Sunday morning marks indeed the “third day,”837 since the end (Friday, later afternoon) and the beginning (Sunday morning) of any given day could be counted as a full day at the time of the NT.

16:3–4 A “large” stone covering the entrance to a tomb could be substantial in size and weight.838 As they arrive, the women find the stone removed. This may simply signal to the unsuspecting women that other mourners arrived somewhat earlier, perhaps visiting their own buried relative(s) laid to rest in the tomb area. They would have rolled the stone to the side.

16:5 Now, however, the women are “alarmed” by two phenomena (or “greatly amazed,” “greatly perplexed”).839 First, they notice a heavenly messenger, “sitting on the right side” (of the grave), “dressed in a white robe” (cf. 9:3).840 Second, they are perplexed by finding the tomb empty in the area where they know (cf. 15:47) the corpse of Jesus was placed by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (John 19:40).841 According to Luke 24:4, there was a second messenger present at the grave. It is characteristic for Mark’s concise and brief account to focus merely on the messenger who addresses the women.

16:6 While the women know where the tomb is located, they had not seen where exactly the men had laid Jesus inside the tomb.842 As is often the case, the divine messenger introduces his message by a word of assurance and comfort: “Do not be alarmed.”843 Tellingly, the angel connects four separate facts for the women:

(1)  The very Jesus, “who was crucified,”

(2)  namely, he who came from “Nazareth” (cf comment on 1:9),

(3)  has come to physical life again (“he has risen”), that is, he was raised from death to physical immortality,844 and

(4)  his body is no longer where it had been placed in the tomb (“He is not here. See the place where they laid him”).

In contrast to the resuscitation of Lazarus, this means, in conjunction with Mark 8:31; 9:9; 9:31; 10:32–34; 12:12; and 14:25, that Jesus has been raised to bodily immortality. The testimony to Jesus’ bodily resurrection goes back to the very origins of early Christianity. For instance, it is likely that the resurrection account given in 1 Corinthians 15:3–5 dates to within two years of the resurrection itself.845 For Jewish witnesses, however, the resurrection of an individual person must have sounded peculiar, since they expected the resurrection of all human beings at the end of this eon (Dan. 12:2). Nevertheless, the testimony to the singular resurrection of Jesus is unanimous. The reality of the empty tomb furthermore suggests that the subsequent resurrection appearances narrated in the canonical Gospels are more plausible than false assumptions of appearances of a ghost (Luke 24:36–43).846

16:7 The above-mentioned women (Mark 16:1) thus become eyewitnesses of the crucifixion of Jesus (15:40), his burial (15:47), the empty tomb (16:5–6), and the announcement of his resurrection from death (16:6). The fact that women are presented in the narrative as the first witnesses to the empty tomb and the perplexing resurrection of Jesus is courageous, and this reinforces the authenticity of the account. Particularly in a court of law, women were not considered to be reliable witnesses in the Greco-Roman and Jewish world847 of the first century AD.848 However, precisely these loyal women, who have become eyewitnesses of Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and burial, are chosen to relay the truth and reality of Jesus’ resurrection to the disloyal disciples, chief among them Peter.849 Despite the male disciples’ disloyalty, they are still called “his disciples.” Following several initial encounters with the risen Jesus in and around Jerusalem, Galilee becomes once again a place of further preparation (14:28).850 As noted above, Jesus may also wish to protect his disciples from their temptation of still hoping in the establishment of a political, messianic kingdom in Jerusalem (e.g., Acts 1:6).851

16:8 Given the shocking sight of the empty tomb, as well as the appearance and confounding words of the angel, the women “fled from the tomb” (cf. Mark 5:42),852 since “trembling [tromos; “quivering”] and astonishment [ekstasis; “bewilderment;” “consternation”853] had seized them.” Such alarmed astonishment arises in the wake of divine intervention in regular human life (4:41; 5:14–15, 33; 9:6; 10:32).854 Above all, they are awestruck by divine revelation.855 The comment that they “said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid,” simply indicates that they remain silent for a certain period of time.856 Unbelievable joy follows soon thereafter, as Matthew 28:8 reports: “So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.”857