32 

The Shameful Scorn of Jesus Christ
(Mark 15:16–32) 

The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him. They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross. Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. It was the third hour when they crucified Him. The inscription of the charge against Him read, “The King of the Jews.” They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. [And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”] Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him. (15:16–32)

Although excruciating, the physical suffering experienced by Jesus was not what made His death unique. Tens of thousands died by crucifixion at the hands of the Persians, Greeks, and Romans, from the fourth century B.C. until the death of Jesus. The crown of thorns, the shard-laden whips, the iron nails, and the wooden cross all inflicted indescribable pain. Even on the night before His death, it was not the thought of bodily torture that traumatized Him in the garden. Instead, it was the anticipation of knowing that soon He would drink the full cup of divine wrath for the sins of all whom God has chosen for salvation (cf. Mark 14:33–37).

The four gospels are markedly restrained in their description of the physical torments Christ endured. In a day when crucifixion was a common form of capital punishment, detailed descriptions of its horrors were unnecessary since the sight of that torture was burned into the memories of everyone. What is emphasized by the New Testament writers, instead, is the irreverent mockery hurled at Jesus throughout His trial and execution. From the courtyard of Caiaphas to the judgment hall of Pilate to the cross itself, the Son of God was repeatedly treated with unrestrained scorn and derision. The blasphemous cruelty of Jesus’ enemies stands in stunning contrast to the infinite mercy and grace of God, who allowed His Son to suffer unspeakable humiliation and death in order to save sinners, including blasphemers and murderers (1 Tim. 1:12–15; cf. Acts 2:36–38; 3:14–16; 4:10–12).

As noted in the previous chapters, Jesus’ trial consisted of two segments, one Jewish and one Roman, each of which involved three phases. During the Jewish portion of His trial, the Lord was interrogated by Annas (John 18:19–24), put on trial by Caiaphas (Mark 14:55–65), and then officially condemned by the Sanhedrin after daybreak on Friday morning (Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66–71). The Roman trial began with Pilate (Mark 15:1–5), who repeatedly declared Jesus to be innocent (cf. Matt. 27:19, 24; Mark 15:14; Luke 23:14–15; John 18:38; 19:4, 6). Upon learning that He was from Galilee, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, who had jurisdiction there. The petty ruler dressed Him in a royal robe to mock Him before sending Him back to Pilate (Luke 23:8–12). In an attempt to release Him, Pilate invoked his annual goodwill custom during the Passover of granting pardon to a condemned criminal of the people’s choice (Mark 15:6–10). The crowd, agitated by the scribes and Pharisees, demanded that Jesus be crucified and a murderous insurrectionist named Barabbas be set free (vv. 11–13). The governor, unable to pacify the angry mob, capitulated and sent Jesus to be scourged in preparation for His execution (v. 15).

In describing the crucifixion of Christ in this section (15:16–32), Mark focuses on the blasphemous scoffers who derided the Lord Jesus as He was taken from Pilate’s judgment hall to the cross. Against the backdrop of the soldiers’ comedic parody and the sneering participants, the suffering Savior is seen ingloriously enduring the punishment for sin in obedience to His Father’s will (cf. Phil. 2:8).

THE SOLDIERS’ PARODY

The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him. (15:16–20)

Pilate reluctantly acquiesced to the crowd’s bloodthirsty demands even though he knew Jesus was innocent. After the unjust and illegal order was given for Him to be scourged (v. 15), the soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium). The palace (from the Greek aulē, meaning “courtyard” or “walled space”), which Mark equates with the Praetorium, likely referred to the headquarters of the commanding officer of the Roman military (in this case Pilate), located in the Fortress Antonia. Pilate’s headquarters were normally located in Caesarea but shifted to Jerusalem when he was staying there.

After scourging Jesus, the soldiers continued to torture Him with mockery, insults, and abuse. (For a description of Roman scourging, see the previous chapter in this volume.) The Lord’s face was already battered and swollen from being repeatedly hit (Mark 14:64–65). His lacerated back was also bleeding profusely from the wounds inflicted by scourging (15:15). Yet the calloused soldiers turned His suffering into a parody, likely borrowing the idea from Herod’s men (Luke 23:11). They called together the whole Roman cohort (a full cohort consisted of six hundred soldiers), inviting their comrades to join in the sadistic charade. In order to give Him the appearance of royalty, they dressed Him up in purple, a reference to the scarlet colored mantle that comprised part of a Roman soldier’s uniform. The soldiers undoubtedly draped an old, sun-faded robe across the bloodied back of Jesus. Though it once was scarlet (Matt. 27:28), its color had faded over time to produce a purplish hue (cf. John 19:2).

After twisting a crown of sharp thorns, intended to imitate the golden laurel wreath worn by Caesar, they put it on His head with crushing force, lacerating His skull and causing blood to flow down His brow and into His face. Matthew adds that in dressing Him up like a king in their little comedy, they put a reed in His hand to imitate a scepter. Then “they knelt down before Him and mocked Him” (Matt. 27:29). To complete their sadistic joke, the solders began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” The Sanhedrin had scorned Him as a prophet just a few hours earlier (Matt. 26:68); now, Roman soldiers taunted Him as a joker-king. Mercilessly, they kept beating His head with a reed (the Greek word kalamos refers to a stick), and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. In Mark 10:34, Jesus had predicted that the Messiah would be treated this way: “They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.” That prediction was in accordance with Old Testament prophecy. Speaking of the Suffering Servant, Isaiah records, “I gave My back to those who strike Me, and My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting” (Isa. 50:6).

John’s gospel provides additional details regarding the mistreatment Jesus endured at the hands of Pilate’s soldiers. After they scourged Him, crowned Him, mocked Him, and repeatedly slapped Him in the face, the soldiers brought Jesus back to Pilate who paraded Him once more before the Sanhedrin (John 19:4–5). Still wanting to release Jesus, the governor hoped that displaying Him in His weakened and bloodied condition would invoke pity from the chief priests and scribes (cf. Luke 23:16). But they would not relent in screaming for His death. Pilate responded indignantly, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him” (John 19:6). But the Jewish leaders insisted that Rome carry out the execution. Their response repeated their primary charge of blasphemy to indict and convict Jesus and, by implication, put the onus back on Pilate to execute: “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God” (v. 7).

Hearing that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, the pagan governor became increasingly afraid (v. 8; cf. Matt. 27:19). He returned to Jesus and asked Him,

Though Pilate recognized Jesus was innocent of any crime or threat, the chief priests and scribes intensified their manipulative tactics, threatening to report Pilate to Caesar if he let Jesus go free: “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar” (v. 12). Based on his dismal record as governor (for details on how Pilate had previously offended the Jewish people, see the previous chapter in this volume), Pilate knew that one more scandal would likely result in his removal by Rome, thus ending his political career. Crumbling under the pressure, he capitulated.

The spiritual leaders of Israel and self-proclaimed representatives of God, in a tragic twist, declared their loyalty to a pagan emperor and son of the devil while simultaneously clamoring for the murder of the Messiah and Son of God.

Mark picks the account back up at this point, explaining that after they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him. The Mosaic law required executions to be performed outside the city (Num. 15:35), which is why Jesus was taken outside the gates of Jerusalem.

THE SAVIOR’S PUNISHMENT

They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross. Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. It was the third hour when they crucified Him. (15:21–25)

As a prisoner condemned to death, Jesus was required to carry His cross (i.e., the heavy horizontal crossbeam) to the place of execution. He carried it for a distance (John 19:17), perhaps as far as the city gate, but was eventually unable to continue, having been weakened by sleeplessness, blood loss, and the severe injuries inflicted on Him during His scourging.

To keep the procession moving, the Roman soldiers pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country. Spontaneously selecting Simon of Cyrene out of the crowd, the soldiers conscripted him to bear Jesus’ cross. The port city of Cyrene was located on the North African coast in modern-day Libya. A vibrant trade center, the city was also home to a large Jewish population (cf. Acts 2:10; 6:9). Simon, like so many others, was a Jewish pilgrim who had traveled to Jerusalem to observe the Passover.

The soldiers’ choice of Simon may seem random, but in reality it was anything but. God’s invisible hand was sovereignly at work, providentially using the witless actions of Roman soldiers to draw this hapless bystander to saving faith (cf. John 6:44). Mark identifies Simon as the father of Alexander and Rufus, an unexplained reference that indicates Mark’s readers were familiar with Simon’s sons. Since Mark wrote for Gentile believers in Rome, Alexander and Rufus were almost certainly active in the church there. That conclusion is supported by Paul’s mention of Rufus and his mother (Simon’s wife) in Romans 16:13. Wondrously, the man who carried Jesus’ cross came to embrace Him in saving faith, as did his wife and sons.

As the Lord was being escorted to the crucifixion site, He gave a final public message. As Luke explains,

Christ’s somber response to these weeping women (who were likely professional mourners, cf. Mark 5:38–40) served as a prophetic warning of the destruction that would fall on Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Beyond that, His words also previewed the coming devastation of the great tribulation that will occur at the end of the age (cf. Mark 13:6–37).

The procession finally reached its destination, as the soldiers brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. Located outside the city gates (cf. Heb. 13:12), along a major highway (so that the crucified victims would be visible by passersby), and possibly on a hill, Golgotha was likely a site where crucifixions were regularly performed. The Aramaic name literally means Skull; and is equivalent to the Latin term calvaria, from which the word “Calvary” is derived. Some scholars believe the place was so named because it was situated atop a hill that looked like a skull. Others have suggested that the skulls of crucified victims were left lying on the ground, though it seems unlikely the Jewish people would have tolerated such a practice (cf. Num. 19:11). Whatever the actual origin of the name, Golgotha was a place intrinsically linked with horrific and very public death.

Before nailing Jesus to the cross and setting it upright, the soldiers tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. Matthew’s parallel account explains that “after tasting it he was unwilling to drink it” (Matt. 27:34). Myrrh was a narcotic that was also used as an anointing oil (Ex. 30:23) and a perfume (Ps.45:8; Prov. 7:17; Matt. 2:11; John 19:39). Based on Proverbs 31:6, the Jews had a custom of offering crucifixion victims a type of pain-deadening medication (cf. Ps. 69:21). But Jesus, wanting to maintain full awareness as He completed His atoning work, refused to drink it.

Mark articulates what happened next with one very simple phrase: and they crucified Him. A well-known form of execution in the ancient world, crucifixion needed no additional description for Mark’s original audience to understand its horrors. The Roman writer Cicero described it as “the cruelest and most hideous punishment possible.” Apparently originating in Persia, crucifixion was later used by the Romans as a brutal means of inflicting death on its victims while also deterring other would-be criminals. It is estimated that, by the time of Christ, Rome had crucified some 30,000 people in Israel alone. After the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, so many Jewish rebels were killed by crucifixion that the Romans ran short of lumber to make crosses.

Crucifixion victims were first scourged (cf. Mark 15:15), resulting in severe injuries and massive blood loss that hastened death on the cross. Even so, crucifixion was a prolonged form of dying designed to induce maximum suffering and pain. When the condemned criminal arrived at the place of execution, he was forced onto his back and nailed to the cross as it lay on the ground. The nails, measuring five to seven inches long and resembling modern railroad spikes, were driven through the wrists (rather than the palms of the hand) in order to support the full weight of the victim’s slumping body. The victim’s feet were then secured with a single spike, with the knees bent so that he could push himself up in order to breathe. The nails would tear through the nerves in the wrists and feet, causing severe bolts of pain throughout the victim’s impaled arms and legs.

The cross was then slowly raised until it was vertical. The foot of the cross was subsequently dropped into place in a deep posthole, landing with a reverberating thud that sent excruciating pain jolting through the victim’s body. Though the wounds from the nails caused severe agony, they were not intended to be fatal. The normal cause of death was slow suffocation. The hanging position of the body constricted the diaphragm, which made it impossible to breathe. In order to get air, the victim had to push himself up, placing his weight on the nail wounds in his feet and wrists, and rubbing his lacerated back against the rough wood of the cross. As the victim grew tired, experienced muscle spasms, and became overwhelmed by the pain, his ability to breathe was increasingly hindered. As a result, carbon dioxide would build up in his bloodstream and he would eventually suffocate to death. If needed, soldiers could hasten asphyxiation by breaking the victim’s legs (cf. John 19:31–32). (For more detail on the agonies of crucifixion, see John MacArthur, The Murder of Jesus [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004], chap. 10.)

After securing Jesus on the cross, the soldiers divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. Traditional Jewish apparel included an inner garment, an outer garment (or tunic), a belt, sandals, and a headpiece. Though Mark does not specify how Jesus’ clothing was divided, the gospel of John provides some additional details:

Having distributed His clothing among themselves as prophesied (cf. Ps. 22:18), the soldiers posted a watch around the cross. The squad, known as a quaternion because it consisted of four guards, was required to stay until the crucified victim was dead, keeping anyone away who might try to rescue or ease the suffering of the condemned criminal.

Mark notes that it was the third hour (or 9:00 A.M.; the Jewish method of reckoning the hours of the day began about 6:00 A.M.) when they crucified Him. The statement in John 19:14, that it was “about the sixth hour” when Pilate sentenced Jesus earlier that morning, does not contradict what Mark says here. John was using the Roman method of reckoning time, which began counting hours at midnight. Consequently, the sixth hour in John’s gospel referred to 6:00 A.M, three hours before Jesus was nailed to the cross.

Just the night before, Jesus had been celebrating the Passover meal with His disciples in the upper room. The events of Jesus’ crucifixion transpired very quickly; but they did so according to God’s predetermined timetable, in which the Lamb of God would celebrate a final meal with His disciples on Thursday night, and then die at the same time the Passover lambs were being slaughtered on Friday afternoon.

THE SNEERING PARTICIPANTS

The inscription of the charge against Him read, “The King of the Jews.” They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. [And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”] Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him. (15:26–32)

Above the head of the crucified victim, a wooden board would be fastened to the cross that delineated his crimes. In the case of Jesus, the inscription of the charge against Him read, “The King of the Jews.” A comparison of the four gospels reveals that the full inscription was, “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” It was written in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek (John 19:20). That was not the charge the Jewish leaders wanted Pilate to write (v. 21), but he refused to change it (v. 22), seeing it as a means of vengeance aimed at the chief priests and scribes who had blackmailed him into condemning an innocent man (cf. Luke 23:4, 14, 15, 22).

During the course of Jesus’ trial, the Jewish leaders had leveled at least seven indictments against Him (cf. Mark 15:4). They alleged, first, that He was a threat to destroy the temple (Mark 14:58); second, that He was an evildoer (John 18:30); third, that He was misleading the nation (Luke 23:2); fourth, that He was forbidding people to pay taxes (Luke 23:2); fifth, that He was claiming to be a king who threatened Caesar (Luke 23:2); sixth, that He was stirring up the people and fomenting an insurrection (Luke 23:5); and finally, that He made Himself out to be the Son of God (John 19:7). Of those accusations, only the final one was based in fact. Jesus indeed claimed to be the Son of God because He was (cf. Mark 1:1). But in the twisted perception of the Sanhedrin, that claim constituted blasphemy, a capital offense (Lev. 24:16; Mark 14:63–64). Yet, of the charges Pilate could have listed, he intentionally selected the one he knew would be most offensive.

Perhaps wanting to goad them even further, Pilate had the “King of the Jews” crucified like a common criminal alongside two low-life robbers; they were executed with Him, one on His right and one on His left. The term translated robbers (from the Greek word lēstēs) indicates that these men were not petty thieves but fierce bandits who plundered and stole, leaving a trail of abuse and desolation in their wake. They may have been involved in the murderous rebellion led by Barabbas (cf. Luke 23:19), for which they had been sentenced to death. The statement in verse 28 (that the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors”) is not in the earliest manuscripts, so was likely not part of Mark’s original gospel, causing modern translations to place it in brackets. Nonetheless, it is true that the prediction made in Isaiah 53:12 regarding the Suffering Servant finds its fulfillment here. Whatever his motives, Pilate’s decision to execute Jesus with criminals accorded perfectly with Old Testament prophecy (cf. Acts 4:27–28).

Adding to the agonizing pain of the cross was the shame and disgrace of being publicly executed in such a degrading fashion (cf. Heb. 12:2). Everything about crucifixion was designed to humiliate and debase its victims, sending a clear message about the repercussions of being an enemy of Rome. Moreover, the Jews regarded anyone hanging on a tree or a cross to be cursed by God (Deut. 21:23; Isa. 53:4, 10; Gal. 3:10–13), which heightened their disdain for those who were crucified (cf. 1 Cor. 1:23).

Those in the crowd who had screamed hours earlier for Jesus’ death (15:13–14) joined the religious leaders in trailing Him to the site of His execution. As they were passing by, they were hurling abuse at Him and wagging their heads, a gesture of hatred and scorn (cf. 2 Kings 19:21; Pss. 22:7; 44:14; 109:25; Jer. 18:16; Lam. 2:15). Repeating the false charges raised against Jesus before the Sanhedrin (Mark 14:58; cf. John 2:19), the people, many of whom had praised Him when He arrived in Jerusalem on Monday (Mark 11:8–10), taunted Him on Friday by saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” Their screams of contempt evidenced the astonishing and wicked fickleness of unbelieving hearts (cf. John 2:24–25; 6:66).

Having instigated the crucifixion as the Lord predicted they would (Mark 8:31; 14:43), the Jewish authorities continued to fan the flames of hate and abuse. As Mark explains, In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, representing the leadership of the Sanhedrin, were mocking Him among themselves. According to the parallel passage in Luke 23:35, “The rulers were sneering at Him.” The word “sneering” literally means to lift up one’s nose in disdain (cf. Matt. 27:41). Their harassment of Jesus had begun at the house of the high priest (Mark 14:55, 65) and continued even after He was nailed to the cross. Their mistreatment of the Messiah was foretold by David in Psalm 22:7–8: “All who see me sneer at me; they separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, ‘Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.’” With a gloating tone of derision, they were saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself.” Their scornful taunt was not an admission of Christ’s ability to save but rather a sarcastic denial of His divine power. How could He claim to save others, they jeered, when He could not even rescue Himself? They knew about His miracles, which they could not deny (John 11:47). Yet in spite of His astonishing works, they willfully refused to believe in Him (cf. John 5:36; 10:38). Though the mockers intended their words as an insult, they unintentionally hit on a profound gospel truth: it is because the Lord Jesus submissively refused to rescue Himself from the cross that He is able to save others from sin and death (cf. Mark 10:45; Rom. 5:19; Phil. 2:8; Heb. 2:9–10; 5:7–8).

Continuing their tirade of verbal abuse, they cried out, “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” They purposely ignored the countless miracles Jesus had performed throughout His ministry and claimed they would believe if He performed but one more (cf. Mark 8:11–12). But their declaration was nothing more than a hypocritical and sarcastic taunt. After He died, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb. When He rose from the dead on the third day, just as He had predicted He would, the chief priests and scribes still did not believe (cf. Luke 16:30–31). Instead, they bribed the Roman soldiers to spread lies about what happened, claiming the disciples stole Jesus’ body (Matt. 28:11–15). No miracle would have persuaded them to believe. They loved their sin far too much.

Incredibly, those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him. The two thieves on either side of Jesus joined the hostile crowd in mocking the Son of God, even though they were being justly executed in the same way. As the parallel passage in Matthew 27:44 explains, “the robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words” as they heard from the leaders and the surrounding crowd. The hardened criminals were no doubt accustomed to berating and abusing others. In spite of their imminent deaths, they joined in the blasphemous ridicule of the Son of God.

THE SINNER’S PLEA

As noted at the beginning of this chapter, it was against that dark backdrop of venomous hate that the grace and mercy of God was displayed. The Father could have destroyed the blasphemers on the spot and rescued His Son from the cross. Instead, He was pleased to crush Him and put Him to death (Isa. 53:10), so that He might rescue many of those very blasphemers, along with countless others, from sin and eternal destruction.

Of the thieves who mocked Him, one became a trophy of God’s grace that very day. Luke recounts the dramatic account:

Of the soldiers who mistreated Him, a centurion would soon realize, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). Of the people in the crowd who scorned Him, many would believe on the day of Pentecost and in the subsequent weeks and months (cf. Acts 2:37–38, 41; 4:4; 6:1). Even many of the priests of Israel, Acts 6:7 reports, “were becoming obedient to the faith.”

The apostle Paul was a former Pharisee who violently persecuted the church out of antagonism toward the Lord Jesus. Yet, by His grace, God transformed that murderous blasphemer into a courageous missionary. As Paul explained to Timothy:

The salvation of the blasphemer Paul, like every sinner, is only possible because the Lord Jesus “bore our sins in His body on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24). In keeping with His eternal purpose of redemption, God the Father “made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Because of His substitutionary sacrifice, all who savingly place their faith in Him will be saved from divine wrath and receive eternal life (cf. John 20:31; Rom. 10:9–10; Acts 16:31).