April 28 - Crucified

April 28 - Crucified - Mark 15:21-32

It was custom to have the condemned man carry the crossbeam for the cross, generally weighing about 100 pounds. The flogging that Jesus had endured sapped His strength, making it nearly impossible to drag that piece of timber up a hill. Simon, from Cyrene was forced to assist. Notice that in Mark, we also discover the names of his two sons, Rufus & Alexander. What a wonderful, personal note. Since Mark was writing to Roman gentiles, it is very probable that the community knew these two young men and that they had become disciples of Jesus.

Cyrene was a coastal city of North Africa that had a large Jewish community. Simon was either an immigrant or was in Jerusalem as a pilgrim to celebrate the feasts. The procession left the city and just outside the wall was a hill called Golgotha.

Jewish women traditionally prepared a drink to help sedate the man soon to be executed. Myrrh was the sap of a plant that had anesthetic properties. Matthew 27:34 tells us that he tasted it, then refused to drink it. Jesus wanted to have His full faculties available as He faced this death.

The simplicity of Mark's words: "And they crucified him." (Mark 15:24) told his readers all they needed to know. Everyone from that time was familiar with the cruelty of the execution and he did not need to elaborate. The victim's personal property became the property of the death squad. When they cast lots to divide it among themselves, they did not realize that they were bringing Psalm 22:18 to fulfillment.

Mark used the Jewish method of counting the hours in the day - from sunrise to sunset. The crucifixion happened at 9 am. John 19:19 tells us that the sign over Jesus' head was written in three languages, but the official charge against Him was simply "The King of the Jews."

The fact that he was crucified between two robbers fulfilled the prophecy from Isaiah 53:12, while the words from Psalm 22:7 were fulfilled in the words of those who mocked him.

Hung on a cross ... to die a felon's death. For you. For me.