By Nathan Harris, Ph. D.
Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, University of Mobile
OUR SAVIOR
Mark 15:33–39; 16:1–8
“He is risen! He is risen indeed!” This traditional congregational call and response has echoed throughout Church history as Christians have gathered on Easter Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of our King, Jesus Christ. That simple proclamation identifies Christ as our risen Savior and the One who defeated death, taking on our sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and giving us eternal life through faith in Him.
We celebrate His resurrection because without it our faith is in vain and we are hopeless (1 Cor. 15:14). As we come to Easter Sunday, let us consider how Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection not only give us strength for today but also bright hope for tomorrow.
Mocked (15:33–36)
Before Christ’s resurrection, there was His death. But before Christ’s death, we read of His suffering. Specifically, we read about Christ being mocked by those persecuting Him and leading Him to the cross.
Christ had been unfairly treated, beaten, mocked and scorned. He was condemned, stripped and belittled. Even upon the cross, the mockery of Jesus continued.
At noon darkness fell over the land and remained for three hours. At the third hour, Jesus cried out and quoted from Psalm 22. Those who were standing there assumed He was calling on Elijah to come take Him down from the cross, so someone took a sponge and soaked it in sour wine (vinegar) and gave it to Him.
While some say this was a sign of compassion, the context of the passage leans more toward continued mockery. Instead of providing something that would quench His thirst, they gave Him a sour drink “just to see” if Elijah would come back, furthering His humiliation on the cross.
Killed (37–39)
After that final act of mockery, Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last breath. Then the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
The curtain hung in the temple, representing the separation between the presence of God and the entirety of mankind. Because of man’s sin, we were not able to enter God’s presence.
Yet as Christ — our once-for-all sacrifice (Heb. 10) — died on the cross, the curtain was torn, showing us that Christ reconciled mankind back to God (Rom. 3:21–26). Seeing Jesus on the cross and taking His final breath, the centurion standing by recognized that Jesus is God’s Son.
Resurrected (16:1–8)
After Jesus died on the cross, His body was taken down and prepared for burial and placed in the tomb. A large stone was rolled to close the entrance.
Had Jesus not been the Son of God, this is where the story would end. But Jesus, fully God and fully man, did not remain in that tomb. “He is risen! He is risen indeed!”
On the third day, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome went to anoint Jesus’ body with spices. As they arrived, they noticed that the stone had already been rolled away. Met by a man dressed in white robes, they were told not to be afraid, for the crucified Jesus is now risen!
They were instructed to go back and tell the disciples and Peter of the Resurrection and that Jesus was going ahead of them to Galilee. This is a direct fulfillment of Christ’s words in Mark 14.
The women ran from the tomb, trembling and astonished by what they had just witnessed and heard.
This is such an encouragement for us as believers, not just because of the Resurrection — which is tantamount to our faith — but because of Christ’s word of grace fulfilling what He said He would do.
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