Mark 15:45 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph.

NIV: When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.

NASB: And after learning this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

CSB: When he found out from the centurion, he gave the corpse to Joseph.

NLT: The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body.

KJV: And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

NKJV: So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

Usually, a crucifixion victim can only be claimed by a family member. Although Jesus' brothers may be in Jerusalem for the Passover, they are not mentioned. It's not unlikely they want nothing to do with these events (John 7:5; Mark 3:20–21). Mary stood by the cross earlier (John 19:25–27), but it appears John has taken her away as she is not named among the women who witness Jesus' last breath (Mark 15:40). So Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin (Mark 15:43) and secret follower of Jesus (John 19:38), asks Pilate for Jesus' body (Mark 15:42–43).

The day of Jesus' death is especially inconvenient. John states that the next day will be a "high day" (John 19:31). The day after Passover is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened bread. The Law states, "On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days…" (Exodus 12:16). To honor the holiday-Sabbath, the Jewish leaders have asked Pilate to break the legs of the crucifixion victims so they can be buried before sundown (John 19:31) This would have accelerated the process of suffocation. Not only must the work of burial be completed before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, to leave a body hanging overnight is to invite a curse upon the land (Deuteronomy 21:22–23).

With Joseph is Nicodemus (John 19:39), the Pharisee who spoke to Jesus about being born again (John 3:1–8). He is also one of the few besides the disciples whom Jesus directly told He would be crucified for the salvation of those who believe in Jesus (John 3:14–15). Nicodemus brings seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes to prepare Jesus' body for burial. After the Sabbath, the women who follow Jesus will try to supplement the herbs but find an empty tomb, instead (Mark 16:1–8).

Mark 15:42–47 occurs after Jesus has died, after six hours on the cross. His death is confirmed by a soldier who pierces His side with a spear, allowing blood and water to drain out onto the ground (John 19:33–34). Roman tradition would be to leave His body on the cross to be food for the birds, especially since He was technically crucified for treason. But Jewish law states leaving a hanged man overnight is a curse on the land (Deuteronomy 21:22–23), and a secret disciple has an unused tomb nearby. Jesus' burial is also recorded in Matthew 27:57–61, Luke 23:50–56, and John 19:38–42.

After sham trials, Jesus is taken to the local Roman governor, Pilate. This is the only person in Jerusalem with the legal authority to have Jesus executed. Pilate is not fooled, and he attempts to arrange for Jesus' release. But the ruler's ploys fail, in part because Jesus will not defend Himself, and partly because the mob is intent on His death. Pilate offers a prisoner exchange in Barabbas, and even has Jesus brutally beaten in order to pacify the crowd. Eventually, he caves in and Jesus is crucified. Thanks to His prior abuse, Jesus survives only a few hours on the cross before dying. Jesus is then buried in a tomb belonging to a secret follower among the Jerusalem council.

After being unfairly judged, Jesus will now be unfairly sentenced and cruelly murdered. It's reasonable to say this chapter provides context for everything else contained in the Bible. From Adam and Eve until the last baby born in the millennial kingdom, every person other than Christ is stained with sin. Conscience, law, Jesus' direct leadership, even the indwelling of the Holy Spirit cannot keep us from sinning. Sinless Jesus had to die on the cross, sacrificing Himself in our place, so our sins could be forgiven and we could be reconciled to God. Beneath the violence, darkness, dishonor, and death is the love of God for all mankind (John 3:16). Jesus' crucifixion is also found in Matthew 27, Luke 23, and John 19. The next chapter describes the miracle of His resurrection.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.