September 7th, 2024

The progression continues on, and each time we get closer to the end. This particular Sunday has the Gospel reading being Mark 7:31-37, with the option of including verses 24-30. And this Sunday is called the “Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost”, but in these studies we are not yet at the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel according to Mark. But we are very close. Last week we looked at the text in Mark 15:16-21, the mockery of Jesus, and this week we are at the site of the crucifixion.

Last week there were a significant number of verbs in the historical present (when a past tense verb is expected, but a present tense is given). And there are a number of them in the text below (these are indicated with the bold print). It may be helpful to note the people who are doing the actions.

Who the ‘they’ is within the first part of the text below was stated in the previous writing. The soldiers are the subject of all the recent verbs in the historical present. And as there were a lot of historical presents, perhaps there were also a lot of soldiers. Whatever their number, they held a significant amount of power.

The ‘they’ will then switch in the second paragraph. The focus will eventually be on those standing by, and then there will be so-called chief priests (called ‘archpriests’ in the text below) and also ‘scribes’ (called ‘writers’ in the text below—such a translation was certainly not meant to degrade any writers reading this). And then there are the criminals crucified with Jesus. When these people are described, there is no power, and there are no historical presents. But they all are wanting Jesus to show his power.

There is a lot in the text. And there was a lot of sin on Jesus as he was on that cross. There was a lot of sin in the people around Jesus as well, significantly more than is seen in the description of the soldiers at this time. But the One who was called the King of the Jews was there to take on ALL sin for ALL time. It may be helpful to consider that, especially since this present sinful world can seem a bit overwhelming in terms of all the sin.

Without further explanation, the following is Mark 15:22-32 in what could be called a ‘somewhat-literal’ translation:


And they bring him to the Golgotha place, which is being translated, ‘Cranium Place’. And they were giving to him, having been mixed with myrrh, wine; who now not he took. And they crucify  him, and they divide among themselves the garments, his, throwing a lot for them, who, what he should take. Now it was hour, third, and they crucified him. And it was, the epigraph of the charge of him, having been epigraph-ed; ‘The King of the Jews.’ And with him they crucify two bandits, one from right and one from left, his.​

And the ones going by, they were blaspheming him, moving the heads of them and saying, “Oh, the one destroying the temple and one building in three days, save yourself, having come down from the cross.” Likewise, also the archpriests, mocking toward one another with the writers, they were saying, “Others he saved, himself not he is able to save. The Christ, the King of Israel, let come down, now, from the cross, that we may see and we may believe.” Also the ones having been crucified together with him, they were reproaching him.