Mark 15

vs 31

There is a little more mockery, this time about Jesus talk of saving people. Truly ironic.

vs 32

Yes, mock the messiah. That is such a good idea. That will be a good long-term career plan.

vs 33

Whether it was an eclipse (very long eclipse, three hours) or some other supernatural phenomenon, it is definitely not a good sign.

vs 34

And which the author feels no need to mention, but is quite useful for those of us who do not have the Bible memorised, Jesus is quoting Psalm 22:1. That means there is more to this cry than just Jesus being forsaken by God. In fact, the psalm as a whole makes it clear that God has not forsaken Christ - although the first line being quoted is obviously to draw attention to the fact that, for the moment, there is a disconnection.

vs 35

Apparently those standing didn't know either their Bible, or Aramaic. Or he said it so hoarsely and badly that they couldn't understand.

vs 36

I'm going with gaspingly hoarse, since they offer him a drink. After that, they let him be.

vs 37

And then Jesus dies, in a powerfully short verse. One of the good ones by the monks.

vs 38

This is so out of left field. One could perhaps try and state that this is a metaphorical statement, that didn't really happen. But that doesn't fit with how everything else has been stated. I think the curtain really did tear.

vs 39

So to a Roman centurion, apparently dying on a cross and crying out makes you the Son of God? No, but the darkness, the agony and words of the cry, the quickness of the death, and perhaps even the sudden kerfuffle at the temple of people saying, "WTF curtain?" would all lend itself to being quite an impressive situation.

vs 40

We move on now to look at some other spectators. Some women were apparently watching from a distance. Many men whose names you might think of don't get mentioned. We know at least John was there at some point in time. Was Peter watching from the shadows?