by Gary L. Evans
(revised 7/31/2023)
Mark — Part 24
Mark 15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
When Jesus died, the Veil that enclosed the inner chamber of The Temple, The Holy of Holies, ripped from the top to the bottom. That was a miracle, and signified that no longer was approaching The Most High God reserved to The High Priest at set times during the year, but that our Father was approachable by the people directly. That is because with The Blood of Christ that sealed The New Covenant, we became The House of God and God dwells in us by His Holy Spirit (Mind) when we believe.
Mark 15:39-41 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.
Why were the Roman soldiers so impressed by Jesus? Was it because He had recited Psalm 22 while nailed to the cross? They said, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”
Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Joses, and Salome, and other women came and tended to Jesus’ body.
Mark 15:42-43 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
Joseph of Arimathaea was the brother of Mary, the mother of Jesus. He was a rich man who owned a shipping company that traded in lead and tin. He went to Pilate and requested to have the body of Jesus, and since he was the next of kin, Pilate granted it.
Mark 15:44-47 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.
Joseph arranged to have Jesus’ body placed in his own tomb which had never been used. And this fulfilled Prophesy.
Isa 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
So Jesus had been crucified between two criminals, but then was buried in the tomb of a rich man.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 16:1-3 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
After the Sabbath Day, two women went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus, and as they went they wondered who would be there to roll the stone away that blocked the entrance.
Mark 16:4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
When the women got there, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away.
Mark 16:5-7 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
They went into the tomb and inside was what appeared to be a young man, that is a man below the age of 40. And he told them that they came to see Jesus Who had Risen from the dead. Then he told them to go tell the Disciples and Peter that Jesus was going to meet them in Galilee just as He had said.
Mark 16:8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
The women left the tomb and were so afraid that they didn’t talk to anyone.
Mark 16:9-11 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
While the women were walking away from the tomb, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom Jesus had cast out seven devils. And she told the Disciples, but they didn’t believe.
Mark 16:12-13 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
Then Jesus appeared to two of the Disciples, and they went back and told the others. But they still didn’t believe. Recall that Jesus had told the Disciples several times that He was going to be arrested and executed, but He would rise from the dead on the third day. And even after He had been arrested and crucified, the Disciples still couldn’t believe that He could rise from the dead.
Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Then Jesus appeared to all of them while they were together eating a meal. And He rebuked them for their refusal to believe His Words, and also their refusal to believe the eyewitness testimony of those who had seen Him after His Resurrection.
Mark 16:15-16 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Then Jesus commanded His Disciples to go all over the world and teach The Good News about The New Covenant to all people. And He declared that everyone who would believe and be Baptized would receive Salvation, but those who refuse to believe would remain in danger of The Judgement.
Note that Baptism is a ritual, and it is good for new converts to receive it. However a ritual is meaningless in itself. What is most important is to understand the meaning, that we each recognize that we are dead in our sinful nature against God, but by our repentance from transgression and belief in The Blood of Jesus we are forgiven, and then we are given Eternal Life when we receive The Holy Spirit (Mind) of Christ. This is what Baptism symbolizes, so whether we assemble with others who might be willing to Baptize us or not, what is most important is having this understanding in our hearts and minds. Recall that when Jesus was Baptized by John the Baptist, He was filled with The Holy Spirit.
Mark 6:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Jesus declared that miraculous signs would follow His believers, and that they would cast out devils, and would speak in foreign languages.
Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Jesus was speaking figuratively about snakes and drinking poison. Because it is a terrible sin to dare to Test God in anything.
Deu 6:16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.
Jesus said that believers would be able to deal with “poisonous snakes,” and of course He was referring to the Kenites, that Brood of Vipers, the descendants of That Old Serpent, Satan, The Devil. The phrase, “drink any deadly thing,” refers of course to hearing false doctrine, which is deadly to people who believe it, but we would not be deceived by it. And His believers would also be able to heal the sick. So similar to the miracles that Jesus had done, we would also do.
Mark 16:19-20 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Jesus ascended into Heaven in the sight of the Disciples. Then they went out to teach The Gospel of The New Covenant as Jesus had commanded them.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.