Today’s reflection marks the final and 100th post on the Gospel of Mark. Since October 2nd, 2008, I’ve posted a reflection each week. Mark concludes his gospel with two simple statements, paraphrased here:

When Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples He had one last command for them: “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation.” (Mark 16:15Mark 16:15English: World English Bible – WEB15 He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to the whole creation.WP-Bible plugin) […]

Last week Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome discovered the open tomb and encountered a young man dressed in white who proclaimed, “He has risen!” (Mark 16:6Mark 16:6English: World English Bible – WEB6 He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He […]

Early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went to the tomb where Joseph had entombed Jesus’ body the Friday before. They brought spices used for anointing the dead (Mark 16:1-2Mark 16:1-2English: World English Bible – WEB16 1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother […]

Mark 15:43Mark 15:43English: World English Bible – WEB43 Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for the Kingdom of God, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.WP-Bible plugin tells us that Joseph of Arimathea was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin. Luke 23:50-51Luke 23:50-51English: World […]

Last week we read of Jesus’ last moments before His death. Among the New Testament writers, only John was an eyewitness. But there were many testimonies to Jesus’ death – and to His resurrection – both within scripture and in secular history. And there are three often-neglected testimonies right here […]

The word forsake means to abandon, to break off from. In the crucifixion of Jesus Christ – the second person of the one Triune God – our Lord was at once the only sacrifice worthy to bear our sins, and the holy Son of God. God cannot look upon sin […]

The Man who only hours earlier was teaching at the temple (Lk. 21:37-38Lk. 21:37-38English: World English Bible – WEB37 Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet. 38 All the people came early in the morning […]

After multiple beatings, a debilitating flogging, sleep deprivation and hatred and lies spewed at Him, Jesus was barely able to stand, let alone carry His own cross on the long route to Golgotha. So the soldiers pulled a man from the crowd, Cyrus of Cyrene, and forced him to carry […]

After Pilate had given in to the crowds and ordered Barabbas released, Jesus was flogged (Mark 15:15Mark 15:15English: World English Bible – WEB15 Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.WP-Bible plugin) and then led to the praetorium where […]