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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, February 4, 1868

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. XXXI, No. 8

Read the full edition

Report of the Battle Creek Bible Class.

By W. C. G.

MARK XV, 33–47.

VERSE 33. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
Quest. What period of time would this cover, according to our reckoning?
Ans. From 12 o'clock, noon, until about 3, P. M.
Q. Was this darkness occasioned by an eclipse of the sun?
A. It was not; an eclipse of the sun can take place only at new moon, and this was at the time of full moon, as we learn, both from history, and from the fact that the passover was eaten at the time of the full moon.
Remark. It seems eminently fitting that an extraordinary darkness should accompany the death of our Lord as a remarkable light accompanied his birth. As he is the light of the world, in a spiritual sense, his advent was attended with an unusual illumination in the literal elements; so in his death, a darkness and gloom enshrouded the land, as emblematic of the moral darkness of the generation who could crucify the Son of God.
VERSE 34. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Q. What language was this?
A. A mixture of Hebrew and Syriac.
Q. Were these words quoted, and where do they occur?
A. They were quoted from Ps. xxii, 1.
Q. In what sense had God forsaken him?
A. He was permitted to die, and although God may be present, even in death, yet, in a certain sense, he might be said to have forsaken him in permitting him to die.
Remark. Several critical Greek scholars render the passage thus: “To what hast thou forsaken me?” or “To what manner of persons am I left?” The original will admit of this rendering, and those who adopt it contend quite earnestly for it on the ground that it is more in keeping with the character of our Saviour; that instead of betraying grief and fear at his own fate, as the common rendering would indicate, he expresses astonishment at the hard-heartedness and blindness of those into whose hands he had fallen. This rendering seems quite reasonable, and certainly is not objectionable.
VERSE 35. And some of them that stood by, when they heard it said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
Q. Who were those that stood by?
A. The soldiers who participated in his crucifixion, and spectators who had assembled.
Q. Why did they say, “He calleth Elias?”
A. There was a general impression extant at that time that the prophet Elijah, or Elias, was about to appear as the forerunner of the Messiah, and it is possible that they thought he was calling him to appear and identify him as the true Messiah. Some have thought that they only pretended to misunderstand him, and said what they did in mockery and derision.
VERSE 36. And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.
Q. How did it happen that vinegar was offered him?
A. He said, “I thirst.” John xix, 28.
Q. Why did he say this?
A. “That the scripture might be fulfilled.”
Q. What scripture was fulfilled in their giving him vinegar to drink?
Q. Ps. lxix, 21: “They gave me also gall for meat; and in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.”
Q. Where did they obtain the vinegar?
A. From a vessel full which stood by. John xix, 20. This vinegar was probably a species of sour wine, which was used as the common drink of the Roman soldiery.
Q. What was the reed used upon which the sponge was placed?
A. A stalk of hyssop. John xix, 29. The hyssop grows in that country to the height of several feet.
VERSE 37. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
Q. What is meant by giving up the ghost?
A. Yielding up the breath, or vital spirit. As the “breath of life” gives vitality to the body, Gen. ii, 7, so its departure causes the death of the body.
Q. What did he say prior to this?
A. “It is finished,” John xix, 30; and “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” Luke xxiii, 46.
Q. What was meant by, “It is finished?”
A. The great work which he came to do on the earth—to offer up his life for mankind. Not the work of redemption, for there were yet other steps to be taken to complete that work, but the first step in that plan, the provision of the offering, was now finished, by the death of the Son of God.
Q. What is the signification of the other expression, “Into thy hands I commend my spirit”?
A. Not, as some have supposed, that man has an immortal soul, or spirit, to exist in consciousness after death, but that, being about to yield up his spirit, or life, he would commit it into the care of his Father, who would give it to him again in the resurrection. As it was about to pass beyond his own control, what could be more appropriate than to commend it into the hands of One who would care for it?
VERSE 38. And the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
Q. What was the vail of the temple?
A. The heavy curtain which separated the holy from the most holy place in the sanctuary.
Q. What did its rending signify?
A. That there was no longer any sacredness in the earthly sanctuary, the typical offerings having reached their antitype in the body of Christ. By supernatural power, the most holy place was thus exposed to view, showing that the Lord had now ceased to regard it as sacred.
Q. What other display of divine power was manifested on this occasion?
A. “The earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” Matt. xxvii, 51–53.
VERSE 39. 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.
Q. What is the office of a centurion?
A. Commander of a hundred men. Named from centum, one hundred.
Q. Did any besides the centurion make this confession?
A. Yes; “they that were with him.” Matt. xxvii, 54.
Q. What did the centurion do?
A. “He glorified God.” Luke xxiii, 47.
Q. What did the spectators do?
A. They “smote their breasts and returned.” Luke xxiii, 48.
VERSES 40, 41. 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.
Q. Who was Mary Magdalene?
A. The one out of whom Christ had cast seven devils.
Q. Who was James the less?
A. A kinsman of the Saviour's. Supposed to be the one referred to in Gal. i, 19, as “James, the Lord's brother.” There were two apostles by the name of James, one the son of Zebedee, the other the son of Alpheus, Mark iii, 17, 18 (or Cleophas, John xix, 25), the latter of whom was supposed to be James the less; or, as we would term it, James the younger, or junior.
Q. Who was Salome?
A. The wife of Zebedee, and mother of James and John, two other disciples. Matt. xxvii, 56; Mark iii, 17.
Q. What other woman of note was present?
A. Mary, the mother of Christ.
Q. Were any of his disciples present?
A. “All his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off.” Luke xxiii, 49.
VERSES 42, 43. And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph, of Arimathea, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
Q. What is meant by “even?”
A. The approach of the Sabbath.
Q. What is meant by “the preparation?”
A. The day to prepare for the Sabbath. One upon which all the work for the Sabbath may be done, that nothing unnecessary may remain to be performed on that day.
Q. What was Joseph's office, and his reputation as a man?
A. He was a counsellor, and a good man and a just. Luke xxiii, 50.
Q. What is said of him with respect to his sentence against Christ?
A. “The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them.” Luke xxiii, 51.
Q. Was he a disciple of Jesus?
A. He was, Matt. xxvii, 57, but a secret disciple, for fear of the Jews. John xix, 38.
VERSE 44. And Pilate marveled if he were already dead; and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.
Q. Why did Pilate marvel?
A. Because those who were crucified usually lingered much longer, and he could hardly believe Christ was really dead.
Q. Why did he call the centurion?
A. To obtain an official answer.
Q. Was this an important testimony, and why?
A. It effectually settled the question of Christ's death, and left no room to say that he was taken down before he died, and therefore his resurrection was an imposition.
VERSE 45. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
Q. What precaution did the Jews take with reference to the approaching Sabbath?
A. In order that the bodies might not remain upon the cross, they besought Pilate that their legs might be broken. John xix, 31.
Q. Why did they wish their legs broken?
[The class were divided in opinion as to whether it was to hasten their death, or to prevent their escape when taken from the cross.]
Q. Did they break the legs of Christ?
A. They did not, as he was already dead.
Q. What scripture was fulfilled in this?
A. Ps. xxxiv, 20: “He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken.”
Q. What did they do to Christ?
A. They pierced his side with a spear.
VERSES 46, 47. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulcher which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulcher. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.
Q. Who assisted Joseph in this work?
A. Nicodemus, who also brought about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes.
Q. Who was Nicodemus?
A. The one who came to Jesus by night to learn the way of salvation. John iii.
Q. What did the women do after beholding where Christ was laid?
A. They returned and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the Sabbath-day according to the commandment.” Luke xxiii, 56.
Q. What did the Jews do?
A. They suddenly remembered that he had prophesied of his resurrection, and they went to Pilate, requesting him to take measures to prevent the disciples from stealing his body, and thus give grounds for the story of his resurrection. Accordingly a watch was set, the sepulcher made sure, and the stone sealed.
In connection with this lesson, several questions were considered, which, together with the answers, will be given next week. W. C. G.