Normal practice was for the condemned person to carry his own cross to the place of crucifixion, but Jesus was too weak, because of the beatings he has suffered, and so the soldiers grab hold of a passer-by and force him to do this carrying. It is interesting that not only is he named himself, but the names of his sons are mentioned. Mark’s inclusion of this detail suggests that this family was known to the community for whom Mark originally wrote.
Jesus is offered some wine mixed with myrrh, but declines it. He is then put on the cross and left to die. He is mocked and ridiculed, even by the two bandits who are crucified alongside him. Jesus is completely alone in what is happening. I wonder where we would have fitted in to that scene.
Megan McKenna (On Your Mark: Reading Mark in the Shadow of the Cross) reminds us of the abandonment and asks how we react – “Mark’s Jesus is revealed in his isolation, pain, and suffering and finally in his death. Only those who believe, those who follow Jesus in picking up their crosses can see him for who he is, the crucified one revealed in love. With the crowd, we are left standing before the cross to ask ourselves what we are doing. Do we join in the mockery or do we listen to those in pain? Even if we cannot alleviate their pain, do we hear them and take their words to heart?”
There is a sense in which we cannot believe what is happening as the story unfolds, and so perhaps understand that the disciples were at a complete loss, and it is not surprising that they disappeared – only we are left somewhat puzzled because the other aspect of all this is the question about how anyone could spend three years with Jesus and not get it.
I wonder what are the things that we don’t get that we should. I wonder how the time we spend with Jesus changes us. I wonder how we feel in this dreadful moment when we see Jesus on the cross.
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