Daily Devotions
Mark
Acts 4:13 "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13"
Day 326 – Mark 15
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13
HOW HARD CAN THE HUMAN HEART BE?
The soldiers had done their worst! They had beaten and mocked Him. They led Him to Golgotha and there they nailed Him to the Cross.
“And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments,
Casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.
Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.”
MARK 15:24-25
Callously, the soldiers went on to do one more thing. They resorted to the casting of lots to determine who would get the garments of Jesus!
THE CRUCIFIXION PSALM
This scene of Jesus dying at the cross was prophetically described in Psalm 22. This Messianic psalm was written about a thousand years earlier!
“For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.”
PSALM 22:16-18
1. Dogs have surrounded Me
The word “dogs” refer to the enemies of Jesus. They were indeed like wild dogs closing in for the kill. These enemies were also described as “the congregation of the wicked”.
2. They pierced My hands and My feet
Long before crucifixion was a known means of execution of the Romans, prophecy foresaw how Jesus would die!
3. I can count all my bones
Prisoners who were crucified were stripped off their clothes. This was done to add humiliation to their suffering. The reference to being able to count the bones describes nakedness.
4. They divide My garmentsâ?¦ for My clothing they cast lots
Jesus had many supporters, including a group of women who “provided for Him from their substance” (Cf. Luke 8:3). The clothes of Jesus must have been well-made ones so that the soldiers gambled for them!