Mark probably described Jesus" actual crucifixion simply because his Roman readers would have been only too familiar with its horrors. Yet for modern readers some explanation is helpful. Davis described it as follows. [source][source][source]
"Simon is ordered to place the patibulum [1] on the ground and Jesus is quickly thrown backwards with His shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement. The patibulum is then lifted in place at the top of the stipes [2].... [source][source][source]
"The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed. The Victim is now crucified. As He slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain-the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As He pushes Himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He places His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again there is the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of the feet. [source][source][source]
"At this point, another phenomenon occurs. As the arms fatigue, great waves of cramps sweep over the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push Himself upward.... Air can be drawn into the lungs, but cannot be exhaled. Jesus fights to raise Himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically He is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in the life-giving oxygen.... [source][source][source]
"Hours of this limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from His lacerated back as He moves up and down against the rough timber. Then another agony begins. A deep crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart.... [source][source][source]
"It is now almost over-the loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level-the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues-the tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air.... [source][source][source]
"The body of Jesus is now in extremis, and He can feel the chill of death creeping through His tissues.... [source][source][source]
"His mission of atonement has been completed. Finally He can allow His body to die." [3][source]
Mark"s quotation of Psalm 22:18, the psalm that predicted more detail of Messiah"s sufferings in death than any other passage, contrasted the soldiers callused actions with Jesus" agony. [source][source][source]
"While the use of nails to fasten a body to the cross is not widely attested, in June, 1968 , a team of Israeli scholars discovered at Giv"at ha-Mivtar in northeastern Jerusalem a Jewish tomb which produced the first authenticated evidence of a crucifixion in antiquity. Among the remains in an ossuary [4] were those of an individual whose lower calf bones had been broken and whose heel bones had been transfixed with a single iron nail." [5][source]
Context Summary
Mark 15:22-47 - A King Upon His Cross
Our Lord refused to drink the potion prepared by the women of Jerusalem, in order to stupefy those who were crucified and so deaden the sense of pain, because He would drain the cup to its dregs. It was nine o'clock in the morning when He was nailed to the cross. His persecutors were, as they thought, destroying the Temple of which He had spoken in John 2:19, and making its restoration impossible. In fact, however, they were giving Him the opportunity of fulfilling His great prediction. He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Nature veiled her face from that awful spectacle. Christ was not really forsaken, but as our Redeemer he passed under the dark shadow of human sin. The access to the Holy of Holies is now forever free through the entry of our great High Priest. See Hebrews 9:7-8. What love inspired the women, Mark 15:40, to brave the horrors of the scene! And how good to see that God cares for the body as well as for the spirit of His beloved! For Joseph, see Matthew 27:57 and Luke 23:50-51. Born of the Virgin's womb our Lord was buried in a virgin tomb. [source]
Chapter Summary: Mark 15
1Jesus brought bound, and accused before Pilate 6Upon the clamor of the people, the murderer Barabbas is released, 12and Jesus delivered up to be crucified 16He is crowned with thorns, spit on, and mocked; 21faints in bearing his cross; 27hangs between two thieves; 29suffers the triumphing reproaches of the crowd; 39but is confessed by the centurion to be the Son of God; 42and is honorably buried by Joseph
Greek Commentary for Mark 15:24
What each should take [τις τι αρηι] Only in Mark. Note double interrogative, Who What? The verb αρηι arēi is first aorist active deliberative subjunctive retained in the indirect question. The details in Mark 15:24-32 are followed closely by Matthew 27:35-44. See there for discussion of details. [source]
What each should take [τίς τί ἄρῃ] Lit., who should take what. An addition of Mark. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 15:24
Mark 15:24What each should take [τις τι αρηι] Only in Mark. Note double interrogative, Who What? The verb αρηι arēi is first aorist active deliberative subjunctive retained in the indirect question. The details in Mark 15:24-32 are followed closely by Matthew 27:35-44. See there for discussion of details. [source]
Luke 23:34Cast lots [βαλλω] Second aorist active indicative of ballō See Mark 15:24; Matthew 27:35. John 19:23. shows how the lot was cast for the seamless garment, the four soldiers dividing the other garments. [source]
James 3:5Boasteth great things [μεγαλα αυχει] Present active indicative of αυχεω aucheō old verb, here only in N.T. The best MSS. here separate μεγαλα megala from αυχεω aucheō though μεγαλαυχεω megalaucheō does occur in Aeschylus, Plato, etc. Μεγαλα Megala is in contrast with μικρον mikron much - how small The same relative form for two indirect questions together, “What-sized fire kindles what-sized forest?” For double interrogatives see Mark 15:24. The verb αναπτω anaptei is present active indicative of υλην anaptō to set fire to, to kindle (Luke 12:49, only other N.T. example except some MSS. in Acts 28:2). αναπτει Hulēn is accusative case, object of anaptei and occurs here only in N.T., though old word for forest, wood. Forest fires were common in ancient times as now, and were usually caused by small sparks carelessly thrown. [source]
What do the individual words in Mark 15:24 mean?
Andhaving crucifiedHimalsothey dividedthegarmentsof Himcastinglotsforthemwhowhatshould take
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: κλῆρος
Sense: an object used in casting or drawing lots, which was either a pebble, or a potsherd, or a bit of wood.
Greek Commentary for Mark 15:24
Only in Mark. Note double interrogative, Who What? The verb αρηι arēi is first aorist active deliberative subjunctive retained in the indirect question. The details in Mark 15:24-32 are followed closely by Matthew 27:35-44. See there for discussion of details. [source]
Lit., who should take what. An addition of Mark. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 15:24
Only in Mark. Note double interrogative, Who What? The verb αρηι arēi is first aorist active deliberative subjunctive retained in the indirect question. The details in Mark 15:24-32 are followed closely by Matthew 27:35-44. See there for discussion of details. [source]
Second aorist active indicative of ballō See Mark 15:24; Matthew 27:35. John 19:23. shows how the lot was cast for the seamless garment, the four soldiers dividing the other garments. [source]
Present active indicative of αυχεω aucheō old verb, here only in N.T. The best MSS. here separate μεγαλα megala from αυχεω aucheō though μεγαλαυχεω megalaucheō does occur in Aeschylus, Plato, etc. Μεγαλα Megala is in contrast with μικρον mikron much - how small The same relative form for two indirect questions together, “What-sized fire kindles what-sized forest?” For double interrogatives see Mark 15:24. The verb αναπτω anaptei is present active indicative of υλην anaptō to set fire to, to kindle (Luke 12:49, only other N.T. example except some MSS. in Acts 28:2). αναπτει Hulēn is accusative case, object of anaptei and occurs here only in N.T., though old word for forest, wood. Forest fires were common in ancient times as now, and were usually caused by small sparks carelessly thrown. [source]