The Messiah in Real Time

Philip, one of the apostles, encounters an Ethiopian eunuch who is reading Scripture and struggling to understand it. In Acts chapter 8, verses 32 and 33, we learn he is reading from Isaiah 53, trying to discern who Isaiah is describing. When you examine these verses, pay special attention to Acts 8:35, where Philip, beginning with Isaiah 53 and other Old Testament passages, explains that Jesus is the Messiah and that His death and resurrection are central to His prophesied mission. The Messiah’s suffering and death are not a problem but a fulfillment of God’s plan. The Ethiopian man embraces this truth about the gospel as Philip presents it from the Old Testament.

In Acts 2:22–36, part of Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, verse 23 states that Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection were “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” Peter emphasizes that God the Father ordained this plan. To support this, Peter cites Old Testament prophecies from King David, specifically Psalm 16:8–11 and Psalm 110:1. He explains that these psalms cannot refer to David, who died and was buried without rising, but to someone who would die, be buried, rise from the dead, and ascend to heaven. In Acts 2:36, Peter concludes, “God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Peter uses David’s writings to prove that Jesus, the crucified and risen Messiah, fulfills these prophecies.

In Luke 24:13–27, we read about Jesus’ disciples traveling to Emmaus after His crucifixion. Unbeknownst to them, they encounter the resurrected Jesus. In verses 20 and following, they express disappointment, saying, “Our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified, but we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” Jesus responds in verses 25–27, saying, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus explains how the Scriptures reveal that He is the Messiah and that His suffering and resurrection were prophesied centuries earlier.

As we’ve studied the Gospel of Mark, it’s clear that Jesus’ crucifixion was not an accident, mistake, or interruption in God’s plan—it was the plan. In sports like basketball or football, coaches warn, “Don’t telegraph your pass,” meaning don’t reveal your intentions. But God does the opposite with the Messiah’s crucifixion and death. For centuries, He declared, “This is the play I’m going to run. This is how it will happen.” God repeatedly revealed this plan through the prophets, yet many were still confused, surprised, or skeptical, saying, “We thought you were the Messiah, but you got crucified.”

Turn to Mark 15:29–39. These verses illustrate why it’s critical to understand that the Messiah’s suffering, death, and resurrection were God’s plan from the beginning, yet many misunderstood it. In verse 29, passersby deride Jesus, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself and come down from the cross!” The chief priests and scribes also mock Him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Even those crucified with Him revile Him. At the sixth hour, darkness covers the land until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour, Jesus cries out, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some bystanders, hearing this, say, “Behold, he’s calling Elijah.” Someone offers Him sour wine on a reed, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” Then Jesus utters a loud cry and breathes His last. The temple curtain tears in two from top to bottom. A centurion, witnessing how Jesus dies, declares, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”

This passage repeatedly shows people misunderstanding the prophesied Messiah. The passersby, chief priests, and scribes mock Jesus, hurling verbal abuse as He hangs on the cross. Their mockery stems from a fundamental misinterpretation of Scripture. The passersby and religious leaders blaspheme Jesus, falsely attacking His character. Ironically, these same leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy at His trial (Mark 14:64) for claiming to be the Son of God, yet now they blaspheme Him. Their taunts—“Come down from the cross!”—assume that if Jesus were the Messiah, He would not remain crucified. They cannot fathom why a powerful Messiah would choose to stay on the cross. Their logic is: if He could save Himself, He would; since He doesn’t, He must not be the Messiah.

In 1 Peter 2:23–24, Peter writes, “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” Jesus could have come down from the cross—He didn’t need to endure it—but He chose not to save Himself to save us. His wounds bring our healing. God’s justice requires punishment for sin, and Jesus took that punishment so we could receive forgiveness.

The mockers’ assumption—that people act only for money, fame, power, or comfort—blinds them to Jesus’ selfless act. They cannot conceive of someone enduring such suffering voluntarily. Jesus’ priorities differ: first, to glorify God the Father through His sacrifice, and second, to redeem sinners by taking their punishment. The Scriptures these Jewish mockers knew should have prepared them for this, but they failed to grasp it.

This misunderstanding persists today. We often say “sola scriptura” (Scripture alone) but not “solo scriptura” (Scripture in isolation). God gives us His Word, Spirit, and church to help us understand and apply it. We must read the Bible diligently, seeking to understand it and ensuring our interpretation aligns with historical Christian teaching. Familiarity with Scripture is vital but insufficient—understanding is key.

The mockers also misinterpret Jesus’ cry, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” They jest, “He’s calling for Elijah!” Though the words sound similar, their mockery twists a prophecy about Elijah, who was to herald the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). In Luke 1:17, the angel Gabriel reveals that John the Baptist fulfills this role in the spirit and power of Elijah. The mockers, familiar with Scripture, seize on Jesus’ words to joke about Elijah rescuing Him, missing that Jesus is quoting Psalm 22:1, a passage explicitly describing the Messiah’s crucifixion—mocking, wagging heads, pierced hands and feet, and bartered garments. Jesus’ cry reflects the agonizing weight of God’s wrath on sin, which He bore for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Thankfully, the passage ends with a marveling witness. When Jesus dies, the temple curtain tears, opening access to God’s presence (Hebrews 10:12–22). The centurion, likely unfamiliar with Hebrew Scriptures, sees Jesus’ death and declares, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” Mark 1:1 introduces Jesus as the Son of God, and the centurion is the first human in Mark’s Gospel to confess this. His testimony shows that recognizing Jesus as the Son of God doesn’t require deep scholarship but simple faith in what He accomplished.

This contrast—mockers who know Scripture yet miss its meaning, and a centurion who sees the truth—encourages us. We don’t need to be experts to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. However, we must engage with God’s Word diligently, seeking to understand and trust it.

Let’s pray. Dear Lord, thank You for Mark’s record of Jesus’ crucifixion, bearing the punishment for our sins. Thank You that He fulfilled all prophecies, even as many who knew them misunderstood. This warns us to treat Your Word carefully and study it diligently. We’re encouraged by the centurion’s testimony that we don’t need to be experts to see Jesus’ truth. Ignite in us a desire to understand Your Word and embrace the salvation offered through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Amen.