The Gospel Of Mark With Francis Chan: A Video Bible StudyShembull

The Kingdom of God: Jesus came to announce it, to inaugurate it, and, as Son of God to rule it. Mark arranged his Gospel account to highlight Jesus as King. During his three-year preaching ministry, most people didn’t really get it. The disciples—even with their insider access—did not fully understand that Jesus’s kingdom would not overthrow Rome. So when he was crucified, they ran—afraid, confused, grieving his loss, wondering what was next.

The scene in our passage today showcases an unlikely supporting star: a Roman centurion. A soldier of this rank commanded a hundred men and held significant responsibility in his area of service. One of his duties included overseeing executions for capital offenses, which is why this centurion was present at Jesus’s crucifixion.

Picture the scene: This Roman officer witnessed the mockery of the soldiers. He saw the sign on Jesus’s cross detailing the charge against him, “The King of the Jews” (15:26). He heard all of Jesus’s final words. He watched Jesus’s mother approach with John and the other women who remained nearby, the interaction between Jesus and the two criminals hanging beside him, and the purposeful way in which Jesus breathed his last. During the last three hours, the sky was unusually dark. When Jesus cried out and breathed no more, several things happened at once: an earthquake rolled through, the temple veil concealing the Holy of Holies tore in half top to bottom, and hundreds of graves opened so that their dead walked out alive.

The centurion “saw all this” and exclaimed, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (15:39). He may not have known the full import of his words. Maybe he was stunned at everything that was happening and simply affirmed that Jesus was a godly man, “a son of God.” Or maybe he realized how the supernatural events surrounding this crucifixion pointed to the truth of Jesus’s claim to be the Son of God. (The text allows for either option.)

Even the Jewish teachers, who were trained to know the scriptures, did not really “get it”—remember the scribes watching Jesus heal the paralyzed man? Mark included the centurion’s exclamation to validate Jesus’s identity. Through this Roman soldier, we are assured that even the Gentiles (non-Jews) can accept Jesus as the Son of God, that the gospel is for all people.

As we conclude this short overview of the Gospel of Mark, we have concentrated our attention on Jesus’s identity as the Son of God. God became man and came to rule his people, but not in the way they expected. He came to fulfill the Law, but his ways were hard to accept. In the end, he sacrificed himself to redeem all those—not just Jews, but all—who believed and followed him.

Do you “get it”? Have you accepted Jesus as King? Does he have your allegiance and loyalty? How has your faith in Jesus changed your life? How does it affect you on a daily basis? Who in your life needs to hear about Jesus from you?

As Francis emphasized in the opening video, we need to resist taking the Incarnation for granted. That God himself condescended to become a human in order to bring his offer of love and reconciliation directly to us—that is marvelous, amazing good news, and he deserves all our worship and loyalty.

Congratulations, you completed the reading plan! If you would like a more in-depth study of the Gospel of Mark, click here to learn about the The Gospel of Mark Study Guide with Francis Chan from RightNow Media.