Mark 15:38 Komentář

What we read of the sufferings of Christ, in the foregoing chapter, was but the prologue or introduction; here we have the completing of them. We left him condemned by the chief priests; but they could only show their teeth, they could not bite. Here we have him, I. Arraigned and accused before Pilate the Roman governor (Mar 15:1-5). II. Cried out against by the common people, at the instigation of the priests (Mar 15:6-14). III. Condemned to be crucified immediately (Mar 15:15). IV. Bantered and abused, as a mock-king, by the Roman soldiers (Mar 15:16-19). V. Led out to the place of execution with all possible ignominy and disgrace (Mar 15:20-24). VI. Nailed to the cross between two thieves (Mar 15:25-28). VII. Reviled and abused by all that passed by (Mar 15:29-32). VIII. Forsaken for a time by his father (Mar 15:33-36). IX. Dying, and rending the veil (Mar 15:37, Mar 15:38). X. Attested and witnessed to by the centurion and others (Mar 15:39-41). XI. Buried in the sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea (Mar 15:42-47).

And straightway in the morning,.... As soon as it was break of day, or daylight appeared: the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and Scribes; who were the principal men in the sanhedrim: and the whole council; which, on this extraordinary occasion, was convened; the result of which was, to bind Jesus, and deliver him up to the Roman governor, to be put to death by him, as a seditious person, and an enemy to Caesar, and accordingly they did so: and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. The Syriac and Persic versions add, "the governor"; See Gill on Mat 27:1, Mat 27:2.

And now when the even was come,.... "Of the preparation", as the Syriac version reads; or "the night of the sixth day":, as the Persic version renders it, "Friday" night: because it was the preparation; of the passover, and of the sabbath, when they prepared their food, and got it ready for the ensuing sabbath, on which it was not lawful to dress any; that is, the day before the sabbath; that is, Friday; on which day, it is clear, Christ suffered, died, and was buried.

The curtain was torn. [This was] to show that [the Lord] had taken the kingdom away from them and had given it to others who would bear fruit. An alternative interpretation is: By the analogy of the torn curtain, the temple would be destroyed because his Spirit had gone away from it. Since the high priest had wrongfully torn his robe, the Spirit tore the curtain to proclaim the audacity of the pride [of the Jews], by means of an action on the level of created beings. Because [the high priest] had torn his priesthood and had cast it from him, [the Spirit] also split the curtain apart. Or [alternatively], just as the temple in which Judas had thrown down the gold was dissolved and rejected, so too [the Lord] pulled down and rent asunder the curtain of the door through which [Judas] had entered. Or, [it was] because they had stripped him of his garments that he rent the curtain in two. For the heart of the rock was burst asunder, but their own hearts did not repent.

He surrenders his life, yet he has power to take it again. Yes, the veil is torn, for things of heaven are being revealed, rocks split, and dead men have an earlier awakening.

And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The veil of the temple is torn, so that the ark of the covenant and all the sacraments of the law, which were covered, may appear and pass on to the people of the nations. For it had been said before: God is known in Judah, his great name in Israel (Psalm 76). But now: Be exalted above the heavens, O God, and your glory over all the earth (Psalm 66). And previously in the Gospel, he said: Do not go into the way of the gentiles (Matthew 10). But after his passion, he said: Go and teach all nations (Matthew 28).

The veil was torn as a sign that the grace of the Spirit had departed from the temple, that the Holy of Holies would become visible and accessible to all, as indeed came to pass when the Romans entered, and that the temple itself mourns. Just as the Jews customarily did in misfortunes and tore their garments, so too the temple, as if animate, showed the same during the sufferings of the Creator, tearing its garment. But something else is signified by this as well. Our flesh is the veil of our temple, that is, of the mind. So then, the power that the flesh had over the spirit was torn by the sufferings of Christ "from top to bottom," that is, from Adam to the last human being. For Adam too was sanctified by the sufferings of Christ, and his flesh is no longer subject to the curse and corruption; on the contrary, we have all been honored with incorruption.

Again, God by the rending of the veil implied that the grace of the Holy Spirit goes away and is rent from the temple, so that the Holy of holies might be seen by all; also that the temple will mourn amongst the Jews, when they shall deplore their calamities, and rend their clothes. This also is a figure of the living temple, that is, the body of Christ, in whose Passion His garment is torn, that is, His flesh. Again, it means another thing; for the flesh is the veil of our temple, that is, of our mind. But the power of the flesh is torn in the Passion of Christ, from the top to the bottom, that is, from Adam even down to the latest man; for also Adam was made whole by the Passion of Christ, and his flesh does not remain under the curse, nor does it deserve corruption, but we all are gifted with incorruption.

After the Evangelist has related the Passion and the death of Christ, he now goes on to mention those things which followed after the death of our Lord. Wherefore it is said: And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

The veil of the temple is rent, that is, the heaven is opened.

Jesus is brought before Pilate, examined, and accused, but makes no answer, Mar 15:1-5. The multitude clamor for the release of Barabbas, and the crucifixion of Christ, Mar 15:6-14. Pilate consents, and he is led away, mocked, insulted, and nailed to the cross, Mar 15:15-26. Two thieves are crucified with him, Mar 15:27, Mar 15:28. While hanging on the cross, he is mocked and insulted, Mar 15:29-32. The miraculous darkness and our Lord's death, Mar 15:33-37. The rending of the veil, and the confession of the centurion, Mar 15:38, Mar 15:39. Several women attend and behold his death, Mar 15:40, Mar 15:41. Joseph of Arimathea begs the body from Pilate, and buries it, Mar 15:42-46. Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joses, note the place of his burial, Mar 15:47.