Asbury Bible Commentary – 2. The death of Jesus (15:33-39)
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2. The death of Jesus (15:33-39)

2. The death of Jesus (15:33-39)

Darkness covered the land, symbolizing the separation from God that Jesus felt at his death. His cry, a citation of Ps 22:1, with its emphasis on my God, speaks of Jesus' horror and trust at the end. Thinking that Jesus has appealed to Elijah, the onlookers look for Elijah to rescue Jesus; this would be a sign that Jesus had divine authentication in his death. It marks the end of the old aeon, the end of the time of the temple, when Jesus himself replaces the temple. Moreover, at his death, Jesus is acclaimed as “Son of God” by a centurion, a Gentile(!)—the first human in Mark’s gospel to identify Jesus correctly. That he does so after seeing only how he died is highly suggestive.