Mark 15:16-16:8

What’s Happening?

Jesus is hung on the cross. Jesus cries out some words from Psalm 22 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The crowd misunderstands and thinks he’s calling for Elijah to save him (Mark 15:35). Waiting to see if Elijah will take him down, they offer him sour wine on the end of a stick (Mark 15:36).

Jesus cries, gives one final breath, and dies. Immediately, the curtain in the temple is torn from top to bottom. The centurion overseeing Jesus’ execution becomes the first person in Mark to identify Jesus as the Son of God (Mark 15:38-39).

As he dies, a group of female disciples watches from a distance. One of the religious leaders, Joseph of Arimathea, asks Pilate for the body of Jesus. Although the Romans usually left the deceased bodies of criminals as a warning, Pilate grants Joseph’s request so that Jesus can be buried before the Sabbath (Mark 15:44).

The women come to the tomb after the Sabbath to embalm Jesus’ body. However, when they arrive, the tomb is empty. An angel tells them to not be afraid because Jesus has risen from the dead, and they should go and tell the other disciples. The women are frightened, run away, and say nothing (Mark 16:8). And that’s how the Gospel of Mark abruptly ends.

Where is the Gospel?

At the cross, Jesus entered fully into the depths of human forsakenness. He endured the violence, mockery, and death that the powers of the world inflicted on him. But in doing so, he showed that nothing—not sin, not violence, not even the grave—can separate us from God’s love.

Mark highlights two moments when something is “torn”: first, the heavens are torn open at Jesus’ baptism as God declares him the beloved Son (Mark 1:10), and second, the temple curtain is torn when Jesus dies (Mark 15:38). This curtain symbolized separation from God’s presence. Its tearing shows that through Jesus’ death, God himself has opened the way for all people into his covenant family. Jew and Gentile, men and women—all are now invited to draw near to God.

Mark’s ending is abrupt: the women flee from the tomb in fear and silence (Mark 16:8). This is intentional. Mark leaves us with the question, “Who is Jesus to me?” Will we respond like the centurion who confessed, “Truly this man was the Son of God,” or will we remain silent in uncertainty? The empty tomb demands our answer.

See for Yourself

May the Holy Spirit open your eyes to see the God who tore open every barrier between himself and us. And may you see Jesus as the risen Son of God who conquered death and opened God’s presence so that you might share in his life forever.

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**Please note: this devotional does not cover the longer ending to the book of Mark.  

Scholars almost universally agree that Mark 16:9-20 was a later addition to Mark's Gospel. The earliest manuscripts do not include Mark 16:9-20 and they are unknown to a number of church fathers. This section was likely written by a second-century scribe to better make sense of Mark's abrupt ending.  

We believe it's better to let Mark's abrupt ending speak for itself. Rather than tell us explicitly what Jesus' death and resurrection mean, Mark invites us to consider the women's fear in light of our own (Mark 16:8). Will we fear? Will we tell no one? Or with the death-defeated power of Christ right in front of us, will we go into all the world and preach the Gospel?

This is how we filmed our Mark introduction video. You can check that out below under 'Related Resources'.