Recall a common scene in many movies where a character is shot or struck or suffers a fall. Anther character rushes over to see if their comrade is dead. They feel for a pulse, listen for breathing, check to see if the pupils are dilated and fixed. God willing, the victim has survived the attack, the accident, or the alien invasion. Most often, they’re checking for death while hoping for life.
This is the scene that unfolded at the foot of the cross.
Mark writes that “Jesus breathed His last” and the soldier “saw how he died” (Mark 15:37, 39). Soon afterward, grieving family and friends lowered His lifeless body to prepare Him for burial. Mark records the post-mortem in verses 15:42-47,
It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jose saw where he was laid.
These verses are not mere storytelling. They establish incontrovertible evidence for Jesus’ death. Consider the facts:
Joseph believed Jesus was dead. He was a notable Jew who had become a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 27:57). Because he had been waiting for the Kingdom of God, Joseph had every reason to wish Jesus alive and would hold out until the last minute to concede defeat. Joseph would have never sealed the tomb if he had any thought that Jesus might still be alive.
The centurion believed Jesus was dead. He wasn’t an average bystander. He was a skilled executioner who was responsible before Pilate to carry out a sentence. In fact, he specifically didn’t break Jesus’ legs, as was customary to speed up death, because he could see that Jesus had already expired. His spear thrust into Jesus’ side confirmed this fact.
Pilate believed Jesus was dead. Most crucifixions lasted days, so Pilate was surprised to learn that Jesus had died in a matter of hours. Still, He released Jesus’ body, something he would never have done if Jesus were still alive and could continue stirring up political unrest.
The women believed Jesus was dead. They used spices to prepare Jesus’ body for burial, wrapped the corpse tightly, and left the tomb in despair with their friend inside. The next morning, they returned to finish preparations for a funeral.
Notice what Mark has done. He certifies Jesus’ death by an outside, objective source; by an expert in death; by a legal authority; and by two witnesses required by Jewish law. This is important evidence because, if Jesus didn’t die, the whole case for Jesus falls apart. In fact, when we remove Jesus’ body from the cross, we’re not hoping for signs of life. We want Jesus dead.
BETTER OFF DEAD
Though the crucifixion was a tragic event, its significance lies in the necessity of a Savior who died for us. Consider what Jesus’ death guarantees. First, Jesus’ death confirms God’s justice. Paul writes that, “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice….” Some people claim that God is so loving that He would never punish sin. But the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and the cross confirms His uncompromising justice to judge all the sin of the world.
Second, Jesus’ death proves God’s love. The Bible tells of God’s love over and over again (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:10). Jesus’ death was proof that God in heaven withholds nothing from us. He gave His own Son.
The chorus of the hymn “And Can It Be That I Should Gain” ends with the anthem “Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou, my God, should die for me!”
Third, Jesus’ death secures our salvation. Without the shedding of blood, the forgiveness of sins is impossible (Hebrews 9:22). No person could shed their own blood and gain life at the same time. We needed a perfect substitute to take our place. So, it was imperative, not that Jesus only suffer, but that He bled and died. He died to save the lives of all who believe.
Finally, Jesus’ death readies our resurrection. You see, Jesus’ resurrection is only meaningful if He died. It’s not helpful if Jesus rose from being sick or unconscious, but from the dead! And His miraculous revival from death makes Him the “firstfruits” of everyone else who dies (1 Corinthians 15:20). In other words, His resurrection is a template of every resurrection afterward. He rose because He died. And this gives every Christian assurance of their resurrection to come.
“I wish he were dead” is the kind of curse muttered among enemies. It’s also the expectation of every follower of Jesus. The cross was both tragic and triumphant. We celebrate Jesus’ death because in it is our only hope.
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See also the sermon "Crucial Evidence of Christ's Death."