Messianic Prophecies Fulfilled in Mark 15

In this post we will look at Messianic Prophecies Fulfilled in Mark 15.

The list of prophecies followed the order it appear in Mark 15.

1. The Messiah’s silence before death

Prophecy: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)

Note the prophecy was 700 years before Jesus.

Here it predicts the Messiah will not open His mouth during His affliction.

Keep in mind that when accuse of wrong-doing, we are often quick to defend ourselves.  Yet Jesus was silent even if the penalty was death!

Fulfillment: “Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!” 5 But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.” (Mark 15:4-5)

 

2. The Messiah would have done nothing wrong

Prophecy: “His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9)

Here the second half of the verse states the Messiah would have not done two things:

“violence“

“deceit in His mouth“

Fulfillment: “But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” ” (Mark 15:14)

 

3. The Messiah would be whipped

Prophecy: “I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.” (Isaiah 50:6)

Here the Messiah is speaking.

The Messiah said “I gave My back to those who strike Me,” and if it involves whipping that would have been occurring on people’s back.

Fulfillment: “Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.” (Mark 15:15)

 

4. The Messiah would be mocked

Prophecy: “All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying,” (Psalm 22:7)

This prophecy is by David who lived a thousand years before Christ.

Notice here in a Psalm that’s Messianic it predicts that people would mock him.

Fulfillment: “After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him.” (Mark 15:20)

5. The Messiah would face humiliation and additional beating

Prophecy: “I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.” (Isaiah 50:6)

Fulfillment: “They kept beating His head with a [reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. 20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him.”” (Mark 15:19-20)

Spitting is one way to humble someone.  That’s what happened to Jesus.

Also the putting on the purple in mockery is also further humiliation

 

6. The Messiah would have His clothes divided up

Prophecy: “They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots.” (Psalm 22:18)

Notice the Messianic prophecy followed right after the previous verse (Psalm 22:17) on the Messiah being mocked.

Here we see the prediction of the Messiah’s clothes being divided up.

Fulfillment: “Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” (Mark 15:24)

 

7. The Messiah would have His clothes be divided up by casting lots

Prophecy: “They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots.” (Psalm 22:18)

Notice the last half of the verse mentioned about the casting of lots.

The casting of lots here is for the Messiah’s clothes.

Fulfillment: “And they *crucified Him, and *divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take.” (Mark 15:24)

 

8. The Messiah would be numbered among transgressors

Prophecy: “Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors..” (Isaiah 53:12)

Notice this verse is talking about the Messiah’s death when it says “Because He poured out Himself to death.“

Here it is also revealed that the Messiah would be “numbered with the transgressors“

Fulfillment: “They *crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left.” (Mark 15:27)

 

9. The Messiah would have people wag their heads seeing Him dying

Prophecy: “All who see me sneer at me; They  separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying,” (Psalm 22:7)

Fulfillment: “Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” (Mark 15:29)

10. The Messiah would experience the curse of God (Darkness at noon)

Prophecy: “The Lord will smite you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart; 29 and you will [a]grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways; but you shall only be oppressed and robbed continually, with none to save you.” (Deuteronomy 28:28-29)

Here is God’s law that those He strike will experience darkness.

This darkness means that at noon one can’t see but have to grope around.

Since the Messiah has to take away the sins of the world and take God’s punishment we are not surprised that God would blacken the sky at noon to punish the Messiah for all of our sins.

Fulfillment: “When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ^[q]ninth hour.” (Mark 15:33)

11. The Messiah would cry out “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?”

Prophecy: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.” (Psalm 22:1)

We have already seen elsewhere that this is a Psalm about Jesus.

Here it predicts the Messiah would cry out to God.

Fulfillment: “At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”” (Mark 15:34)

12. The Messiah would bring about salvation of Gentiles

Prophecy: “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations will worship before You.” (Psalm 22:27)

We have already seen elsewhere that this is a Psalm about Jesus.

Here it predicts that the nations all over the world will have some turn to the Lord!

Fulfillment: “When the centurion, who was standing [s]right in front of Him, saw [t]the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was [u]the Son of God!”” (Mark 15:39)

A Roman Centurion would have been a Gentile.

Yet we see here the first human person in the Gospel of Mark to confess Jesus is the Son of God is a Gentile!

 

13. The Messiah would be buried in a Rich Man’s Grave

Prophecy: “His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9)

Fulfillment: “Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.” (Mark 15:43)

Joseph as a member of the Sanhedrin would have been prominent and wealthy.

Jesus being buried in his grave fulfilled this prophecy.