Jesus Crucified the Third Hour - Mark 15:25

Mark wrote how, “Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshiped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take”, and in chapter fifteen and verse twenty-five of his book, Mark shared how, “it was the third hour, and they crucified him” where we read:

And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

The verse reads, “And it was the third hour, ...”. Mark began with the words, “and it was the third hour” which means “and the timing for the crucifixion of Jesus was the third hour of the day or at nine o'clock in the morning”. Mark shared how Jesus was “crucified” beginning at “nine o'clock” in the morning.

The verse goes on to say, “... and they crucified him.” Mark continued with the words, “and they” which means “and the Roman soldiers” “crucified him” or “drove down with stakes, palisade, destroyed in the flesh and power and extinguished completely Jesus”. Mark shared the time when Jesus was hung on a cross to die.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we discover the time when Jesus' crucifixion began. At nine o'clock in the morning, the Roman soldiers hung Jesus upon a cross to die. This was the time for the “morning sacrifice” which was commanded by the Lord in Exodus chapter twenty-nine where we read, “Now this is that which you shall offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb you shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb you shall offer at even: And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering. And the other lamb you shall offer at even, and shall do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.” (Exodus 29:38-41) God foretold of the offering of His Son Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of mankind, and those who believe and trust in Him will receive “everlasting life” with the One who knew and planned all things for their salvation.

Next time Mark shares how Pilate wrote a “superscription”, “THE KING OF THE JEWS”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".