Synoptics passion

1. The Gospel of Mark: The Messianic Secret
Jesus Recognized as the Son of God Postmortem (Mark 15.39)
Before Jesus even comes off the cross, an otherwise unknown character makes an important identification of Jesus-
"Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, 'Truly this man was
God's Son! '"
In Greek, it is not entirely clear whether the centurion identifies Jesus as a son of God or the Son of God; either
reading is possible. Likely, Mark fails to resolve the ambiguity on purpose, and is thus showing the centurion as
confessing more than he even knows! Supporting this interpretation is Mark's overall usage of the title "Son of God"
for Jesus. After Mark identifies Jesus as Son of God in Mark 1.6, the title is restricted to usage by supernatural
characters: God (Mark 1.11; 9.7) and demons (Mark 3.11; 5.7). Significantly, then, the first and only occurrence of a
human character recognizing Jesus as "Son of God" is the centurion who watches Jesus breathe his last from the cross
and responds, "Truly this was a/the Son of God" (Mark 15.39).
Mark's portrayal of various characters' recognition of Jesus as “Son of God” provides a powerful statement on Jesus'
identity to readers. According to Mark, human characters apprehend Jesus as Son of God only by viewing the cross.
That is, although Mark informs his reader that Jesus is the Son of God at the beginning of his Gospel, he shows the
reader what this means
through his narration of the
centurion's statement.

2. The Nature of Salvation in the Gospel of Mark
Most ancient Jews ascribed a particular holiness to the Temple as the place in which sacrifices
could be offered up to God. This was a sacred place to be respected and revered. The most
sacred area in holy Temple was the Holy of Holies, the square room in whose darkness God’s
very presences was thought to dwell. This rom was so holy that no one could enter except for
the Jewish High Priest, once a year, on the Day of Atonement.
Mark indicates that when Jesus dies, the curtain separating the holiest place from the outside world is torn in half. The event seems
to signify, for Mark, that God is no longer removed from the people; his holiness is now available to all. Jesus, the Son of God has
“given his life as ransom for many” (Mark 10.45). People now have direct access to God, who comes to them in the death of Jesus.
33 When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon. 34At three o’clock Jesus cried
out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which
means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’
35When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘Listen,
he is calling for Elijah.’ 36And someone ran, filled a sponge
with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink,
saying, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take
him down.’ 37Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his
last. 38And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from
top to bottom. 39Now when the centurion, who stood facing
him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly
this man was God’s Son!’
Mark 15.33-39
The Gospel of Mark: The Messianic Secret
Furthermore, the “tearing” of the curtain in Mark asks as a literary book-end with the “tearing” apart of the heavens at Jesus’
baptism at the beginning of the gospel. It is clear, that in Mark, the Jesus event has changed the nature of the relationship between
the heavenly and the earthly.

3. More than any other Gospel writer, Matthew emphasizes the earth-shattering implications
of the death of Jesus:
1. The darkening of the heavens (Isaiah 10.13)
2. The shaking of the earth (Joel 2.10)
3. The resurrection of the dead (Daniel 12.2-3; 2 Maccabees 7:9)
Mt 27.45-54
Given the eschatological fervor of the period, such events would have been clear signs to
the Jews that the present age was ending and the age to come had begun.
But the end does not come in Matthew: so has anything changed?
The Gospel according to Matthew answers with a resounding yes. Jesus’ crucifixion was
the deathblow for a world system founded in legalistic interpretation of the law and
corrupt leadership (see ”The Sermon on the Mount” in light of “The Great Commission”).
Matthew: The Death of a Jewish Messiah
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw
him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and
on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded
you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28.16-20

4. Luke: The Death of a Prophet of God
Not only is Luke’s Jesus born a prophet, and not only does he preach and heal as a prophet, he is also depicted as dying as a
prophet. There is a long-standing tradition among Jews that their greatest prophets, both those about whom stories were
recorded (e.g. Elijah and Elisha) and those who had books written/attributed to them (e.g. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos), were
violently opposed and sometimes martyred by their own people. In Luke’s account, Jesus is placed in this prophetic line.
1 Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay
taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king." 3 Then Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He answered, "You say so." 4 Then Pilate
said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no basis for an accusation against this man." 5 But they were insistent and said, "He stirs up the people by teaching
throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place." 6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he
was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to
see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. 9 He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer.
10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant
robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. 12 That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies. 13 Pilate then called
together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, 14 and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him
in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to
deserve death. 16 I will therefore have him flogged and release him.” 17 Then they all shouted out together, "Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!" 18 (This was a
man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) 19 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; 20 but they
kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!" 21 A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore
have him flogged and then release him." 22 But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. 23 So Pilate gave his
verdict that their demand should be granted. 24 He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus
over as they wished.
Luke 23: 1-25

5. The Passion in the Synoptic Gospels

6. The Historical Pontius Pilate
Josephus notes that while Pilate's predecessors had respected Jewish customs by removing all images and effigies on their standards when
entering Jerusalem, Pilate allowed his soldiers to bring them into the city at night. When the citizens of Jerusalem discovered these the following
day, they appealed to Pilate to remove the ensigns of Caesar from the city. After five days of deliberation, Pilate had his soldiers surround the
demonstrators, threatening them with death, which they were willing to accept rather than submit to desecration of Mosaic Law. Pilate finally
removed the images only after this conforntation.
Philo describes a later, similar incident in which Pilate was chastened by Emperor Tiberius after antagonizing the Jews by setting up gold-coated
shields in Herod's palace in Jerusalem. The shields were displayed to honor Tiberius, and this time did not contain engraved images. Philo writes
that the shields were set up "not so much to honor Tiberius as to annoy the multitude." The Jews protested the installation of the shields at first
to Pilate, and then, when he declined to remove them, by writing to Tiberius. Philo reports that upon reading the letters, Tiberius "wrote to
Pilate with a host of reproaches and rebukes for his audacious violation of precedent and bade him at once take down the shields and have them
transferred from the capital to Caesarea."
Josephus recounts another incident in which Pilate spent money from the Temple to build an aqueduct. When Jews again protested his actions,
Pilate had soldiers hidden in the crowd of Jews while addressing them. After giving the signal, Pilate's soldiers randomly attacked, beat, and
killed scores of Jews to silence their petitions.
In describing his personality, Philo writes that Pilate had "vindictiveness and furious temper," and was "naturally inflexible, a blend of self-will
and relentlessness." He writes that Pilate feared a delegation that the Jews might send to Tiberius protesting the gold-coated shields, because "if
they actually sent an embassy they would also expose the rest of his conduct as governor by stating in full the briberies, the insults, the
robberies, the outrages and wanton injuries, the executions without trial constantly repeated, the ceaseless and supremely grievous cruelty."
Pilate's term as prefect of Judaea ended after an incident
recounted by Josephus. A large group of Samaritans had been
persuaded by an unnamed man to go to Mount Gerizim in order
to see sacred artifacts allegedly buried by Moses. But at a village
named Tirathana, before the crowd could ascend the mountain,
Pilate sent in "a detachment of cavalry and heavy-armed infantry,
who in an encounter with the first comers in the village slew
some in a pitched battle and put the others to flight. Many
prisoners were taken, of whom Pilate put to death the principal
leaders and those who were most influential." The Samaritans
then complained to Vitellius, Roman governor of Syria, who sent
Pilate to Rome to explain his actions regarding this incident to
Tiberius. However, by the time Pilate got to Rome, Tiberius had
died.
The second line of the inscription refers to Pontius
Pilate, while the third line identifies him as
"praefectus of Judea." The inscription was
probably attached to a structure known as
"Tiberium," a temple or other building dedicated
to the emperor Tiberius.

7. Matthew: Gentiles in the Kingdom?
Matthew’s community was probably mixed: containing both Jews and Gentiles. Whether there was tension between these two groups within
Matthew’s community is unknown, however, we do know that there was tension between the early Gentile church and early Jewish church:
First, and most obviously, the major characters, the heroes, of the
Gospel are all Jews. The most important of these is Jesus, but the
same is true for the twelve apostles, particularly Peter who plays an
important role in Matthew’s story.
Pro-Jewish Features of Matthew’s Gospel
Secondly, Matthew’s theology is grounded in his interpretation of
the Old Testament. These are the Scriptures of his community, and a
major source of revelation. Matthew quotes regularly from the Old
Testament.
Thirdly, we find a strong focus on the concept of "Israel" in
Matthew’s Gospel. For example, after a summary statement of
Jesus" healings, the narrator tells us that the crowds "praised the
God of Israel" (Matt. 15:31). For Matthew, God is fundamentally the
God of Israel.
Fourthly, there is evidence that Matthew used material in common
with the Judaism of his own day: perhaps directly influenced by it, or
perhaps sharing the same worldview. Texts such as Hosea 6:6 — "I
desire mercy and not sacrifice"— are also found in Rabbinic writings
from about the same period (Matt 9:13). Also important for
Matthew is the community’s power of "binding and loosing", a
perplexing phrase that is also found in Rabbinic texts (Matt 16:19,
18:18).
Pro-Gentile Features of Matthew’s Gospel
Secondly, in Matthew 1:5, Gentiles are included in the Messiah’s
genealogy; Tamar and Rahab were both Canaanites, Ruth was a
Moabite, Bathsheba was a Hittite.
Thirdly, in Matthew 8:1–13 two incidents are contrasted: the Jewish
leper has limited faith (v. 1–4), while the Gentile centurion has great
faith (v. 5–13).
Fourthly, according to Matthew 24:30 Jesus will come on the clouds in
glory, and “all the nations of the earth will mourn.” In Matthew 25:31–
46, Jesus judges “all nations,” dividing them as sheep and goats. The
message is clear: Jesus is Messiah of Jew and Gentile, and King of the
whole world.
First, the story of the Magi, in a sense, indicates that Jesus is not just
the Messiah of the Jewish people but also Gentiles. The Magi were not
Jews, and yet they ask King Herod, "Where is he who has been born
king of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:2). The Magi, likely wealthy, Gentiles
from many miles away— are filled with joy that the Messiah has been
born and they are painstakingly searching for him out to worship him.
Matthew's portrayal of Gentiles as the first worshipers of the Christ is
not something to be skipped over.
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood self-condemned; 12 for until certain people came from James, he used to eat with the
Gentiles. But after they came, he drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction. 13 And the other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy, so that even
Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you,
though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?" 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we
know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith
in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. 17 But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been
found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!
Galatians 2:11-17