1. How and why did the soldiers mock Jesus? What was the significance of this from God's perspective?
2. Who was Simon? How might his experience in Jerusalem change his life? (What do you suppose is significant about the mention of his sons by name?)
3. Describe the place of execution. Why do you think Jesus refused the painkilling drug?
4. How does the writer show the inhumanity of the soldiers? What seems to be their philosophy of life? How might they have become like this?
5. Why are the details (soldiers' actions, robbers, mockers, etc.) significant from God's point of view?(See Is. 53:3, 5, 12; Ps. 22:7, 8, 16, 18)
6. What challenge to Jesus and temptation to him is hidden in the words of the mockers? (29, 30, 31, 32) Why did Jesus not come down from the cross as they suggested?
II. The Death of Jesus (33-41)
7. Note the time (25, 33), and the response of nature to Jesus'
death. What does this suggest?
8. At the 9th hour, just before he died, what did Jesus cry? What does this mean? In what respect was was his perfect relationship with the Father momentarily broken? How did the people around the cross react?
9. What do you think is the significance of the temple curtain
being torn? (Cf. Ex. 26:31-35; 25:22; Heb. 9:7, 11-12; 10:19-22)
10. How did the women of Galilee show their love for Jesus? How did they share his suffering and prepare to be resurrection witnesses?
III. The Burial of Jesus (42-47)
11. How did the burial of Jesus confirm the fact of Jesus' death? How did Joseph reveal his faith?
