Mark 15:39 says, “And the centurion standing by opposite Him, seeing how He expired, said, Truly this man was God’s Son!” The centurion realized that this man was not ordinary. Rather, He was truly God’s Son.
Verses 40 and 41 tell us of the women who were present: “And there were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were both Mary the Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the little and of Joses, and Salome, who when He was in Galilee, followed Him and ministered to Him, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.” Mary the Magdalene was the one from whom seven demons had been cast out. Mary the mother of James the little was the mother of the Slave-Savior (Matt. 13:55). The word “little” here means either small in stature or young in age. James the little was the one who wrote the Epistle of James. Salome was the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John (Matt. 27:56).
In Mark’s account of the crucifixion there is no mention of any brothers being present. He speaks only of the sisters. We may say that these sisters are our representatives. When Christ was crucified, a group of sisters was standing by.
Mark 15:42-47 speaks of the burial of the Slave-Savior. Verse 42 says, “And when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation, which is the day before the Sabbath, Joseph, the one from Arimathea, an honorable member of the Council, who was also himself awaiting the kingdom of God, coming with daring, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.” After the Lord accomplished His redemptive death, His situation of suffering immediately changed into an honorable one. Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man (Matt. 27:57), and Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews (John 19:39; 3:1), came to care for the Lord’s burial by having His body bound with myrrh and aloes and buried in a new tomb. In human honor of such a high standard the Lord rested on the Sabbath day (Luke 23:55-56), waiting for the time to resurrect from among the dead.
In 15:43 Joseph is called “the one from Arimathea.” The definite article here indicates a man well known. Having purchased a piece of linen, Joseph took the Lord Jesus down from the cross, wrapped Him in the linen, laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb (v. 46). This was for the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:9.
As we read 15:42-46, we see that the Lord Jesus was given an excellent burial. He was buried in newly bought linen and laid to rest in a newly hewn tomb. The Lord Jesus was put in such a tomb in order to enjoy His Sabbath.
As we have pointed out, God created the old creation within six days and then rested on the seventh day. In the New Testament the Lord accomplished His full redemption, His redemptive work, within six days, and then He rested on the seventh day, the Sabbath.
Mark 15:47 says, “And Mary the Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where He was laid.” This indicates that both Mary the Magdalene and Mary the mother of the Lord Jesus saw where he was laid.
Although the Lord could rest on the Sabbath, having accomplished the work of redemption, the disciples were not able to rest. I do not believe that these two Marys had any rest either. I doubt that they had full rest until they had passed through the day of resurrection and had come to the day of Pentecost. On the day of resurrection and the day of Pentecost they received the all-inclusive Spirit, and this Spirit applied to their living Christ’s death and resurrection. Then they were able to realize the significance of the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection.