Bible In Poetry: Gospel Of St. Mark (Chapter 15) Poem by Dr John Celes

As morning came, the whole Sanhedrin crowd-
Chief priests, elders and scribes, held a council;
They bound and handed him o’er to Pilate;
When Pilate asked, “Are you the king of Jews? ”
He said to him in reply, “You say so! ”
The chief priests accused Him of many things;
And Pilate asked Him, “Have you an answer?
How many things they accuse you of, Look! ”
But Pilate was amazed as He didn’t talk.

They used to free a prisoner on feast days.
A murderer called Barabbas was brought in
From prison with rebels, for murder crimes;
The crowd pressed Pilate do as was custom;
Pilate asked, “Shall I free the ‘King of Jews’? ”
He knew the chief priests had envy on Him.

They made the crowd to free just Barabbas.
“What should I do with Jesus? ” asked Pilate.
They shouted together, “Crucify Him.”
“What evil has this man done? asked Pilate.
They shouted still loudly, “Crucify Him.”
Pilate freed the murderer, Barabbas.

He ordered Jesus to be scourged and led;
The soldiers took Him to the praetorium;
In purple clothed, a crown of thorns was placed,
Atop His head and they saluted Him,
“Hail, king of Jews and struck his head by reed.”

They spat on Him, knelt as if in homage:
They mocked at Him and stripped Him off his cloak;
They dressed Him in his own clothes and led Him.
A Cyrenian passer-by, Simon
Was made to help Him to carry the cross;
They brought him to Golgotha, ‘Place of skull’!

They gave Him wine with myrrh which He didn’t take;
They cast lots for his clothes; crucified Him,
At nine o’clock in the morning that day.
‘The King of Jews’ was inscribed on the cross.
Two robbers too were crucified with Him.

Some passed by Him and said, “The man who said
He would destroy the temple and rebuild
In three days’ time. Save yourself and come down”
Let Messiah come down from cross alive,
So that we may believe He’s king of Jews!

At noon, the land was covered by darkness
Till three in the afternoon, when He died.
He cried aloud, “Eloi, Eloi, lema
Sabachthani, meaning, ‘my God, my God,
Why hast thou forsaken me in this way? ”
Some by-standers said, “He calls Elijah! ”

One soaked a sponge in vinegar and held
It up to Him to drink, upon a reed.
Jesus uttered a loud cry, breathed His last.
The veil of sanctuary was torn in two.
A centurion who witnessed how he died
Remarked, “Truly, this was the Son of God! ”

Some women stood looking from a distance;
Mary Magdalene and Mary were there;
They’d followed Him from Galilee slowly.
Some women came from Jerusalem too.
When evening came, the day before Sabbath,
Joseph of Arimathea met Pilate
And requested for Jesus’ body!

But Pilate was amazed that He had died;
Joseph brought linen cloth and wrapped Him up.
They laid Him in a tomb hewn out of rock!
A stone was rolled across the entrance then.
Both Marys watched where Jesus’ body lay!

Copyright by Dr John Celes 5-20-2007