Discovery BoxMark 8:34 
Context8:34 Then 1 Jesus 2 called the crowd, along with his disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to become my follower, 3 he must deny 4 himself, take up his cross, 5 and follow me.
Mark 15:43
Context15:43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, 6 who was himself looking forward to 7 the kingdom of God, 8 went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 9
1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
2 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Grk “to follow after me.”
4 tn This translation better expresses the force of the Greek third person imperative than the traditional “let him deny,” which could be understood as merely permissive.
5 sn To bear the cross means to accept the rejection of the world for turning to Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion; see Gal 6:14.
6 tn Grk “a councillor” (as a member of the Sanhedrin, see L&N 11.85). This indicates that some individuals among the leaders did respond to Jesus.
7 tn Or “waiting for.”
8 sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, this remark that he was looking forward to the kingdom of God and his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.
9 sn Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.
