Mark15

Jesus is brought before Pilate, who, despite finding no fault in him, yields to the chief priests and the multitude's demand to release Barabbas instead. Jesus is then scourged, mocked by soldiers, and led to Golgotha where he is crucified between two thieves. After a period of darkness, Jesus cries out and gives up the ghost, prompting the temple veil to be rent and a centurion to confess his divine sonship. Joseph of Arimathaea subsequently requests and buries Jesus' body in a rock-hewn sepulchre.

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Jesus Delivered to Pilate

Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate.

So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things.

Then Pilate questioned Him again, “Have You no answer? Look how many charges they are bringing against You!”

But to Pilate’s amazement, Jesus made no further reply.

Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing.

And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection.

So the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to keep his custom.

“Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.

For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over.

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.

So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”

And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!”

“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”

And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.

The Mockery of the King

Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together.

They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head.

And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”

They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him.

After they had mocked Him, they removed the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.

The Crucifixion

Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.

They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull.

There they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it.

And they crucified Him. They also divided His garments by casting lots to decide what each of them would take.

It was the third hour when they crucified Him.

And the charge inscribed against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Along with Jesus, they crucified two robbers, one on His right and one on His left.

Not present in the manuscripts this translation follows.

And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,

come down from the cross and save Yourself!”

In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself!

Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” And even those who were crucified with Him berated Him.

The Death of Jesus

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.

At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, He is calling Elijah.”

And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”

But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last.

And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.

These women had followed Jesus and ministered to Him while He was in Galilee, and there were many other women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him.

The Burial

Now it was already evening. Since it was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath),

Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council member who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.

Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead, so he summoned the centurion to ask if this was so.

When Pilate had confirmed it with the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

So Joseph bought a linen cloth, took down the body of Jesus, wrapped it in the cloth, and placed it in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where His body was placed.

Study Notes for Mark 15

Verse 1

The Sanhedrin held a formal consultation in the morning to ratify their night trial and ensure the proceedings were legal before delivering Jesus to the Roman governor, Pilate, as only Rome could authorize capital punishment.

Verse 2

Jesus’ affirmation ('Thou sayest it') is a qualified acceptance of the title 'King of the Jews,' acknowledging the truth of the claim while rejecting the political and military definition Pilate assumed.

Verse 5

Jesus’ silence fulfills prophetic expectation (Isa. 53:7) and demonstrates his sovereign willingness to submit to the Father’s plan, astonishing the seasoned Roman governor.

Verse 6

The custom of releasing a prisoner at the Passover highlights the crowd’s ultimate rejection of the Messiah, setting up the critical choice between Jesus and Barabbas.

Verse 7

Barabbas was a revolutionary and murderer, symbolizing the violent resistance to Rome. The crowd’s choice of this rebel over the peaceful Christ underscores the tragic substitutionary nature of the event.

Verse 11

This verse emphasizes the active manipulation by the chief priests, who incited the populace to demand the release of Barabbas, ensuring Jesus’ execution.

Verse 15

Pilate’s decision was driven by political expediency ('willing to content the people'), prioritizing Roman order and his own career over justice. Scourging was a brutal beating often intended to bring the victim near death.

Verse 16

The Praetorium was the Roman governor’s official residence. The 'whole band' refers to a cohort or detachment of soldiers, gathered to participate in the humiliation of Jesus.

Verse 17

The soldiers mock Jesus by dressing him as a parody of royalty (purple robe, crown of thorns, mock salute), fulfilling the humiliation prophesied for the suffering servant.

Verse 21

Simon is identified by his sons, Alexander and Rufus, suggesting these men were known figures in the early Roman Christian community. Carrying the crossbeam (patibulum) was the condemned man's burden.

Verse 23

The wine mingled with myrrh was a narcotic intended to dull the intense pain of crucifixion. Jesus refused it, choosing to face the full suffering consciously.

Verse 24

The casting of lots for Jesus’ garments directly fulfills the prophecy found in Psalm 22:18, highlighting the divinely ordained nature of the events.

Verse 25

Mark’s specific mention of 'the third hour' (9:00 AM) fixes the timeline for the start of the crucifixion.

Verse 26

The inscription (titulus) stated the charge against the condemned. 'THE KING OF THE JEWS' was a political charge of sedition, confirming the reason for execution under Roman law.

Verse 28

This verse explicitly connects Jesus’ crucifixion alongside criminals to the prophecy in Isaiah 53:12, confirming that the Messiah would be 'numbered with the transgressors.'

Verse 32

The taunts reflect the ultimate theological challenge: if Jesus is the powerful Christ, he should save himself. Salvation, however, required him to remain on the cross and endure suffering.

Verse 33

The supernatural darkness lasting three hours (from noon to 3:00 PM) signifies divine judgment and mourning, recalling Old Testament prophecies of the Day of the Lord (Amos 8:9).

Verse 34

This cry, a quotation of Psalm 22:1, expresses the profound spiritual abandonment Jesus experienced as he bore the sin of humanity, facing the Father's wrath.

Verse 37

Jesus 'cried with a loud voice' before dying, suggesting his death was not simply due to exhaustion, but a voluntary yielding of his spirit in full control.

Verse 38

The tearing of the temple veil (which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies) symbolizes the immediate access to God now available through Christ’s finished sacrifice, abolishing the old covenant system.

Verse 39

The centurion, a Gentile Roman officer, provides the first human confession of Jesus’ divine identity in the passion narrative, contrasting sharply with the failure of the disciples.

Verse 40

The presence of these faithful women contrasts with the disappearance of the male disciples. They serve as crucial, faithful witnesses to the death and subsequent burial.

Verse 42

The 'preparation' refers to Friday, the day before the Sabbath. Jewish law required the body to be interred before sundown (6:00 PM).

Verse 43

Joseph of Arimathaea, a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin, risked his reputation and safety by publicly associating with the executed 'King of the Jews,' demonstrating unusual courage and faith.

Verse 46

The burial in a rock-hewn tomb was typical for the wealthy. The sealing of the tomb ensures that the resurrection, when it occurs, cannot be explained away by theft or interference.

Verse 47

The women’s witnessing of the exact location of the burial is crucial, establishing them as the necessary witnesses for the subsequent discovery of the empty tomb.

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Mark15

Jesus Delivered to Pilate

The Mockery of the King

The Crucifixion

The Death of Jesus

The Burial

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