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.

Jesus Delivered to Pilate

As soon as it was morning, the head cohanim held a council meeting with the elders, the Torah-teachers and the whole Sanhedrin. Then they put Yeshua in chains, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.

Pilate put this question to him: "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered him, "The words are yours."

The head cohanim too made accusations against him,

and Pilate again inquired of him, "Aren't you going to answer? Look how many charges they are making against you!"

But Yeshua made no further response, to Pilate's amazement.

Now during a festival, Pilate used to set free one prisoner, whomever the crowd requested.

There was in prison among the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection a man called Bar-Abba. When the crowd came up and began ask

ing Pilate to do for them what he usually did, h

e asked them, "Do you want me to set free for you the `King of the Jews'?"

For it was evident to him that it was out of jealousy that the head cohanim had handed him over.

But the head cohanim stirred up the crowd to have him release Bar-Abba for them instead.

Pilate again said to them, "Then what should I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?"

They shouted back, "Put him to death on the stake!"

He asked, "Why? What crime has he committed?" But they only shouted louder, "Put him to death on the stake!"

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the mob, set Bar-Abba free for them; but he had Yeshua whipped and then handed him over to be executed on the stake.

The Mockery of the King

The soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the headquarters build ing) and called together the whole battalion.

They dressed him in purple and wove thorn branches into a crown, which they put on him.

Then they began to salute him, "Hail to the King of the Jews!"

They hit him on the head with a stick, spat on him and kneeled in mock worship of him.

When they had finished ridiculing him, they took off the purple robe, put his own clothes back on him and led him away to be nailed to the execution-stake.

The Crucifixion

A certain man from Cyrene, Shim`on, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country; and they forced him to carry the stake.

They brought Yeshua to a place called Gulgolta (which means "place of a skull"),

and they gave him wine spiced with myrrh, but he didn't take it.

Then they nailed him to the execution-stake; and they divided his clothes among themselves, throwing dice to determine what each man should get.

It was nine in the morning when they nailed him to the stake.

Over his head, the written notice of the charge against him read, THE KING OF THE JEWS

On execution-stakes with him they placed two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.

And the passage from the Tanakh was fulfilled which says,

People passing by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! So you can destroy the Temple, can you, and rebuild it in three days?

Save yourself and come down from the stake!"

Likewise, the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers made fun of him, saying to each other, "He saved others, but he can't save himself!"

and, "So he's the Messiah, is he? The King of Isra'el? Let him come down now from the stake! If we see that, then we'll believe him!" Even the men nailed up with him insulted him.

The Death of Jesus

At noon, darkness covered the whole Land until three o'clock in the afternoon.

At three, he uttered a loud cry, "Elohi! Elohi! L'mah sh'vaktani?" (which means, "My God! My God! Why have you deserted me?")

On hear ing this, some of the bystanders said, "Look! He's calling for Eliyahu!"

One ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar, put it on a stick and gave it to him to drink. "Wait!" he said, "Let's see if Eliyahu will come and take him down."

But Yeshua let out a loud cry and gave up his spirit.

And the parokhet in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw the way he gave up his spirit, he said, "This man really was a son of God!"

There were women looking on from a distance; among them were Miryam from Magdala, Miryam the mother of the younger Ya`akov and of Yosi, and Shlomit.

These women had followed him and helped him when he was in the Galil. And many other women were there who had come up with him to Yerushalayim.

The Burial

Since it was Preparation Day (that is, the day before a Shabbat), as evening approached,

Yosef of Ramatayim, a prominent member of the Sanhedrin who himself was also looking forward to the Kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Yeshua's body.

Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead, so he summoned the officer and asked him if he had been dead awhile.

After he had gotten confirmation from the officer that Yeshua was dead, he granted Yosef the corpse.

Yosef purchased a linen sheet; and after taking Yeshua down, he wrapped him in the linen sheet, laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.

Miryam of Magdala and Miryam the mother of Yosi saw where he had been laid.

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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