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

¶ And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.

And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it.

And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.

And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.

But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.

And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.

But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.

And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?

And they cried out again, Crucify him.

Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

¶ And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

The Mockery of the King

And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.

And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,

And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.

And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

The Crucifixion

And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

¶ And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull.

And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.

And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.

And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.

And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,

Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

The Death of Jesus

¶ And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.

And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.

And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.

There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

(Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.

The Burial

¶ And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,

Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.

And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was 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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