What does Mark Chapter 15 mean?
After three years of public ministry and a week of successful debates with the Jewish civil and religious leadership (Mark 11:27—12:37), Jesus has allowed Himself to be captured. The Jewish council is triumphant; soon they will see Jesus dead. The disciples are in hiding, convinced their plans to reign in Jesus’ kingdom are shattered (Matthew 19:28) and their lives are in danger (John 11:16). Jesus is resolved. This is what He came to earth to do (Matthew 20:17–19).
The Sanhedrin is the Jewish council that presides over Jewish law and minor civil offenses. They have held Jesus’ trial for most of the night (Mark 14:53–65) and find Him guilty of blasphemy against God according to the Mosaic law, but they do not have authority to execute anyone (John 18:31; 19:6–7). They need to convince Pilate He has as committed a capital offense against the Roman law (Mark 15:1). They settle on twisting Jesus’ claim that He is the Jewish Messiah, saying Jesus claims He is king over the Jews, to the exclusion of Caesar. Considering the long tradition of Jews rebelling against the Romans, it’s a good idea. The only problem is that Pilate doesn’t believe them (Luke 23:22; Mark 15:10).
Pilate is not afraid that a teacher from Nazareth in Galilee is going to incite a rebellion against the Romans. He sends Jesus to Herod Antipas, the tetrarch over Galilee, who happens to be in town for the Passover (Luke 23:6–12). At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Antipas had killed John the Baptist, and the self-styled king is anxious to talk to this Jesus whom he had heard so much about. When Jesus refuses to make a defense, Antipas agrees with Pilate that He is not a threat (Luke 23:14–15).
Pilate knows the real issue is the Jewish leaders’ jealousy of Jesus’ following (Mark 15:10). But the Sanhedrin has sway over the thousands of Jews who have come to Jerusalem for the Passover and can easily incite them to riot. If Pilate loses control, Caesar could fire him and exile him to the edges of the Roman Empire. Still, even Pilate’s wife warns him against killing an innocent man (Matthew 27:19).
So Pilate tries to mitigate the situation (Mark 15:2–15). First, he horribly beats Jesus in hopes the Sanhedrin will be satisfied (John 19:1–4). Then he makes the Sanhedrin choose who will be released: Jesus or the murderer Barabbas. The Sanhedrin do what they claim Jesus will do: they incite a crowd to do their will, and the crowd chooses Barabbas to be released. Fearing a riot, Pilate refuses legal responsibility and hands Jesus over to be crucified (Matthew 27:24). The Jews take responsibility for Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:25) and declare their allegiance to Caesar alone (John 19:15).
The rest of the story is straightforward (Mark 15:16–32). The Roman soldiers march Jesus through Jerusalem, although He is apparently so weak He can’t carry the cross bar. Once they arrive at Golgotha, the soldiers crucify Jesus between two robbers. The soldiers and robbers join the chief priests, scribes, and the mob in mocking Jesus. Jesus refuses the mild sedative they offer Him and the guards divide His clothes among them by casting lots. Jesus’ death is filled with drama and symbolism (Mark 15:33–41). From noon to three in the afternoon, the sky goes dark. He cries out, citing Psalm 22‘s lament as God abandons Him to the sins of the world. As He dies, the temple veil tears from top to bottom, symbolically declaring that Jesus has destroyed the barrier sin erects between us and God. The women who have supported His ministry and remain faithful look on from a distance and the Roman centurion finally realizes Jesus is no ordinary man.
Jesus’ closest disciples are in hiding, but other followers rush to bury His body before the Sabbath begins (Mark 15:42–47). While Mary Magdalene and another Mary watch, Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin, and Nicodemus (John 19:39) hastily wrap Jesus’ body in cloth and herbs and place Him in a new tomb (John 19:40–41). The next day, the chief priests and Pharisees remember that Jesus had claimed He will rise again. They ask Pilate to seal the tomb and send soldiers to guard it lest the disciples steal His body and claim He has resurrected (Matthew 27:62–66).
In the interim, the women prepare burial spices (Luke 23:56), the disciples hide (John 20:19), and Jesus welcomes the one repentant thief in paradise (Luke 23:42–43).
Chapter Context
After being unfairly judged, Jesus will now be unfairly sentenced and cruelly murdered. It’s reasonable to say this chapter provides context for everything else contained in the Bible. From Adam and Eve until the last baby born in the millennial kingdom, every person other than Christ is stained with sin. Conscience, law, Jesus’ direct leadership, even the indwelling of the Holy Spirit cannot keep us from sinning. Sinless Jesus had to die on the cross, sacrificing Himself in our place, so our sins could be forgiven and we could be reconciled to God. Beneath the violence, darkness, dishonor, and death is the love of God for all mankind (John 3:16). Jesus’ crucifixion is also found in Matthew 27, Luke 23, and John 19. The next chapter describes the miracle of His resurrection.
Verse by Verse
Verse 1. And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate.
The Jewish leadership has been trying to destroy Jesus since early in His ministry (Mark 3:22–30). At least twice, they have been prepared to stone Him (John 8:59; 10:31). They don’t want to execute Jesus during the Passover and week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread (Mark 14:1–2); Jesus has too many supporters who may cause a riot (Mark 11:1–10; 14:1–2). But since they have Him, it is much better if He is executed quickly.
The Sanhedrin has a lot working against them. If they imprison Jesus, His followers could rile up the travelers from Galilee, Judea, and the surrounding area who at least think He is a prophet, if not the Messiah. Because of Jesus’ popularity, the number of Galileans in Jerusalem, and the fact that the Jewish council cannot execute someone, they need the Romans to kill Jesus. Were Jesus less-renowned and less-connected to conflict with religious leaders, they likely would have been content to let a mob break Roman law by stoning (Acts 7:54–60). Roman officials hold their trials in the early morning; if the Sanhedrin waits until later in the day, Pilate will not be available. At evening the Sabbath begins, so they need to move fast.
This verse does not describe a second trial before the Sanhedrin. The trial in Mark 14:53–65 happens concurrently with Peter’s denials in Mark 14:66–72. “Held a consultation” means the evidence-gathering is over and the council members are making their final decision. They have already convicted Jesus of blasphemy according to the Mosaic law (Mark 14:63–65). Likely this discussion is to decide on what capital offence against Roman law they will present before Pilate.
John, who may have been present, adds more detail (John 18:28–32). When the members of the Sanhedrin take Jesus to Pilate’s house, they do not enter. As residents of Jerusalem, they eat the Passover that afternoon, and will become unclean if they enter the home of a Gentile. After Pilate interviews and flogs Jesus, the Sanhedrin makes their case again (John 19:6–7). They want Pilate to execute Jesus. Pilate, either sarcastically or tauntingly, tells them to do it. They had earlier stated that by Roman law, they do not have the authority to execute someone. Now they tell Pilate that Jesus has committed an offense that, by Jewish law, is deserving of death—He has claimed to be the Son of God. By handing Jesus over to be crucified, His direct prophecy of crucifixion is fulfilled (John 18:32; Matthew 20:19) as well as the vaguer references to the crucifixion of the Messiah in the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 21:22–23; Galatians 3:13).
Context Summary
Mark 15:1–5 continues after Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin, which has been ongoing since His arrest in the garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:43–65). They have convicted Him of blasphemy against God, but they do not have authority to execute Him, only Pilate does (John 18:31; 19:7–8). The Sanhedrin must convince Pilate that Jesus has broken a capital Roman law. Luckily for them, ”Jewish Messiah” is roughly translated into Greek as ”King of the Jews.” That’s high treason against Caesar. Jesus’ first trial with Pilate is also in Matthew 27:1–2 and 11–14, Luke 23:1–5 and John 18:28–38.
Verse 2. And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”
In Roman courts in outlying areas, non-appointed native magistrates can opt to enforce their own ceremonial laws and some civil laws, in addition to Roman requirements. However, while they can accuse someone of a capital offense, they cannot execute anyone. Only an appointed Roman official can authorize capital punishment. The Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, has convicted Jesus of the crime of claiming to be “the Christ, the Son of the Blessed” (Mark 14:61). “Christ” is Greek for Messiah, but that word has no context, yet. At this point in human history, the term would mean nothing to Pilate, or virtually anyone other than the Jewish people.
Pilate’s limited understanding of Judaism seems primarily tied to ways to offend them. He probably has an unclear understanding of the Jewish Messiah. This might also be why he sends Jesus to Herod Antipas (Luke 23:6–12). When a local authority brings charges to a Roman magistrate, they usually go through an interpreter. The interpretation the translators use, then, is “King of the Jews.” When Pilate places the sign “King of the Jews” above Jesus’ head on the cross, he is making a legal declaration: that Jesus dies because He claims to be the Messiah.
The claim that Jesus is king of the Jews began with the wise men (Matthew 2:2). Jesus has affirmed that claim (Matthew 20:21; Mark 9:1) and the travelers to Jerusalem believe it (Mark 11:10). In addition, every time Jesus calls Himself the “son of man,” He is claiming to be the figure spoken of in Daniel 7:13–14. The Ancient of Days will give the son of man “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him…” (Daniel 7:14). That would put Caesar and Rome under Jesus’ authority.
As he often does, John gives more detail (John 18:34–38). When Pilate asks Jesus if He is king of the Jews, Jesus makes the question personal and asks if Pilate is inquiring on his own behalf. This is a not-so-subtle reminder that Pilate is acting on the accusations of others, not his own knowledge. Jesus is also giving Pilate the opportunity to see the truth of who He is. Jesus explains that His kingdom is not earthly, but it is real. Pilate realizes Jesus is not a threat to him or Caesar. He tries to get Jesus to defend Himself against the accusations of the Sanhedrin. But, to the end, Jesus is more concerned about the heart right in front of Him.
Jesus’ refusal to defend Himself has another result: it protects His own enemies. Pilate can rightly be accused of many things, including ineptness and cowardice—but he’s not stupid. He knows the Sanhedrin’s charges are false. If Jesus affirms this, His accusers can be convicted of calumnia or false witness. The punishment for such a charge is to face the same punishment the defendant would have received. Pilate could, had he been willing to pursue the matter, have crucified the chief priests, scribes, and elders!
Verse 3. And the chief priests accused him of many things.
When the members of the Sanhedrin take Jesus to Pilate, they claim, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king” (Luke 23:2). The first part is a blatant lie. When questioned by the Pharisees and Herodians in the temple courtyard, Jesus clearly stated that if Caesar is the political leader and demands a tax, the Jews must pay it (Mark 12:13–17).
The charge that Jesus claims to be king is closer to the truth. Pilate may have heard of Jesus’ initial entry into Jerusalem (Mark 11:1–10). While Jesus rode in on a donkey colt, other travelers greeted Him like a king, spreading branches and cloaks on the ground and declaring that David’s kingdom was coming. God promised David that he would have an heir who would rule over Israel forever (1 Chronicles 17:11–14). Daniel affirmed this promise, describing the Ancient of Days bestowing eternal dominion over the earth to the “son of man” (Daniel 7:13–14). Incidentally, “son of man” is Jesus’ favorite way to refer to Himself. Pilate probably knows nothing about the prophecy in Daniel 7, but he’s more likely to know that Jesus entered Jerusalem to such a fanfare.
The Sanhedrin also says that Jesus “stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place” (Luke 23:5). This is true, however inadvertent. After Jesus fed the five thousand on the east side of the Sea of Galilee, the people tried to grab Him and make Him king (John 6:15). Jesus knew their zeal was less about God’s deliverance of Israel and more about His ability to feed them (John 6:26). Jesus could have been king; Satan offered Him the world (Matthew 4:8–10). But Jesus is more concerned with saving souls than taking His rightful throne before it is time (John 6:27, 40). It makes no sense to take a kingdom of people who are enslaved to sin for eternity. Only by dying can He lead free people.
Verse 4. And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.”
Pilate doesn’t care if Jesus broke a Jewish religious law. And, he knows the civil accusations the Sanhedrin brought against Jesus are false. John’s Gospel contains a key detail explaining Pilate’s reaction in this passage: Jesus explains that He is King of the Jews but His kingdom is not on earth (John 18:33–36). By this, Pilate understands that Jesus is not a threat to himself or Caesar. Pilate knows that envy, not honor for the Roman Empire, motivates the Sanhedrin members to have Jesus killed (Mark 15:10). He does not want to execute Jesus, but he can justify having Jesus killed if not doing so would threaten peace, and he has no pressing reason not to. So Pilate asks Jesus to defend Himself.
One of the more puzzling prophecies about Jesus is found in Isaiah’s description of the Suffering Servant: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). Obviously, during the trials before the crucifixion, Jesus does speak. He challenges the legality of the Sanhedrin trial and affirms His identity as the Christ (Mark 14:53–62). Later, He has a conversation about His kingdom and the nature of truth with Pilate (John 18:34–38). How is this “remaining silent?”
The key is in what Jesus speaks about. Jesus is silent in His defense. He speaks, but never says anything that would delay His path to the cross. He shouldn’t have to, as all the accusations are false. But the fact that He refuses to defend Himself against false accusations, and that the members of the Sanhedrin are so aggressive, leads Pilate to think he has no choice but to give the mob what they want.
Verse 5. But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
When the Sanhedrin tries to find false witnesses against Jesus, He makes no defense (Mark 14:55–60). Directly after this interview with Pilate, Jesus refuses to say a word in defense to Herod Antipas (Luke 23:9). Jesus does speak to clarify His identity as the Son of God, the Messiah (Mark 14:61–62), and the King of the Jews (John 18:36). He also engages with Pilate to give the governor an opportunity to acknowledge the truth of Jesus’ identity (John 18:37–38).
In Isaiah 53:7, the Suffering Servant is described as a lamb that does not open its mouth. In so far as it applies to His impending death, Jesus never “opens His mouth” to defend Himself against false accusations. He does nothing to escape the path to the cross. He speaks, but never says anything to help His own cause. Pilate is amazed. He knows that the Sanhedrin’s case is weak, and Jesus can avoid death simply by defending Himself. But He doesn’t.
Between Mark 15:5 and 6, Jesus faces another trial (Luke 23:6–12). Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, is in Jerusalem, possibly for the Passover. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Herod killed John the Baptist through the machinations of his wife, Herodias (Mark 6:14–29). Herod has had his concerns about Jesus, thinking He is John the Baptist raised from the dead (Mark 6:14–16), and his followers have been conspiring to destroy Jesus from the beginning (Mark 3:6). The Pharisees warned Jesus that Herod wanted to kill Him; Jesus responded by calling him a fox (Luke 13:31–32).
When the two finally meet, Herod asks the questions, the chief priests and scribes spew venom, and Jesus stands silent. Herod had probably hoped for a meaningful conversation, as he’d shared with John the Baptist (Mark 6:20), or at least a miracle or two. When Jesus doesn’t oblige, Herod and his soldiers beat and mock Him, then Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate become friends, but they still have no proof Jesus did anything wrong.
Verse 6. Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked.
The “feast” encompasses the Passover, which is this day, and the week-long celebration called the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which starts in the evening (Leviticus 23:5–8). The Passover directly commemorates the tenth plague in Egypt, during which God killed the first-borns of the Egyptians and their animals while sparing the Israelites who had covered their doorposts and lintels with a lamb’s blood (Exodus 12:1–32). The Feast of Unleavened Bread further celebrates God’s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 13:3–10). Because the two events are right after one another, they are often referred to together.
The tradition mentioned here, of releasing a prisoner at Passover, is not well documented. There is a vague reference to it in the Mishnah Pesachim, written between AD 190 and 230, which has rules about the Passover. Section 8.6 says, “[In the case of] …one who has been promised to being released from prison…we may slaughter [a Pesach sacrifice] for them [to eat from].” It goes on to say that the lamb must not be for the soon-to-be-released prisoner alone, presumably because if he isn’t released the sacrifice will be disqualified. But when deciding how many lambs to prepare, the family may account for him. This suggests that prisoners were released on Passover often enough that the Jewish leadership felt they needed a standard for their sacrifice.
“Asked for” is putting it politely. Roman rulers may release a prisoner if a mob gathers and demands strongly, usually with shouting. This is, indeed, what the crowd of Jews do. Pilate is not offering this as a gesture of mercy; he’s negotiating with a mob.
Context Summary
Mark 15:6–15 describes history’s greatest miscarriage of justice. The Sanhedrin has convicted Jesus with blasphemy, a crime in the Mosaic law (Mark 14:61–64). Such a charge won’t convince the Roman authorities to execute Jesus, so they present Him to Pilate as an imminent insurrectionist (Luke 23:2, 5). Pilate interrogates Jesus and finds Him harmless (John 18:33–38). Pilate then sends Jesus to Herod Antipas, who also finds the Sanhedrin’s charges baseless (Luke 23:6–15). Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate who must decide: risk rebellion by the Jewish leadership or kill an innocent man? Pilate’s decision is also found in Matthew 27:15–26, Luke 23:13–25, and John 18:38—19:16.
Verse 7. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas.
Not much is known about Barabbas. “Bar” means son or son of. “Abbas” means the father. There is no extra-biblical record of him or what insurrection or murder he may have been involved in. Some scholars think he is an ancient-era version of Robin Hood: one who attacks the rich who destroy the poor Galileans with debt and take their land. Or, it may be that Pilate presents the crowd with Barabbas and Jesus because Barabbas is so vile he doesn’t think they’ll choose him. But it isn’t the crowd that chooses Barabbas, it’s the chief priests and elders (Matthew 27:20). They convince the crowd to yell for Barabbas’ release and Jesus’ crucifixion.
Revolts have become a constant in Rome’s relationship with the Jews. Since the Jews returned from Babylon, the Jews have had only a few years of independence. At first, the Medo-Persian Empire still ruled. In 333 BC, the Greeks took command, but only ten years later, the Egyptians moved in. In 204 BC, the Syrians took possession, sold the priesthood, and desecrated the Holy of Holies. The Maccabean revolt drove the Syrians out in 165 BC and the Jews continued fighting the Syrians until Rome started its rule in 63 BC. Around the time of Jesus’ birth, Judas of Galilee led a resistance against Quirinius’ census (Luke 2:1–2).
Shortly after Pilate became procurator or governor over Judea, he allowed Roman soldiers to bring images of Caesar into Jerusalem. In the ensuing confrontation, the Jews proved willing to die rather than give up their demands the images be removed. Pilate took down the standards. But, later he set up shields honoring Tiberius in Herod’s Palace in Jerusalem; this was done primarily to irritate the Jews. Tiberius scolded him and told him to take the shields to Caesarea. At some point, Pilate also used temple funds to build an aqueduct. When the inevitable crowd gathered, threatening to riot, Pilate had disguised soldiers attack the Jews with knives and clubs, killing some.
As a result of these gaffes, some scholars believe Pilate was governing on something of a “last-chance agreement.” His apparent concern for the mob’s demands might have been out of a desire to avoid another riot, which might lead to the loss of his position. In this way, Pilate—like the Sanhedrin—is putting his own interests above those of truth and innocence (John 11:48).
Whatever insurrection Barabbas was a part of, it is just one in a long line that Pilate has endured, and possibly one of many he brought on himself. Pilate has a great deal of experience in knowing where trouble will come from. As such, he knows Jesus isn’t one of those places.
Verse 8. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them.
The chief priests, elders, and scribes of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, have riled up a crowd. This mob is assembled to push Pilate to crucify Jesus. The crowd also demands Pilate follow the tradition of releasing one prisoner at the Passover.
This tradition is not widely corroborated. The Jewish Mishnah mentions that if someone is promised to be released from prison, others may prepare their portion of the Passover lamb. Another document records the governor of Egypt releasing a prisoner by request of the crowd instead of scourging him.
However, the act is corroborated in Roman law. Roman magistrates can endorse an abolition, which frees a defendant, or an indulgentia, which pardons a convicted criminal, if a crowd demands it. Even if the evidence is overwhelmingly against the defendant or the prisoner was proven guilty, if a crowd demands their release, they can be freed so long as the charge is not high treason.
The practice is consistent with the history of Passover. The first-borns of the Egyptians were killed while the Jews were spared (Exodus 12:1–32). To release a prisoner may be a Roman custom, but it is mirrored in Jewish history.
This little detail is even more poignant for us. Pilate gives the mob a choice between Jesus, an itinerant teacher who heals and feeds people, and Barabbas, an insurrectionist and murderer. Entirely separate from what’s happening with Jesus and Pilate, Barabbas is already convicted and was likely set to be crucified this day. Instead, the people demand Jesus be executed. Jesus literally takes the physical punishment meant for a murderer. While doing so, He takes the spiritual punishment we deserve.
It’s easy for modern readers, especially believers, to condemn Jerusalem’s leadership for accusing Jesus, to berate the disciples for fleeing, and to criticize Pilate for not having the backbone to do what is right. But we have an ugly role in this story, as well: we are Barabbas.
Verse 9. And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?”
The Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, charges that Jesus claims to be “King of the Jews,” and Pilate repeats the title as if he believes it is true (Mark 15:12; John 19:14–15). Accusing Jesus of treason is a safe bet, as Galileans have rebelled before. But both Pilate (Luke 23:14) and Herod Antipas (Luke 23:15), the tetrarch of Galilee, have interviewed Jesus. Despite the shouts of the crowd during the triumphal entry (Mark 11:9–10), neither Pilate nor Herod Antipas believe Jesus is planning to try to challenge Caesar in Judea.
By repeatedly calling Jesus “King of the Jews,” Pilate is goading the crowd. Doing so tricks the Sanhedrin and the mob to admit Jesus is not a real threat. At first, the Jews don’t respond to the title, but eventually the chief priests cry out, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). Pilate knows their issue is envy (Mark 15:10), not loyalty to the Roman government. And the shouts of the crowd prove Jesus wouldn’t get the backing of this particular crowd even if He wanted it.
Pilate probably doesn’t know that Jesus’ death has been decades in the making (Matthew 2:1–18). Not long after His birth, magi from the east approached Herod Antipas’ father, Herod the Great, and told him the Messiah, the King of the Jews, had been born in Bethlehem. Herod’s response was to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem. But he didn’t move fast enough, and Joseph was able to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. It’s unknown if Herod Antipas realizes he has a role in completing his father’s mission.
Jesus has faced death before with the confidence it was not yet His time. When a fierce storm threatened to capsize His boat, He slept (Mark 4:35–41). When a mob in Nazareth tried to throw Him off a cliff, He calmly walked through them (Luke 4:28–30). When the Jewish leadership tried to stone Him for blasphemy, Jesus hid in the temple and slipped away (John 8:48–59). Now it is time, and Herod the Great’s goal to kill the King of the Jews will finally succeed, as Jesus once again stands calmly.
Verse 10. For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.
The Jewish ruling council, called the Sanhedrin, is composed of several different groups. The chief priests are high-ranking priests with a great deal of influence. Elders are influential businessmen from Jerusalem. Scribes are lawyers: experts in the Mosaic law. A scribe can be from any Jewish religious sect, but most in the Sanhedrin are from the Sadducees who take a conservative view of the Mosaic law and welcome the peace and prosperity the Roman occupation brings. A minority of the scribes are Pharisees: those who rely more heavily on the extra-biblical oral law. The Pharisees have had run-ins with Jesus since the beginning of His ministry (Mark 2:6–7; 3:6).
Jesus has come up against all these groups during His three-year ministry. In fact, He’s clashed with them all in the last week (Mark 11:15—12:40). Shortly after He entered Jerusalem, Jesus tore down the tables of the money-changers and pigeon merchants clogging the courtyard where Gentiles were allowed to worship God. Some scholars think these markets were owned by the elders spoken of here. When the chief priests challenged Jesus’ authority, He showed their hypocrisy by trying to get them to publicly declare if John the Baptist was a prophet or not. If they admitted he was, they would have to admit Jesus is the Messiah, but if they said he wasn’t, they risked the crowd’s wrath, so they declined to answer. When the Sadducees, who supposedly followed the Mosaic Law faithfully, asked Jesus to prove the resurrection, He did so by quoting God, Himself, Who is God of the living and not the dead.
Jesus saved His greatest condemnation for the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1–36). Throughout His ministry He has condemned their love of manmade traditions over the law of God, most notably in Mark 7:1–23. In the temple courtyard, He spoke against their legalism, their hypocrisy, and their misguided priorities. Their traditions and arrogance are not only of the same evil that killed God’s prophets in the past, they lead their followers to hell.
All the members of the Sanhedrin have reason to envy Jesus. Especially aggravating is the number of Jews that consider Him a great teacher. The chief priests may have more reason than any others. Their ceremonies and positions are so polluted by politics, fear of losing power, and pride that few remember how to honestly worship and serve God. Jesus, an unemployed, homeless traveler not only has authority the priests could never attain, He has God’s love and approval. Although the religious leaders have all the background information they need, they refuse to accept He is the Messiah.
Verse 11. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.
The chief priests are trying to get the Roman government to execute Jesus. The Jewish leaders have tried to kill Him on their own but failed (John 7:32; 8:59; 10:31–33). This is not an ideal time to attack a popular man (Mark 14:1–2). Jerusalem is bursting at the seams with Jews who have come for the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Many of these travelers are from Galilee, where Jesus is from and where He has a strong following.
The chief priests and other members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, have justified their murderous intent to themselves by convicting Jesus of blasphemy against God (Mark 14:61–64). But they need a reason that will resonate with the Roman governor, Pilate. They’re apparently unaware that far from seeing it as blasphemous, Pilate fears that Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God might have some element of truth, making him even more reluctant to execute Jesus (John 19:6–8).
To convince Pilate that Jesus is a threat to Rome, they claim Jesus is planning an insurrection (Luke 23:2). When both Pilate and Herod Antipas—the tetrarch of Galilee—are skeptical of that accusation (Luke 23:14–15), the chief priests resort to the same thing they accuse Jesus of: they threaten a riot.
Barabbas is described as an insurrectionist and a murderer (Luke 23:19). Ironically, such qualities better represent who the Jews expect the Messiah to be. They look for a warrior-king to lead the people into battle against the Roman oppressors. They don’t expect a poor teacher who intends to let Himself be killed for the sins of the world. Barabbas has proven he can fight. Jesus just made fish and bread feed a multitude. That’s no longer enough (John 6:11–15, 26). The Jews think that they have chosen to let Barabbas live instead of Jesus. They don’t understand Jesus has chosen to die for Barabbas.
We don’t know who this crowd is comprised of. It is morning of Passover. The Galileans ate the night before, and the Judeans should be preparing to sacrifice their lambs that afternoon. The people who declared Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was the return of the Kingdom of David were likely a small portion of the travelers from Galilee, Decapolis, and Perea; they most likely weren’t residents of Judea. It’s very possible that this crowd, one the chief priests have riled up, knew relatively little about Jesus or His ministry.
Verse 12. And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?”
Pontius Pilate is often criticized for being an inept governor and a moral coward. However, he’s not someone to be dismissed as a fool, or lacking intellect. The sarcasm and artistry of his words here are exquisite. By repeatedly using the term “King of the Jews” (Marks 15:9), Pilate is deliberately sneering at the people of Israel, mocking them by holding up someone like Jesus as their king. Jesus is a fatherless (Mark 6:3) itinerant teacher from Nazareth, from where nothing good comes (John 1:46).
But the powerful of Jerusalem are so jealous they try to get Jesus killed by claiming He is committing treason against Caesar. The most recent kings of the Jews have been from the line of Herod the Great. Herod was ethnically a descendent of Esau—then called the Idumeans (Mark 3:8)—and only vaguely Jewish in his religion. Herod trained his children in the ways of protecting one’s authority through ruthless violence and crafty machinations. His legacy is reflected more in the Jewish leadership than in the humble man they accuse of trying to steal the crown.
It is custom during the Passover to release a prisoner, either a defendant or one who has been convicted. Roman law allows a governor or other magistrate to free someone upon the will of a large crowd. The chief priests have condemned Jesus according to the Mosaic law, and now they whip the crowd into demanding the release of Barabbas, a murdering insurrectionist.
We don’t know who comprises this crowd. Scholars suggest it is filled with followers, or at least fans, of Barabbas. Those emphasizing the fickleness of human nature insist it is the exact same people who rejoiced over the return of David’s kingdom during the triumphal entry (Mark 11:7–10), and who enjoyed watching Jesus defeat the logic of scribes, priests, and elders on the temple Mount (Mark 12:37). That kind of dramatic, immediate turn-around is not necessary to explain this scene, however. Considering the tens of thousands who have come to Jerusalem for Passover, it would be easy to find a mob that knows very little about Jesus. Even so, the desire to favor an insurrectionist over a peace-maker is a well-documented characteristic of human nature.
Verse 13. And they cried out again, “Crucify him.”
The various factions within the Jewish ruling council all want Jesus dead. The council has brought Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor over Judea, and claimed that He is gathering followers to revolt against Rome’s rule. They know it’s not true. Pilate knows it’s not true. The tetrarch of Galilee, Herod Antipas, knows it’s not true. But Jesus won’t defend Himself.
In a beautiful display of irony, the chief priests do what they accuse Jesus of. They gather people together and convince them to threaten to riot. Pilate has used a heavy hand to quash rebellions in the past, and he needs to walk a fine line. History suggests his governorship, prior to this moment, was criticized by higher Roman leaders for being too reactionary. Some even think Pilate, during this time, is acting on something of a “last-chance agreement.” Another outbreak of bloodshed could mean losing his title. So, Pilate needs to maintain control, but not use too much violence. He doesn’t want to crucify Jesus, but the crowd is getting louder.
Crucifixion is a very particular punishment with strong significance for both the Romans and the Jews. It is specifically designed to be equal parts agonizing and humiliating. The English word used to describe something unbearably painful is excruciating—literally meaning “from the cross.” Victims typically die slowly of asphyxiation—struggling to breathe by pulling up on their impaled limbs—while hanging naked near a public road. For the Jews, it fulfills Deuteronomy 21:23: to hang from a “tree” is to be cursed by God.
The Jewish Sanhedrin wants Jesus dead. The Jews in Jerusalem cry, “Crucify him.” The Edomite/Nabatean/Samaritan tetrarch leaves the decision to Pilate (Luke 23:15). Pilate agrees to the execution (Mark 15:15) but refuses to take responsibility (Matthew 27:24). The Roman soldiers carry out the orders (Mark 15:24).
It’s important to note a clear teaching of the Bible with respect to this incident. Although all these parties bear their share of guilt, they are not in control of Jesus’ death. Jesus specifically told the disciples, “…I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:17–18). Pilate will practically beg Jesus to defend Himself, saying that he, Pilate, has authority to free Him. Jesus replies, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11).
Jesus doesn’t blame Pilate, saying, “Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin” (John 19:11). He doesn’t blame the mob crying out for His death, or His own executioners, telling God, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). For the act, He blames the religious leaders who should have accepted that He is their Messiah.
But even so, this crucifixion is the reason Jesus came to earth. He voluntarily stands before Pilate, ready to die for the sins of everyone there. That includes those who accuse Him, those who are apathetic, and those throughout history who accept His offer of forgiveness. If we believe God is sovereign, we must accept that when Jesus said, “the hour has come” (Mark 14:41), it was because He, not the people surrounding Him, was in control of those events.
Verse 14. And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.”
Pilate’s question is significant. Jesus has cowered the chief priests (Mark 11:27–33), threatened the elders’ financial interests (Mark 11:15–19), embarrassed the Sadducees (Mark 12:18–27), and shamed the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1–36). He even affirmed Caesar’s authority (Mark 12:13–17). Despite what the Jewish leaders claim, Jesus has not disrespected Caesar, planned a rebellion, or caused any political unrest. Even when Jews tried to make Him king, He slipped from their grasp (John 6:15).
The accusation that most condemns Jesus by the Mosaic law is the issue the Jews didn’t think Pilate would be interested in—but it’s actually the claim which scares Pilate the most. When Pilate sarcastically dares the Jews to crucify Jesus, themselves, they finally reveal their religious motivation: “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God” (John 19:7). To the monotheistic Jews, this is a clear case of blasphemy (Mark 14:61–64).
This presents another wrinkle to Pilate’s judgment. The polytheistic Romans believe the emperor is a god and gods come to earth and impregnate human women. So, as interpreted in Pilate’s Greco-Roman worldview, the “son of [a] god” claim is very possible, and it scares him (John 19:8). Upon Jesus’ death, the centurion affirms Pilate’s fear, saying, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39).
But more than the legal and logical conundrums, Pilate’s question is imperative for the legitimacy of the gospel. Jesus did nothing to deserve death, and that is why He is the perfect sacrifice for our own death-deserving sins.
Despite Pilate’s clear reluctance to crucify Jesus, he is not a “nice” man by any definition. After he used money dedicated to the temple to build aqueducts, a group of Jews peacefully confronted him, holding a kind of sit-in for a week. When he finally came to speak to them, he posted soldiers in the ranks of the Jews, their armor covered. At a signal, the soldiers drew clubs and knives and beat the protestors. Some died from the beatings while others were trampled. This is one of several times Pilate showed his cruelty to his subjects.
Some time after the sham trial of Jesus, Pilate will be removed from rule when he massacres a group of Samaritans. They had been tricked into thinking they were digging up sacred artifacts left by Moses. The gathering didn’t have anything to do with a rebellion, but Pilate sent his army to chase down the group and kill those they could catch.
Overly aggressive or not, Pilate is willing and able to confront the slightest challenge to his authority. He knows Jesus is no threat.
Verse 15. So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Scourging is an occasional precursor to crucifixion. The prisoner is tied to a post and flogged with a flagellum: a whip of separate, loose leather cords with pieces of bone or metal woven into the strands. The fragments can be rounded, so they beat the flesh, or hooked to tear it apart. The practice is so brutal that it’s possible for the victim to die of blood loss. The whipping Jesus endures here was likely an especially brutal one, however. Pilate would have had reasons to order Jesus to be given an unusually harsh treatment.
Pilate is well-aware that he is trapped in this ironic but explosive moment. The Jewish leaders have been trying to destroy Jesus for years. Their attempts to arrest Him or kill Him outside the attention of Rome have failed (John 7:32; 8:59; 10:31–33). They finally get their chance on the day of the Passover, when the population of Jerusalem is swollen with Jews from Galilee, Perea, and all of Judea. The Sanhedrin has convicted Jesus of blasphemy against God (Mark 14:61–64), but they can’t be responsible for His death with so many witnesses about (Mark 14:1–2). So they claim He is planning an insurrection against Rome (Luke 23:2) and tell the governor, Pilate, that it is his responsibility to execute their rival.
Pilate is not a kind, understanding man. He is ruthless in his governance of what he sees as a backwards, stubborn people of Judea. He has crucified many who dared rebel against him. But despite Jesus’ following and the cries welcoming the return of the kingdom of David (Mark 11:9–10), he sees no political threat in an itinerant teacher. Herod Antipas, the tetrarch over Jesus’ home district, agrees with Pilate’s judgment (Luke 23:14–15), and even Pilate’s wife has warned him to have nothing to do with Jesus (Matthew 27:19). As a polytheistic Roman, Pilate is also concerned about the possibility that Jesus might have connection to some god, after all (John 19:8).
The irony is that it is not Jesus’ followers who threaten peace in the over-crowded Jerusalem, it’s the Sanhedrin’s followers. Jesus isn’t helping, as He refuses to defend Himself (Mark 15:4–5; John 19:8–11). Pilate’s only hope is that if he mangles Jesus enough, perhaps the priests, elders, and scribes will be satisfied (Luke 23:22).
His last-ditch efforts to save Jesus fail, and he chooses to sacrifice an innocent man for the sake of his own security, and a momentary peace.
Verse 16. And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor ‘s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion.
Jesus has faced trials with the Sanhedrin (Mark 14:53–65), Pilate (Luke 23:1–5), and Herod Antipas (Luke 23:6–16). Now, He is with Pilate again. Despite Pilate’s violent reputation, the Roman governor sees no reason Jesus should die and is doing what he can to show the Jewish leaders this. Pilate allows—or more likely, specifically orders—a battalion of Roman guards to humiliate and torture Jesus. Pilate hopes the display will convince the chief priests, elders, and scribes that Jesus is not a threat to their authority over the Jews (Luke 23:22).
The “governor’s headquarters” is the Praetorium; this isn’t the name of a specific place but of wherever the governor chooses to make his temporary headquarters. Governors over the region reside in Caesarea Maritima, on the coast of the Mediterranean, much closer to Nazareth than Jerusalem. It is tradition that when visiting Jerusalem, governors stay in Herod the Great’s old palace. Scholars debate whether Jesus’ trial before Pilate takes place here or in the Fortress Antonia, the guard station on the northwest corner of the temple mount. Evidence suggests they are at the palace of Herod the Great, where he tried to convince the magi to tell him where the baby Jesus lay so he could kill Him (Matthew 2:1–12).
A battalion is a unit of about six hundred soldiers. Unlike Herod Antipas, who is a tetrarch, and Herod the Great, who was a king, Pilate is an equestrian—something like an ancient Roman knight, a lower rank that is tasked with keeping order. As such, Pilate does not command a large army, but makes do with what he has. These soldiers are not ignorant of Pilate’s ways. He uses them to squelch protests with clubs and knives. Before the decade is out, he will call on them to run down and kill a group of Samaritans who are deceived into thinking they are going to discover ancient artifacts long-ago buried by Moses. Pilate doesn’t think Jesus is King of the Jews, but if He were, scourging, spitting, and placing a thorn of crowns on His head is the exact sort of treatment Pilate would expect his guards to dole out.
Context Summary
Mark 15:16–20 is typical of biblical narratives, which often give a short synopsis and then flesh out the details. Mark 15:16–20 may describe the scourging Jesus receives in Mark 15:15, or it may be a second beating after the official death sentence is given. Although victims are traditionally scourged before a crucifixion, Pilate also hopes that torturing Jesus will appease the Sanhedrin (Luke 23:16, 22; John 19:1). But the Jewish leadership will settle for nothing less than Jesus crucified. Matthew 27:26–31 parallels Mark’s account while John 19:1–16 gives more detail.
Verse 17. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him.
It appears that the soldiers are dressing Jesus as a prince but with shoddy duplicates. We don’t know what kind of thorn bush makes the crown, but it may mimic the leafy wreath given to a minor landowner. While John says the soldiers use a “purple robe” (John 19:2), and Mark says a “purple cloak,” Matthew says a “scarlet robe” (Matthew 27:28). Part of this is the subjective nature of describing colors—the color “orange,” for instance, was considered “reddish yellow” until the fruit became known. It may be that the soldiers use what they have lying around to substitute for the royal purple robe of a prince.
The Gospel writers concentrate on different aspects of Jesus’ life and ministry. Luke explains that Pilate has Jesus beaten and tortured in hopes the pain and humiliation will appease the Sanhedrin and convince them to release Jesus (Luke 23:22). John explains that after the solders put the crown of thorns and the robe on Jesus, Pilate leads Him out to the crowd (John 19:4–5). Surely, Pilate hopes, the Jewish leaders will agree that a public display of powerless humiliation is enough.
But Pilate is no hero in this story. History describes him as ruthless, vicious, and violent against the guilty and the innocent. In this battle between Jesus and the Sanhedrin, he wins either way. If he kills Jesus, he will placate the people who threaten to riot. If Jesus defends Himself and Pilate finds Him innocent, Pilate can charge the members of the Sanhedrin with calumny—false charges—and give them the same punishment they demand for Jesus. Pilate can crucify the chief priests, elders, and scribes.
This instinct to use violence and power is the exact opposite of what Jesus taught the disciples godly authority looks like. After James and John ask Jesus to give them positions of influence in His kingdom, Jesus tells the disciples they must not exercise authority over their charges like the Gentiles do (Mark 10:42–44). The first must be as a servant, a slave to those he is responsible for. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Verse 18. And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Romans of this era neither understand nor respect Jews. The Greco-Roman religion includes a pantheon of gods from which to choose. Cities, households, and individuals can decide for themselves whom to worship. And the sitting emperor is considered a god-in-training who will reach full deity upon his death.
Jews, in contrast, had long ago given up their Baal worship and Asherah poles. Since their return from captivity in Babylon, they’ve worked hard to worship God and God alone. The Romans think the Jews’ devotion to a single, invisible God may as well be atheism. Not only is it disrespectful to the emperor, it’s backwards and unsophisticated in their eyes.
At this time, the Jews are scattered all over the Roman Empire, but live mainly in Judea, Galilee, and Perea. Pilate is prelate over Judea, the area around Jerusalem. Herod Antipas is tetrarch over Galilee, north of Samaria, and Perea, east of Judea. Despite Herod Antipas’ assumed title, the Jews have no king. They haven’t had one since Herod the Great who died a few years after Jesus was born (Matthew 2:19). There won’t be another king over Jewish territories until AD 41 when Caesar consolidates Herod the Great’s territories under Herod’s grandson Agrippa I.
Much of what happens to Jesus is as much about mocking the Jews as it is punishing Jesus. The guards crown Jesus with thorns and hail Him as “King.” Pilate presents Jesus to the Jews as king (John 19:14) and writes “King of the Jews” on a sign above His head on the cross (Mark 15:26). The sacrificial, loving leadership that Jesus is displaying is so foreign to the Romans that they don’t see the power in it (Mark 10:42–45). Neither do the Jews. They insist to Pilate, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15).
Verse 19. And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him.
The irony of this moment is horrifying. The guards think Jesus is an itinerant teacher from a backwards people who has the misfortune of becoming their plaything. Paul will have a very different interpretation (Philippians 2:4–11). Jesus is not a victim; He is humbling Himself and His will to His Father-God. In part because of Jesus’ submission to the guards’ blows and His agreement to go to the cross, God will exalt Him above the world, “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10–11). For many of the soldiers, the next time they kneel before Jesus will probably be on their way to hell (Revelation 20:11–15), though some might later be convinced (Mark 15:39).
We may not beat people with reeds or spit on them, but those of us reading this passage today are not entirely unlike these soldiers. When presented with evidence that someone else is evil or foolish, we are often quick to join in the ridicule: especially on social media. Generally speaking, we rarely take the time to check sources and uncover the truth. The chief priests and scribes know the Jewish Scriptures and their rejection of Jesus has no excuse. Their “fake news” about Jesus spreads quickly to the integrity-challenged crowd. It empowers the soldiers who happily indulge their less-honorable urges on a man they know nothing about.
Proverbs 18:17 says, “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” Granted, Jesus refuses to defend Himself; He deliberately neglects to present His side of the case. But the Sanhedrin’s claims are so specious and full of holes, even Pilate knows they’re lying (Mark 15:10). It may be standard operating procedure to flog a prisoner, even before crucifying him, but the mocking the soldiers inflict on Jesus reflects their own character. We should be careful not to follow their example.
Verse 20. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.
Pilate had tried to free Jesus, or at least get out of killing Him (John 19:1–16). He presents Jesus to the roaring crowd, beaten, bloodied, brutally scourged, and wearing a crown of thorns and a mocking royal robe. The Jewish leaders won’t budge from their plan to see Jesus crucified, which confuses Pilate. But what scares Pilate is their reasoning: “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God” (John 19:7). What the monotheistic Jews hear as blasphemy, the polytheistic Roman Pilate hears as a frightening possibility. What if this man is telling the truth?
So Pilate speaks to Jesus one more time, begging Him to defend Himself (John 19:8–11). Jesus asserts that neither the Jews nor Pilate are in control of the situation; God is. Jesus also slightly absolves Pilate of the crime, saying that God has placed him in this untenable position and the true criminals are the Sanhedrin members who charged Jesus in the first place.
Burdened with Jesus’ refusal to defend Himself, Pilate appeals to the crowd a final time (John 19:12–15). The Jewish leadership pulls out their trump card, insisting that releasing Jesus would be a crime against Caesar. History suggests that Pilate’s tenure as governor here was not well-liked by his Roman superiors. The only worse outcome than a Jewish rebellion against Caesar and Pilate would be a Jewish rebellion against Pilate in the name of Caesar. This threat hits Pilate where he is most vulnerable, so he lets Jesus be crucified.
Verse 21. And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.
John 19:17 says that Jesus carries His own cross. Despite popular depictions, Romans typically left the vertical part of crosses fixed to the ground, since it would have been overly difficult to take them up and down. The railroad-tie-sized horizontal beam was often carried separately to the site, by the prisoner themselves. The traditional interpretation is that Jesus starts carrying the cross-beam His hands will be nailed to, but the beatings have so weakened Him He cannot continue.
There is conflicting information as to where Jesus starts out; it may be the Palace of Herod, or the Fortress Antonia on the northwest corner of the temple mount. Neither do we know exactly where Golgotha is, other than outside the old city walls of Jerusalem, possibly on the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The church is about 2,000 feet, or 600 meters, west and a little bit south of Fortress Antonia.
“Compelled” is from the Greek root word aggareuo. It is the same word used in Matthew 5:41: “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” A Roman soldier has the authority to press a bystander into service for one mile. As Simon is coming into Jerusalem, he’s forced to turn back and carry the cross-bar outside the city walls.
Cyrene is a Greek colony in modern-day Libya. It’s entirely possible that Simon is a dark-skinned man of African descent, but Cyrene is also home to a large Jewish community and “Simon” is a Jewish name. Mark does not often give names of those Jesus associates with fleetingly. It’s likely his readers have knowledge of at least Alexander and Rufus, if not Simon, himself. It’s possible Rufus is the same Rufus mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:13.
Context Summary
Mark 15:21–32 describes the crucifixion of Jesus. The Romans refined crucifixion to be the most painful and humiliating death imaginable. Victims were usually stripped naked, then tied or nailed to a cross. Executioners were adept at driving nails between bones and arteries, but directly through nerves, extending the victim’s agony. Hanging in this position, the condemned could only breathe if they lifted their weight on impaled feet or wrists. Exhaustion would soon lead to suffocation—typically taking a victim two or three days to die. Bodies were usually left to rot in public unless a family member was given special permission to remove them. More painful for Jesus, however, is the total separation from His heavenly Father. Still, though He suffers alone, He suffers with hope (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus’ crucifixion is also detailed in Matthew 27:32–44, Luke 23:26–43, and John 19:16–27.
Verse 22. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull).
Golgotha is the crucifixion site outside the old walls of Jerusalem. This name originally comes from an Aramaic word. Although “skull” is from the Greek root word kranion, the Latin translation is calvaria, from which we get the term “Calvary.” The route from the Praetorium to Golgotha is less than half a mile, but the guards beat Jesus so severely (Mark 15:15–19) He cannot carry the 100-pound—45 kilogram—horizontal crossbeam that distance. The guards use their right as Roman soldiers to compel Simon of Cyrene to carry Jesus’ cross. The location of Golgotha is not certain, but tradition says it is where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre now sits, outside Jerusalem’s west wall.
Jesus is not the first king to be driven out of Jerusalem. Late in King David’s reign, his son Absalom gathers an army and marches toward the city. David takes most of his household and flees. When the Levites follow with the ark of the covenant, David tells them to return it to the temple. He says, “If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place” (2 Samuel 15:25).
David’s situation is not parallel to Jesus’, but there are some similarities. They are devoted God-followers being forced out of Jerusalem by evil men. These wicked ones reject God’s chosen and convince others the king’s removal will be their gain. David flees so that war and death will not come to his people (2 Samuel 15:14). Jesus stumbles toward a sacrifice that will save His people from eternal death. David gathers his army and retakes Jerusalem and his throne (2 Samuel 18). Jesus will return to Israel with a great army, defeat His enemy (Revelation 19:11—20:3), and reign from Jerusalem for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4–6).
As David is accompanied by his household when he flees Jerusalem (2 Samuel 15:15, 18), Jesus is followed by a crowd on the way to the cross (Luke 23:27–31). Included in the crowd is a group of women whose behavior suggests they may be professional mourners. Although Jesus’ mother and female followers are there (John 19:25; Mark 15:40), women from Jerusalem traditionally comforted crucifixion victims with wine mixed with myrrh (Mark 15:23). Jesus’ words to them are strident, also giving the impression they are not His followers.
Jesus tells the women His crucifixion does not cause them any real hardship. Soon, however, something will happen to make life so difficult they’ll be jealous of those who have no children to witness it. This punishment by the Roman government is mild because the threat of true dissent is like green wood: it will not catch fire easily. In the future, when the wood is “dry” and the times are ripe for revolution, the Roman’s response will be equally intensified. This is probably a double-prophecy, encompassing the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70 and the coming tribulation.
Verse 23. And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.
During the Passover dinner, as Jesus established the first Lord’s Supper, He told the disciples, “I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God” (Mark 14:25). In Jesus’ day, people are not allowed to openly publicly mourn for a crucifixion victim. Jewish women find a way around this. Tradition states that the women offer crucifixion victims wine mixed with myrrh in the spirit of Proverbs 31:6–7: “Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.” Myrrh is a weak narcotic, and the women mean to dull the pain a little, but the pain relief can also lengthen the life of the victim.
Jesus has two reasons to reject the offering. He has already established that He will not drink wine until He can drink it in celebration of the fruition of His sacrifice, when the church joins with Him in heaven (Matthew 26:29). The second reason Jesus rejects the drink is that He is not there to be comfortable. He is there to feel the weight of pain and humiliation that sin stains humanity with.
Proverbs 31:1–9 is a short dissertation given by a king’s mother to her son, possibly Solomon. As a king, the son has responsibilities that require more discipline than normal men. He must not be distracted from sound judgment by indulging in many women. He must enforce justice for the disadvantaged. And he must not dull his wits with alcohol. Before her possibly tongue-in-cheek order to give the perishing wine to ease their distress, she says,
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Proverbs 31:4–5
Jesus is not a helpless victim who needs to find chemical solace in His condition. He is the King who must now soberly rule, even if His throne is temporarily a cross.
Verse 24. And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.
In Psalm 22:16–18, David describes his bad circumstances in prophetic terms:
For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
“Dogs” is slang term in Jesus’ time for Gentiles. In David’s era it meant something worthy of contempt. In this moment, both descriptions fit the Roman soldiers. On the cross, of course, Jesus’ hands and feet are pierced with nails. His bones are likely exposed on His back and ribs because of the extreme scourging the soldiers gave Him (John 19:1). And here, the Roman soldiers indulge in their habit of dividing up their victim’s clothing.
After the guards had beat Jesus and removed the mocking purple cloak, they returned His clothing to Him (Mark 15:20). John explains that Jesus has five pieces of clothing (John 19:23–24). The guards, numbering four, split the first four pieces evenly. The last is a seamless, woven garment. Not wishing to tear it, the guards cast lots for it.
Modern artistic crucifixes often include a loincloth over Jesus for propriety’s sake. However, it was Roman practice for crucifixion victims to be hanged naked, to their public shame. The text supports this.
Verse 25. And it was the third hour when they crucified him.
Crucifixion victims are typically ordered to carry the cross-bar to the crucifixion site. The vertical portion was usually permanently fixed to the ground to make the process faster and easier for the executioners. The horizontal portion of the cross was not a small plank of wood. Rather, it weighed around 100 pounds, or 45 kilograms, looking more like a railroad tie.
At the execution site, the cross bar is laid on the ground, and soldiers nail or tie the victim’s wrists to the bar. Psalm 22:16 and Isaiah 53:5 say Jesus is nailed. The bar is lifted and attached to the upright post. Often, the victim is not that high, nearly touching the ground. In this case, Jesus is at least high enough that the soldier must use a reed to offer Him vinegar (Mark 15:36). While some crucifixion crosses are “T”-shaped, Jesus at least has enough room above His head for the sign “The King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37).
The “third hour” is 9:00 a.m. Three hours later the sun will go dark, and three hours after that Jesus will die (Mark 15:33, 37). It is unusual for people to die so quickly on the cross. Although crucifixion is excruciatingly painful, it is not immediately lethal. Romans became adept at driving nails in between bones and veins, but directly through nerves. Victims would bleed, but not profusely. Hanging there in intense agony, those crucified would more likely die of exposure, infection, heart arrythmia, or a traumatic form of pneumonia. This could take days.
Probably the most common cause of death from crucifixion was asphyxiation. Hanging in the crucified position prevents normal breathing. When hanging loosely, the chest is distorted to the point that the victim can’t exchange the air in the lungs. The victim can only breathe if he still has energy to pull the arms in, bracing impaled feet and / or hands against the nails. Executioners could accelerate the process by breaking the victim’s legs. The unusually brutal treatment given by the Roman guards (John 19:1) traumatized Jesus’ body considerably. He couldn’t carry the cross-beam of the cross less than half a mile to the crucifixion site.
Jesus’ rapid death is partly explained by His ability to speak until very shortly before death (John 19:30) and the condition of His corpse. The blood and water that flow from Jesus’ side when the guard stabs Him with a spear (John 19:34) suggests Jesus died of some combination of fluid buildup in his chest, referred to as either a hemothorax or a pleural effusion, rather than direct asphyxiation. Such a death can happen relatively suddenly, as compared to suffocating.
In the original Greek, “crucify” is referred to as stauroo, which is the Greek root word for “stake” or “driving down stakes.” In Latin, however, “crucify” takes its origin from crux, or “cross.” From crux comes cruciare, to cause extreme anguish, and the English “excruciating.” It’s no exaggeration to say that the modern term for “the worst pain imaginable” is derived from this specific form of torture.
Marks’ description is dry and academic. Most likely, this is due to his audience, which was mostly Romans. That culture knew all too well what crucifixion entailed, and it was considered an unpleasant topic. Though we can imagine all the graphic details of His physical suffering, the nails and suffocation are not the primary causes of Jesus’ pain. Neither is the intense shame and humiliation. For the first time in existence, the Son is separated in some incomprehensible sense from the Father and the Holy Spirit. Through no sin of His own Jesus is abandoned. We don’t know when God turns from Jesus; possibly when Judas arrives in the garden of Gethsemane and Jesus says, “The hour has come” (Mark 14:41). Now, Jesus has six hours of extreme pain and even more excruciating separation. Then His work will be finished. He will be reunited with His Father, and His sheep will be saved.
Verse 26. And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.”
It is standard procedure for crucifixion victims to be paraded about with a sign announcing their convicted crime. Once they are secured to the cross, the placard is attached above them to dissuade bystanders from committing the same offense. The Jewish people are told in no uncertain terms what will happen if they attempt to rebel and anoint a king other than Caesar.
The Jewish leaders, the Sanhedrin, convict Jesus of claiming to be the Messiah and the Son of God, a crime worthy of death (Matthew 26:66). “Messiah” is from the Hebrew Mashiyach, presented as Christos in Greek, both meaning “anointed.” This means nothing to the Romans, but the rough translation is “King of the Jews.” If Jesus is “King” of the Jews, as the Romans would interpret it, the Sanhedrin members are committing treason against their own King and blasphemy against their God. If Jesus isn’t King of the Jews, He’s no threat to Pilate or Caesar.
The sign is Pilate’s political backhanded slap at the Jewish leaders (John 19:19–22). He has the sign written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek, and keeps the wording despite the protestations of the chief priests. It’s unclear if Pilate thinks Jesus really could have pushed back the Romans and established Himself as king, or if Pilate is disgusted by the teachers and enforcers of the Jewish law who demand the crucifixion of an innocent man. Undoubtedly, he recognizes that this gentle teacher who heals and tells His followers to obey the law and love others is a far better choice for Jewish king than the corrupt officials. The Jewish leaders and soldiers call Jesus “King of the Jews” to mock Him (Mark 15:18, 32). Pilate does it to mock the leaders.
Nevertheless, the sign over Jesus’ head (Matthew 27:37) is important. Despite the fact the Sanhedrin denies Jesus is King of the Jews or the Messiah (John 19:15), the legal charge designates Jesus is executed because He is King of the Jews. He dies because He is the Messiah.
Verse 27. And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.
“Robber” is from the Greek root word lestes. It refers to a plunderer or brigand. It is the same word John uses to describe Barabbas (John 18:40), although Barabbas is also described as an insurrectionist and murderer (Mark 15:7). Typically, the punishment for theft is repaying the victim many times the value of the stolen item. Crucifixion is only used if the theft occurs in a religious or royal building or if the thief kills someone in the execution of the theft. Scholars posit that these men are insurrectionists, possibly even Barabbas’ accomplices, though we have no hard evidence of this.
The scene is reminiscent of an earlier event (Mark 10:35–45). On the road to Jerusalem, before Jesus and the Twelve had reached Jericho, James and John (and their mother; Matthew 20:20) asked Jesus if the two brothers could sit at Jesus’ right and left when He established His kingdom. The disciples still thought this trip to Jerusalem might be the beginning of Jesus’ revolt against the Romans and the early steps to free the Jews. Thomas, for his part, thought it was just as likely that they’d all die (John 11:16).
Jesus asked the two disciples if they could share His fate and then admitted they would. He didn’t mean glory and authority, however. He meant rejection by the Jews and death in defense of God’s kingdom. Jesus then explained, again, that leadership in His kingdom means humbling oneself and serving others, even to the point of death. Jesus also told James and John that He did not have the authority to say who would be at His left and right.
Here on the cross, Jesus embodies the full expression of sacrificial service and the manifestation of the kingdom of God. James and John should be grateful two robbers have taken the places they requested: at the side of Jesus. The seats to the left and right of the ruler are typically for advisors. James and John can no more advise Jesus than these robbers. One of the robbers realizes this (Luke 23:39–43). He confesses he is powerless and only Jesus can save him. He has no right to advise or judge Jesus. In response, Jesus doesn’t offer him a position of authority, He promises him salvation.
James and John do eventually share aspects of Jesus’ fate. James is the first of the Twelve to be martyred, beheaded by command of Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:1–2). John will suffer greatly before he dies of old age. Their mother is watching Jesus die. She is Salome who stands at a distance with Jesus’ mother and Mary Magdalene (Mark 15:40). For now, they are all a safe distance away.
Verse 28. And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. KJV
Mark 15:28 does not appear in the most reliable translations but it is in the King James Version. Scholars suggest this was added as a footnote—a helpful commentary by some later scribe—that accidentally came to be copied into later manuscripts. It reads, “And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘He was numbered with the transgressors.’” This is a reference to Isaiah 53:12, the last verse that talks about the Suffering Servant.
Jesus often calls Himself the “son of man.” The phrase is taken from Daniel 7:13–14 which describes the Ancient of Days giving “one like a son of man” an everlasting dominion over all peoples and nations. The disciples eagerly accept Jesus’ identity as the son of man as well as their places in His future kingdom (Matthew 19:28; Mark 10:35–45).
But Jesus also describes Himself in terms that reflect Isaiah’s Suffering Servant. Mark 1:11 quotes from Isaiah 42:1. Mark 10:45 and 14:24 reflect Isaiah 52:11—53:12. Mark 9:12 refers to Isaiah 53:3. There are many other quotes and references from the Gospels and the letters in the New Testament.
The presence or absence of Mark 15:28 has no impact of whether the Bible is infallible. Only the original manuscripts of the Bible can be considered inspired. The copies that have come down to us over the last 2,000 years are extremely accurate, with only rare and documented inconsistencies, like this one. None of the inconsistencies have any bearing on theological truths. Mark 15:28 merely points out that this event is a fulfilment of an earlier prophecy. It doesn’t teach anything contrary to other Scripture, nor does it add anything new. When the King James Version was first translated, it used texts available at that time. Since then, earlier biblical texts have been found that do not include certain passages, such as Matthew 18:11 or Mark 16:9–20.
Verse 29. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
Crucifixions typically take place by a busy road to increase the victim’s humiliation and the warning it serves to on-lookers. “Derided” is from the Greek root word blasphemeo. Literally, it means to speak reproachfully or speak evil of. To blaspheme God is a crime punishable by death in the Mosaic law (Leviticus 24:10–16), and this is the crime the high priest accuses Jesus of (Mark 14:64). To wag one’s head is another display of derision (2 Kings 19:21; Job 16:4; Psalm 22:7; 109:25).
The story of this theoretical destroyed temple has finally come to fruition. At some point in Jesus’ ministry, when He was visiting the temple during a different Passover season, He took a whip and cleared out the venders and money-changers who clogged the Court of the Gentiles (John 2:13–22). This appears to be early on in Jesus’ ministry, long before His similar behavior a week prior to the crucifixion (Mark 11:15–19). When the Jewish leadership confronted Jesus, asking who gave Him the authority to clear the temple, He answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19).
The night before the crucifixion, as Jesus is on trial before the Sanhedrin, the accusers twist His words, claiming that He said, “I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands” (Mark 14:58). It is a crime under the Roman law, punishable by death, to destroy a religious building. The Sanhedrin could have accused Jesus of this threat to Pilate, but they can’t find reliable witnesses. Mark 15:29 demonstrates the religious leaders understood Jesus meant His body, not the literal temple. The disciples apparently don’t understand until after the resurrection in three days (John 2:21–22; Luke 24:45–46).
Verse 30. save yourself, and come down from the cross!”
To any other crucifixion victim, this would be a cruel taunt, something they could never do. To Jesus, it’s a legitimate temptation. But Jesus has dealt with the same temptation before.
During Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, Satan tempted Him to save Himself by making bread and manipulating the angels into taking care of Him (Matthew 4:1–7). Jesus rebuked both temptations with a combination of Scripture and reverence for God. Then, Satan offered to give Jesus dominion over the world without the cross (Matthew 4:8–11). During the guards’ torture, they dress Jesus as caricature of a vassal prince (Mark 15:17), the same position Satan offered Him. Had Jesus taken Satan’s offer, humanity would have been condemned forever.
Satan also used Jesus’ disciples to tempt Him. When Jesus first revealed He will be rejected and killed by the Jewish leadership, Peter had the audacity to deny Jesus’ words (Mark 8:31–33). Jesus called Peter’s words satanic. When Judas brought the guards to the garden of Gethsemane, and Peter drew his sword to strike a servant of the high priest, Jesus stopped the attack (Matthew 26:51–52). He told Peter, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that I must be so?” (Matthew 26:53–54).
It would have been the stuff of a Hollywood movie for Jesus to suddenly free Himself from His bonds and take vengeance on His accusers and abusers. But that is not why He came. He came to obediently hang on the cross (Philippians 2:8), to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), to lay down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). He does so voluntarily (John 10:18). His reason for coming to earth as a man is only a few hours from completion. He’s not going to stop now.
Verse 31. So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.
The irony of the priests’ and scribes’ words can’t be overstated. “Save” comes from the Greek root word sozo. Primarily, it means to keep safe from harm, disease, or death, but it also means to save from God’s judgment. Jesus is the only man on earth who should be safe from God’s judgment.
The chief priests and scribes should know this. Both groups claim to be experts of the Mosaic law and the Jewish Scriptures, what we call the Old Testament. They have all the information they need to recognize the coming of the Messiah, whom God promised to save Israel (John 5:39–40). Through either negligence, self-delusion, or extreme reluctance to surrender their worldly status, they refuse to accept Jesus is the Messiah. This is why Jesus tells Pilate, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin” (John 19:11).
Jesus came to earth specifically to be bear God’s judgment so that people like these chief priests and scribes can be safe. During Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, He bears the judgment of the sin of mankind. He is not on the cross because He cannot save Himself. He is there voluntarily, to save others. And Only when He is finished will He save Himself (John 10:17–18).
Verse 32. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.
The claim of the chief priests and the scribes is disingenuous. God works in human history in different ways. Whether faced with the direct contact He had with Adam and Eve, the specific Law He gave Moses, or the reality of Jesus sitting on a throne during the millennial kingdom, there will always be those who reject God’s authority and offer of grace. The scribes of Jerusalem saw the miracles of Jesus and accounted them acts of Satan (Mark 3:22). In three days, the priests will hear that Jesus is raised from the dead. For the next forty, they will hear that He is traveling around to encourage His followers (Acts 1:3). But instead of believing, they will persecute Jesus’ followers (Acts 4:1–3; 5:17–18, 40; 6:8–15; 7:54–60).
Mark cuts short the story of the two thieves, as does Matthew (Matthew 27:44). Scholars believe Luke got his information from Jesus’ mother Mary, who stands at the base of the cross, at least for a while (John 19:26–27). Luke records that although the two thieves start by harassing Jesus, one has a change of heart (Luke 23:39–43). He rebukes his associate, pointing out that while they deserve their fate, Jesus is innocent. Then, in a stunning act of faith, he says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Jesus responds, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
Verse 33. And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
The sixth hour is noon; the ninth hour is 3:00 p.m. Jesus has been on the cross since the third hour: 9:00 a.m. (Mark 15:25). At 3:00 p.m., Jesus will die. At that same time, on the other side of the city, the priests will slaughter the lambs for the Passover meals of the people who live in Judea.
In Amos 8:9–10, God speaks of a day of judgment when the “songs of the temple shall become wailings” (Amos 8:3):
“And on that day,” declares the LORD GOD, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day…”
Darkness was the ninth plague God put on the Egyptians (Exodus 10:21–29). The darkness enveloped Egypt for three days; here it lasts three hours. The final plague was the first Passover, the origin of the feast celebrated this very moment. As God took the firstborns of the Egyptians to secure the rescue of His people the Israelites, God now accepts the death of His own Firstborn as a “ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Context Summary
Mark 15:33–41 is a raw and stark account of Jesus’ death. Jesus feels separated from God and abandoned by His friends. The land is covered by darkness. The earth shakes and the tombs open (Matthew 27:52–53). Only too late does the centurion get a glimpse of what he and his men have done. Even the women who supported Jesus during His ministry have moved farther away. But when Jesus breaths His last, the temple veil tears, marking the possibility of our reconciliation with God. Jesus’ death is also recorded in Matthew 27:45–56, Luke 23:44–49, and John 19:28–37.
Verse 34. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Many question why Jesus displayed such anguish when anticipating the cross in the garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32–42). He told Peter, James, and John, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death” (Mark 14:34). He submissively pled with God to avoid what was about to happen. “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44).
Since that moment, He has been betrayed, arrested, abandoned, tortured, and nailed to a cross. Still, many wonder why He was so seemingly reluctant. He “only” suffered six hours on the cross. From the arrest until His death was less than a full day. And the moment He died, He was back in heaven (Luke 23:43).
Jesus the physical, earth-born man suffers in the courtyards and on the cross, but Jesus, God the Son, suffers far worse. For the first time ever, He feels separated from God the Father. Trying to articulate this in any meaningful way all-but-guarantees falling into accidental heresy. The exact nature of the Trinity, by definition, is beyond human understanding. But Scripture is clear that Jesus’ sacrificial execution on the cross involves something far, far greater and more spiritual than merely the death of the body. In some esoteric way, the Trinity, the reality of holy unity and love, is impacted. Jesus is suffering, but even worse, He is suffering alone.
The words Jesus speaks are found at the beginning of Psalm 22, another important prophecy about the Messiah. Rather than this being a shout of confusion, or uncertainty, what Jesus says here is a reminder of what is happening, and why.
Taken out of context, it appears Jesus is asking God for information, but Jesus knows exactly why God is forsaking Him. It is because the weight of the sin of the world has been placed on Jesus’ shoulders, and God cannot bear to see it or be in communion with He who bears it. It is still appropriate for Jesus to ask. The cry expresses His emotional turmoil as well as the moral unfairness of His situation. He isn’t sinful. But “for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Verse 35. And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.”
Jesus has just cited part of Psalm 22, another Old Testament reference to the suffering of the Messiah (Mark 15:34). In Matthew’s account, Jesus cries out, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (Matthew 27:46). “Eloi,” from Mark 15:34, is Aramaic while “Eli” is Hebrew. Lema sabachthani is Aramaic. Matthew wrote to Jews who would know Aramaic and Hebrew while Mark wrote to Gentiles who would be familiar with Aramaic but probably not Hebrew. The translations don’t affect the meaning of the text, but if Matthew is a more direct quote, it explains why the bystanders think Jesus is calling for Elijah.
In addition, the timing is right. Jewish tradition says that Elijah is present at the Passover meal. Legend says Elijah will come to rescue the righteous. And it makes sense if Jesus really is the Messiah; in Malachi 4:5, God promised, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.”
But, in the prophetic sense, Elijah already came: as John the Baptist. Before John was born, when an angel came to tell the priest Zechariah his wife would have a son, the angel paraphrased Malachi 4:6, saying John “will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:17). After the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–13), Jesus tells Peter, James, and John that Elijah had come and was killed. The disciples recognize Jesus is talking about John the Baptist. John the Baptist was not really Elijah, but his mission was similar and he fulfilled the prophecy.
In the future, during the tribulation, some scholars believe that the literal person Elijah will return as one of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:1–13). The two witnesses will prophecy for 1,260 days before they are assassinated. After their bodies lie on the street for three and a half days, they will rise again and go up to heaven. Immediately after, seven thousand people will die in an earthquake in Jerusalem. If Elijah does return, the people will not mention it so casually.
Verse 36. And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.”
It’s reasonable to think that someone who’d had nothing to eat or drink since the night before would be thirsty the next afternoon. Still, this is the only time Jesus specifically expresses discomfort on the cross (John 19:28). Doctors suggest that His thirst is one of the many indications He is suffering from hypovolemic shock, or blood loss.
It is not unusual for Roman soldiers to scourge their victims, but it appears they whipped Jesus with special vigor. Pilate may have hoped that by beating Jesus the Sanhedrin would be satisfied and Jesus wouldn’t have to be crucified. He was wrong (Luke 23:16–25). The guards used a whip of leather thongs braided with balls of lead and sharp pieces of bone to flay Jesus’ flesh. The Mosaic law limited corporal punishment to no more than forty lashes (Deuteronomy 25:3); the Romans are free to whip their victims until bones and bowels are revealed. Jesus’ inability to carry His heavy crossbeam supports the theory of blood loss (Mark 15:21), as well as His relatively short stay on the cross. Most crucifixion victims live for two or three days; Jesus lasts six hours (Mark 15:25, 34).
One of the signs of hypovolemic shock is extreme thirst. The body has lost more than twenty percent of its blood, and the kidneys stop functioning to preserve what body fluid is left. The heart beats faster, trying to move the decreased volume of blood. Fluid collects in the cavity around the heart and lungs. This fluid escapes when the guard pierces Jesus’ chest with a spear (John 19:34).
Most crucifixion victims die of asphyxiation. They can only breathe by holding their weight on the nails through their feet. Their body grows more and more fatigued until they cannot push themselves up anymore. At that point, they have no breath. When Jesus dies, He shouts (Mark 15:37), impossible for someone who cannot breathe, but very possible for someone who dies of the medical equivalent of a broken heart.
The “sour wine” offered here is probably a common, cheap beverage, made mostly of water and eggs, with a splash of wine vinegar to keep it from spoiling. Why the executioners would allow this, given that it would make Jesus survive longer, is unknown. It’s possible the soldiers are already beginning to question their role in this event (Mark 15:39).
Verse 37. And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.
The cry Mark is referring to may be just a wordless, guttural expression. Or, Jesus may be giving His benediction. John records Jesus saying: “It is finished,” (John 19:30). Luke quotes, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46). At last, after a morning of beatings and torture and six hours hanging on the cross, Jesus’ physical ordeal is over.
More importantly, He is once again reunited with His Father. The Trinity is impossible to fully comprehend. God is three Persons with one nature. Jesus the Son and God the Father are one (John 10:30). God the Father is in Jesus and Jesus is in God the Father. And yet, on the cross, Jesus felt separated from the Father. That’s hard to understand, and even harder for us to attempt to explain in human terms. The nature of the Trinity is beyond human thought, to begin with; all we can do is note the truths explained in God’s Word. According to this passage, when the Father puts the weight of the sins of the world onto Jesus, it impacts His connection with the Son. Jesus felt forsaken (Mark 15:34).
The centurion is moved by Jesus’ loud cry (Mark 15:39), and likely by the accompanying earthquake (Matthew 27:51, 54). Crucifixion victims usually take two or three days to slowly die of asphyxiation. They die quietly, unable to breathe. Jesus shouts. That exclamation, combined with the blood and water that escape from His chest when He is later pierced (John 19:34), suggests Jesus dies of profound trauma, a combination of severe blood loss and fluid pooling in His chest. He has literally spilt His blood for our sins as a perfect sacrifice.
Verse 38. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
“Torn” is from the Greek root word schizo. The only other time it is used in the book of Mark is right after Jesus’ baptism when the heavens tear open and the Spirit descends on Him like a dove (Mark 1:10). “And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’” (Mark 1:11).
The temple consists of a series of rooms, each more exclusive than the last. Inside the eastern doors is the Court of Women. Up several steps is the Court of Israel which surrounds the Court of the Priests and the temple proper. On the east of the Court of the Priests is the altar. Up more steps is a porch, and then the Holy Place. Inside the Holy Place is the lampstand, the table for the shewbread, and the incense altar.
On the west side of the Holy Place is a thick curtain guarding the Holy of Holies. Originally, this was the chamber of the ark of the covenant. The curtain had an image of cherubim woven into its blue, purple, and scarlet yarns (Exodus 26:31). Josephus says the veil in Herod’s temple is eighty feet high and tradition says it is four inches thick.
By this time, the ark of the covenant has been lost. The last time it is mentioned in Israel’s story is in 2 Chronicles 35:1–6 when King Josiah orders it returned to the temple. Only a few decades separate Josiah’s order from the exile into Babylon. We still don’t know what happened to the ark.
The veil, both symbolically and literally, separated the sinful people from the presence of God. Only the high priest could go through the veil to the ark and only once a year to atone for the sins of the Israelites (Leviticus 16:2–3; Hebrews 9:7). With the death of Jesus, the veil is no longer needed (Hebrews 10:19–20). The destruction of the veil destroys the purpose of the temple (John 2:19). In three days, Jesus will be resurrected, and the “new temple,” the church, will receive its foundation. Those who trust in Him for the forgiveness of their sins have no need of a priest to perform ceremonies and sacrifices. Jesus is our high priest (Hebrews 2:17; 4:14) and our sacrifice (1 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 10:12), and by His work we can approach God directly (Hebrews 4:14–16).
Verse 39. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Centurions rank much higher than common foot soldiers. This man is probably the senior officer at the crucifixion site, most likely the one responsible for supervising the event. Matthew adds that the centurion is also influenced by a sudden earthquake (Matthew 27:54) while Luke says the centurion “praised God, saying, ‘Certainly this man was innocent!’” (Luke 23:47). Some translations in Mark say the centurion noticed how Jesus’ last breath included the loud cry.
Medical experts note that Jesus’ cry at the end is not characteristic of someone who is dying of asphyxiation, which is the normal way crucifixion victims die. When the soldier later pierces Jesus’ side with a spear, blood and water come out (John 19:34), indicating Jesus died from some form of hemothorax or a pleural effusion, both of which can be brought on by hypovolemic shock, or blood loss. The centurion knows Pilate believes Jesus to be innocent. He then witnesses the three hours of darkness (Mark 15:33) and the earthquake upon His death. If not at this moment then shortly after, he likely will have heard of the veil in the temple ripping from the top down, and the bodies of the Christ-followers who had died coming back to life (Matthew 27:51–53).
Scholars debate what the centurion means by calling Jesus “the Son of God.” One possibility is that he can tell Jesus is accepting His fate as a servant of the deity He serves. Another is that he really does think Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Jewish God. In Roman culture, the emperor is considered the son of the gods, and the centurion may be saying Jesus is more divine than the emperor. Or, as a polytheistic Roman, he may believe Jesus is the literal son of one of the many gods. In whatever way the centurion means his statement, he echoes Pilate’s inadvertent validation of Jesus’ identity in the form of the sign on the cross. That Jesus is the King of the Jews and the Son of God is officially and spontaneously acknowledged by Gentiles, even if the meaning is not fully understood.
Verse 40. There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
Earlier, the women stood before the cross with John and Jesus’ mother (John 19:25–27). John mentions Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ mother, His mother’s sister, and the wife of Clopas—mother of James the younger and Joses. When Jesus sees His mother with John, Jesus charges John with making sure Mary is cared for. Judas is dead (Matthew 27:3–10) and the rest of the Twelve are scattered. There is no mention that Jesus’ brothers are anywhere near (Mark 3:20–21; John 7:5). As Jesus is the oldest son and Joseph is apparently deceased, He is responsible for Mary. John is there, he is fiercely faithful to Jesus, and he will live longer than any of the other disciples. John takes Jesus’ charge willingly, “and from that hour the disciple took her to his own home” (John 19:27).
Jesus’ mother is not mentioned here, as Jesus dies, and neither is it claimed that John is present. It’s possible John has already taken Mary and her sister away so they do not have to witness the cruel end.
Still, many women stand vigil. Salome is John’s own mother (Matthew 27:56). Mary Magdalene has followed Jesus for years, ever since Jesus cast seven demons from her (Luke 8:2). Mary, the mother of James and Joses, is identified as the wife of Clopas who is also known as Alphaeus (John 19:25; Luke 6:15).
Mary Magdalene and Mary the wife of Clopas will follow Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus to see where Jesus is buried (Mark 15:47; John 19:39). These two Marys, Salome, and Joanna will return after the Sabbath to prepare Jesus’ body for burial (Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10).
Jesus does not charge women to be apostles or pastors, but their role in His ministry is profound. The prophetess Anna is one of the first people to recognize He is the Messiah (Luke 2:36–38). Women brave male disapproval by anointing Jesus with expensive ointment and their own tears (Luke 7:37–39; John 12:1–8; Mark 14:3–9). Women provide for Him throughout His ministry (Luke 8:1–3). Women had a unique role in Jesus’ ministry, and today they have a unique role in the church. We need to be mindful that this role should be biblical and not determined by the culture of the world or the culture of religion.
Verse 41. When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.
“Minister” is from the Greek root word diakoneo. It means to serve another, to provide food and other necessities. Jesus’ ministry is unusual for the time in that He welcomes women. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna are among the many who travel with Him and support Him financially (Luke 8:1–3). When in Bethany, Jesus often spends time with Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38–42; John 11:1–16, 28–44; 12:1–8).
John is the only male disciple who witnesses the crucifixion, but many of the women stay. Jesus’ mother, her sister, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the wife of Clopas stood near Jesus earlier (John 19:25). Mary Magdalene, John’s mother Salome, and Mary the wife of Clopas are among the several who watch Him die (Mark 15:40). Mary Magdalene and Mary the wife of Clopas will follow to see where Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus bury Jesus (Mark 15:47; John 19:39). Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Clopas, Salome (Mark 16:1), and Joanna (Luke 24:10) will go to the tomb to prepare Jesus’ body more thoroughly than Joseph and Nicodemus had time to. And Mary Magdalene will be the first to speak with the resurrected Christ (John 20:11–18).
Jesus also respects and cares for women His Jewish disciples would just as soon ignore. When a woman with an issue of blood dares to touch His robe, He not only heals her, He honors her faith and calls her “Daughter” (Mark 5:25–34). A Syrophoenician woman braves social convention and ethnic prejudice by begging Jesus’ help to free her daughter from demons, and Jesus obliges (Mark 7:24–30). And a Samaritan woman, whom no respectable Jew would acknowledge, finds in Jesus a rabbi who will not only talk to her but accept her (John 4:1–45).
At least two women, Mary of Bethany (John 12:1–7) and another unnamed (Mark 14:3–9), anointed Jesus on the days the Jews anointed their Passover lambs. At this moment, the Passover lambs are being slaughtered for the meal that commemorates the Jews’ escape from bondage. It is a group of women who watch God’s Passover Lamb sacrifice Himself to free them from eternal slavery to sin and darkness (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Verse 42. And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
Twenty-four hours earlier, the disciples and Jesus were preparing for the Passover feast (Mark 14:12–21). Jesus had told them several times that the Jewish leadership would reject and kill Him (Mark 8:31; 9:30–32; 10:32–34), but at the Passover meal, they first learn that one of the Twelve would start the process by betraying Him.
Now Jesus is dead. Before, the disciples didn’t understand that Jesus really would die; now they don’t understand He will rise again in three days. Instead of keeping vigil (Mark 14:41), they have gone into hiding. Jerusalem has celebrated the Passover, both the Galileans who ate the night before and the Judeans who ate that afternoon. Everyone is headed home to prepare for the Sabbath the next day. Soon, the three bodies hanging from their crosses will have only Roman guards for company.
Scholars debate mightily as to which Sabbath this is referring to. If it is the regular sundown-Friday to sundown-Saturday Sabbath, then Jesus is in the tomb parts of three days but only two nights (Matthew 12:40). However, the day after Passover, the first day of the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread, is a holiday Sabbath during which no regular work is to be done (Leviticus 23:5–7). If there is any chance Jesus can have a proper burial, it must be done now.
Context Summary
Mark 15:42–47 occurs after Jesus has died, after six hours on the cross. His death is confirmed by a soldier who pierces His side with a spear, allowing blood and water to drain out onto the ground (John 19:33–34). Roman tradition would be to leave His body on the cross to be food for the birds, especially since He was technically crucified for treason. But Jewish law states leaving a hanged man overnight is a curse on the land (Deuteronomy 21:22–23), and a secret disciple has an unused tomb nearby. Jesus’ burial is also recorded in Matthew 27:57–61, Luke 23:50–56, and John 19:38–42.
Verse 43. Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
“Member of the council” means Joseph is a member of the Sanhedrin, though we don’t know if he is an elder or a scribe, a Pharisee or a Sadducee. Matthew mentions that He is rich (Matthew 27:57). Luke says that he is “a good and righteous man” who disagrees with the Sanhedrin’s effort to crucify Jesus (Luke 23:50–51). John points out that while Joseph does follow Jesus, he does so secretly in fear that other members of the Sanhedrin will find out (John 19:38). The location of Arimathea is uncertain but is thought to lie about twenty miles northwest of Jerusalem. We aren’t told why, if Joseph lives so far away, he owns a burial tomb just outside of Jerusalem (Matthew 27:59–60).
“Took courage” is from the Greek root word tolmao. It has somewhat contradictory definitions in that it can mean to be bold or to build up one’s courage. If the other members of the Sanhedrin find out what Joseph is doing, there’s no telling what will happen to him. In addition, Roman law encourages that the body of someone who is executed should be further humiliated by being left to the animals instead of properly buried. Pilate would be culturally justified to leave Jesus on the cross, although if a relative asks for the body, the governing authority usually agrees. Still, people who are executed for high treason are usually left to the elements, and Jesus’ charge is that He is King of the Jews in defiance of Caesar (Mark 15:26). Pilate would not release Jesus’ body if he truly believed Jesus was guilty of treason.
Joseph needs to work quickly. Not only because carrying and burying Jesus’ body is a work he cannot do during the coming Sabbath, but because of the nature of Jesus’ death. The Mosaic law states that hanging on a tree is a curse, and Jews extend that interpretation to including hanging on a cross. The man is already cursed, but if he is not buried that day, the entire land shares in his curse (Deuteronomy 21:22–23).
Verse 44. Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead.
Crucifixion typically kills by asphyxiation. Some victims are tied, others are nailed. Those nailed are impaled such that major blood vessels and bones are intact, but nerves are pierced. Early in the process, a strong victim can hold his weight up by pressing against the nails in his hands and feet. As he grows weaker, he droops, hanging from his hands. In that position, it is impossible to take a breath. As exhaustion, infection, dehydration, and blood loss set in, choking to death on one’s own fluids is inevitable. It typically takes two or three days for a crucifixion victim to tire enough that he cannot lift his weight to breathe. The executioners’ “merciful” alternative is to break the victims’ legs so they die more quickly.
John sets the scene with more detail (John 19:31–37). The soldiers could let the three linger, but twilight brings the Sabbath, when no work, including burying the dead, can be done. The Jewish leaders ask Pilate to allow the soldiers to break the legs of the thieves and Jesus. Pilate agrees, but when the soldiers approach Jesus, the expert killers realize He is already dead. To make sure—and to pacify others—one guard pierces His side with a spear. Blood and water drain out, indicating He has died from some combination of blood loss and fluid buildup around the heart and lungs.
This spearing also serves to punctuate the undeniable fact of Jesus’ death. This is not a small poke—it’s a killing stroke specifically meant to ensure, beyond doubt, that the victim is dead. A chest wound gushing blood and fluid means the soldier’s thrust likely penetrated through Jesus’ lungs and into His heart.
John makes an interesting statement about this act of the soldier. He says, “He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe” (John 19:35). Partially, John wants his readers to know that none of Jesus’ bones are broken, in accordance with the prophecy of Psalm 34:20, and that He is pierced, as Zechariah 12:10 foretold. But John is also strongly testifying against the claim that Jesus merely “swooned” or fell unconscious on the cross and did not die. There is no indication in Scripture that anyone in the first century thought Jesus did not actually die, but that theory is spread today. John asserts such a claim is absolutely false.
Verse 45. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph.
Usually, a crucifixion victim can only be claimed by a family member. Although Jesus’ brothers may be in Jerusalem for the Passover, they are not mentioned. It’s not unlikely they want nothing to do with these events (John 7:5; Mark 3:20–21). Mary stood by the cross earlier (John 19:25–27), but it appears John has taken her away as she is not named among the women who witness Jesus’ last breath (Mark 15:40). So Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin (Mark 15:43) and secret follower of Jesus (John 19:38), asks Pilate for Jesus’ body (Mark 15:42–43).
The day of Jesus’ death is especially inconvenient. John states that the next day will be a “high day” (John 19:31). The day after Passover is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened bread. The Law states, “On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days…” (Exodus 12:16). To honor the holiday-Sabbath, the Jewish leaders have asked Pilate to break the legs of the crucifixion victims so they can be buried before sundown (John 19:31) This would have accelerated the process of suffocation. Not only must the work of burial be completed before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, to leave a body hanging overnight is to invite a curse upon the land (Deuteronomy 21:22–23).
With Joseph is Nicodemus (John 19:39), the Pharisee who spoke to Jesus about being born again (John 3:1–8). He is also one of the few besides the disciples whom Jesus directly told He would be crucified for the salvation of those who believe in Jesus (John 3:14–15). Nicodemus brings seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes to prepare Jesus’ body for burial. After the Sabbath, the women who follow Jesus will try to supplement the herbs but find an empty tomb, instead (Mark 16:1–8).
Verse 46. And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
The cave where Joseph places Jesus is Joseph’s own (Matthew 27:60). Burial practices in the area require the body to lay in a tomb for a year until the flesh is gone from the bones. The bones are then placed in a permanent grave, often in a stone box or ossuary. Joseph carved the tomb out of the stone—more likely had workers do so—and it has never been used (John 19:41).
Mark mentions Joseph and the linen shroud. John adds that Nicodemus brings “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight” (John 19:39). John also says they bury Jesus in the “burial custom of the Jews” (John 19:40). This would include washing Jesus’ body before wrapping it in linen. There is a foolish conspiracy theory that states Mary Magdalene must be Jesus’ wife because she would not have otherwise gone to the tomb to properly prepare His body for burial. That is, she wouldn’t have washed it if this was not her husband. John, however, suggests that the men wash Jesus’ body before wrapping it. The women merely come to honor Jesus with more burial spices than those Nicodemus can quickly arrange.
For this night, the stone over the entry suffices to seal the tomb. The next morning, the chief priests and Pharisees will approach Pilate and ask for one more favor (Matthew 27:62–66). They remember that Jesus promised He would rise from the dead (John 2:19). Although they don’t believe it, they fear His disciples will steal His body and claim the empty tomb proves His resurrection. So the Jewish leaders ask Pilate to seal the stone and set guards over the tomb. The process of sealing would have involved wrapping a cord where the stone meets the rock face and covering the crack with wax. It would be impossible to get into the tomb without breaking the wax seal.
Of course, the disciples don’t open the tomb, but three days later, the stone is rolled away and Jesus is gone (Mark 16:1–4). The guards have failed (Matthew 28:1–15). The women who have come to complete the burial procedure are met with an earthquake and an angel which frighten the guards into blacking out. When the guards finally regain their wits, they report what they have seen to the chief priests. The chief priests confer with the elders and decide to bribe the soldiers into claiming they fell asleep and the disciples took Jesus’ body. Why Pilate apparently didn’t execute the soldiers for dereliction of duty is uncertain. Possibly, it’s because their lie also covered Pilate’s inability to keep a dead man buried.
Verse 47. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
Mary Magdalene and another Mary, the mother of James the less and Joses, were with several other women during the crucifixion. They follow Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (John 19:39) to see where they will place Jesus’ body. Although Nicodemus has brought seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes (John 19:39), the women intend to return and properly prepare Jesus for burial (Luke 23:56).
It is for this reason Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, Salome (Mark 16:1), and Joanna, with others, return to the tomb after the Sabbath (Luke 24:10). They wonder how they will roll away the stone, and are of course met with an empty tomb and an angel who explains that Jesus has risen from the dead (Mark 16:2–6). The angel tells them to report to the men. They do (Mark 16:6–7; Matthew 28:1–8), and Peter and John run to see the empty tomb (Luke 24:1–12; John 20:2–10). They leave again, but Mary Magdalene returns, distraught that Jesus’ body is gone (John 20:11–18). Jesus approaches her, so healed from His ordeal that she doesn’t recognize Him.
The first person Jesus will speak to is one of these women, an individual woman from whom Jesus had expelled seven demons (Luke 8:2). Now, however, she and a friend watch as Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:46) and Nicodemus (John 19:39) roll the stone on the grave of the one who was supposed to be king.
End of Chapter 15.
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