Mark15
New Living Translation
1Very early in the morning the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law—the entire high council—met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.
2Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
3Then the leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes,
4and Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer them? What about all these charges they are bringing against you?”
5But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.
6Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner—anyone the people requested.
7One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising.
8The crowd went to Pilate and asked him to release a prisoner as usual.
9“Would you like me to release to you this ‘King of the Jews’?” Pilate asked.
10(For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.)
11But at this point the leading priests stirred up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus.
12Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?”
13They shouted back, “Crucify him!”
14“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”
15So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.
16The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment.
17They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head.
18Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!”
19And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship.
20When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.
21A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)
22And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”).
23They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it.
24Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. They divided his clothes and threw dice to decide who would get each piece.
25It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.
26A sign announced the charge against him. It read, “The King of the Jews.”
27Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
28
29The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days.
30Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
31The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself!
32Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.
33At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.
34Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
35Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah.
36One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. “Wait!” he said. “Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down!”
37Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last.
38And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
39When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”
40Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome.
41They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem were also there.
42This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached,
43Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.)
44Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet.
45The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body.
46Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance.
47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Mark 15.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Christ before Pilate. (1–14). Christ led to be crucified. (15–21). The crucifixion. (22–32). The death of Christ. (33–41). His body buried. (42–47).
vv1-14
They bound Christ. It is good for us often to remember the bonds of the Lord Jesus, as bound with him who was bound for us. By delivering up the King, they, in effect, delivered up the kingdom of God, which was, therefore, as by their own consent, taken from them, and given to another nation. Christ gave Pilate a direct answer, but would not answer the witnesses, because the things they alleged were known to be false, even Pilate himself was convinced they were so. Pilate thought that he might appeal from the priests to the people, and that they would deliver Jesus out of the priests' hands. But they were more and more urged by the priests, and cried, Crucify him! Crucify him! Let us judge of persons and things by their merits, and the standard of God's word, and not by common report. The thought that no one ever was so shamefully treated, as the only perfectly wise, holy, and excellent Person that ever appeared on earth, leads the serious mind to strong views of man's wickedness and enmity to God. Let us more and more abhor the evil dispositions which marked the conduct of these persecutors.
vv15-21
Christ met death in its greatest terror. It was the death of the vilest malefactors. Thus the cross and the shame are put together. God having been dishonoured by the sin of man, Christ made satisfaction by submitting to the greatest disgrace human nature could be loaded with. It was a cursed death; thus it was branded by the Jewish law, De 21:23. The Roman soldiers mocked our Lord Jesus as a King; thus in the high priest's hall the servants had mocked him as a Prophet and Saviour. Shall a purple or scarlet robe be matter of pride to a Christian, which was matter of reproach and shame to Christ? He wore the crown of thorns which we deserved, that we might wear the crown of glory which he merited. We were by sin liable to everlasting shame and contempt; to deliver us, our Lord Jesus submitted to shame and contempt. He was led forth with the workers of iniquity, though he did no sin. The sufferings of the meek and holy Redeemer, are ever a source of instruction to the believer, of which, in his best hours, he cannot be weary. Did Jesus thus suffer, and shall I, a vile sinner, fret or repine? Shall I indulge anger, or utter reproaches and threats because of troubles and injuries?
vv22-32
The place where our Lord Jesus was crucified, was called the place of a scull; it was the common place of execution; for he was in all respects numbered with the transgressors. Whenever we look unto Christ crucified, we must remember what was written over his head; he is a King, and we must give up ourselves to be his subjects, as Israelites indeed. They crucified two thieves with him, and him in the midst; they thereby intended him great dishonour. But it was foretold that he should be numbered with the transgressors, because he was made sin for us. Even those who passed by railed at him. They told him to come down from the cross, and they would believe; but they did not believe, though he gave them a more convincing sign when he came up from the grave. With what earnestness will the man who firmly believes the truth, as made known by the sufferings of Christ, seek for salvation! With what gratitude will he receive the dawning hope of forgiveness and eternal life, as purchased for him by the sufferings and death of the Son of God! and with what godly sorrow will he mourn over the sins which crucified the Lord of glory!
Key Words
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
εὐθέως (euthéōs): directly, i.e. at once or soon
πρωΐ (prōḯ): at dawn; by implication, the day-break watch
ἀρχιερεύς (archiereús): the high-priest (literally, of the Jews, typically, Christ); by extension a chief priest
ποιέω (poiéō): to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
συμβούλιον (symboúlion): advisement; specially, a deliberative body, i.e. the provincial assessors or lay-court
μετά (metá): properly, denoting accompaniment; "amid" (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive association, or accusative succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between G575 (ἀπό) or G1537 (ἐκ) and G1519 (εἰς) or G4314 (πρός); less intimate than G1722 (ἐν) and less close than G4862 (σύν))
πρεσβύτερος (presbýteros): older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite Sanhedrist (also figuratively, member of the celestial council) or Christian "presbyter"
γραμματεύς (grammateús): scribe, town-clerk
ὅλος (hólos): "whole" or "all", i.e. complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb
Cross References
Mark 15Directly cited in verse 28: Christ was numbered with the transgressors.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Jesus quotes the opening verse of Psalm 22 in His cry of dereliction.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Prophetic description of Roman soldiers casting lots for His garments.
Supported by John Calvin
Prophesies Jesus' silence before His accusers and judges like a lamb.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prophetic parallel to the custom of offering gall and vinegar during suffering.
Supported by John Calvin
Describes the construction of the Temple veil, which was split at Christ's death.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Mentions Rufus, likely the son of Simon the Cyrenian who carried the cross.
Crucifixion was cursed under Jewish law; Christ became accursed to redeem us.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Prophesies onlookers wagging their heads and railing at Him in derision.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Explains theological meaning of rent veil: a new, living way to God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Refers to Christ's bold, good confession before Pontius Pilate.
Peter accuses the crowd of choosing a murderer over the Holy and Just One.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Synoptic parallel detail of darkness over the land during the same hours.
Prophesied Christ would be with a rich man in His death (Joseph of Arimathea).
Supported by Matthew Henry
Like Simeon, Joseph of Arimathea is characterized as one waiting for the kingdom.
Supported by Matthew Henry