Mark 15 NASB
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Jesus before Pilate
15 Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole [a]Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. 2 Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He *answered him, “It is as you say.” 3 The chief priests began to accuse Him [b]harshly. 4 Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!” 5 But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.
6 Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. 7 The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. 9 Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. 12 Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13 They shouted [c]back, “Crucify Him!” 14 But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” 15 Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.
Pilate knew Jesus did not deserve crucifixion but he gave in to the crowd’s demands. We are also easily persuaded by others and can give in to sin or even mocking the Bible, prayer etc. It is important to choose wisely who we listen to and who we are around. We need to be constantly keeping our hearts close to Jesus in order to guard our hearts from giving in to the world.
Galatians 1:10"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." To follow Christ means pleasing Him over pleasing men, even if it means you are unpopular or even hated.
If we’re in the right group it is possible to please the group and honor the Lord, at least hopefully, when we’re in the company of believers. But when it’s not possible, even sometimes in a group of believers, you’re right we have to please God over man. It reminded me of Aaron in Exodus, he had the opportunity to correct the people when they wanted to create an idol and worship it instead of the Lord, but rather than be the leader that the nation needed, he succumbed (fairly quickly apparently) to the pressure of the people. I pray that we’d be the leaders that people need as well.
Jesus Is Mocked
16 The soldiers took Him away into the [d]palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they *called together the whole Roman [e]cohort. 17 They *dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; 18 and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They kept beating His head with a [f]reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. 20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him.
To them it seemed so preposterous that He was a King, they laughed and joked about it. I wonder if any of them came to Christ later in life and realized Who He was? Or were any of them around when He died and heard the centurion say “This must have been a son of God”?
21 They *pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.
The Crucifixion
22 Then they *brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23 They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. 24 And they *crucified Him, and *divided up His garments among themselves, casting [g]lots for them to decide [h]what each man should take. 25 It was the [i]third hour [j]when they crucified Him. 26 The inscription of the charge against Him [k]read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
27 They *crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. 28 [[l]And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.” ] 29 Those passing by were [m]hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; [n]He cannot save Himself. 32 Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.
33 When the [o]sixth hour came, darkness [p]fell over the whole land until the [q]ninth hour. 34 At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.” 36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “[r]Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. 38 And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion, who was standing [s]right in front of Him, saw [t]the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was [u]the Son of God!”
40 There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of [v]James the [w]Less and Joses, and Salome. 41 When He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and [x]minister to Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.
Jesus Is Buried
42 When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. 45 And ascertaining this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid.
I just thought it was interesting that a prominent member of the counsel did something so humbling. Of course it would be an honor to bury Jesus but it would also be hard work to get Him down from the cross, wrap Him in a cloth and take Him to the tomb. It would be a physically awkward, and gross situation if you think of how heavy a person is and how much blood and sweat and dirt would be on His body. Also, probably a lot of people would know what Joseph did and would look down on him for it. Joseph chose to honor Jesus even though it would only hurt his reputation. Would I do the same?
I’ve often thought that it must’ve been so scary for him to go to Pilate, the one who had pronounced the death sentence, and ask for Jesus’ body. Doing so, as well as taking Jesus’ body from the cross, would have publicly identified him with Jesus. I imagine the news must have spread all around town that a prominent member of the Council who condemned Jesus had buried Him in his own tomb. It’s also interesting that Joseph of Arimathea was willing to do this when the disciples were too scared. Like you said, he was willing to do a very uncomfortable and even dangerous task for Jesus, even when Jesus’ closest disciples had deserted Him
Footnotes
- Mark 15:1 Or Sanhedrin
- Mark 15:3 Or of many things
- Mark 15:13 Or again
- Mark 15:16 Or court
- Mark 15:16 Or battalion
- Mark 15:19 Or staff (made of a reed)
- Mark 15:24 Lit a lot upon
- Mark 15:24 Lit who should take what
- Mark 15:25 I.e. 9 a.m.
- Mark 15:25 Lit and
- Mark 15:26 Lit had been inscribed
- Mark 15:28 Early mss do not contain this v
- Mark 15:29 Or blaspheming
- Mark 15:31 Or can He not save Himself?
- Mark 15:33 I.e. noon
- Mark 15:33 Or occurred
- Mark 15:33 I.e. 3 p.m.
- Mark 15:36 Lit Permit that we see; or Hold off, let us see
- Mark 15:39 Or opposite Him
- Mark 15:39 Lit that He thus
- Mark 15:39 Or a son of God or son of a god
- Mark 15:40 Or Jacob
- Mark 15:40 Lit little (either in stature or age)
- Mark 15:41 Or wait on
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