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Mark 15

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

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

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

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

But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And they cried out again, Crucify him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What does Mark 15:11 mean?

Explanation

The verse Mark 15:11 refers to a moment during the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate.

Pilate, the Roman governor, had the custom of releasing a prisoner of the people's choice during the Passover festival.

The "chief priests" refers to the senior religious leaders of the Jews who saw Jesus as a threat to their authority and were seeking His death.

They persuaded or incited the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas, a notorious prisoner, instead of Jesus.

Barabbas is described in the Bible as a rebel who had committed murder in an insurrection (Mark 15:7).

This verse highlights the influence the chief priests had over the populace and their determination to eliminate Jesus by swaying public opinion to free a criminal rather than an innocent man.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, Judea was under Roman occupation, and Pontius Pilate was the prefect of the province.

It was a period of great political tension and religious expectation among the Jewish people.

The Passover festival was one of the most important religious events for the Jewish people, commemorating their liberation from Egyptian slavery.

The Romans, aware of the potential for rebellion, were typically on high alert during such festivals and might have adopted certain placatory customs like releasing a prisoner to maintain peace and prevent uprisings.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse is significant because it showcases the fulfillment of God's plan of salvation through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Theologically, Barabbas represents sinful humanity, and Jesus stands in his place as the sinless sacrifice.

It also emphasizes the theme of injustice and the perversion of justice, as an innocent man is condemned while a known criminal is set free.

This can be seen as a prefiguration of Jesus taking the place of sinners.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied in daily life as a caution against being easily swayed by influential leaders or popular opinion.

It calls for individuals to seek justice and truth, even when it goes against the crowd.

It also serves as a reflection on the concept of substitutionary sacrifice and can inspire believers to consider the depth of Christ's sacrifice and apply the principle of selflessness in their own lives.

Cross-References

Matthew 27:20: "But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus."
John 18:40: "Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas.

Now Barabbas was a robber."

Luke 23:18-19: "And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)"
Isaiah 53:3: "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, "moved" is translated from the Greek word "ἀνέσεισαν" (aneseisan), which means to stir up, incite, or provoke. This indicates that the chief priests actively worked to excite the crowd into choosing Barabbas over Jesus.

The name "Barabbas" meaning "son of the father", seems ironic in this context as the crowd chose a flawed, earthly "son of the father" instead of Jesus, who is often referred to as the Son of the Heavenly Father.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparison with other ancient myths and religions, the theme of choosing between two figures, one often representing disorder or evil and the other representing order or good, is a recurring motif.

However, in this biblical account, the crowd chooses the figure representing disorder. The situation could be likened to the scapegoat ritual in ancient Israel where one goat is sacrificed and another is sent away, though the roles are reversed with Jesus being the ultimate sacrifice.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, this verse does not directly intersect with modern scientific understandings.

However, the behavioral influence of crowds and the role of persuasion can be studied through the lens of social psychology.

This verse provides a historical account of how leaders can manipulate group dynamics to achieve desired outcomes.

commentaries

Various experts have provided commentary on this verse, emphasizing different aspects:

Some commentators focus on the historical and political strategy of the chief priests and how they exploited the situation.
Others reflect on Pilate's attempt to release Jesus and his eventual capitulation to the crowd's demands, which can be seen as a moral failing or an example of political realism.
Additionally, theologians often discuss the substitutionary element of Jesus' death and the irony of the crowd's choice, as Barabbas' freedom symbolically represents the redemption that Jesus would provide for humanity through His crucifixion.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 15:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?