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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 15:14 mean?

Explanation

Mark 15:14 depicts a crucial moment in the trial of Jesus of Nazareth before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea.

Pilate is presented as being somewhat reluctant to condemn Jesus, having not found him guilty of any offence worthy of death.

In response to Pilate's question, "What evil hath he done?" the crowd responds not with evidence of Jesus' guilt, but with a louder demand for his crucifixion.

This verse underscores the tension between the judgment of the legal authority, Pilate, and the will of the people. It also highlights the growing hostility towards Jesus, which ultimately leads to his crucifixion despite the lack of a clear charge.

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Historical Context

This verse is part of the Passion narrative in the Gospel of Mark, which describes the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus.

During this time, Judea was a province of the Roman Empire, and Pilate served as its prefect.

The interaction between Pilate and the crowd reflects the complex political and religious dynamics of the time.

The power to execute someone lay with the Roman authority, which is why the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate.

Historically, there has been much debate over how much of this narrative reflects historical events versus theological interpretation.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse is significant in revealing different aspects of Christ's passion.

For Christians, Jesus' innocence and the crowd's demand for his crucifixion point to the concept of substitutionary atonement, where Jesus takes on the punishment for sins he did not commit.

This is also reflective of Old Testament prophecies about the suffering servant (Isaiah 53).

Some Christian theologians propose that Jesus' trial before Pilate is symbolic of the unjust judgment that sinners receive in contrast to Christ's righteousness.

Practical Applications

Mark 15:14 can remind individuals of the importance of standing up for what is right, even when facing pressure from others to do otherwise. It can be applied in daily life as encouragement to seek truth and justice rather than giving in to the demands of the crowd.

This verse can also be seen as a call for discernment in discerning the guilt or innocence of individuals and not being swayed by public opinion or mob mentality.

Cross-References

Matthew 27:22-23: "Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified."
Luke 23:20-21: "Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him."

John 18:38: "Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all."

Language Study

The key word in the original Greek text is κακὸν (kakon), which is translated as "evil" or "wrongdoing" in this context. This word conveys a sense of moral or legal misconduct.

The phrase "exceedingly, Crucify him" uses the Greek word περισσῶς (perissōs), suggesting an intense and overwhelming demand by the crowd, signifying their fervent insistence on Jesus' execution.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient cultures, there were myths of dying-and-rising gods, such as Osiris in Egyptian mythology or Dionysus in Greek mythology.

Scholars have made comparisons between these myths and the crucifixion narrative.

However, the Christian perspective is unique in its emphasis on historical reality and theological meaning of Jesus' death as a single, unrepeatable event, rather than a cyclical mythic pattern.

Scientific Perspectives

The interaction between Pilate and the crowd is often examined through the lens of social psychology, particularly the phenomena of crowd behavior and group decision-making.

Modern studies explore how individuals in a crowd can be influenced by peer pressure and emotional contagion, which might shed light on the crowd's dynamic in this biblical scene.

However, scientific perspectives generally do not comment on the theological or supernatural elements of the verse.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians offer various interpretations of this verse:

Some see Pilate's question as indicative of his own uncertainty and reluctance to condemn Jesus, possibly due to a recognition of Jesus' innocence or fear of unrest.
Others emphasize the role of the crowd in pushing for Jesus' crucifixion, viewing it as a demonstration of humanity's capacity for collective injustice.
Additional perspectives might focus on Mark's theological narrative, suggesting that the author intended to show divine providence at work even in this moment of apparent injustice, foreordaining the events that lead to Jesus' death and subsequent resurrection.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:14 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 15:14 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?