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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 15:20 mean?

Explanation

Mark 15:20 describes the moments immediately preceding Jesus' crucifixion.

In this verse, the Roman soldiers who previously mocked Jesus by dressing Him in a purple robe, a color symbolizing royalty, to ridicule His claim to be the King of the Jews, now remove the robe and redress Him in His own clothes.

The act of mockery is ended, and the Roman soldiers prepare to lead Jesus out for the actual execution.

The soldiers' treatment of Jesus illustrates the cruelty and humiliation that He endured before His death.

The verse also demonstrates a stark contrast between the earthly treatment of Jesus as a mocked king and the theological understanding of Jesus as the true King and Savior.

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Historical Context

The historical context of Mark 15:20 is the Roman occupation of Judea during the 1st century AD.

Crucifixion was a common method of execution used by the Romans for slaves, revolutionaries, and the worst criminals; it was designed to be a deeply humiliating and agonizing death.

The soldiers' behavior reflects the Roman practice of scourging and mocking condemned prisoners, intended to degrade and dehumanize them before their execution.

The purple robe was likely a soldier's cloak, used to mock Jesus' claim to kingship.

This form of public humiliation was part of the broader culture of Roman dominance and power dynamics.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints offer insights into Mark 15:20:

Traditional Christian interpretation sees the verse as showing the fulfillment of prophecy and the display of Jesus' humility and patience.

It emphasizes Jesus’ acceptance of suffering for the redemption of humanity.

Liberation theology might view Jesus' mockery by the soldiers as a parallel to the marginalized who suffer injustice and oppression, seeing Jesus as identifying with the lowest in society.
Feminist theology could discuss the stripping of Jesus' garments in light of the vulnerability and exploitation that are disproportionately experienced by women, drawing comparisons to Jesus’ solidarity with the suffering.
In Reformed theology, Jesus’ treatment as a criminal can be seen as Him taking on the sins of the world, wherein He is seen as a substitute for sinners.

Practical Applications

Practical applications from Mark 15:20 include:

A call to humility, encouraging believers to face ridicule and suffering without retaliation, following Jesus' example.
An exhortation to comfort and support those who are being mocked or shamed, as Jesus experienced similar treatment.
A challenge to reject worldly standards of power and honor, instead valuing the sacrificial love demonstrated by Jesus.
A reminder for believers to prepare themselves for hardships that may come as a result of their faith.

Cross-References

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."
Matthew 27:28-31: "And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head [...] And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him."

John 19:2-3: "And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands."
Luke 23:11: "And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text of this verse include:

"Mocked" (ἐνέπαιξαν, enepaixan): to play with, ridicule, or mock.
"Purple" (πορφύραν, porphuran): a purple garment, typically associated with royalty and high status.
"Put on" (ἐνδύσαντες, endysantes): to clothe or dress.
"Crucify" (σταυροῦν, stauroun): to crucify, a method of execution.

The translation of these words shows the intentional humiliation and the transition from mockery to the grim reality of crucifixion.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The mocking and crucifixion of Jesus can be compared to other myths and religious stories where a deity or hero undergoes suffering or humiliation before achieving a great feat or undergoing a transformation.

For instance, in some ancient myths, gods are temporarily humbled or disguised as mortals before revealing their true power.

However, the narrative of Jesus' suffering is distinct in its historical particularity and its emphasis on redemptive suffering in the context of a monotheistic faith.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, the pain and stress experienced during crucifixion would be immense.

Medical understandings of crucifixion detail the physical trauma, including asphyxiation, blood loss, and shock.

The psychological impact would also be significant due to the public humiliation and the anticipation of pain.

These insights can deepen the understanding of the level of suffering described in Mark 15:20.

Commentaries

Many Bible commentaries address Mark 15:20:

The Expositor's Bible Commentary notes that the Roman soldiers' actions were part of the brutal mockery of condemned criminals and illustrates the prophetic fulfillment of Jesus' suffering.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary draws attention to Christ's willingness to endure shame for the sake of humanity’s salvation.
The New International Commentary on the New Testament elaborates on the political situation in Roman-occupied Judea, how crucifixion served as a deterrent, and the humiliation experienced by Jesus by the Roman authorities and soldiers as a method to demonstrate power and control.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:20 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 15:20 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?