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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 15:27 mean?

Explanation

Mark 15:27 describes a part of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ according to the Christian New Testament.

In this verse, it is noted that Jesus was not alone in being executed; there were two others with him, referred to as "thieves," one placed on his right and the other on his left.

This detail is significant for several reasons.

Literally, it describes the arrangement of the three crosses at Calvary, highlighting Jesus' central position.

On a deeper level, it fulfills the prophecy found in Isaiah 53:12, which foretold the Messiah would be "numbered with the transgressors." The verse also emphasizes the humility of Jesus, dying not in isolation as a celebrated hero might, but among criminals.

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Historical Context

The historical context of Mark 15:27 is the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth in the 1st century CE, under the governorship of Pontius Pilate during the Roman occupation of Judea. Crucifixion was a common Roman method of execution, typically reserved for slaves, pirates, and enemies of the state.

It was designed to be a public spectacle that acted as a deterrent. This form of punishment would have been well understood by Mark's audience as humiliating and excruciating.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse offers several insights.

Augustine and other Church Fathers saw the two thieves as representing the division of humanity into the saved and the condemned.

The Gospel of Luke expands on this by describing how one thief mocks Jesus while the other, known as the "penitent thief," defends him and asks to be remembered in Jesus' kingdom.

This is often interpreted as a demonstration of God's grace; salvation is available to anyone, regardless of their past, if they turn to Christ.

Moreover, this scene fulfills the Messianic prophecy and demonstrates the innocence of Jesus, who unlike the criminals, has done no wrong.

Practical Applications

Practically speaking, the verse encourages humility and compassion.

It suggests that followers of Jesus should not consider themselves above anyone else, no matter their social status or past wrongdoings. It also touches on themes of forgiveness and redemption, showing that the offer of salvation is open to all, even in one's last moments.

Cross-References

Isaiah 53:12 - "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
Luke 23:32-43 - Describes the interaction between Jesus and the two criminals next to him, notably the penitent thief.
Matthew 27:38 - "Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left."

Language Study

In the original Greek, the word translated as "thieves" is "λῃσταί" (lēstaí), which can also mean "robber" or "bandit." These were not petty thieves but likely insurrectionists against Rome, which is consistent with the severity of crucifixion as a punishment.

The word "crucify" in Greek is "σταυρόω" (stauroó), meaning "to stake, drive down stakes," reflecting the brutal nature of this form of capital punishment.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparing this scene to other ancient myths and religions, parallels can be drawn to figures who were placed among wrongdoers or underwent trials, yet were innocent or virtuous.

For instance, the Greek god Prometheus was punished and chained to a rock for giving fire to humanity.

Though his intentions were good, he suffered among the mortals.

However, unlike Jesus, Prometheus was not portrayed as divine savior but rather as a tragic hero.

Scientific Perspectives

While there are no direct scientific elements related to this verse, modern forensic science has provided insights into the physical suffering associated with crucifixion.

The manner of death is typically a combination of asphyxiation, blood loss, and shock.

Archaeological finds, such as the remains of a crucified man found in an ossuary near Jerusalem, give credence to the historical practice of crucifixion as described in the biblical text.

commentaries

Commentaries on Mark 15:27 often focus on the fulfillment of prophecy, the mercy of Jesus, and the different responses of the two thieves to Jesus' presence between them.

Matthew Henry's Commentary points out that Jesus died in the company of sinners, reflecting his mission to reach out to the lost.

The Pulpit Commentary highlights the contrast between the innocent Christ and the guilty thieves, underscoring the injustice of Jesus' execution.

Other scholars like John Calvin have also considered the providence of God in arranging such a scene for deep theological implications, such as showcasing God's justice and mercy.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:27 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 15:27 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?