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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 15:28 mean?

Explanation

The verse in question, Mark 15:28, says, "And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors." This passage is referring to the event of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, where he is crucified alongside two criminals, thus being "numbered with the transgressors." The verse points to the fulfillment of a prophecy from the Hebrew Scriptures, implying that Jesus' crucifixion in the company of lawbreakers was foretold and is a significant part of the divine plan within Christian theology.

On a deeper level, this verse emphasizes the idea that Jesus, though considered sinless within Christian beliefs, willingly took a place among sinners, fully identifying with humanity in its fallen state.

The fulfillment of this scriptural prophecy also serves to validate the claims of Jesus' messianic role and mission according to Christian tradition.

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Historical Context

This verse from the Gospel of Mark is set during the Passover festival in Roman-occupied Judea, around the first century CE. During this time, there was a mix of political tension, religious expectations, and messianic hopes among the Jewish people.

The verse echoes a specific messianic prophecy found in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in Isaiah 53:12, which speaks about a suffering servant who will bear the sins of many and will be put among the lawbreakers.

At the time the Gospel of Mark was written, which is generally dated to shortly before or after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, early Christians were involved in the process of interpreting the life and death of Jesus in light of Jewish Scriptures.

The author of Mark, as well as other Gospel writers, often highlighted events in Jesus' life that they believed fulfilled prophecies in order to establish his messianic credentials.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse is significant in several ways:

Substitutionary Atonement: The verse supports the Christian doctrine of substitutionary atonement, which suggests that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for human sin, taking the place of sinners. 2.

Messiahship of Jesus: By citing the fulfillment of prophecy, the verse bolsters the claim of Jesus' role as the Messiah, a pivotal tenet in Christian belief. 3.

Divine Plan: This narrative underscores the theme that Jesus' crucifixion was not an accident but was instead a deliberate part of God's redemptive plan for humanity.

Different Christian traditions may emphasize various aspects of these theological concepts.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Mark 15:28 can encourage believers to:

Identify with others' suffering, following the example of Jesus who identified himself with the transgressors. 2.

Understand the redemptive purpose in their own struggles and hardships. 3.

Embrace forgiveness and redemption, recognizing that Jesus' crucifixion symbolizes the possibility of a new beginning for all.

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; ..." 2.

Luke 22:37 - "For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end."

Language Study

The key term in this verse is "numbered with the transgressors," from the Greek word "συναριθμέω" (synarithmeo), which means to be counted or classed with others.

In this context, it carries the connotation of Jesus being considered as one of the criminals or sinners, despite Christian teachings that he was without sin.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The theme of a deity or divine figure bearing the burdens of humanity, or being unjustly punished, is not unique to Christianity.

In various mythologies, there are stories of gods who suffer or die, often with significant consequences for their followers or for the world.

For instance, figures like the Mesopotamian god Tammuz and the Egyptian god Osiris have death and resurrection narratives.

However, in Christian thought, Jesus' crucifixion is not mythological but historical and unique in its purpose for providing salvation.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives do not directly intersect with this verse, as it deals with the fulfillment of prophecy and spiritual beliefs, rather than empirical claims.

However, the study of historical context and textual criticism employs a scientific approach to understanding the origins and development of the biblical texts.

Commentaries

Regarding Mark 15:28, various biblical scholars and theologians offer differing insights:

Some contend that this verse underlines the injustice of Jesus' crucifixion, as he was punished as a criminal though innocent.
Others focus on the fulfillment of prophecy, showing Jesus as the Messiah whose life and death were in accordance with Hebrew Scriptures.
There are also discussions among commentators about the textual integrity of this specific verse, as it does not appear in some of the earliest manuscripts of the Gospel of Mark, leading scholars to debate its original inclusion in the Gospel.

Commentaries underscore that this verse, whether original to Mark or a later addition, reflects an early Christian understanding of the significance of Jesus' crucifixion within the framework of Jewish prophecy and salvation history.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:28 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 15:28 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?