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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 15:3 mean?

Explanation

Mark 15:3 narrates a moment during the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea.

In this verse, the chief priests are seen accusing Jesus of many things. The accusations come in rapid succession as they try to build their case against him.

However, despite the myriad of charges, Jesus remains silent and does not respond to their allegations.

This silence can be taken literally to mean that He did not offer a verbal defense.

On a deeper level, the verse highlights themes like the fulfillment of prophecy, the depiction of Jesus as a submissive sacrificial figure, and a direct contrast to the earlier depictions of Jesus as a teacher and healer who often engaged with questions and challenges.

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Historical Context

The verse is set amidst the events that are commonly referred to as the Passion of Christ, which includes his arrest, trial, crucifixion, and death.

During this time, Judea was under Roman occupation, with the Roman authorities maintaining a complex relationship with the Jewish leadership, who had some authority over religious matters.

The trial before Pilate places Jesus in a Roman legal context, but his accusers are chiefly Jewish religious leaders who find themselves in a politically charged situation, seeking Roman intervention to execute a religious sentence.

The historical context shows a clash between Roman and Jewish law and the intricate dynamics between politics, religion, and culture during that era.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, different denominations interpret this verse through various lenses:

Submissive Christ: In Christian theology, Jesus' silence fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7, which describes the suffering servant as silent before his accusers.

His Silence is interpreted as a sign of his submission to God’s will.

Innocence and Injustice: Some see in his silence an indication of his innocence, which stands in stark contrast to the many unfounded accusations made against him.

This highlights the unjust nature of the trial.

Divine Silence: Another theological view sees Jesus' silence as reflective of divine silence in the face of human suffering and evil, prompting believers to trust in God's ultimate justice.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Mark 15:3 can be applied in the following ways:

Responding to Injustice: The verse may encourage individuals to maintain integrity in the face of false accusations and to consider when to speak and when to remain silent.
Bearing Suffering: It can inspire believers to endure hardship with grace and patience.
Conforming to God's Will: The example of Jesus can lead believers to submit to God’s will, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Cross-References

Isaiah 53:7 - "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."
Matthew 27:14 - "And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly."
1 Peter 2:23 - "Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the verb used for "answered" is "ἀπεκρίθη" (apekrithē), which is aorist passive indicative of the verb "ἀποκρίνομαι" (apokrinomai), meaning to answer, reply, or respond.

The adverb "οὐδέν" (ouden), meaning "nothing" or "not at all," conveys the totality of Jesus' silence.

An understanding of the Greek language nuances deepens the significance of Jesus' non-responsiveness.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the broader context of ancient myths and religious interpretations, silent figures often symbolize stoicism, wisdom, and sometimes divine mystery.

In some myths, gods or heroes choose silence as a form of protest or as a means to demonstrate character strength.

In many religious traditions, silence is viewed as a response to the sacred or as a form of spiritual practice.

Scientific Perspectives

While the verse does not directly intersect with modern scientific understandings, the human and psychological reactions to stress and the choice of silence under accusation can be examined through the lens of psychology.

Modern psychology might view Jesus' silence as indicative of a response to unjust stressors, or as a strategic decision as to how best to face one's accusers.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary: Henry sees Jesus' silence as fulfillment of prophecy and a demonstration of his extraordinary patience and humility.
Expositor's Greek Testament: This commentary highlights the enormity of Jesus' silence considering the gravity and volume of the accusations, and it suggests that his silence could have been out of disdain, sorrow, or fulfillment of his role.
John Gill's Exposition of the Bible: Gill points out that Jesus' silence was to make his accusers more vocal and forward, revealing their malice and leading to the fulfillment of God's determinate counsel and will.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:3 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 15:3 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?