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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 15:33 mean?

Explanation

Mark 15:33 describes an event during the crucifixion of Jesus, the central figure in Christianity.

The verse refers to a period of darkness that fell over the land from the sixth hour until the ninth hour.

In Jewish time reckoning, the hours of the day begin at sunrise, so the sixth hour corresponds to around noon, and the ninth hour would be about 3 p.m.

The darkness described is not a natural occurrence (like an eclipse or a storm) as it lasted for three hours.

The darkness symbolizes a significant cosmic event and is often interpreted as a divine response to the crucifixion, reflecting the gravity of Jesus's death as well as the sin and brokenness of the world.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Mark is believed to have been written between 65 and 70 AD.

This was a time of great turmoil for the early Christian community, which was experiencing persecution.

Mark's community would have been familiar with the practice of crucifixion, a Roman death penalty reserved for slaves and the worst of criminals.

The occurrence of darkness was a motif in ancient literature that symbolized judgment or calamity, and Mark's readers would have recognized these overtones in the description of the event.

Theological Insights

Christian theologians have considered the darkness described in Mark 15:33 from various perspectives.

Some see it as a sign of God's judgment upon the earth for the crucifixion of his Son.

Others view it as representing the spiritual darkness that entered the world due to sin.

There is also a perspective that the darkness symbolized the profound sorrow and suffering of Jesus, as well as the mourning of creation in response to the death of its Creator.

Furthermore, this event is seen as fulfilling Old Testament prophecies that associated darkness with the Day of the Lord, a time of divine intervention and judgment.

Practical Applications

Mark 15:33 can offer several practical applications for believers.

It can be seen as an invitation to acknowledge the gravity of sin and the profound sacrifice that Jesus underwent for humanity's redemption.

It can serve as a reminder of God's presence even in moments of suffering and darkness, emphasizing that no darkness is so complete as to extinguish the hope offered through Christ.

Additionally, it reminds Christians of the importance of humility and penitence, particularly in reflecting upon the cost of salvation.

Cross-References

Matthew 27:45: "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour."
Luke 23:44-45: "And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst."

Exodus 10:22: "And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:"
Amos 8:9: "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:"
Joel 2:31: "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come."

Language Study

The term "darkness" in Mark 15:33 translates to the Greek "skotos", which is used throughout the New Testament to denote physical darkness, as well as metaphorical or spiritual darkness, like moral blindness or ignorance.

"Whole land" or "whole earth" is from the Greek word "ges", which can mean the earth, ground, land, or even a region or country. The emphasis on the entirety of the land underscores the significance and widespread impact of the event described.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient mythology, darkness often precedes significant events or denotes the displeasure of the gods.

For example, in Egyptian mythology, the sun god Ra is swallowed every night by the sky goddess Nut, causing darkness.

In the crucifixion narrative, the darkness could be seen as a parallel to such myths, symbolizing a turning point in the cosmic order.

However, within Christianity, the darkness is tied specifically to the historical event of Jesus's crucifixion and holds a unique theological significance as part of God's redemptive plan.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific viewpoint, a naturalistic explanation for the darkness might be sought in phenomena such as solar eclipses or volcanic eruptions.

However, a solar eclipse could not last for three hours, and there are no historical records of a volcanic eruption coinciding with the crucifixion event that could have caused such widespread darkness in that specific region.

Therefore, the darkness described in Mark 15:33 is often considered a supernatural event beyond scientific explanation.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have commented on this verse.

For example, some argue that the darkness reflects the motif of judgment found in Jewish apocalyptic literature.

Others focus on the possible symbolic meanings, such as the spiritual state of the world without Christ or the isolation that Jesus experienced as he bore the sins of humanity.

Generally, commentaries on this passage underscore the significance of the event within the context of divine revelation and salvation history, and they often link it to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:33 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 15:33 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?