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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 15:4 mean?

Explanation

Mark 15:4 depicts a scene in which Jesus is standing before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, during his trial.

In this verse, Pilate is questioning Jesus, seemingly perplexed by Jesus’ silence in the face of numerous accusations from the chief priests and elders.

Pilate is urging Jesus to respond and defend Himself against the allegations, highlighting the weight of the testimony against Him.

Yet, Jesus remains silent, which is significant in that it fulfills the prophecy from Isaiah 53:7, where the Messiah is described as being silent before His accusers, like a lamb before its shearers.

This verse shows Jesus’ composure and acceptance of His destiny.

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Historical Context

The trial of Jesus before Pilate occurs during the period of Roman rule over Judea. The Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, had already decided that Jesus was guilty of blasphemy, a crime worthy of death under Jewish law.

However, they lacked the authority to execute Him under Roman law and thus presented Jesus to Pilate, hoping he would sanction the death penalty.

This setting shows the complex interplay of Jewish and Roman legal systems.

Pilate's questions and the situation reflect the political tension between maintaining Roman order and satisfying the demands of the Jewish leaders.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse demonstrates Jesus’ fulfillment of Messianic prophecies and His meekness in the face of suffering.

His silence can be seen as a refusal to contest the divine plan for salvation.

Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant interpretations commonly view Jesus' silence as a testament to His sacrificial role as the Suffering Servant.

In contrast, existentialist theologians might see His silence as an expression of the absurdity and injustice of the human condition.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied in daily life by encouraging believers to exhibit patience and trust in God during times of unjust suffering or false accusations.

It also reminds individuals of the virtue of humility and the strength found in composure and silence, especially when faced with hostility or misunderstanding.

For many Christians, emulating Jesus’ response is seen as a call to maintain faith and integrity under pressure.

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 27:12-14: "And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly."

John 19:9-10: "And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer."

Language Study

In the original Greek text of the New Testament, the phrase "Answerest thou nothing?" is "ouk apokrinē?" (οὐκ ἀποκρίνῃ), with "ouk" meaning "not" and "apokrinē" as the root form of "apokrinomai," meaning "to answer" or "to respond".

The word "witness" in "they witness against thee" is from the Greek "katamarturountai" (καταμαρτυροῦνταί σοι), with "kata" meaning "against" and "marturountai" derived from "martureo," meaning "to bear witness" or "to testify".

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In Ancient Roman trials, it was typical for the accused to defend themselves vocally.

Unresponsiveness could be seen as an admission of guilt or as contempt for the court.

Jesus’ silence stands in sharp contrast to the expected behavior and mirrors the quiet forbearance found in Jewish scripture, particularly the "Suffering Servant" motif in Isaiah.

In other religious traditions, figures such as Socrates during his trial also chose silence or minimal defense as a form of integrity or philosophical statement.

Scientific Perspectives

While there aren't direct scientific perspectives on Jesus' silence during his trial, psychological studies about human behavior under stress could provide insights into why an individual might choose to remain silent when accused.

Studies on resilience and coping mechanisms might similarly shed light on the internal psychological or emotional states that contribute to a person's response, or lack thereof, in the face of serious allegations or in high-stakes scenarios.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentaries often point out the stoicism and resolve exhibited by Jesus during His trial before Pilate.

For instance, the Pulpit Commentary interprets Jesus’ silence as His recognition of the futility of answering such charges when His fate was already determined.

Matthew Henry's commentary suggests that Jesus was providing an example of patient suffering and meekness.

Meanwhile, the Expositor's Greek Testament recognizes the political maneuvering at play, as Pilate seemed to be genuinely puzzled by Jesus' refusal to plead His cause yet also faced with the Sanhedrin's determination to see Jesus condemned.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:4 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 15:4 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?