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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 15:42 mean?

Explanation

Mark 15:42 refers to the time of day when Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus (as detailed in subsequent verses).

"The even" indicates it was evening, the latter part of the day.

The term "preparation" was used by Jews to describe the day leading up to the Sabbath, which is Saturday, the Jewish day of rest. This meant that it was Friday, and specific preparations were made on this day to ensure that no work would be done on the Sabbath.

The phrase underscores the urgency of the situation, as no work could be carried out after sunset, and the burial of Jesus needed to happen quickly.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, Jewish customs dictated a strict observation of the Sabbath, which began at sunset on Friday and lasted until sunset on Saturday.

The day before was a time to prepare so that all work could cease during the Sabbath.

This included the preparation of food, finishing any labor, and in this specific context, conducting burials, as handling a dead body would be considered work.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse serves to highlight Jesus' fulfillment of the law regarding the Sabbath. By being buried before the Sabbath, it emphasizes that Jesus’ followers were continuing to obey Jewish laws.

Moreover, it sets the stage for the significance of Jesus' resurrection, occurring after the Sabbath day, therefore not breaking it but fulfilling and transcending the law.

Practical Applications

The practical application of this verse today could be reflected in the commitment to finish important tasks in a timely manner, especially when they are time-sensitive due to cultural, religious, or personal beliefs.

It also encourages the respect of others' practices and commitments, understanding the importance of time and preparation in various aspects of life.

Cross-References

John 19:31 - "The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away."
Luke 23:54 - "And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on."
Exodus 20:8-10 - "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work..."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek language of this verse include:

"even" or "opsias" (ὀψίας), which denotes late afternoon or evening, nearing the end of the day.
"preparation" or "paraskeue" (παρασκευή), which is the preparation day before the Sabbath, specifically Friday for the Jews.
"sabbath" or "sabbaton" (σάββατον), referring to the day of rest, the seventh day of the Jewish week.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In cultural and religious comparison, many ancient religions had specific days for rest or special observances. For instance, in ancient Babylonian religion, certain days were considered unlucky for certain activities.

However, the specific concept of a preparation day is unique to Judaism in its strict sense.

Scientific Perspectives

The scientific significance of this verse is minimal; however, the period of time referred to as "even" can be correlated with what is known in modern times as "twilight".

It corresponds to the time when the sun is below the horizon and natural light is fading, which could be divided into civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight, based on the sun's depth below the horizon.

Commentaries

According to various biblical scholars and commentaries:

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible notes that Joseph acted quickly, as it was the preparation day and the bodies were not to remain on the cross during the Sabbath according to Jewish customs.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary mentions that Christ was crucified on the day of preparation for the Sabbath, which adds significance and solemnity to the following Sabbath.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible explain that the Jews were very anxious that the bodies should be removed before the Sabbath and that the request to Pilate was made in haste due to the approaching Sabbath.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:42 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 15:42 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?