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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 15:6 mean?

Explanation

Mark 15:6 refers to the custom during the Passover feast where the Roman governor would release a prisoner chosen by the Jewish populace.

This verse sets the stage for the pivotal moment when Pontius Pilate offers to release Jesus Christ, whom he found no fault in, but the crowd chooses Barabbas instead.

On a literal level, this verse describes a specific event during the Passover celebration under Roman rule where a display of clemency toward the Jewish people was made by releasing a prisoner.

On a deeper level, this event is an expression of the conflict between political expedience and moral justice as well as a display of the crowd's manipulation by the chief priests and a reflection of divine sovereignty in the unfolding of redemption.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

At the time of Mark 15:6, Judea was under Roman occupation.

Passover was a significant Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt.

The Romans allowed certain Jewish customs and leadership to remain, manipulating them to maintain peace and order.

The release of a prisoner may have been a tactic to appease the local population and prevent uprisings during a time when Jerusalem was crowded with pilgrims.

The identity of the released prisoner was left to the people, a custom not widely evidenced outside the Gospel narratives, hinting at a specific concession by Pilate to the Jews.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse is pivotal in Christian understandings of Jesus’ crucifixion. For some, it exemplifies God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of divine prophecy through human actions, even those that appear unjust.

It is also a moment that captures the theme of substitutionary atonement, Barabbas, who was guilty, is released while Jesus, who is innocent, is condemned.

This event is viewed by many Christians as an allegory for what Jesus accomplishes on the cross for humankind: the guilty are freed because the sinless one takes their punishment.

Practical Applications

Mark 15:6 can have various practical applications in daily life.

It encourages individuals to reflect on the nature of justice and mercy, examining where they stand in situations of crowd mentality and popular opinion vs. righteousness and truth.

It compels the need for personal integrity, even when faced with pressure from the majority.

There's also an invitation to appreciate the concept of substitutionary sacrifice, understanding and accepting grace that is offered through the actions of another.

Cross-References

Matthew 27:15: "Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would."
Luke 23:17: "(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)"
John 18:39: "But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?"
Isaiah 53:3: "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

Language Study

The key phrase in Mark 15:6 is "released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired." In the original Greek text, "released" is translated from "ἀπολύω" (apoluo), which can mean to free or release someone from an obligation or confinement.

"Desired" comes from "βούλομαι" (boulomai), indicating a strong wish or will. Understanding these terms highlights the notion of volition and emphasizes the agency of the crowd in selecting which prisoner would be released.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing this practice to other ancient myths or religions, the idea of a "scapegoat" or substitution is present in many cultures.

For instance, in the Ancient Near East, the concept of a substitute bearing the consequences due to others is witnessed in rituals where an animal or object symbolically takes on the sins or burdens of a community.

This verse in Mark parallels such customs, as Jesus becomes the scapegoat carrying the punishment meant for humanity.

Scientific Perspectives

The intersection with modern scientific understandings is limited as Mark 15:6 deals with specific historical and religious events.

However, modern psychology might offer insight into crowd behavior and how group dynamics can lead to decisions that may not align with individual morality. This phenomenon is observed in various societal contexts and is studied within social psychology.

Commentaries

Commentators offer various insights into this verse.

William Barclay notes that it was not uncommon for rulers to grant an act of clemency during festive times.

Craig S.

Keener, in his commentary on the Bible, suggests that Pilate might have been attempting to avoid a miscarriage of justice by offering Jesus' release, knowing that he was not guilty of a capital crime.

John R.

Donahue and Daniel J.

Harrington in "The Gospel of Mark" emphasize the irony and tragedy of the crowd choosing Barabbas, a known insurrectionist, over Jesus, thus highlighting the stark contrast between the two figures being presented to the crowd.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:6 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 15:6 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?