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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 15:7 mean?

Explanation

Mark 15:7 refers to a prisoner named Barabbas who was being held for his involvement in an insurrection against the Roman authorities in which he had committed murder.

The insurrection mentioned here was a form of rebellion, and during the time of Roman occupation, such uprisings were not uncommon as many Jewish groups sought to overthrow the foreign rule.

Barabbas’s acts would have been considered treason by the Romans.

This verse sets the stage for the choice given by Pontius Pilate to the Jewish crowd during the Passover festival, where they could choose to release either Jesus or Barabbas, as was the custom to release one prisoner at that time.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, Judea (including Jerusalem) was under Roman occupation.

This occupation led to multiple insurrections by various Jewish factions against the Roman authorities.

The Romans dealt with such activities harshly, often imprisoning, punishing, and executing those involved.

The presence of a figure like Barabbas in the Biblical narrative reflects the reality of the political tensions and the fragmented society of first-century Judea.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, the inclusion of Barabbas introduces themes of justice, mercy, and the concept of substitutionary atonement.

Barabbas is often contrasted with Jesus, the former being guilty of crimes against humanity and the state, while the latter is innocent of the charges against him.

In essence, Jesus is seen to take the place of Barabbas, foreshadowing the Christian belief that Jesus took the place of sinners in his death on the cross.

Practical Applications

The story of Barabbas encourages reflection on justice, mercy, and the human tendency to desire freedom for oneself even at the expense of others.

Practically, it can remind individuals to evaluate how they make decisions, how they judge others and to recognize the power of societal influence on personal choices.

It is also a call to consider the implications of Christ’s sacrifice and to live in a way that honors that sacrifice.

Cross-References

Matthew 27:15-26: Another account of the crowd choosing Barabbas over Jesus.
Luke 23:18-25: Luke's account of Barabbas being chosen for release instead of Jesus.
John 18:40: John’s brief mention of Barabbas being the one the crowd asked Pilate to release instead of Jesus.
Isaiah 53:3-5: Prophetic verses interpreted by Christians as pointing to Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice, which can be connected to the Barabbas narrative.

Language Study

The name "Barabbas" in the original Greek is written as Βαραββᾶς (Barabbas), which could be translated as "son of the father," from Aramaic בר-אבא (bar-abba).

The term "insurrection" in Greek is στάσις which can mean "uprising" or "rebellion." The Greek word used for "murder" in the verse is φόνος (phonos), which denotes the taking of life, implying the gravity of Barabbas' crimes.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Barabbas' role in the Passover story can be compared to various scapegoat traditions in other cultures, where one individual bears the consequences of the actions of many.

The Barabbas incident is unique, however, in that he is a beneficiary of the crowd’s choice while an innocent man, Jesus, is punished.

In other religious traditions, the role of a sacrificial lamb or an innocent sufferer is present as a central theme, which can also be found in the Christian understanding of Jesus’ crucifixion.

Scientific Perspectives

The intersection of this verse with modern scientific understanding is more related to the disciplines of sociology and psychology rather than the natural sciences.

Insights into the behavior of crowds, social dynamics of decision-making, and the psychology of mob mentality could provide a better understanding of the events described in this verse.

Commentaries

Commentaries generally agree that Barabbas represents the guilty freed by the sacrifice of the innocent Jesus, which is central to Christian theology.

Matthew Henry's commentary highlights the irony that the Jews decided for Barabbas, a notorious criminal, to be saved over Jesus.

The Expositor's Bible Commentary notes that Mark emphasizes the role of the crowd in choosing to release Barabbas and the political motivations behind the scene.

John Calvin comments on the justice of God that the guilty are sometimes spared to bring about a greater good, as seen in the release of Barabbas and the sacrifice of Jesus.

Mark 15

Mark 15

What does Mark 15:7 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 15:7 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?