Markchapter 15

The Crown of Thorns — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain

A.Pilate, Barabbas, and the Shouting Crowdvv. 1-15

1 Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate. 2 So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. 3 And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things. 4 Then Pilate questioned Him again, “Have You no answer? Look how many charges they are bringing against You!” 5 But to Pilate’s amazement, Jesus made no further reply. 6 Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing. 7 And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. 8 So the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to keep his custom. 9 “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked. 10 For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead. 12 So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!” 14 “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!” 15 And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.

B.Mocked in the Praetoriumvv. 16-20

16 Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together. 17 They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head. 18 And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him. 20 After they had mocked Him, they removed the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.

C.Golgotha: Crucified at the Third Hourvv. 21-32

21 Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus. 22 They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull. 23 There they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it. 24 And they crucified Him. They also divided His garments by casting lots to decide what each of them would take. 25 It was the third hour when they crucified Him. 26 And the charge inscribed against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. 27 Along with Jesus, they crucified two robbers, one on His right and one on His left. 28 29 And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save Yourself!” 31 In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” And even those who were crucified with Him berated Him.

D.Darkness, the Loud Cry, and the Centurion's Wordsvv. 33-41

33 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 34 At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35 When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, He is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.” 37 But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last. 38 And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” 40 And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 These women had followed Jesus and ministered to Him while He was in Galilee, and there were many other women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him.

E.Laid in a Tomb Cut Out of the Rockvv. 42-47

42 Now it was already evening. Since it was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath), 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council member who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead, so he summoned the centurion to ask if this was so. 45 When Pilate had confirmed it with the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought a linen cloth, took down the body of Jesus, wrapped it in the cloth, and placed it in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where His body was placed.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Pilate; Barabbas released.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴

Pilate; Barabbas released. Scourging, mockery, the way to Calvary. Simon of Cyrene. Crucifixion at the third hour; darkness from the sixth to the ninth; 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani'; the veil rent; the centurion's confession: 'truly this man was the Son of God.' Joseph of Arimathea and the tomb.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Gospel · Mark — Mark overview

A. 1–15 Pilate, Barabbas, and the Shouting Crowd
B. 16–20 Mocked in the Praetorium
C. 21–32 Golgotha: Crucified at the Third Hour
D. 33–41 Darkness, the Loud Cry, and the Centurion's Words
E. 42–47 Laid in a Tomb Cut Out of the Rock

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Matthew 2730 verses
- Matthew 27:1When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.
- Matthew 27:11Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, who questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- Matthew 27:13Then Pilate asked Him, “Do You not hear how many charges they are bringing against You?”
- Matthew 27:16At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
- Matthew 27:18For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
- Matthew 27:20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.
- Read Matthew 27: 24 more there →
Luke 2316 verses
- Luke 23:11And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.
- Luke 23:18But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”
- Luke 23:25As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and handed Jesus over to their will.
- Luke 23:26As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.
- Luke 23:27A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him.
- Luke 23:32Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.
- Read Luke 23: 10 more there →
John 1915 verses
- John 19:1Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.
- John 19:2The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe.
- John 19:4Once again Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
- John 19:6As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” “You take Him and crucify Him,” Pilate replied, “for I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
- John 19:9and he went back into the Praetorium. “Where are You from?” he asked. But Jesus gave no answer.
- John 19:10So Pilate said to Him, “Do You refuse to speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You and authority to crucify You?”
- Read John 19: 9 more there →
John 185 verses
- John 18:28Then they led Jesus away from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. By now it was early morning, and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium, to avoid being defiled and unable to eat the Passover.
- John 18:29So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?”
- John 18:38“What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.
- John 18:39But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
- John 18:40“Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)
- Read John 18 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Mark 154 verses
- Mark 15:23There they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it.
- Mark 15:33From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
- Mark 15:39When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
- Mark 15:40And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
- Read Mark 15 →
Isaiah 533 verses
- Isaiah 53:3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
- Isaiah 53:7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
- Isaiah 53:9He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.
- Read Isaiah 53 →
Acts 32 verses
- Acts 3:13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.
- Acts 3:14You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
- Read Acts 3 →
Mark 142 verses
- Mark 14:58“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple, and in three days I will build another that is made without hands.’”
- Mark 14:65Then some of them began to spit on Him. They blindfolded Him, struck Him with their fists, and said to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received Him with slaps in His face.
- Read Mark 14 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.