Mark 15:26
in Mark 15And the charge inscribed against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
KJV
And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
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This verse in Mark 15
Commentary
14 notes on this verseAnd the superscription of his accusation,.... Or "the cause of his death", as the Syriac and Persic versions read; the crime for which he suffered: was written; over his head, upon the cross, to which it was fastened; the sum of which was, the king of the Jews; See Gill on Mat 27:37.
This site's exposition
the charge inscribed against Him
on Mark 15:26-28
The charge inscribed against Him read THE KING OF THE JEWS, giving Jesus the title Pilate used at 15:2. John's fuller account says it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin for every passerby to read.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
It goes on: And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
He was not hailed as the king of glory by the angels until he had been censured on the cross as "King of the Jews." … You owe your life to him as a debt for these favors. So try as best you can to be accountable to him in the same way that he became accountable for you. Or, be not crowned with flowers at all if you cannot bear the thorns, because with flowers you cannot be crowned.
The Medieval Church3 voices
They wrote this superscription, as the reason why He was crucified, thus wishing to reprove His vainglory in making Himself a king, that so the passers by might not pity Him, but rather hate Him as a tyrant.
And the inscription of the charge against Him read: King of the Jews. The inscription placed above His cross, in which it was written: King of the Jews, showed that even by putting Him to death, they could not make it so that they did …
(ubi sup.) But this superscription on the cross shows, that they could not even in killing Him take away the kingdom over them from Him who was about to render unto them according to their works. There follows: And with him they crucify two thieves, the one on his right hand, the other on his left.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
He wrote it in three languages, in Hebrew, Melech Jeudim; in Greek, βασιλεὺς ἐξομολογητῶν in Latin, Rex confessorum. These three languages were consecrated to be the chief, in the superscription on the cross, that every tongue might record the treachery of the Jews.
They also wrote the charge for which the Lord was crucified: "The King of the Jews," in order to disgrace His glory, as though He were a seditious man who called Himself a king, so that all who passed by would not only have no …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Want of justice, or courage, or common sense? The poor coward sacrifices justice to popular clamour, and enrages those whom he seeks to appease, by so unseasonably repeating that title, The king of the Jews, which he could not but know was so highly offensive to them. Praetorium - The inner hall, where the praetor, a Roman magistrate, used to give judgment.
Christ crucified is king of his church, his spiritual Israel; and even then when he hung on the cross, he was like a king, conquering his and his people's enemies, and triumphing over them, Col. ii. Now he was writing his laws in his own blood, and preparing his favours for his subjects.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
The passage we have now read, is one of those which show us the infinite love of Christ toward sinners. The sufferings described in it would fill our minds with mingled horror and compassion, if they had been inflicted on one who was only a man like ourselves. But when we reflect that the sufferer was the eternal Son of God, we are lost in wonder and amazement.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
The passage we have now read, is one of those which show us the infinite love of Christ toward sinners. The sufferings described in it would fill our minds with mingled horror and compassion, if they had been inflicted on one who was only a man like ourselves. But when we reflect that the sufferer was the eternal Son of God, we are lost in wonder and amazement. And when we reflect further that these sufferings were voluntarily endured to deliver sinful men and women like ourselves from hell, we may see something of Paul's meaning when he says, "The love of Christ passes knowledge." "God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Ephes. 3:19; Rom. 5:8.) We shall find it useful to examine separately the several parts of our Lord's passion. Let us follow Him step by step from the moment of His condemnation by Pilate to His last hour upon the cross. There is a deep meaning in every jot and tittle of His sorrows. All were striking emblems of spiritual truths. And let us not forget as we dwell on the wondrous story, that we and our sins were the cause of all these sufferings. "Christ suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:18.) It is the death of our own Surety and Substitute that we are reading. First of all we see Jesus delivered into the hands of the Roman soldiers, as a criminal condemned to death. He before whom the whole world will one day stand and be judged, allowed Himself to be sentenced unjustly, and given over into the hands of wicked men. And why was this? It was that we, the poor sinful children of men, believing on Him, might be delivered from the pit of destruction, and the torment of the prison of hell. It was that we might be set free from every charge in the day of judgment, and be presented faultless before God the Father with exceeding joy.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The superscription - The writing over his head upon the cross. The King of the Jews - See the notes at Mat 27:37.
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἦν | en | there was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπιγραφὴ | epigraphe | inscription | G1923 → | |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἰτίας | aitias | accusation | G156 → | |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | against Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐπιγεγραμμένη· | epigegrammene | written: | G1924 → | |
| ὁ | ho | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλεὺς | basileus | King | G935 → | 114 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰουδαίων. | ioudaion | Jews. | G2453 → | 192 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἦνthere was
enG1510 →2333 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ἐπιγραφὴinscription
epigrapheG1923 →
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
αἰτίαςaccusation
aitiasG156 →
αὐτοῦagainst Him
autouG846 →5565 times
ἐπιγεγραμμένη·written:
epigegrammeneG1924 →
ὁThe
hoG3588 →19766 times
βασιλεὺςKing
basileusG935 →114 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
Ἰουδαίων.Jews.
ioudaionG2453 →192 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of…
it leads to
- Matthew 21:4–7
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
- Zephaniah 3:14–15
Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!
- John 12:13–16
They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”
- Zechariah 2:10
“Shout for joy and be glad, O Daughter of Zion, for I am coming to dwell among you,” declares the LORD.
- Jeremiah 23:5–6
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- Matthew 21:4–7
Through
Matthew 2:2asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
it leads to
- Numbers 24:17
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and…
- Jeremiah 23:5
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- Revelation 22:16
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”
- Numbers 24:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Mark

This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Mark; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Tertullian, THE CHAPLET 14; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.
