Mark 15:1-15
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
We have now come to chapter 15 or the book of Mark, and with that, we only have two more chapters left! Although, they are the most suspenseful chapters of all of Mark.
Mark, out of all of the gospels has the most brief description of the trials of Jesus. I say trials because in all out of the 4 gospels, we see that Jesus went in and out of possibly three different civil trials.
Mark 15:1
Mark 15:1
1 And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate.
Power Corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
We see here the the picture of what it looks like for the world to not be fair. Be ready Christian.
This was an extension of the illegal meeting that had taken place in Chapter 14. In this meeting, they must justify their actions by holding a meeting in the day time.
They also know that they only one in the region that is able to carry out a death sentence is the Roman governor in their area.
It was going to be up to this Jewish council now to convince Pilate, the local governor, that Jesus was guilty of a capital crime against Rome, and therefore worthy of death.
Some things to think about here…,
1. The Roman government did not consider blasphemy, a religious offense, a punishable crime.
2. Because of this… the Jewish council decides to accuse Jesus of high treason against Rome. THAT is a capital crime.
As we have spoke about…… Jesus is not the Messiah that would overthrow the Roman government and bring back political glory to Israel. But, He was about to face charges for that very thing.
And so, the Sanhedrin, (The Jewish Council) leads Jesus away and hands Him over to Pilate.
PILATE
Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea.
Pilate was in charge of the army, collecting the taxes for Rome, keeping the peace. He held the decision of life and death over his subjects, appointed High Priest, and decided cases of capital punishment.
Pilate was a true politician. Would usually make decisions that would help him out! Increase his stature and favor with Rome.
The peoples desires and well being were secondary to him. History says that Pilate was fickle and weak in character. You can see this in the case of Jesus. He was especially sensitive when dealing with the Jewish people……
Jesus is lead to Pilate in the morning which marks the beginning of three civil trials.
Mark 15:2
Mark 15:2
2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”
Like I said, Mark’s account here is the most brief of all the accounts. Evidently here Pilate had already heard the charge against Jesus.
“Are the the king of the Jews?”
We see in Luke 23:2 that the Sanhedrin had already brought three charges against Jesus.
1. Misleading the Jewish nation.
2. He opposes paying taxes to Caesar.
3. He claims to be Christ, a king.
The third got Pilate’s attention.
Jesus basically says to Pilate, “Yes, I am.”
But there is sort of an idirectness to Jesus’ answer.
In John 18:36, Jesus says……
36 “My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”
So, what does this mean to be King of the Jews?
Jesus makes it clear here that He is not a threat to Rome.
Mark 15:3-5
Mark 15:3-5
3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
You get the sense here that the chief priest seems to understand that their charge might not stick.
Because of this, they begin to throw all sorts of accusations against Jesus.
Yet, Jesus does not answer.
Jesus refused to defend Himself.
He stood in front of the man who could condemn Him and a mob who wanted to kill Him. Yet, Jesus was composed and completely at peace.
This amazed Pilate.
Our composure and calmness in the midst of trails in the midst of the trails of life,
Come directly from our walk with the Lord.
Give great witness to the power of Christ to those around us.
This is one of the marks of a disciple of Jesus.
Mark 15:6-11
Mark 15:6-11
6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.
Now, according the Luke, Pilate deferred in making the decision and sent Jesus to Herod, the ruler of Galilee. (Luke 23:6-12). This was Jesus’ second trial with Herod basically only mocking Jesus by asking Him to entertain him by performing miracles.
Jesus is then sent back to Pilate for the third civil trial.
Pilate did not believe that Jesus was guilty. But he knows he has to deal with this hostile Jewish leadership and their people.
He decides that instead of announcing an acquittal, he would give the people a choice.
It was Roman custom during Passover feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested.
Insert Barabas.
A man who had committed murder.
And a man who had been a part of a rebellion against the Roman government.
Barabbas literally means “son of Abba” or “son of the Father.” It’s quite possible that his full name could have been “Jesus, son of the Father.”
The crowd was to make a choice between two men, one who sought solutions by force or the one who ruled by love and was ready to sacrifice Himself.
Pilate knew that the chief priest had not handed Jesus over to him to do any favors or out of loyalty to Caesar. He knew they envied Jesus. Jesus was too popular and had too much influence over the people. The chief priest wanted Jesus out of the way.
You even see Pilate trying to undermine the chief priest. But the chief priest would have none of it. And so they stir up the crowd to force Pilate to release Barabbas so Jesus would be put to death.
Mark 15:12-15
Mark 15:12-15
12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
It’s clear here that Pilate doesn’t want to condemn Jesus. He seems to be looking for other options.
But the crowd only gave one option……
CRUCIFY HIM!
“WHY?”
“What evil has he done?”
CRUCIFY HIM!
At this point, a mob phycology has taken over. They wanted nothing less than to see Jesus crucified.
It’s here students that Mark again reveals the ultimate falleness of man.
A man who has done nothing but love, serve, teach things contrary to a fallen world; as innocent as one can get…… is being turned on by a mob like a guilty man who has done everything wrong.
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
But Jesus in His understanding, at this very point knows what must be done.
Because of His great love for us, He continues on thru all of these accusations and through the lies of man to have Him killed.
All to bring us peace and reconciliation to the Father by His grace through faith.
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Pilate the politician come out at this point.
One commentator says this about Pilate,
Pilate did not ask, “Is it right?” Instead, he asked, “Is it safe? Is it popular?”
He knows he cannot win. And he did not want bad reports going back to Rome of again not being able to deal with difficult situations. ( Especially when his previous record dealing with Jewish relations had not been the best.)
If he botched this, he might as well kiss his political career goodbye.
Wife’s message (Matthew 27:19).
And so he releases Barabbas, and he orders Jesus to be flogged.
Mark A. Pilate’s Dilemma (15:1–15)
Flogging was not a light punishment. The Romans first stripped the person and tied his hands to a post above his head. The whip, sometimes called a “cat of nine tails,” was made of several pieces of leather with pieces of bone and lead embedded near the ends of the leather strips. Two men, one on each side of the criminal, did the flogging. The Jews limited the number of hits (stripes) a person could receive, usually no more than thirty-nine. The Romans had no limit. Flogging ripped out chunks of flesh and often left the bones of the victim exposed. Some victims did not survive a flogging.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.