Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Last week we saw when Jesus was arrested, He was alone.
All of His disciples ran away.
Jesus went through the false trial alone.
Peter was down in the courtyard, and he was denying Jesus, time and time again.
Truly Jesus was alone.
Last week we left Jesus standing in front of the entire Sanhedrin, while the group determined what to do with Him.
This morning we pick up our story in the 15th chapter of the book of Mark.
So if you have your Bibles turn with me to Mark 15, and we’ll begin reading in verse 1.
Jesus Before Pilate
It’s now about 3:00 a.m.
Tying Jesus up, they take him to Pilate—the Roman governor who normally was located in Caesarea Maritima—but was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival.
While we don’t know exactly where Pilate stayed while he was in Jerusalem, there are two places that are the likely prospects:
Herod’s Palace in the Northwest corner of the city,
Fortress of Antonia just northwest of the temple.
Jesus Before Pilate
Pilate gets right to the point!
“Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answer is kind of like saying, “If you say so.”
He acknowledges that this is the designation of Pilate.
Thus, Jesus agrees with the title, but has some qualifications.
John’s description tells us more of the conversation between Jesus and Pilate.
At one point Jesus talks about His kingdom.
The Chief Priests’ Response
Not satisfied with Pilate’s interaction with Jesus, the religious leaders begin to hurl all kinds of accusations against Jesus.
No doubt many of them were the same ones upon which they couldn’t agree upon when they were holding their own deliberations.
In fact, their barrage of accusations were so great that Pilate looks at Jesus and asks,
Pilate knew that it was because of jealousy that the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to him.
He wanted Jesus to muster some kind of defense or response to the accusations.
Pilate’s hatred for the Jewish religious leaders has been well documented.
Perhaps it was this hatred that made wish Jesus would give some kind of answer to their charges so that he could release Him against despite what the Jewish leaders wanted.
Look at Jesus’ response!
Barabbas or Jesus?
Mark now gives explains a Roman custom to us.
The custom: the people would ask Pilate to release one prisoner, and he would release that prisoner.
A crowd asked for the release of Barabbas.
Remember it is really early in the morning!
The prisoner: Barabbas
His name: Bar Abba “son of the father.”
An insurrectionist.
A murderer.
Maybe a Zealot.
He was awaiting execution.
Pilate, still trying to free Jesus, and aware of the jealousy of the religious leaders, he has an idea of how he can release Jesus.
Yet the religious leaders are a step ahead of Pilate.
They have already found those in the crowd that supported Barabbas, and get them chanting and calling for the release of Barabbas.
Pilate still hoping that the crowd wouldn’t follow the religious leaders, he asks a simple question.
What about the king of the Jews?
what am I supposed to do with him?
The people don’t give Pilate what he wants, instead the answer him with the harshest answer possible.
John tells us that the people began to threaten Pilate’s loyalty to Caesar.
Historical records tell us that Pilate had already been reprimanded for the way he handled the Jews.
To have a report get back to Caesar that he had released a reported “King” would have meant the end of his career.
Mark tells us Pilate tried again by asking for the exact crime Jesus had committed.
So Pilate gives into the crowd that has been incited by the Jewish religious leaders.
Look at verse 15.
The Flogging
They take Jesus inside the palace.
The flogging would have been public, the mocking and fun was inside the palace.
They call together the who company, a little smaller than a 600 man cohort.
So, somewhere between 200-300 soldiers.
They mock him—all of them mock Jesus and hit him.
Then they put him back in his own clothes and lead him out to be crucified.
The Crucifixion
Mark now begins to tell us about the events of the crucifixion.
So they are now on their way to the place of crucifixion.
Simon of Cyrene was pressed into service to carry the cross.
Normally the condemned man would be forced to carry his own cross (which weighted about 100 pounds).
However, with all of the events of the night—fatigue, blood loss from the scourging, Jesus was unable to carry the cross the entire way.
So the soldiers demanded that Simon carry the cross for Jesus.
Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus—apparently these two men would have been known to the Roman reader.
Golgotha—the place of the skull, was the place of execution on the outskirts of the city.
This was offered to dull the pain that would be experienced on the cross, but Jesus didn’t take any of it.
This was the custom of the Romans during a crucifixion.
Thus, without knowing it, these Romans fulfilled the prophecy about Jesus in Psalm 22:18.
First Time Marker
Mark gives us a time marker for the crucifixion.
This would make it 9:00 in the morning Friday morning when the crucifixion began.
Pilate continued to show his disdain for the Jews in the written charge against Jesus.
John tells us that the Jewish leaders did not like the notice that Pilate wrote, and asked him to change it.
Look at John 19:21
But Pilate responded
Mark continues the story in verse 27.
Only in much later manuscripts do we find the addition of verse 28—a quote from Isaiah 53:12.
(And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘He was counted with the lawless ones.’)
Enduring Insults
Insulted by those who passed by.
“You said you could destroy the temple and rebuild it in 3 days—you ought to be able to get yourself off the cross!
But they weren’t the only ones mocking Jesus.
The chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him.
Even those being crucified with him, mocked him.
Second & Third Time Marker
Darkness fell across the entire land from 12:00 noon, to 3:00 p.m.
This too, seems to be a quote from Psalm 22.
Now when he says this, the people begin to get excited.
Oh boy!
Here comes the show!
Now right in the middle of all their excitement, Jesus dies!
Look at verse 37.
When Jesus died, some amazing things happened.
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