"THE GOSPEL OF MARK"
Jesus Condemned And Mocked (15:2-20)
INTRODUCTION
- As mentioned previously, Jesus faced two trials prior to His
execution...
- The ecclesiastical trial, in three stages
- The preliminary hearing before Annas - cf. Jn 18:12-14,19-24
- The midnight trial before Caiaphas and the council - Mk
14:53-65
- The morning consultation of the council - Mk 15:1
- The civil trial, also in three stages
- Before Pilate, the Roman governor - Mk 15:2-5
- Before Herod, the tetrarch over Galilee - cf. Lk 23:6-12
- Before Pilate again - Mk 15:6-15
- We turn our attention to events related to the civil trial as found
in Mark's gospel...
- Jesus before Pilate - Mk 15:2-15
- Jesus mocked by Roman soldiers - Mk 15:16-20
[Beginning with Mk 15:2, let's direct our attention to the details of
the trial, starting with...]
- THE PARTICIPANTS
- PILATE THE ROMAN GOVERNOR...
- Pontius Pilate, the 5th Roman governor of Judea (26-36 A.D.)
- Mk 15:2
- Often harsh, Jewish sources charge him with greed and cruelty
- cf. Lk 13:1
- CHIEF PRIESTS...
- Who had plotted to kill Jesus, and sent to arrest Him - Mk
14:1,43
- Who had tried Jesus at the home of Caiaphas - Mk 14:53
- Who had delivered Jesus to Pilate - Mk 15:1-3
- BARABBAS...
- The prisoner released in Jesus' stead - Mk 15:6-15
- A rebel guilty of murder, and a robber - Mk 15:7; cf. Jn 18:40
- THE MULTITUDE...
- A crowd who had gathered to ask for the release of a prisoner
- Mk 15:8
- Prompted by the chief priests to clamor for Barabbas instead of
Jesus - Mk 15:11
- Eventually crying out, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" - Mk
15:13-14
- THE SOLDIERS...
- Who mocked Jesus (see below) - Mk 15:16-20
- Who ultimately crucified Him - Mk 15:20
[With such a review of those present during the civil trial before
Pilate, let's now consider...]
- THE CHARGES
- MADE BY CHIEF PRIESTS...
- He perverts the nation - Lk 23:2
- He forbids to pay taxes to Caesar - Lk 23:2; yet cf. Lk
20:22-25
- He claims to be Christ, a King - Lk 23:2
- He stirs up the people, teaching throughout Judea and Galilee
- Lk 23:5
- CONSIDERED BY PILATE...
- Who asked Jesus, "Are You the King of the Jews?" - Mk 15:2
- To which Jesus admitted - Mk 15:2
- Though His kingdom was spiritual - cf. Jn 18:36-38
- Who marveled at Jesus' silence regarding the other charges - Mk
15:3-5
- Who ascertained that it was envy that motivated the chief
priests - Mk 15:10
- Who did not think Jesus was guilty of death - Mk 15:14; cf. Lk
23:13-15
- Whose wife wanted him to release Jesus - cf. Mt 27:19
- Who finally sought to gratify the crowd, to avoid a tumult - Mk
15:15; Mt 27:24
[Though Pilate considered Jesus innocent, pressured by the crowd he
initiated actions that would lead to the crucifixion. Such actions
included terrible abuse, which we will now survey...]
- THE ABUSE
- JESUS WAS SCOURGED...
- By the instructions of Pilate - Mk 15:15; Jn 19:1
- This involved being "tied to a post and beaten with a leather
whip that was interwoven with pieces of bone and metal, which
tore through skin and tissue, often exposing bones and
intestines. In many cases, the flogging itself was fatal."
- ESVSB
- JESUS WAS MOCKED...
- By soldiers who led Jesus to the hall called Praetorium - Mk
15:16
- Who clothed Him with purple and a twisted crown of thorns on
His head - Mk 15:17
- Who saluted Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" - Mk 15:18
- Who struck Him on the head with a reed - Mk 15:19
- Who spat on Him - Mk 15:19
- Who mockingly worshiped Him - Mk 15:19
- Who stripped Him and put back on Him His clothes - Mk 15:20
CONCLUSION
- Again, the barbarous injustice at Jesus' trials is evident...
- The false charges and physical abuse
- A cowardly governor acquiescing to a manipulated crowd
- But lest we forget, this was in keeping with God's Divine
Providence...
- Which Jesus acknowledged in His predictions and prayers - Mk
8:31-33; 14:36
- Which Peter proclaimed in his first sermon on Pentecost - Ac
2:22-24
All in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy (Isa 53:4-12). Shall we not
respond accordingly...? - Ac 8:30-38