Tag: Mark 15
Crucify the King?
Scripture reading for February 28: Mark 15
“And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered Him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify Him.”“ Mark 15:8-13
After the early-morning arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus had faced a trial with the leaders of the Jews where false witnesses accused Him. He remained silent at their accusations. When asked if He was the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus answered, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:52) This brought His death sentence as they deemed Him a blasphemer of God. But they could not put Him to death as that was in Rome’s jurisdiction. They sent Jesus to Pilate where he questioned Him as to His status as King of the Jews. Jesus simply answered Pilate, “You have said so.” (Mark 15:2) He remained silent after that.
Pilate could find no fault in Him but perceived the malice and envy of the religious leaders in accusing Jesus. His own wife had warned him about Jesus. So Pilate responded to the crowd, seeking a way to release Jesus. He asked them if they wanted him to release their King. But the religious leaders stirred up the crowd to ask for the release of a murderer, Barabbas. They shouted out their demand that Jesus be crucified! People who had worshiped Jesus as Messiah and King a few days before now demanded His execution in place of a murderer! How easily the opinion of people can influence our world view and ability to see the truth!
Have you ever fallen for crowd pressure to do something you know is wrong? Describe the battle you see in Herod as he knows the motive of the religious leaders and his own wife’s warning about Jesus and the crowd’s demands. Why was Jesus silent and did not defend Himself?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for revealing to me Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah, Your Son. I want to be ready to see my King coming on the clouds of heaven. Keep me from the deception of peer pressure and emotional thinking. May my world view reflect Jesus and my confession be ‘Jesus is Lord.’ Amen.
Don’t play to the crowd!
Scripture reading for March 1st: Mark 15
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Mark 15:9-11,15 “”Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. . .”Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.””
At Pilate’s judgment seat, he had a custom of releasing to the crowd one of the condemned prisoners. This was his way of gaining favor with those he had to govern. Earlier, he had been warned by his wife not to have anything to do with Jesus’ death because He was an ‘innocent man’. (Matthew 27:19) He knew that it was simply ‘out of envy’ that the Jewish Priests had handed Jesus over to him. He found no fault in Jesus worthy of death! All this being recorded, Pilate still played to the crowd and handed Jesus over to be crucified! In the end, Pilate would rather please the crowd than bring justice to the innocent! Political expediency trumped truth!
Observations for over-comers: Always stand firm on God’s word and truth. Don’t play to the crowd! “You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors.” (Psalm 5:4-6)
The King of the Jews!
Scripture reading for March 2nd: Mark 15
After an early-morning mock trial by the Jewish Sanhedrin, the Jewish leaders handed Jesus over to Pilate for the Roman trial. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are You the king of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.” (Mark 15:2) The Jewish leaders made many other charges, but Jesus remained silent. Pilate was amazed that He did not speak out in defense, but admitted that He was king of the Jews!
It was Pilate’s custom to release a prisoner condemned to death to the crowd that had gathered. He wanted to release Jesus and thought that the crowd would oblige him. However, the chief priests stirred the crowd to ask for Barabbas, a man imprisoned with murderers. After flogging, Jesus was handed over to be crucified.
The Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus also mocked Him by putting a purple robe on Him and a crown of thorns. “And they began to call out to Him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” (Mark 15:18) In doing this, they placed on Jesus the symbol of the curse of sin and death brought on by Adam’s disobedience. Jesus would bear the penalty of this curse as He hung on the cross for the sins of Adam’s offspring. In His sinless body, He was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. (2nd Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus was placed on the cross about nine in the morning. A written charge was nailed to the cross: “The King of the Jews.” (Mark 15:25) At noon, darkness came over the land for three hours. He cried out in a loud voice, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34) “With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Mark 15:37-38)