Chapter Fifteen
Mk. 15:1. Immediately in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Sanhedrin held a consultation and, having bound Jesus, led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate.
Mk. 15:2. Pilate asked Him: Art Thou the King of the Jews? And He answered and said unto him: Thou sayest it.
Mk. 15:3. And the chief priests accused Him of many things.
Mk. 15:4. And Pilate again asked Him: Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You?
Mk. 15:5. But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.
Mk. 15:6. Now at every feast he released to them one prisoner, whomever they requested.
Mk. 15:7. And there was one named Barabbas, who was bound with his fellow insurgents, who had committed murder during the insurrection.
Mk. 15:8. And the crowd began to cry out and ask Pilate for what he always used to do for them.
Mk. 15:9. He answered them, saying: Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?
Mk. 15:10. For he knew that the chief priests had delivered Him out of envy.
Mk. 15:11. But the chief priests stirred up the people to ask that he would rather release Barabbas to them.
Mk. 15:12. Pilate, answering, said to them again: What then do you want me to do with Him Whom you call the King of the Jews?
Mk. 15:13. They cried out again: Crucify Him.
Mk. 15:14. Pilate said to them: What evil then has He done? But they cried out all the more: Crucify Him.
Mk. 15:15. Then Pilate, wishing to do what was pleasing to the people, released Barabbas to them, and having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to be crucified. The Jews delivered the Lord to the Romans; therefore they themselves were delivered by the Lord into the hands of the Romans. And the words of Scripture were fulfilled: "Woe to the lawless one, for he shall be repaid according to the works of his hands" (Isa. 3:11); and again: "Repay them according to their deeds" (Ps. 28:4); and again: "As you have done, so shall it be done to you" (Obad. 1:15). To Pilate's question, "Are You the King of the Jews?" the Lord gives an ambiguous answer. For the words "You say so" can be understood thus: you speak the truth — you yourself have declared Who I am; but they can also be understood thus: I do not say this, but you say it. But when asked a second time, Christ answered nothing and thereby brought Pilate to amazement. For Pilate marveled that He, being learned in the law and eloquent and having the ability to overthrow with a single answer the slanders brought against Him, said nothing, but on the contrary, humbly endured the accusations. Notice then the bloodthirstiness of the Jews and the moderation of Pilate (although he too is worthy of condemnation, because he did not firmly stand up for the righteous man). For they cried out, "Crucify Him," while he, though feebly, nevertheless attempted to free Jesus from condemnation. Therefore he asked again, "What shall I do with Jesus?" — trying to give them the opportunity to release the Lord as innocent, which is why he delayed and put it off. Finally, yielding to their demand, he had the Lord scourged, that is, struck with a leather whip, so that it would appear that they had received Him as one already condemned at the tribunal, and "handed Him over to be crucified." For he wished to do what was pleasing and agreeable to the people, and not what was pleasing to God.
Mk. 15:16. And the soldiers led Him away inside the courtyard, that is, into the Praetorium, and they assembled the whole cohort,
Mk. 15:17. And they clothed Him in purple, and, having plaited a crown of thorns, placed it on Him;
Mk. 15:18. And they began to greet Him: Hail, King of the Jews!
Mk. 15:19. And they struck Him on the head with a reed, and spat on Him, and, falling on their knees, bowed down to Him.
Mk. 15:20. And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.
Mk. 15:21. And they compelled a certain passerby, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, coming from the field, to carry His cross. The military class, always finding consolation in acts of violence and insult, now too displayed its customary character. For if the Jews, who had heard so many teachings from Christ and had received from Him so often and so many benefactions, inflicted upon Him so many outrages, then what shall we say of the pagans? So they call together against Him an entire cohort, clothe Him in purple as a king for mockery, and begin to strike Him; they take a crown of thorns instead of a diadem, and a reed instead of a scepter. These servants of the devil compelled, as it is said, a certain man to carry His cross; meanwhile, another evangelist says that Jesus went out, bearing the cross Himself (Jn. 19:17). But both things happened: at first He Himself carried the wood of the cross for some time, and when they found another able to carry it, they compelled this latter man, and the cross was borne by him. And why is it also mentioned whose father this man was? For greater confirmation, because that man was probably still alive and could recount everything concerning the cross. But let us also clothe ourselves in purple, the royal garment. What I mean is that we must walk as kings, treading upon the serpent and the scorpion and overcoming sin. We are called Christians, that is, anointed ones, just as kings were once called christs. Therefore let our life not be slavish and base, but royal and free. Let us wear the crown of thorns, that is, let us strive to be crowned with a life that is strict, temperate, and free from fleshly pleasures, rather than one that is luxurious, self-indulgent, and given over to sensual enjoyments. Let us also become "Simon," which means obedience, and take up the cross of Jesus, "mortifying our members which are upon the earth" (Col. 3:5).
Mk. 15:22. And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which means: the Place of the Skull.
Mk. 15:23. And they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink; but He did not accept it.
Mk. 15:24. And those who crucified Him divided His garments, casting lots for them, to determine what each should take.