About Mark: The opening words of chapter 15 report action taken after daybreak that formalised decisions reached under cover of darkness. With resolution in hand the Jewish leaders go to the Roman procurator (governor) Pilate.
There is no ambiguity over Jesus' rejection. The Jews were rejecting the Messiah (14:61), or in political terminology before Pilate, "the King of the Jews" (15:2, 9, 12, 18, 26). See too 15:32. Remember Mark is writing for Roman readers.
Mark has been suspicious of mobs and crowds, here for good reason. Peter's denial was partly due to crowd pressure. The Jewish Council, the crowds before Pilate, and "the whole cohort" of palace soldiery are each infected with antipathy towards Jesus.
But we will later see there are exceptions, including a Roman Centurion (Mark 15:39), a Jewish Councillor (15:43), and the women disciples of Jesus (15:40-41). While describing the power of the crowd, that cows even Pilate into cowardice, Mark seems to suggest that an independent and considered verdict about Jesus would lead us, instead, to revere him as true Messiah and King!
Bible: Mark 15:1-20, Jesus Before Pilate
1 As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 2 Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered him, "You say so." 3 Then the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 Pilate asked him again, "Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you." 5 But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.
Pilate Hands Jesus over to Be Crucified
6 Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. 7 Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. 8 So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. 9 Then he answered them, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" 10 For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. 12 Pilate spoke to them again, "Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?" 13 They shouted back, "Crucify him!" 14 Pilate asked them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him!" 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
6 Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. 7 Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. 8 So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. 9 Then he answered them, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" 10 For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. 12 Pilate spoke to them again, "Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?" 13 They shouted back, "Crucify him!" 14 Pilate asked them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him!" 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
16 Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. 18 And they began saluting him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 19 They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. 20 After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
16 Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. 18 And they began saluting him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 19 They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. 20 After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
Comment: MESSIAH AND KING OF THE JEWS
IN FRONT OF the Jewish religious leaders Jesus had owned the claim of Messiah. Now before the political governor he owns the title King of the Jews (2, 9, 12, 18, 26). Yet Pilate perceives absolutely no threat from Jesus, and by one strategy after another tries to avoid entanglement.
His attempt to use the annual amnesty to release Jesus is foiled when the chief priests stir up the crowd to request Barabbas. It does neither the Priests nor Pilate any credit when their preference is the release of a committed murderer and insurrectionist instead of someone with the public record of the goodness and grace of Jesus.
Having yielded to the crowd's clamour for Barabbas, Pilate hopes they will ask for Jesus also. But instead they demand, "Crucify him!" (13). "Why, what evil has he done?" Pilate flounders. His own judicial assessment is now obvious. But he requires no answer. He simply bends to their stridency. Luke 23:22 says Pilate hoped that Jesus could be released after the flogging, but a mob has no reason, and its appetite is insatiable. And although Pilate washes his hands (Matthew 27:24) he cannot easily remove his culpability, for Jesus could only be put to death on Pilate's authority. His evasion, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves," and the answer of the "people as a whole" saying "His blood be on us and on our children" (Matthew 27:25) merely spreads the blame. But who in a faceless crowd stands up to claim responsibility for the blood of Jesus? The shouters evaporate, and it could be us that are left standing
there!
And so Jesus is given to the callous mangle of Roman soldiery. The whole cohort is assembled to audience a black mockery. And the irony is that the one they cloak as king, is king indeed!
Discipleship today: Somewhere in that machine of human depravity everyone of us could have been a cog. But we have steadily and thoughtfully made our journey through the life of Jesus. So we should not be as susceptible to the pressure of feelings and emotions, and the opinions of others.
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