In The Word
Read: Mark 15:1-21
Jesus before Pilate
Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. 2 Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He *answered him, “It is as you say.” 3 The chief priests began to accuse Him harshly.4 Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!” 5 But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.
6 Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. 7 The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. 9 Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead.12 Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13 They shouted back, “Crucify Him!” 14 But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!”15 Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.
Jesus Is Mocked
16 The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they *called together the whole Roman cohort. 17 They *dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; 18 and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. 20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him.
21 They *pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Fulfilling what Jesus had plainly told the disciples (Mark 10:32-34), He was handed from the chief priests to the Gentiles to be mocked, spit on, and scourged. The Jews did not have the authority to put anyone to death, so they needed to convince Pilate to do it for them. (John 18:31) Pilate, the Governor of Judea, was a soldier first, and then a politician. He represented the authority of Rome.
Pilate found no evil in Jesus, and he knew the chief priests were trying to manipulate the situation. In Matthew 27:19, Pilate received confirmation that Jesus was righteous when his wife tells him of a dream, and warns him to have nothing to do with that righteous man. God can speak to us through people and through dreams, even ones who are unbelievers. We should listen.
Ultimately, Pilate chose to please the crowd. He was more concerned with what people thought than he was with doing the right thing. (James 4:17) Deciding to follow Christ, to walk in His ways, to follow His teachings, to do the right thing, is not easy. (Luke 14:27) It requires us to take a stand knowing that it may not be popular. But we can take assurance knowing that the world hated Jesus, and will hate us when we follow Him. (John 15:18-25)
“Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)