Bible Commentaries
Mark 15

Introduction

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

1 Jesus brought bound, and accused before Pilate.

15 Upon the clamour of the common people, the murderer Barabbas is loosed, and Jesus delivered up to be crucified.

17 He is crowned with thorns,

19 spit on, and mocked:

21 fainteth in bearing his cross:

27 hangeth between two thieves:

29 suffereth the triumphing reproaches of the Jews:

39 but confessed by the centurion to be the Son of God:

43 and is honourably buried by Joseph.

For observations on the transactions of this chapter, see the notes on Matthew 27:1-66.

Verse 16

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Prætorium. — The residence of the Roman governor, formerly the palace of Herod. It was at the prætorium that justice was administered.

Verse 24

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

And when they had crucified him. — In the very next verse St. Mark repeats, and they crucified him; which repetition is improbable and perplexing. Και σταυρωσαντες αυτον may be taken to signify the commencement of the action: “Proceeding to crucify him, they divided his garments.”

Verse 25

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

And it was the third hour. — Nine in the morning. St. John says six; but it has been argued on the authority of some MSS., that the true reading there is three. But without having recourse to this, even St. John is indefinite in his mode of expression, ωρα ωσει εκτη , almost, or about the sixth hour, which would indicate a period between the third and sixth hours, but approaching the last, or noon. Now as the Jews divided the day into four portions, which were their hours of sacrifice and prayer, — the third, from sunrise, or our nine; the sixth, or our noon; and the ninth, or our three in the afternoon; which hours on feast days were distinguished by the sound of a trumpet; and whatever happened between these stated hours of prayer, was referred sometimes to the preceding, and sometimes to the concluding hour, it would be equally correct, though not equally definite to say such an event happened in the third hour, or about, that is, near, the sixth; the portion of time introduced by the third hour not terminating till the sixth came in. Thus the discrepancy is removed; but St. John, by fixing the time of the crucifixion to that portion between the third and the sixth hours, which approached the sixth hour, has expressed himself with more exactness, though apparently more indefinitely.

Verse 42

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

That is, the day before the Sabbath. — St. Mark writing for the use of Gentiles, explains παρασκευη , the preparation, by προσαββατον , the day before the Sabbath, when they prepared, what was necessary for use, that they might keep the Sabbath holy.

Verse 43

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

An honourable counsellor. — He was a member of the sanhedrim, and a resident in Jerusalem, as appears from his having a tomb there. He is called HONOURABLE, ευσχημων , not in respect of his station merely, but his character and influence. He waited for the kingdom of God, or, literally, who “himself also was waiting for the kingdom of God;” so that he was a believer in the claims of our Lord, but waited for a fuller manifestation of his character, purposes, and kingdom. This too, in him, if not quite unmixed with Jewish prejudices, must have been in no low degree a spiritual expectation, since his hopes were not extinguished by the very crucifixion of him whom he believed to be the Messiah.

Went in boldly. — That is, having taken courage, τολμησας , went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. It surely required courage to profess reverential regard to one whom the sanhedrim had condemned as a blasphemer, and Pilate as a traitor and a rebel. Yet he went, trusting in God, and probably the somewhat uneasy conscience of Pilate disposed him the more readily to permit respect being shown to the remains of one whom, though knowing him to be innocent, he had delivered to death.

Verse 44

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

And Pilate marvelled. — He was amazed to hear that he was already dead, and therefore to be assured of it, sent for the centurion to attest it. The reality of the death of our Lord, on which so much depended, was therefore confirmed by many striking occurrences.

1. The omission of the Roman soldiers to break his legs.

2. The assertion of the fact by Joseph, a man of rank and a counsellor, before Pilate.

3. The testimony of the centurion, who had the charge of the execution, upon the interrogation of the governor.