He Wept November 26
Mark 14:72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.
The momentary silence following his outburst is filled with the second cry of the morning from the Temple crier: the summons of all Levites to their posts to prepare for the opening of the Temple to the public.
Peter engages his mind. He remembers Jesus’ prediction and his protestations of loyalty. He grows cold, but the fire no longer offers warmth.
His moment to stand by his Teacher has passed. Before his eyes, Jesus was condemned. As if that had not been enough, His judges had ridiculed and spit upon Him. Then their underlings had mocked and beaten Jesus. Peter knows that he has been tested and failed.
Thinking upon these things, he weeps.
Those last two words bring back the image of Christ as He predicted the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple: He wept.
Peter - the staunch defender of Jesus and the one who most strongly affirmed he would never deny Him – has just denied His Lord and is now helpless, impotent.
He thinks of his failure, of the loss of his Lord, and of all the possibilities that will now never happen.
Peter weeps.
To Pilate November 27
Mark 15:1 Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.
The Judean scribes, elders, and priests have succeeded in convicting Jesus of claiming to be God, clearly a capital punishment crime in their eyes. But the Romans do not allow them to execute prisoners.
Immediately, they take Jesus to Pilate, the Roman with the authority to carry out a death sentence. The crime must be against Rome, not the Jewish religion, so a different charge is alleged.
Pontius Pilate is prefect (governor) of Judea 26-36 A.D. He rules from Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean in Judea’s northwest corner, but he comes to Jerusalem for major feasts to ensure order is maintained.
Pilate’s position requires a firm hand, but not so firm as to incite insurrection. He walks this tightrope for ten years before falling from it. Avoidance of controversy is the first rule of self-preservation. In other words, he must test which way the wind is blowing and flow with it if it leads away from confrontation.
The appearance so early in the morning of important Jews with a man held captive does not bode well for the day.
The man they bring is unknown to Pilate, but the governor knows the accusers well. His first instinct is to give them what they want, but he waits for them to prove their case.
It Is As You Say November 28
Mark 15:2 Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.”
3 And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing.
4 Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” 5 But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.
The two trials of Jesus on that fateful morning follow a very similar pattern.
In Mark’s account of the second trial, the prefect goes straight to the issue at hand. Pilate asks, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
As with the council’s question as to whether He is the Son of God, Jesus answers in the affirmative. He makes Pilate’s task easy by saying, “It is as you say.”
Jesus has asserted that He is the Son of God to the religious authorities and the King of the Jews to the secular authorities. Other charges are irrelevant, even if they are true. The die has been cast, and has come up six, the number of man rather than the number of God. From this point, the sentence and its execution are inevitable.
Jesus’ response is not a fatigued admission when no more defense is possible. He is saying the governor’s words are not a question but a statement.
The simple confession is so disarming that His accusers become worried. The chief priests do not realize that their case against Jesus already is won. They accuse Jesus of many things.
As in His first trial, Jesus is silent beyond his admission to the most serious charge.
Jesus is not drawn into arguments on issues of little consequence. “I AM” is sufficient.
An Offer November 29
Mark 15:6 Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. 8 Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.
Pilate suspects ulterior motives for the Jewish leaders to hand over to him one of their own for prosecution and execution. He can see no danger to Rome in the man. The danger that he does see is in refusing to prosecute the poor wretched Jew before him.
Rather than risk confrontation with Jewish leaders, Pilate sees another way to save this Jesus. A custom during the feast of the Passover is to release one prisoner back to his people, and an assembled crowd already is calling for the traditional release on this early morning.
Pilate assumes the crowd will choose Jesus, a harmless man, over the Zealot, Barabbas. Rebellion being a poor profession as far as income is concerned, Zealots often were thieves, kidnappers, and extortionists.
The governor’s tactic is a passive-aggressive means of thwarting the Jewish leaders while not having to accept personal responsibility for freeing Jesus.
No doubt Pilate smiles to himself at his cleverness….
Crucify Him! November 30
Mark 15:11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 12 Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
13 So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
14 Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”
15 So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.
The chief priests are not to be outflanked by Pilate. They attack from a new direction, stirring the crowd for the release of Barabbas against Jesus
(An interesting side note is that the name Barabbas means “son of the father,” identical to Jesus’ claim to be “Son of the Father.”)
Pilate offers the crowd either the rebel or the one they call “King of the Jews.” He speaks that title in a mocking tone.
Pilate is surprised at the crowd’s demand that Barabbas be released and asks what he should do with Jesus. The crowd, responding to the urging of the priests, yells, “Crucify Him!”
The governor has allowed the mob to judge and to sentence Jesus. He has offered them the choice of which of two Jewish men to set free, and then he has allowed the mob to choose the punishment for the innocent Man. The people of Jerusalem can have no complaint against Rome concerning the handling of this case. The conclusion is a success from the Roman perspective.
He scourges Jesus and sends the condemned Man to His death.
Crown of Thorns December 1
Mark 15:16 Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. 17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, 18 and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. 20 And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.
The Jews who have cried out for Jesus’ execution are the apparent winners, a rarity for a nation rendered powerless. But they have set a dangerous precedent with their moment of power. They have been instrumental in condemning to death a Jew convicted of a crime against Rome. How can they protest Rome’s crucifixion of any who speak out against the empire?
Pilate gives Jesus to the rank and file soldiers to be scourged and crucified. Again, the powerless are given authority over Jesus. They have orders on what must be done, but are given free rein to amuse themselves with the condemned.
The soldiers’ treatment of Jesus is a sad commentary on human nature.
They ape those with power as they drink to excess the limited power now allotted to them. A robe of royal purple and a crown of thorns are their mocking gifts. They heap insults and abuse upon Jesus, as they have seen those in power do.
Finally, they overthrow Him, removing the purple robe and restoring His worn clothing. They lead Him to exile outside the city walls, the site of His execution.
Bearing His Cross December 2
Mark 15:21 Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.
Jesus has been beaten and scourged, the lash having literally scoured his back. He probably has had no sleep during the night, perhaps some water but no food. He is exhausted, but He is compelled to carry the cross, the instrument of torture on which He must die. He is physically unable.
His loyal followers have vanished, melted into the darkness of night and have not returned to His side. He has no one to bear the weight of the cross for Him, which is ironic considering the burden that He bears for everyone.
Impatient Romans compel an onlooker to carry the cross for Jesus. The man is named Simon, the same name as one of Jesus’ missing disciples. He is a Jew from Cyrene, a Greek city on the North Africa coast west of Egypt. Simon is an example of the distance that obedient Jews travel to be at the Temple for Passover.
Luke (23:26) and Matthew (27:32) mention Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross for Jesus, but only Mark mentions the names of the Cyrenian’s sons. Mark may mention them because they are workers in the cause of spreading the Gospel later.
Alexander may be the same as the man mentioned in Acts 4:6 and 19:33, but probably not the Alexander Paul condemns in his letters to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:20 and 2 Tim. 4:14). The Rufus of Rom. 6:13 may be Alexander’s brother.
Was Simon of Cyrene just at the wrong place at the wrong time, or was he at the right place at the right time?
Next day
Mark 14:72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.
The momentary silence following his outburst is filled with the second cry of the morning from the Temple crier: the summons of all Levites to their posts to prepare for the opening of the Temple to the public.
Peter engages his mind. He remembers Jesus’ prediction and his protestations of loyalty. He grows cold, but the fire no longer offers warmth.
His moment to stand by his Teacher has passed. Before his eyes, Jesus was condemned. As if that had not been enough, His judges had ridiculed and spit upon Him. Then their underlings had mocked and beaten Jesus. Peter knows that he has been tested and failed.
Thinking upon these things, he weeps.
Those last two words bring back the image of Christ as He predicted the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple: He wept.
Peter - the staunch defender of Jesus and the one who most strongly affirmed he would never deny Him – has just denied His Lord and is now helpless, impotent.
He thinks of his failure, of the loss of his Lord, and of all the possibilities that will now never happen.
Peter weeps.
To Pilate November 27
Mark 15:1 Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.
The Judean scribes, elders, and priests have succeeded in convicting Jesus of claiming to be God, clearly a capital punishment crime in their eyes. But the Romans do not allow them to execute prisoners.
Immediately, they take Jesus to Pilate, the Roman with the authority to carry out a death sentence. The crime must be against Rome, not the Jewish religion, so a different charge is alleged.
Pontius Pilate is prefect (governor) of Judea 26-36 A.D. He rules from Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean in Judea’s northwest corner, but he comes to Jerusalem for major feasts to ensure order is maintained.
Pilate’s position requires a firm hand, but not so firm as to incite insurrection. He walks this tightrope for ten years before falling from it. Avoidance of controversy is the first rule of self-preservation. In other words, he must test which way the wind is blowing and flow with it if it leads away from confrontation.
The appearance so early in the morning of important Jews with a man held captive does not bode well for the day.
The man they bring is unknown to Pilate, but the governor knows the accusers well. His first instinct is to give them what they want, but he waits for them to prove their case.
It Is As You Say November 28
Mark 15:2 Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.”
3 And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing.
4 Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” 5 But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.
The two trials of Jesus on that fateful morning follow a very similar pattern.
In Mark’s account of the second trial, the prefect goes straight to the issue at hand. Pilate asks, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
As with the council’s question as to whether He is the Son of God, Jesus answers in the affirmative. He makes Pilate’s task easy by saying, “It is as you say.”
Jesus has asserted that He is the Son of God to the religious authorities and the King of the Jews to the secular authorities. Other charges are irrelevant, even if they are true. The die has been cast, and has come up six, the number of man rather than the number of God. From this point, the sentence and its execution are inevitable.
Jesus’ response is not a fatigued admission when no more defense is possible. He is saying the governor’s words are not a question but a statement.
The simple confession is so disarming that His accusers become worried. The chief priests do not realize that their case against Jesus already is won. They accuse Jesus of many things.
As in His first trial, Jesus is silent beyond his admission to the most serious charge.
Jesus is not drawn into arguments on issues of little consequence. “I AM” is sufficient.
An Offer November 29
Mark 15:6 Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. 8 Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.
Pilate suspects ulterior motives for the Jewish leaders to hand over to him one of their own for prosecution and execution. He can see no danger to Rome in the man. The danger that he does see is in refusing to prosecute the poor wretched Jew before him.
Rather than risk confrontation with Jewish leaders, Pilate sees another way to save this Jesus. A custom during the feast of the Passover is to release one prisoner back to his people, and an assembled crowd already is calling for the traditional release on this early morning.
Pilate assumes the crowd will choose Jesus, a harmless man, over the Zealot, Barabbas. Rebellion being a poor profession as far as income is concerned, Zealots often were thieves, kidnappers, and extortionists.
The governor’s tactic is a passive-aggressive means of thwarting the Jewish leaders while not having to accept personal responsibility for freeing Jesus.
No doubt Pilate smiles to himself at his cleverness….
Crucify Him! November 30
Mark 15:11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 12 Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
13 So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
14 Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”
15 So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.
The chief priests are not to be outflanked by Pilate. They attack from a new direction, stirring the crowd for the release of Barabbas against Jesus
(An interesting side note is that the name Barabbas means “son of the father,” identical to Jesus’ claim to be “Son of the Father.”)
Pilate offers the crowd either the rebel or the one they call “King of the Jews.” He speaks that title in a mocking tone.
Pilate is surprised at the crowd’s demand that Barabbas be released and asks what he should do with Jesus. The crowd, responding to the urging of the priests, yells, “Crucify Him!”
The governor has allowed the mob to judge and to sentence Jesus. He has offered them the choice of which of two Jewish men to set free, and then he has allowed the mob to choose the punishment for the innocent Man. The people of Jerusalem can have no complaint against Rome concerning the handling of this case. The conclusion is a success from the Roman perspective.
He scourges Jesus and sends the condemned Man to His death.
Crown of Thorns December 1
Mark 15:16 Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. 17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, 18 and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. 20 And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.
The Jews who have cried out for Jesus’ execution are the apparent winners, a rarity for a nation rendered powerless. But they have set a dangerous precedent with their moment of power. They have been instrumental in condemning to death a Jew convicted of a crime against Rome. How can they protest Rome’s crucifixion of any who speak out against the empire?
Pilate gives Jesus to the rank and file soldiers to be scourged and crucified. Again, the powerless are given authority over Jesus. They have orders on what must be done, but are given free rein to amuse themselves with the condemned.
The soldiers’ treatment of Jesus is a sad commentary on human nature.
They ape those with power as they drink to excess the limited power now allotted to them. A robe of royal purple and a crown of thorns are their mocking gifts. They heap insults and abuse upon Jesus, as they have seen those in power do.
Finally, they overthrow Him, removing the purple robe and restoring His worn clothing. They lead Him to exile outside the city walls, the site of His execution.
Bearing His Cross December 2
Mark 15:21 Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.
Jesus has been beaten and scourged, the lash having literally scoured his back. He probably has had no sleep during the night, perhaps some water but no food. He is exhausted, but He is compelled to carry the cross, the instrument of torture on which He must die. He is physically unable.
His loyal followers have vanished, melted into the darkness of night and have not returned to His side. He has no one to bear the weight of the cross for Him, which is ironic considering the burden that He bears for everyone.
Impatient Romans compel an onlooker to carry the cross for Jesus. The man is named Simon, the same name as one of Jesus’ missing disciples. He is a Jew from Cyrene, a Greek city on the North Africa coast west of Egypt. Simon is an example of the distance that obedient Jews travel to be at the Temple for Passover.
Luke (23:26) and Matthew (27:32) mention Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross for Jesus, but only Mark mentions the names of the Cyrenian’s sons. Mark may mention them because they are workers in the cause of spreading the Gospel later.
Alexander may be the same as the man mentioned in Acts 4:6 and 19:33, but probably not the Alexander Paul condemns in his letters to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:20 and 2 Tim. 4:14). The Rufus of Rom. 6:13 may be Alexander’s brother.
Was Simon of Cyrene just at the wrong place at the wrong time, or was he at the right place at the right time?
Next day