ON YOUR MARK: WEEK 13 DAY 2

Mark 15:1-15

And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. 

6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

The Jewish leaders, led by the High Priest, were now determined to have Jesus put to death. Since the Jews were under Roman law it was illegal for them to kill Jesus. They knew, however, if they took him to Pilate and claimed that Jesus was the King of the Jews, Pilate would have the power to kill Him, because the Jews were not allowed to have a king other than Caesar. I am struck by Pilate’s struggle with Jesus. We read in verse five from today’s Scripture that Pilate asked Jesus if He were King of the Jews and at Jesus’ answer, or lack of a clear answer, Pilate was amazed (Mark 15:5). Then, in Mark 15:14 when the crowd chose Barrabas and cried for Jesus to be crucified, Pilate asked them, “Why? What evil has he done?”. Pilate’s confusion was understandable, but Pilate couldn’t know the real reason why he would sentence Jesus to death. He thought he was playing into the hands of the jealous Jewish leaders. In reality Pilate was playing into the hand of God. All the Roman governors combined were not powerful enough to stop God's plan.

Imagine with me all the people and situations that God put in place to assure your salvation. It should cause us to fall to our knees in humility and thanksgiving.