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Mark 15:1-39
Trial #1—Before the Sanhedrin during the night: They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief
priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled. 54Peter
had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest;
and he was sitting with the guards, warming himself at the fire. 55Now
the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against
Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. 56For many gave
false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. 57Some
stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58“We
heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in
three days I will build another, not made with hands.’ ” 59But
even on this point their testimony did not agree. 60Then the
high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is
it that they testify against you?” 61But he was silent and did
not answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of
the Blessed One?” 62Jesus said, “I am; and
‘you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power,’
and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven.’ ”
63Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need
witnesses? 64You have heard his blasphemy! What is your
decision?” All of them condemned him as deserving death. 65Some
began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him,
“Prophesy!” The guards also took him over and beat him.
Questions:
1. Have you ever gotten a bad deal from a judge or officer?
2. Jesus finally had to give evidence to convict, because the trial wasn’t going according to plan
What do you make of that?
3. There is a lot of violence in the story, which makes the terror all the more real. Thoughts.
Trial #2: Before Pilate at dawn.
1As 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. 2Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.” 3Then the chief priests accused him of many things. 4Pilate asked him again, “Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.
6Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. 7Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. 8So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. 9Then he answered them, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. 11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. 12Pilate spoke to them again, “Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13They shouted back, “Crucify him!” 14Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!” 15So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
Questions:
4. Who is seeking vengeance? Who is seeking punishment? Is it God or is it humanity?
5. Why did Jewish leaders bring Jesus to Pilate? What’s the goal?
6. What’s Pilate’s over-riding concern?
7. Why did Jesus say nothing? Why does Jesus allow everyone else to talk? What is revealed?
Trial #3 as King of the Jews
16Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. 17And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. 18And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. 20After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
21They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. 22Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). 23And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take.
25It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.”
Questions:
Scholars argue that the terms “Messiah, Anointed, King” came about by accident of history, the trial and Pilate’s plaque that Jesus is a fake “King of the Jews.” And yet the mocking came to be seen as the truth of Jesus. From one perspective what seems an historical accidence of Pilate, from another perspective is now the truth. Philippians 2 puts this reversal of standing for Jesus this way:
5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
6who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
7but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
9Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name.
8. How does this passage from Philippians challenge our common ideas of success? How did Jesus become successful according to this?
Trial #4: Crucifixion and Bargaining
27And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. 29Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.
33When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” 36And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!
Questions
The crucifixion on the hill provides an extension of the trial where witnesses and bargains continue to be offered.
9. Have you ever sat with someone who was dying? What was that like?
10. Jesus is offered terms for success—come down from the cross. If he had, what would have gained? What would have been lost?
11. Jesus quotes psalm 22 and he seems to be overwhelmed by the experience, losing hope. When you hear these words from Jesus, what is your response? Is he saying these words for show? If not, what is he communicating?
12. At the very end, Jesus is misunderstood. He says “My God” but others hear “Elijah.” It is almost a farce, a scene of complete misunderstanding. They offer sour wine to revive him for the end, and Jesus cries out and breathes his last, as if in total humiliation, alienation, consternation, and defeat. What are your feelings about this scene and Jesus?
13. In all of this, what do we learn about the human heart? And the ways of the world?
14. How do you feel when you realize what Jesus went through, what God went through. What is God thinking about all of this?
The only person who speaks a word of defense or exoneration is a Roman soldier, who may or may not have understood what he was saying. The crucifixion of Jesus is an exhausting affair in Mark, filled with bad actors, misunderstanding, conniving, and a total failure of anyone having any sense what God is doing. If there is any hope, it is now taken completely out of human hands on so many levels, which makes the surprise of Easter, all the more surprising.
Together with God in Prayer
OPTION 1: ONE WORD. Take time to reflect about your day, your concerns, and how God may be speaking to you. As you reflect about your day, what is one word that summarizes how you are feeling? What might God be saying to you in this word?
OPTION 2: Reflect on the past 24 hours
- Step 1: Ask God to calm your self and help you see your life from God’s perspective.
- Step 2: Review the last 24 hours. What happened? What stands out? What captures your attention? What is a High and Low of this time? When did you experience God’s presence? When did you feel apart or distant from God?
- Step 3: Give your day to God your day. Ask for forgiveness where needed. Give thanks.
- Step 4: Look forward. How might you be more loving this day? What is God calling you to do?
Prayer
Who or What can you pray for today?
Close in the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Five Minutes with God
Let’s walk with Jesus during this Holy
Week. Read the scripture for each day
and reflect on it.
Ask yourself as you read:
• What
does this reading tell me about Jesus?
• What
is meaningful for me in this reading?
SUNDAY: Mark 11:1-11—Palm Sunday
MONDAY: Mark 11:15-19—Clearing Out the Temple
TUESDAY: Mark 12:1-12—Teaching in the Temple
WEDNESDAY: Mark 14:3-9—Jesus is Anointed
THURSDAY: Mark 14:17-25—The Lord’s Supper
FRIDAY: Mark 15:25-39—Jesus’ Crucifixion and Death