14:61 kept silent. The silence of innocence, integrity, and faith in God. An answer by Jesus would have given all the false testimonies and illegal proceedings an appearance of legitimacy. Christ. This term refers to Jesus’ claim to be the promised Messiah (see note on Matt. 1:1). Son of the Blessed. This refers to Jesus claim to deity. This is the only NT use of the expression, and it is an example of Jewish wording that avoided using God’s name (see note on John 8:58). Jesus’ acceptance of messiahship and deity (cf. Luke 4:18–21; John 4:25, 26; 5:17, 18; 8:58) had always brought vigorous opposition from the Jewish leaders (John 5:19–47; 8:16–19; 10:29–39). Clearly, the High-Priest was asking this question in hopes that Jesus would affirm it and open Himself to the formal charge of blasphemy.

14:62 I am. An explicit, unambiguous declaration that Jesus was and is both the Messiah and the Son of God. Son of Man. See notes on 2:10; Matt. 8:20. Jesus used this commonly acknowledged messianic title of Himself more than 80 times in the gospels, here in a reference to Ps. 110:1 and Dan. 7:13 (cf. Rev. 1:13; 14:14). right hand of the Power. Cf. 10:37; Acts 2:33; 7:55; Heb. 2:9; Rev. 12:5. Jesus’ glorified position is next to the throne of God (the “Power” is another reference to God). clouds. See note on 13:26; cf. Matt. 24:30; 26:64; Luke 21:27; Acts 1:9–11; Rev. 1:7; 14:14.

14:63 tore his clothes. A ceremonial, and in this case contrived, display of grief and indignation over the presumed dishonoring of God’s name by Jesus (cf. Gen 37:29; Lev. 10:6; Job 1:20; Acts 14:14; see note on Matt. 26:65). further need…of witnesses. A rhetorical question that expressed relief that the tense and embarrassing situation was finally over. Because Jesus had allegedly incriminated Himself in the eyes of the Sanhedrin, they would not need to summon any more lying witnesses.

14:64 blasphemy. See note on 2:7; cf. 3:29. Strictly speaking, Jesus’ words were not “blasphemy,” or defiant irreverence of God (Lev. 24:10–23), but Caiaphas regarded them as such because Jesus claimed for Himself equal power and prerogative with God.

14:65 spit on Him…beat Him. For the Jews, to “spit” in another’s face was the grossest, most hateful form of personal insult (cf. Num. 12:14; Deut. 25:9). Their brutal cruelty reached a climax and revealed the great depravity of their hearts when they “beat Him,” or hit Him with clenched fists. “Prophesy!” They jeeringly and disrespectfully ordered Jesus to use the prophetic powers He claimed to have—even in the frivolous manner of telling them who struck Him (Matt. 26:68).

14:66 below. The apartments around it were higher than the courtyard itself. one of the servant girls. Female slave, or maid, in the household of the High-Priest. She might have been the same gatekeeper (cf. John 18:15, 16) who admitted Peter, and who being curious and suspicious of him, wanted a closer look.

14:67 of Nazareth. Their reference to Jesus’ hometown communicates a feeling of contempt, in keeping with the views of the Jewish leaders and the poor reputation Nazareth generally had (cf. John 1:46).

14:68 the porch. Used only here in the NT, this term denotes “the forecourt,” or “entryway,” a covered archway of the courtyard, opening onto the street. a rooster crowed. This reference brings to mind Jesus’ prediction in v. 30 (see note there) and Matt. 26:34. Amid all the accusations being hurled at him, Peter either did not hear the rooster’s crowing, or failed to realize its significance. When the rooster crowed the second time, Jesus looked at Peter (Luke 22:61), triggering Peter’s memory and bringing conviction of his denials (cf. v. 72).

14:70 Galilean. Frequently used as a derisive label by people in Jerusalem toward their northern neighbors. It strongly suggested that natives of Galilee were deemed unsophisticated and uneducated (cf. Acts 4:13).

Mark 15

15:1 Immediately, in the morning. At daybreak, probably between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m. Having illegally decided Jesus’ guilt during the night (14:53–65; John 18:13–24), the Sanhedrin formally convened after daybreak to pronounce a sentence. chief priests. See note on Matt. 2:4. a consultation. This meeting is described in Luke 22:66–71. It amounted to little more than reiterating the charges earlier made against Jesus and affirming His guilty verdict. elders and scribes. See notes on 14:43; Matt. 2:4. the whole council. The entire Sanhedrin (see notes on 14:43, 53; Matt. 26:59). Pilate. Roman procurator (governor) of Judea from A.D. 26–36. His official residence was at Caesarea, but he was in Jerusalem for Passover.

15:2 Pilate asked. John records (John 18:30) that the Jewish leaders demanded that Pilate simply agree to the death sentence they had already pronounced on Jesus (14:64). Pilate refused, and the Jewish leaders then presented their false charges against Jesus (Luke 23:2). Having heard those charges, Pilate then questioned Him. “Are You the King of the Jews?” The only charge Pilate took seriously was that Jesus claimed to be a king, thus making Him guilty of rebellion against Rome. Pilate’s question reveals that he had already been informed of this charge (Luke 23:2). “It is as you say.” Jesus’ answer acknowledged that He was the rightful king of Israel, but implied that Pilate’s concept of what that meant differed from His (cf. John 18:34–37).

15:3 many things. Cf. Luke 23:2, 5.

15:4 “Do You answer nothing?” Pilate was amazed at Jesus’ silence, since accused prisoners predictably and vehemently denied the charges against them. Jesus may have remained silent in fulfillment of prophecy (Is. 42:1, 2; 53:7), because Pilate had already pronounced him innocent (Luke 23:4; John 18:38), or both.

15:6 at the feast. The Passover. accustomed to. Ancient secular sources indicate that Roman governors occasionally granted amnesty at the request of their subjects. Assuming that the people would ask for their king (whom they had so acknowledged earlier in the week; 11:1–10) to be freed, Pilate undoubtedly saw this annual custom as the way out of his dilemma regarding Jesus.

15:7 Barabbas. A robber (John 18:40) and murderer (Luke 23:18, 19) in some way involved as an anti-Roman insurrectionist. Whether his involvement was motivated by political conviction or personal greed is not known. It is impossible to identify the specific insurrection in question, but such uprisings were common in Jesus’ day and were precursors of the wholesale revolt of A.D. 66–70.

15:10 because of envy. Pilate realized that the Jewish authorities had not handed Jesus over to him out of loyalty to Rome. He saw through their deceit to the underlying reason—their jealousy over Jesus’ popularity with the people.

15:13 Crucify. See note on v. 15.

15:15 scourged. With a whip (known as a flagellum) consisting of a wooden handle to which metal-tipped leather thongs were attached. Being scourged with a flagellum was a fearful ordeal, ripping the flesh down to the bone, causing severe bleeding. It was a beating from which prisoners often died. crucified. See note on Matt. 27:31. Crucifixion, the common Roman method of execution for slaves and foreigners, was described by the Roman writer Cicero as “the cruelest and most hideous punishment possible.”

15:16 Praetorium. The governor’s official residence in Jerusalem, probably located in the Fortress Antonia complex. whole garrison. The Roman cohort, consisting of 600 men, was stationed in Jerusalem. All the soldiers who were not on duty at that time gathered to mock Jesus.

15:17 clothed Him with purple…crown of thorns. “Purple” was the color traditionally worn by royalty; the “crown of thorns” was in mockery of a royal crown. The callous soldiers decided to hold a mock coronation of Jesus as king of the Jews.

15:18 “Hail, King of the Jews!” The greeting was a parody of that given to Caesar.

15:19 a reed. An imitation of a royal scepter.

15:21 Condemned prisoners were required to carry the heavy crossbeam of their cross to the execution site. Exhausted from a sleepless night and severely wounded and weakened by His scourging, Jesus was unable to continue. The Roman guards conscripted, Simon, apparently at random, to carry Jesus’ crossbeam the rest of the way. Simon, from the North African city of Cyrene, was on his way into Jerusalem. The identification of him as “the father of Alexander and Rufus” (cf. Rom. 16:13) is evidence of Mark’s connection with the church at Rome (see Introduction: Background and Setting).

15:22 Golgotha…Place of a Skull. “Golgotha” is an Aram. word meaning “skull,” which Mark translated for his readers (see Introduction: Background and Setting). Although the exact site is unknown, today two locations in Jerusalem are considered as possibilities: 1) Gordon’s Calvary (named for the man who discovered it in modern times) to the N; and 2) the traditional site to the W at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a tradition dating to the fourth century.

15:23 wine mingled with myrrh. To temporarily deaden the pain (see note on Matt. 27:34), the Romans allowed this drink to be administered to victims of crucifixion, probably not out of compassion, but to keep them from struggling while being crucified.

15:24 crucified. See note on v. 15. None of the gospel accounts give a detailed description of the actual crucifixion process. divided His garments. This was in fulfillment of Ps. 22:18. The executioners customarily divided the victim’s clothes among themselves.

15:25 third hour. The crucifixion occurred at 9:00 a.m. based on the Jewish method of reckoning time. John notes that it was “about the sixth hour” when Pilate sentenced Jesus to be crucified (John 19:14). John apparently used the Roman method of reckoning time, which counted the hours from midnight. Thus John’s “sixth hour” would have been about 6:00 a.m.

15:26 inscription of His accusation. The crime for which a condemned man was executed was written on a wooden board, which was fastened to the cross above his head. Jesus’ inscription was written in Lat., Heb., and Gr. (John 19:20). See note on Matt. 27:37. THE KING OF THE JEWS. Since Pilate had repeatedly declared Jesus to be innocent of any crime (Luke 23:4, 14, 15, 22), he ordered this inscription written for Him. While Pilate’s intent was probably neither to mock nor to honor Jesus, he certainly intended it as an affront to the Jewish authorities, who had given him so much trouble. When the outraged Jewish leaders demanded the wording be changed, Pilate bluntly refused (see note on John 19:22). A comparison of all 4 gospel accounts reveals that the full inscription read THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. See note on Luke 23:38.

15:27 two robbers. They were probably involved with Barabbas in the rebellion (see note on v. 7), since robbery itself was not a capital offense under Roman law.

15:28 By placing Jesus’ cross between the two robbers (v. 27), Pilate may have intended to further insult the Jews, implying that their king was nothing but a common criminal. God intended it, however, as a fulfillment of prophecy (cf. Is. 53:12).

15:29 wagging their heads. A gesture of contempt and derision (cf. 2 Kin. 19:21; Pss. 22:7; 44:14; 109:25; Jer. 18:16; Lam. 2:15). You who destroy the temple and build it in three days. The passersby repeated the false charge made during Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas (14:58). The charge was a misunderstanding of Jesus’ words in John 2:19–21.

15:32 Christ. See note on 1:1. descend…from the cross. A final demand for a miracle by the unbelieving Jewish authorities (cf. 8:11). Their claim that they would then see and believe was false, since they later refused to believe the even greater miracle of Christ’s resurrection. those who were crucified with Him. The two robbers joined in the reviling of Jesus, though one later repented (Luke 23:40–43).

15:33 sixth hour. Noon, by Jewish reckoning, at the half-way point of Jesus’ 6 hours on the cross (see note on v. 25). darkness. A mark of divine judgment (cf. Is. 5:30; 13:10, 11; Joel 2:1, 2; Amos 5:20; Zeph. 1:14, 15; Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). The geographical extent of the darkness is not known, although the writings of the church fathers hint that it extended beyond Palestine. ninth hour. I.e., 3:00 p.m.

15:34 Eloi…sabachthani? The Aram. words of Ps. 22:1. Matthew, who also recorded this cry, gave the Heb. words (Matt. 27:46). why have You forsaken Me? Jesus felt keenly His abandonment by the Father, resulting from God’s wrath being poured out on Him as the substitute for sinners (see notes on 2 Cor. 5:21).

15:35 Elijah. Further mockery which in effect meant, “Let the forerunner come and save this so-called Messiah” (see note on Luke 1:17).

15:36 sour wine. Cheap wine commonly consumed by soldiers and workers. It may have been an act of mercy, or merely intended to prolong His suffering. a reed. A hyssop branch (John 19:29).

15:37 cried out with a loud voice. Demonstrating amazing strength in light of the intense suffering He had endured, His shout reveals that His life did not slowly ebb away, but that He voluntarily gave it up (John 10:17, 18). For the words of Christ’s cry, see Luke 23:46.

15:38 the veil of the temple was torn in two. The massive curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the sanctuary (Ex. 26:31–33; 40:20, 21; Lev. 16:2; Heb. 9:3). This rending signified that the way into God’s presence was open by the death of His Son.

15:39 centurion. The Roman officer in charge of the crucifixion. Centurions, considered the backbone of the Roman army, commanded 100 soldiers. saw that He cried out like this. The centurion had seen many crucified victims die, but none like Jesus. The strength He possessed at His death, as evidenced by His loud cry (v. 37), was unheard of for a victim of crucifixion. That, coupled with the earthquake that coincided with Christ’s death (Matt. 27:51–54) convinced the centurion that Jesus “truly…was the Son of God.” According to tradition, this man actually became a believer (see note on Matt. 27:54).

15:40 Some of these women had earlier been at the foot of the cross (John 19:25–27). By then, unable to watch Jesus’ suffering at such close range, they were “looking on from afar.” Their sympathetic loyalty was in sharp contrast to the disciples who, except for John, were nowhere to be found. Mary Magdalene. She was from the village of Magdala, on the W shore of the Sea of Galilee, hence her name. Luke notes that Jesus had cast 7 demons out of her (Luke 8:2). She is usually named first when the women who followed Jesus are listed, which may suggest that she was their leader. Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses. She is distinguished from the other Marys by the name of her sons. “James the Less” (called “James the son of Alphaeus” in Matt. 10:3) was one of the 12. Salome. The wife of Zebedee (Matt. 27:56), and the mother of James and John (see note on 10:35).

15:41 many other women. They had been with Jesus since the days of His Galilean ministry, traveling with Him and the disciples, caring for their needs (cf. Luke 8:2, 3).

15:42 Preparation Day. Friday, the day before the Sabbath (Saturday).

15:43 Joseph of Arimathea. “Arimathea,” known in the OT as Ramah, or Ramathaim-zophim (the birthplace of Samuel, 1 Sam. 1:1, 19; 2:11), was located about 15–20 mi. NW of Jerusalem. Joseph was a prominent member of the “council” (or the Sanhedrin, see note on 14:43), who had opposed Jesus’ condemnation (Luke 23:51). kingdom of God. See note on 1:15. coming and taking courage. Pilate would not likely have been pleased to see a member of the Sanhedrin, after that group had forced him to crucify an innocent man. Further, Joseph’s public identification with Jesus would enrage the other members of the Sanhedrin. asked for the body of Jesus. Though prisoners sentenced to death forfeited the right to burial under Roman law, their bodies were usually granted to relatives who asked for them, but Jesus’ mother was emotionally exhausted from the ordeal. There is no evidence that His brothers and sisters were in Jerusalem, and His closest friends, the disciples, had fled (except for John, who had Mary to take care of; John 19:26, 27). In the absence of those closest to Jesus, Joseph courageously asked Pilate for Jesus’ body.

15:44 Pilate marveled. Victims of crucifixion often lingered for days, hence Pilate’s surprise that Jesus was dead after only 6 hours. Before granting Jesus’ body to Joseph, Pilate checked with the “centurion” in charge of the crucifixion (see note on v. 39) to verify that Jesus was really dead.

15:45 he granted the body to Joseph. Having received confirmation from the centurion that Jesus was dead, Pilate granted Jesus’ body to Joseph. By that act, the Romans officially pronounced Jesus dead.

15:46 wrapped Him in the linen. The Jews did not embalm corpses, but wrapped them in perfumed burial cloths (see note on 16:1). Nicodemus, another prominent member of the Sanhedrin (cf. John 7:50), assisted Joseph in caring for the body of Jesus (John 19:39, 40). These men, who had kept their allegiance to Jesus secret during His lifetime, then came forward publicly to bury Him, while the disciples, who had openly followed Jesus, hid (John 20:19). tomb…hewn out of the rock. This “tomb” was located near Golgotha (John 19:42). Matthew adds that it was Joseph’s own (Matt. 27:60), while Luke and John note that no one as yet had been buried in it (Luke 23:53; John 19:41).

Mark 16

16:1 Sabbath was past. The Sabbath officially ended at sundown on Saturday, after which the women were able to purchase spices. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. See note on Matt. 27:56. Luke mentions that Joanna and other women were also there (Luke 24:10; cf. 15:41). spices. The women bought more spices in addition to those prepared earlier (cf. Luke 23:56; John 19:39, 40). anoint. Unlike the Egyptians, the Jewish people did not embalm their dead. Anointing was an act of love, to offset the stench of a decaying body. That the women came to anoint Jesus’ body on the third day after His burial showed that they, like the disciples, were not expecting Him to rise from the dead (cf. 8:31; 9:31; 10:34).

16:2 when the sun had risen. John 20:1 says that Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb while it was still dark. She may have gone on ahead of the other women, or the whole party may have set out together while it was still dark and arrived at the tomb after sunrise.

16:3 Who will roll away the stone. Only Mark records this discussion on the way to the tomb. The women realized they had no men with them to move the heavy stone (v. 4) away from the entrance to the tomb. Since they had last visited the tomb on Friday evening, they did not know it had been sealed and a guard posted, which took place on Saturday (Matt. 27:62–66).

16:4 the stone had been rolled away. This was not to let Jesus out, but to let the witnesses in. The earthquake when the angel rolled away the stone (Matt. 28:2) may have affected only the area around the tomb, since the women apparently did not feel it.

16:5 entering the tomb. The outer chamber, separated from the burial chamber by a small doorway. young man clothed in a long white robe. The angel, having rolled away the stone (Matt. 28:2), had then entered the burial chamber. Luke records that there were two angels in the tomb; Matthew and Mark focus on the one who spoke (for similar instances, see note on 10:46).

16:6 Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. Better, “the Nazarene” (see note on Matt. 2:23). The inspired account leaves no doubt about who had been in the tomb. The idea of some unbelievers that the women went to the wrong tomb is ludicrous. He is risen! Christ’s resurrection is one of the central truths of the Christian faith (1 Cor. 15:4) and the only plausible explanation for the empty tomb. Even the Jewish leaders did not deny the reality of the empty tomb, but concocted the story that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body (Matt. 28:11–15). The idea that the fearful (John 20:19), doubting (vv. 11, 13; Luke 24:10, 11) disciples somehow overpowered the Roman guard detachment and stole Jesus’ body is absurd. That they did it while the guards were asleep is even more preposterous. Surely, in moving the heavy stone from the mouth of the tomb, the disciples would have awakened at least one of the soldiers. And in any case, how could the guards have known what happened while they were asleep? Many other theories have been sinfully invented over the centuries to explain away the empty tomb, all of them equally futile.

16:7 and Peter. Peter was not singled out as the leader of the disciples, but to be reassured that, despite his denials of Christ, he was still one of them. He is going before you into Galilee…as He said. See note on 14:28. The disciples’ lack of faith made them slow to act on these words; they did not leave for Galilee (Matt. 28:7, 16) until after Jesus repeatedly appeared to them in Jerusalem (cf. Luke 24:13–32; John 20:19–31).

16:8 afraid. They were overwhelmed by the frightening appearance of the angel and the awesome mystery of the Resurrection.

16:9–20 The external evidence strongly suggests these verses were not originally part of Mark’s gospel. While the majority of Gr. manuscripts contain these verses, the earliest and most reliable do not. A shorter ending also existed, but it is not included in the text. Further, some that include the passage note that it was missing from older Gr. manuscripts, while others have scribal marks indicating the passage was considered spurious. The fourth-century church fathers Eusebius and Jerome noted that almost all Gr. manuscripts available to them lacked vv. 9–20. The internal evidence from this passage also weighs heavily against Mark’s authorship. The transition between vv. 8 and 9 is abrupt and awkward. The Gr. particle translated “now” that begins v. 9 implies continuity with the preceding narrative. What follows, however, does not continue the story of the women referred to in v. 8, but describes Christ’s appearance to Mary Magdalene (cf. John 20:11–18). The masculine participle in v. 9 expects “he” as its antecedent, yet the subject of v. 8 is the women. Although she had just been mentioned 3 times (v. 1; 15:40, 47), v. 9 introduces Mary Magdalene as if for the first time. Further, if Mark wrote v. 9, it is strange that he would only now note that Jesus had cast 7 demons out of her. The angel spoke of Jesus’ appearing to His followers in Galilee, yet the appearances described in vv. 9–20 are all in the Jerusalem area. Finally, the presence in these verses of a significant number of Gr. words used nowhere else in Mark argues that Mark did not write them. Verses 9–20 represent an early (they were known to the second-century fathers Irenaeus, Tatian, and, possibly, Justin Martyr) attempt to complete Mark’s gospel. While for the most part summarizing truths taught elsewhere in Scripture, vv. 9–20 should always be compared with the rest of Scripture, and no doctrines should be formulated based solely on them. Since, in spite of all these considerations of the likely unreliability of this section, it is possible to be wrong on the issue, and thus, it is good to consider the meaning of this passage and leave it in the text, just as with John 7:53—8:11.

16:9 He rose early on the first day of the week. That is, early Sunday morning. Mary Magdalene. See note on 15:40.

16:12, 13 This incident is related in Luke 24:13–32.

16:14 the eleven. The 12 minus Judas, who had committed suicide (Matt. 27:3–10). unbelief and hardness of heart. In not believing the witnesses of the resurrection (vv. 12, 13; cf. Luke 24:10, 11).

16:15, 16 Similar to Matthew’s account of the Great Commission, with the added contrast of those who have been baptized (believers) with those who refuse to believe and are condemned. Even if v. 16 is a genuine part of Mark’s gospel, it does not teach that baptism saves, since the lost are condemned for unbelief, not for not being baptized (see note on Acts 2:38).

16:17, 18 These signs were promised to the apostolic community (Matt. 10:1; 2 Cor. 12:12), not all believers in all ages (cf. 1 Cor. 12:29, 30). All (with the exception of drinking poison) were experienced by some in the apostolic church and reported in Scripture (e.g., Acts 28:5), but not afterward (cf. v. 20).

16:19 right hand of God. The place of honor Jesus assumed after His ascension (see note on Acts 2:33).

16:20 confirming the word through…signs. See notes on Acts 2:22; 2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:4.