Mark 15:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the chief priests accused him of many things.

NIV: The chief priests accused him of many things.

NASB: And the chief priests started accusing Him of many things.

CSB: And the chief priests accused him of many things.

NLT: Then the leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes,

KJV: And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.

NKJV: And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing.

When the members of the Sanhedrin take Jesus to Pilate, they claim, "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king" (Luke 23:2). The first part is a blatant lie. When questioned by the Pharisees and Herodians in the temple courtyard, Jesus clearly stated that if Caesar is the political leader and demands a tax, the Jews must pay it (Mark 12:13–17).

The charge that Jesus claims to be king is closer to the truth. Pilate may have heard of Jesus' initial entry into Jerusalem (Mark 11:1–10). While Jesus rode in on a donkey colt, other travelers greeted Him like a king, spreading branches and cloaks on the ground and declaring that David's kingdom was coming. God promised David that he would have an heir who would rule over Israel forever (1 Chronicles 17:11–14). Daniel affirmed this promise, describing the Ancient of Days bestowing eternal dominion over the earth to the "son of man" (Daniel 7:13–14). Incidentally, "son of man" is Jesus' favorite way to refer to Himself. Pilate probably knows nothing about the prophecy in Daniel 7, but he's more likely to know that Jesus entered Jerusalem to such a fanfare.

The Sanhedrin also says that Jesus "stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place" (Luke 23:5). This is true, however inadvertent. After Jesus fed the five thousand on the east side of the Sea of Galilee, the people tried to grab Him and make Him king (John 6:15). Jesus knew their zeal was less about God's deliverance of Israel and more about His ability to feed them (John 6:26). Jesus could have been king; Satan offered Him the world (Matthew 4:8–10). But Jesus is more concerned with saving souls than taking His rightful throne before it is time (John 6:27, 40). It makes no sense to take a kingdom of people who are enslaved to sin for eternity. Only by dying can He lead free people.

Mark 15:1–5 continues after Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin, which has been ongoing since His arrest in the garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:43–65). They have convicted Him of blasphemy against God, but they do not have authority to execute Him, only Pilate does (John 18:31; 19:7–8). The Sanhedrin must convince Pilate that Jesus has broken a capital Roman law. Luckily for them, ''Jewish Messiah'' is roughly translated into Greek as ''King of the Jews.'' That's high treason against Caesar. Jesus' first trial with Pilate is also in Matthew 27:1–2 and 11–14, Luke 23:1–5 and John 18:28–38.

After sham trials, Jesus is taken to the local Roman governor, Pilate. This is the only person in Jerusalem with the legal authority to have Jesus executed. Pilate is not fooled, and he attempts to arrange for Jesus' release. But the ruler's ploys fail, in part because Jesus will not defend Himself, and partly because the mob is intent on His death. Pilate offers a prisoner exchange in Barabbas, and even has Jesus brutally beaten in order to pacify the crowd. Eventually, he caves in and Jesus is crucified. Thanks to His prior abuse, Jesus survives only a few hours on the cross before dying. Jesus is then buried in a tomb belonging to a secret follower among the Jerusalem council.

After being unfairly judged, Jesus will now be unfairly sentenced and cruelly murdered. It's reasonable to say this chapter provides context for everything else contained in the Bible. From Adam and Eve until the last baby born in the millennial kingdom, every person other than Christ is stained with sin. Conscience, law, Jesus' direct leadership, even the indwelling of the Holy Spirit cannot keep us from sinning. Sinless Jesus had to die on the cross, sacrificing Himself in our place, so our sins could be forgiven and we could be reconciled to God. Beneath the violence, darkness, dishonor, and death is the love of God for all mankind (John 3:16). Jesus' crucifixion is also found in Matthew 27, Luke 23, and John 19. The next chapter describes the miracle of His resurrection.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.