Mark 15:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

NIV: But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

NASB: But Jesus said nothing further in answer, so Pilate was amazed.

CSB: But Jesus still did not answer, and so Pilate was amazed.

NLT: But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.

KJV: But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

NKJV: But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.

When the Sanhedrin tries to find false witnesses against Jesus, He makes no defense (Mark 14:55–60). Directly after this interview with Pilate, Jesus refuses to say a word in defense to Herod Antipas (Luke 23:9). Jesus does speak to clarify His identity as the Son of God, the Messiah (Mark 14:61–62), and the King of the Jews (John 18:36). He also engages with Pilate to give the governor an opportunity to acknowledge the truth of Jesus' identity (John 18:37–38).

In Isaiah 53:7, the Suffering Servant is described as a lamb that does not open its mouth. In so far as it applies to His impending death, Jesus never "opens His mouth" to defend Himself against false accusations. He does nothing to escape the path to the cross. He speaks, but never says anything to help His own cause. Pilate is amazed. He knows that the Sanhedrin's case is weak, and Jesus can avoid death simply by defending Himself. But He doesn't.

Between Mark 15:5 and 6, Jesus faces another trial (Luke 23:6–12). Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, is in Jerusalem, possibly for the Passover. At the beginning of Jesus' ministry, Herod killed John the Baptist through the machinations of his wife, Herodias (Mark 6:14–29). Herod has had his concerns about Jesus, thinking He is John the Baptist raised from the dead (Mark 6:14–16), and his followers have been conspiring to destroy Jesus from the beginning (Mark 3:6). The Pharisees warned Jesus that Herod wanted to kill Him; Jesus responded by calling him a fox (Luke 13:31–32).

When the two finally meet, Herod asks the questions, the chief priests and scribes spew venom, and Jesus stands silent. Herod had probably hoped for a meaningful conversation, as he'd shared with John the Baptist (Mark 6:20), or at least a miracle or two. When Jesus doesn't oblige, Herod and his soldiers beat and mock Him, then Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate become friends, but they still have no proof Jesus did anything wrong.

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.