Mark 15:29 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,

NIV: Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, 'So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,

NASB: Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, shaking their heads and saying, 'Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,

CSB: Those who passed by were yelling insults at him, shaking their heads, and saying, "Ha! The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,

NLT: The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 'Ha! Look at you now!' they yelled at him. 'You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days.

KJV: And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,

NKJV: And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days,

Crucifixions typically take place by a busy road to increase the victim's humiliation and the warning it serves to on-lookers. "Derided" is from the Greek root word blasphemeo. Literally, it means to speak reproachfully or speak evil of. To blaspheme God is a crime punishable by death in the Mosaic law (Leviticus 24:10–16), and this is the crime the high priest accuses Jesus of (Mark 14:64). To wag one's head is another display of derision (2 Kings 19:21; Job 16:4; Psalm 22:7; 109:25).

The story of this theoretical destroyed temple has finally come to fruition. At some point in Jesus' ministry, when He was visiting the temple during a different Passover season, He took a whip and cleared out the venders and money-changers who clogged the Court of the Gentiles (John 2:13–22). This appears to be early on in Jesus' ministry, long before His similar behavior a week prior to the crucifixion (Mark 11:15–19). When the Jewish leadership confronted Jesus, asking who gave Him the authority to clear the temple, He answered, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19).

The night before the crucifixion, as Jesus is on trial before the Sanhedrin, the accusers twist His words, claiming that He said, "I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands" (Mark 14:58). It is a crime under the Roman law, punishable by death, to destroy a religious building. The Sanhedrin could have accused Jesus of this threat to Pilate, but they can't find reliable witnesses. Mark 15:29 demonstrates the religious leaders understood Jesus meant His body, not the literal temple. The disciples apparently don't understand until after the resurrection in three days (John 2:21–22; Luke 24:45–46).

Mark 15:21–32 describes the crucifixion of Jesus. The Romans refined crucifixion to be the most painful and humiliating death imaginable. Victims were usually stripped naked, then tied or nailed to a cross. Executioners were adept at driving nails between bones and arteries, but directly through nerves, extending the victim's agony. Hanging in this position, the condemned could only breathe if they lifted their weight on impaled feet or wrists. Exhaustion would soon lead to suffocation—typically taking a victim two or three days to die. Bodies were usually left to rot in public unless a family member was given special permission to remove them. More painful for Jesus, however, is the total separation from His heavenly Father. Still, though He suffers alone, He suffers with hope (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus' crucifixion is also detailed in Matthew 27:32–44, Luke 23:26–43, and John 19:16–27.

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.