Bible Commentaries

Mark 15:7. ἐν τῇ στάσει, in the insurrection) A charge most offensive in the eyes of Herod, who would therefore be likely to punish Barabbas with hearty good-will.

Mark 15:8. ἀναβοήσας) having raised a cry. It is to this the reference is, Mark 15:13, They cried out again. Formerly the Vulg. read ἀναβὰς; or even other paraphrasers: and that reading is consonant with Matthew 27:17, therefore when they were gathered together. Certainly both the people gathered themselves together to the chief priests, who were accusing Jesus in an invidious manner, for the purpose of praying that some prisoner should be given up to them: and an ascent to the Pretorium [Governor’s Hall], and some cry, were begun by the people. whoever will compare ἀναβοήσας with the words following, and ἀναβὰς with the words preceding, will perceive that either reading might have been formed from the other by alliteration.⁸— αἰτεῖσθαι, to desire) Understand from the context, ποιεῖν, that he should do. Often the verb is omitted, it being intended that it should be repeated from the following clause. John 5:21; John 6:32; John 6:35; John 12:25; John 12:35; Romans 5:16; Philippians 2:1-2; Titus 2:2, note. So LXX., 2 Kings 9:27, καιγε αὐτόν (viz. πατάξατε·) καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτόν. Comp. Glass., B. iv., Tract. 2, Observ. 5 and 12 all through: and, if you have a mind, the remarks which we formerly made on Cic. Ep., p. 143.

Mark 15:9. τὸν βασιλέα τῶν ἰονδαίων, the King of the Jews) A Mimesis [i.e. a using of the words of an opponent in irony, or in order to refute him. See Append.]

Mark 15:15. τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι) to content, or satisfy.

Mark 15:16. αὐλῆς, the hall) The Greek word is put before its Latin synonym, Prœtorium.

[20. καὶ ἐξάγουσιν, αὐτὸν, and lead Him out) What is the mystery which lies hid under the fact, that our gracious Saviour was led out of the city, no mortal man, we may suppose, would have been likely to have discovered, not to say, would have been able to have persuaded others, had not the wisdom of the apostle instructed us on the subject, Hebrews 13:11-14.—Harm., p. 559.]

Mark 15:21. ἐρχόμενον, coming) either in order to be present at the Passover, or in order to see what would be done to Jesus.— ἀπʼ ἀγροῦ) Where perhaps he had his home. Happy man, in that he was not present, and had no part in the accusation: but in consequence of that very fact he was the less agreeable to the Jews.— ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ ῥούφου, of Alexander and Rufus) These two, at the time when Mark wrote, were better known than their father, inasmuch as he is denominated from them [instead of vice varsâ]: They were distinguished persons among the disciples (see Romans 16:13 as to Rufas, who also is set down in that passage as one better known than his mother, though Paul seems to have regarded her as his mother at Jerusalem): which is an evidence whereby the truth of the whole fact, as it happened, may be perceived.

Mark 15:22. φέρουσιν, they bring [bear or take]) not merely lead.— γολγοθᾶ) The genitive.

Mark 15:23. οὐκ ἔλαβε, He took it not) He tasted, but did not drink it. Matthew 27:34 : comp. ch. Matthew 26:29.

Mark 15:24. σταυρώσαντες) having crucified.— τίς τί, what, and who [what every man should take]) See Bud. Comm. 1349, 27.

Mark 15:25. τρίτη, third) which the sixth and ninth hour follows, Mark 15:33. Therefore it is Jewish hours that are here marked. However the case stands in Mark and John as to both the kind of hour and the mode of enumeration respectively employed by them, both mean the one and the same portion of the day, viz. in the forenoon. Nor is there any reason why we should desire to diminish the number of hours of His remaining on the cross. Jesus hung upon it more than six hours: for even six hours, from the third to the ninth hour, were in themselves a longer time than ordinary hours of equal length, inasmuch as the equinox was now past: for they were wont to divide the day, whether it were shorter or longer, into twelve hours: and between the close of the supernatural darkness and the death of Jesus many events intervened. There are some who explain this verse thus: It was the third hour from the time that they had crucified Him. But if this had been his meaning, Mark would have said, There were three hours; and in that case, passing by the hour of the crucifixion itself, he would say, what occurred three hours afterwards [which is not likely]: for, both the casting of lots, and the superscription written, were acts more speedily done [than the act of crucifixion].— καὶ) καὶ either is used in its strict meaning, and; in order that Mark may intimate, that first of all the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross, next, that they divided His garments, and then erected the cross: or else, rather, the καὶ has a relative force, so that the hour should be precisely denoted, to which the mention of the crucifixion is both prefixed and subjoined.⁹ Comp. John 19:14; comp. καὶ, ch. Mark 2:15, at the end of verse.— ἐσταύρωσαν) elevating the cross.

Mark 15:28. καὶ μετὰ ἀνόμων ἐλογίσθη) Isaiah 53:12, LXX., καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀνόμοις ἐλογίσθη. The μετὰ has a stronger force than ἐν: He suffered Himself to be reckoned with the transgressors.

Mark 15:29. οὐὰ, Ah!) An interjection and exclamation, having the force of expressing astonishment, as Franc. Bernardinus Ferrarius, L. 3. de Acclam. Vet. c. 15, shows at large. In this passage, it has the force of expressing wonder along with irony.

Mark 15:32. ὁ χριστὸς ὁ βασιλεύς, Christ the King) A Mimesis [an allusion to the words of an opponent, with the intention of refuting them.—See Append.] The expression, Christ, refers to the proceedings before Caiaphas; the expression, King, refers to those before Pilate.

Mark 15:34. ἐλωῒ) Hebr. אֱלהַי, as בַּרְזִלַּי βερζελλὶ, בֵּבַי βαβὶ, אֲבִישַי ἀβεσσὰ, etc.: Hiller, Onom. p. 707. For not even שָׂרַי in Greek is σαραῒ, Genesis 17:15. Matthew has ἡλὶ, ἡλί. and so the Hebrew Psaltery [Psalms 22:1]: Mark has ἐλωῒ, ἐλωῒ, and so the Syriac Psaltery, as John Gregorius observes.— εἰς τί, for what [why]) See Matthew 27:46, note.

Mark 15:37. ἐξέπνευσε, He expired) To breathe, is conducive to the good of the body: to cease to breathe [expire], is conducive to the good of the spirit.

[39. οὕτω κράξας, having thus cried out) Christ was not exhausted to death by faintness, but most voluntarily laid down His life.—V. g.]

Mark 15:41. γαλιλαίᾳ, Galilee) Here it was that He had sojourned for a great part of His time: He had come to Jerusalem, especially at the times of the festivals.

Mark 15:42. προσάββατον, the day before the Sabbath) When there was the beginning made of resting.

Mark 15:43. ὁ ἀπὸ ἀριμαθαίας, who was from Arimathea) The article shows, that this had become a surname of Joseph. Matthew does not employ the article, because he wrote before Mark.— εὐσχήμων, honourable) Distinguished by both honour and dignity.— βουλευτὴς, senator) of the Jerusalem Sanhedrim.— τολμήσας, having boldly ventured) A praiseworthy boldness. [Not unattended with personal risk.—V. g.] John 19:38. An elegant and effective Asyndeton.¹⁰ [It very frequently happens in the case of those making such bold ventures, that their efforts succeed better than you would have supposed.—V. g.]

Mark 15:44. ἐθαύμασεν, marvelled) In fact, it was not the mere cross that deprived Jesus of life. [Those crucified sometimes used to protract life for a considerably longer time. Pilate had permitted the breaking of the legs; but the fact, that Jesus had died before the breaking of the legs (of the other two), came to Pilate’s knowledge through Joseph, and not until then.—V. g.]— πάλαι) Eustathius has showed that this word is used of even a rather short interval of time.

Mark 15:45. γνοὺς, having ascertained the fact) that Jesus was really dead.— ἐδωρήσατο, he gave it) The body of Him who was crucified had been at the disposal of the judge. [Therefore the body, which was ordained to be kept free from corruption, was subject to the disposal of a man who was a heathen. Marvellous! Joseph, it is to be supposed, would have paid for it no small sum of money.—V. g.]