Marco 15

1 E subito la mattina, i capi sacerdoti, con gli anziani e gli scribi e tutto il Sinedrio, tenuto consiglio, legarono Gesù e lo menarono via e lo misero in man di Pilato.

2 E Pilato gli domandò: Sei tu il re dei Giudei? Ed egli, rispondendo, gli disse: Sì, lo sono.

3 E i capi sacerdoti l’accusavano di molte cose;

4 e Pilato daccapo lo interrogò dicendo: Non rispondi nulla? Vedi di quante cose ti accusano!

5 Ma Gesù non rispose più nulla; talché Pilato se ne maravigliava.

6 Or ogni festa di pasqua ei liberava loro un carcerato, qualunque chiedessero.

7 C’era allora in prigione un tale chiamato Barabba, insieme a de’ sediziosi, i quali, nella sedizione, avean commesso omicidio.

8 E la moltitudine, venuta su, cominciò a domandare ch’e’ facesse come sempre avea lor fatto.

9 E Pilato rispose loro: Volete ch’io vi liberi il Re de’ Giudei?

10 Poiché capiva bene che i capi sacerdoti glielo aveano consegnato per invidia.

11 Ma i capi sacerdoti incitarono la moltitudine a chiedere che piuttosto liberasse loro Barabba.

12 E Pilato, daccapo replicando, diceva loro: Che volete dunque ch’io faccia di colui che voi chiamate il Re de’ Giudei?

13 Ed essi di nuovo gridarono: Crocifiggilo!

14 E Pilato diceva loro: Ma pure, che male ha egli fatto? Ma essi gridarono più forte che mai: Crocifiggilo!

15 E Pilato, volendo soddisfare la moltitudine, liberò loro Barabba; e consegnò Gesù, dopo averlo flagellato, per esser crocifisso.

16 Allora i soldati lo menarono dentro la corte che è il Pretorio, e radunarono tutta la coorte.

17 E lo vestirono di porpora; e intrecciata una corona di spine, gliela misero intorno al capo,

18 e cominciarono a salutarlo: Salve, Re de’ Giudei!

19 E gli percotevano il capo con una canna, e gli sputavano addosso, e postisi inginocchioni, si prostravano dinanzi a lui.

20 E dopo che l’ebbero schernito, lo spogliarono della porpora e lo rivestirono dei suoi propri vestimenti. E lo menaron fuori per crocifiggerlo.

21 E costrinsero a portar la croce di lui un certo Simon cireneo, il padre di Alessandro e di Rufo, il quale passava di là, tornando dai campi.

22 E menarono Gesù al luogo detto Golgota; il che, interpretato, vuol dire luogo del teschio.

23 E gli offersero da bere del vino mescolato con mirra; ma non ne prese.

24 Poi lo crocifissero e si spartirono i suoi vestimenti, tirandoli a sorte per sapere quel che ne toccherebbe a ciascuno.

25 Era l’ora terza quando lo crocifissero.

26 E l’iscrizione indicante il motivo della condanna, diceva: IL RE DE’ GIUDEI.

27 E con lui crocifissero due ladroni, uno alla sua destra e l’altro alla sua sinistra.

28 E si adempié la Scrittura che dice: Egli è stato annoverato fra gli iniqui.

29 E quelli che passavano lì presso lo ingiuriavano, scotendo il capo e dicendo: Eh, tu che disfai il tempio e lo riedifichi in tre giorni,

30 salva te stesso e scendi giù di croce!

31 Parimente anche i capi sacerdoti con gli scribi, beffandosi, dicevano l’uno all’altro: Ha salvato altri e non può salvar se stesso!

32 Il Cristo, il Re d’Israele, scenda ora giù di croce, affinché vediamo e crediamo! Anche quelli che erano stati crocifissi con lui, lo insultavano.

33 E venuta l’ora sesta, si fecero tenebre per tutto il paese, fino all’ora nona.

34 Ed all’ora nona, Gesù gridò con gran voce: Eloì, Eloì, lamà sabactanì? il che, interpretato, vuol dire: Dio mio, Dio mio, perché mi hai abbandonato?

35 E alcuni degli astanti, udito ciò, dicevano: Ecco, chiama Elia!

36 E uno di loro corse, e inzuppata d’aceto una spugna, e postala in cima ad una canna, gli diè da bere dicendo: Aspettate, vediamo se Elia viene a trarlo giù.

37 E Gesù, gettato un gran grido, rendé lo spirito.

38 E la cortina del tempio si squarciò in due, da cima a fondo.

39 E il centurione ch’era quivi presente dirimpetto a Gesù, avendolo veduto spirare a quel modo, disse: Veramente, quest’uomo era Figliuol di Dio!

40 Or v’erano anche delle donne, che guardavan da lontano; fra le quali era Maria Maddalena e Maria madre di Giacomo il piccolo e di Iose, e Salome;

41 le quali, quand’egli era in Galilea, lo seguivano e lo servivano; e molte altre, che eran salite con lui a Gerusalemme.

42 Ed essendo già sera (poiché era Preparazione, cioè la vigilia del sabato),

43 venne Giuseppe d’Arimatea, consigliere onorato, il quale aspettava anch’egli il Regno di Dio; e, preso ardire, si presentò a Pilato e domandò il corpo di Gesù.

44 Pilato si maravigliò ch’egli fosse già morto; e chiamato a sé il centurione, gli domandò se era morto da molto tempo;

45 e saputolo dal centurione, donò il corpo a Giuseppe.

46 E questi, comprato un panno lino e tratto Gesù giù di croce, l’involse nel panno e lo pose in una tomba scavata nella roccia, e rotolò una pietra contro l’apertura del sepolcro.

47 E Maria Maddalena e Maria madre di Iose stavano guardando dove veniva deposto.

Marco 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

Christ before Pilate. (1-14) Christ led to be crucified. (15-21) The crucifixion. (22-32) The death of Christ. (33-41) His body buried. (42-47)

Verses 1-14 They bound Christ. It is good for us often to remember the bonds of the Lord Jesus, as bound with him who was bound for us. By delivering up the King, they, in effect, delivered up the kingdom of God, which was, therefore, as by their own consent, taken from them, and given to another nation. Christ gave Pilate a direct answer, but would not answer the witnesses, because the things they alleged were known to be false, even Pilate himself was convinced they were so. Pilate thought that he might appeal from the priests to the people, and that they would deliver Jesus out of the priests' hands. But they were more and more urged by the priests, and cried, Crucify him! Crucify him! Let us judge of persons and things by their merits, and the standard of God's word, and not by common report. The thought that no one ever was so shamefully treated, as the only perfectly wise, holy, and excellent Person that ever appeared on earth, leads the serious mind to strong views of man's wickedness and enmity to God. Let us more and more abhor the evil dispositions which marked the conduct of these persecutors.

Verses 15-21 Christ met death in its greatest terror. It was the death of the vilest malefactors. Thus the cross and the shame are put together. God having been dishonoured by the sin of man, Christ made satisfaction by submitting to the greatest disgrace human nature could be loaded with. It was a cursed death; thus it was branded by the Jewish law, ( Deuteronomy 21:23 ) . The Roman soldiers mocked our Lord Jesus as a King; thus in the high priest's hall the servants had mocked him as a Prophet and Saviour. Shall a purple or scarlet robe be matter of pride to a Christian, which was matter of reproach and shame to Christ? He wore the crown of thorns which we deserved, that we might wear the crown of glory which he merited. We were by sin liable to everlasting shame and contempt; to deliver us, our Lord Jesus submitted to shame and contempt. He was led forth with the workers of iniquity, though he did no sin. The sufferings of the meek and holy Redeemer, are ever a source of instruction to the believer, of which, in his best hours, he cannot be weary. Did Jesus thus suffer, and shall I, a vile sinner, fret or repine? Shall I indulge anger, or utter reproaches and threats because of troubles and injuries?

Verses 22-32 The place where our Lord Jesus was crucified, was called the place of a scull; it was the common place of execution; for he was in all respects numbered with the transgressors. Whenever we look unto Christ crucified, we must remember what was written over his head; he is a King, and we must give up ourselves to be his subjects, as Israelites indeed. They crucified two thieves with him, and him in the midst; they thereby intended him great dishonour. But it was foretold that he should be numbered with the transgressors, because he was made sin for us. Even those who passed by railed at him. They told him to come down from the cross, and they would believe; but they did not believe, though he gave them a more convincing sign when he came up from the grave. With what earnestness will the man who firmly believes the truth, as made known by the sufferings of Christ, seek for salvation! With what gratitude will he receive the dawning hope of forgiveness and eternal life, as purchased for him by the sufferings and death of the Son of God! and with what godly sorrow will he mourn over the sins which crucified the Lord of glory!

Verses 33-41 There was a thick darkness over the land, from noon until three in the afternoon. The Jews were doing their utmost to extinguish the Sun of Righteousness. The darkness signified the cloud which the human soul of Christ was under, when he was making it an offering for sin. He did not complain that his disciples forsook him, but that his Father forsook him. In this especially he was made sin for us. When Paul was to be offered as a sacrifice for the service saints, he could joy and rejoice, ( Philippians 2:17 ) ; but it is another thing to be offered as a sacrifice for the sin of sinners. At the same instant that Jesus died, the veil of the temple was rent from the top to the bottom. This spake terror to the unbelieving Jews, and was a sign of the destruction of their church and nation. It speaks comfort to all believing Christians, for it signified the laying open a new and living way into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. The confidence with which Christ had openly addressed God as his Father, and committed his soul into his hands, seems greatly to have affected the centurion. Right views of Christ crucified will reconcile the believer to the thought of death; he longs to behold, love, and praise, as he ought, that Saviour who was wounded and pierced to save him from the wrath to come.

Verses 42-47 We are here attending the burial of our Lord Jesus. Oh that we may by grace be planted in the likeness of it! Joseph of Arimathea was one who waited for the kingdom of God. Those who hope for a share in its privileges, must own Christ's cause, when it seems to be crushed. This man God raised up for his service. There was a special providence, that Pilate should be so strict in his inquiry, that there might be no pretence to say Jesus was alive. Pilate gave Joseph leave to take down the body, and do what he pleased with it. Some of the women beheld where Jesus was laid, that they might come after the sabbath to anoint the dead body, because they had not time to do it before. Special notice was taken of Christ's sepulchre, because he was to rise again. And he will not forsake those who trust in him, and call upon him. Death, deprived of its sting, will soon end the believer's sorrows, as it ended those of the Saviour.