Marcos 15

1 Y LUEGO por la mañana, habiendo tenido consejo los príncipes de los sacerdotes con los ancianos, y con los escribas, y con todo el concilio, llevaron á Jesús atado, y le entregaron á Pilato.

2 Y Pilato le preguntó: ¿Eres tú el Rey de los Judíos? Y respondiendo él, le dijo: Tú lo dices.

3 Y los príncipes de los sacerdotes le acusaban mucho.

4 Y le preguntó otra vez Pilato, diciendo: ¿No respondes algo? Mira de cuántas cosas te acusan.

5 Mas Jesús ni aun con eso respondió; de modo que Pilato se maravillaba.

6 Empero en el día de la fiesta les soltaba un preso, cualquiera que pidiesen.

7 Y había uno, que se llamaba Barrabás, preso con sus compañeros de motín que habían hecho muerte en una revuelta.

8 Y viniendo la multitud, comenzó á pedir hiciese como siempre les había hecho.

9 Y Pilato les respondió, diciendo: ¿Queréis que os suelte al Rey de los Judíos?

10 Porque conocía que por envidia le habían entregado los príncipes de los sacerdotes.

11 Mas los príncipes de los sacerdotes incitaron á la multitud, que les soltase antes á Barrabás.

12 Y respondiendo Pilato, les dice otra vez: ¿Qué pues queréis que haga del que llamáis Rey de los Judíos?

13 Y ellos volvieron á dar voces: Crucifícale.

14 Mas Pilato les decía: ¿Pues qué mal ha hecho? Y ellos daban más voces: Crucifícale.

15 Y Pilato, queriendo satisfacer al pueblo, les soltó á Barrabás, y entregó á Jesús, después de azotarle, para que fuese crucificado.

16 Entonces los soldados le llevaron dentro de la sala, es á saber al Pretorio; y convocan toda la cohorte.

17 Y le visten de púrpura; y poniéndole una corona tejida de espinas,

18 Comenzaron luego á saludarle: ¡Salve, Rey de los Judíos!

19 Y le herían en la cabeza con una caña, y escupían en él, y le adoraban hincadas las rodillas.

20 Y cuando le hubieron escarnecido, le desnudaron la púrpura, y le vistieron sus propios vestidos, y le sacaron para crucificarle.

21 Y cargaron á uno que pasaba, Simón Cireneo, padre de Alejandro y de Rufo, que venía del campo, para que llevase su cruz.

22 Y le llevan al lugar de Gólgotha, que declarado quiere decir: Lugar de la Calavera.

23 Y le dieron á beber vino mezclado con mirra; mas él no lo tomó.

24 Y cuando le hubieron crucificado, repartieron sus vestidos, echando suertes sobre ellos, qué llevaría cada uno.

25 Y era la hora de las tres cuando le crucificaron.

26 Y el título escrito de su causa era: EL REY DE LOS JUDIOS.

27 Y crucificaron con él dos ladrones, uno á su derecha, y el otro á su izquierda.

28 Y se cumplió la Escritura, que dice: Y con los inicuos fué contado.

29 Y los que pasaban le denostaban, meneando sus cabezas, y diciendo: ¡Ah! tú que derribas el templo de Dios, y en tres días lo edificas,

30 Sálvate á ti mismo, y desciende de la cruz.

31 Y de esta manera también los príncipes de los sacerdotes escarneciendo, decían unos á otros, con los escribas: A otros salvó, á sí mismo no se puede salvar.

32 El Cristo, Rey de Israel, descienda ahora de la cruz, para que veamos y creamos. También los que estaban crucificados con él le denostaban.

33 Y cuando vino la hora de sexta, fueron hechas tinieblas sobre toda la tierra hasta la hora de nona.

34 Y á la hora de nona, exclamó Jesús á gran voz, diciendo: Eloi, Eloi, ¿lama sabachthani? que declarado, quiere decir: Dios mío, Díos mío, ¿por qué me has desamparado?

35 Y oyéndole unos de los que estaban allí, decían: He aquí, llama á Elías.

36 Y corrió uno, y empapando una esponja en vinagre, y poniéndola en una caña, le dió á beber, diciendo: Dejad, veamos si vendrá Elías á quitarle.

37 Mas Jesús, dando una grande voz, espiró.

38 Entonces el velo del templo se rasgó en dos, de alto á bajo.

39 Y el centurión que estaba delante de él, viendo que había espirado así clamando, dijo: Verdaderamente este hombre era el Hijo de Dios.

40 Y también estaban algunas mujeres mirando de lejos; entre las cuales estaba María Magdalena, y María la madre de Jacobo el menor y de José, y Salomé;

41 Las cuales, estando aún él en Galilea, le habían seguido, y le servían; y otras muchas que juntamente con él habían subido á Jerusalem.

42 Y cuando fué la tarde, porque era la preparación, es decir, la víspera del sábado,

43 José de Arimatea, senador noble, que también esperaba el reino de Dios, vino, y osadamente entró á Pilato, y pidió el cuerpo de Jesús.

44 Y Pilato se maravilló que ya fuese muerto; y haciendo venir al centurión, preguntóle si era ya muerto.

45 Y enterado del centurión, dió el cuerpo á José.

46 El cual compró una sábana, y quitándole, le envolvió en la sábana, y le puso en un sepulcro que estaba cavado en una peña, y revolvió una piedra á la puerta del sepulcro.

47 Y María Magdalena, y María madre de José, miraban donde era puesto.

Marcos 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.