Mark 15:6

And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. For the exposition, see the notes at John 18:28; John 19:1....

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 exce...

EXPOSITION MARK 15:1 AND STRAIGHTWAY IN THE MORNING THE CHIEF PRIESTS WITH THE ELDERS AND SCRIBES, AND THE WHOLE COUNCIL, HELD A CONSULTATION, AND BOUND JESUS, AND CARRIED HIM AWAY, AND DELIVERED HIM UP TO PILATE. _Straightway in the morning _(εὐθέως πρωΐ́)_. _The proceedings recorded in the last chapter terminated probably between five and six; the cock-crowing helps to fix the time. Now came the more formal trial. The whole Sanhedrim united in consultation. All the proceedings hitherto had been irregular and illegal. Now, for form's sake, they tried him afresh. But there was another law which was also violated. It was now Friday. In capital cases, sentence of condemnation might not legally be pronounced on the day of the trial. Yet our Lord was tried, condemned, and crucified on the same day. They "hound him," that he mi

NOW AT THAT FEAST,.... The feast of the passover, which was at that instant; see John 18:39. The Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read, "at every feast"; as if the following custom was used at every feast in the year, at the feasts of pentecost and tabernacles, as well as at the passover; whereas it was only at the latter: HE RELEASED UNTO THEM ONE PRISONER, WHOMSOEVER THEY DESIRED; of this custom Matthew 27:15....

Let us read again what we have often read before, that saddest of all stories which, nevertheless, is the fountain of the highest gladness,-the story of our Saviour's death, as recorded by Mark. Mark 15:1. _And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate._ «The whole council» could be there, so early in the morning, for such an evil purpose. Wicked men are very diligent in carrying out their sinful schemes; so, when Christ was to be murdered, his enemies were there, as Luke tells us, «as soon as it was day.» How much more diligent ought the followers of Christ to be to give him their devoted service! It is a good thing to begin the day with united prayer and holy converse with his people. Let these wicked men, who were so early in the mor

CHAPTER 15 _ 1. Before Pilate. (Mark 15:1 .Matthew 27:1; Luke 23:1; John 18:28 .)_ 2. Barabbas released and the Servant condemned. (Mark 15:6 .Matthew 27:15; Luke 23:16; John 18:39) 3. Crowned with thorns and mocked. ...

JESUS BEFORE PILATE. A second meeting of the Sanhedrin held in the daylight regularizes the condemnation arrived at overnight. They now take Jesus to Pilate (governor of Judæ a, A.D. 26- 36, see p. 653) who was _in_ Jerusalem during the Passover. The narrative is clearly incomplete. No formal accusation by the Sanhedrin is recorded. Pilate's conduct throughout is not characteristic of the man of ruthless cruelty, revealed in Philo, and in Luke 13:1. The description of his part is, therefore, doubted by some, who say it is determined by Mk.'s desire to make the Jews entirely responsible. The crowd calls out Crucify; Pilate hardly pronounces the sentence. Indeed Pilate recognised the innocence of Jesus and the harmlessness of His followers. But Pilate may have been impressed by Jesus, and his conduct might be determined by a wish to play with the Jewish rulers. This would be quite in keepi...

THE SILENCE OF JESUS (Mark 15:1-5)...

_Now at that feast_ Rather, AT FESTIVAL TIME. There is no article in the Greek (or in Luke 23:17; Matthew 27:15), and the apparent limitation of the custom to the Feast of the Passover is not required by the original words, or by the parallel in John 18:39. It seems to have been a custom, the origin of which is unknown, to release to the people on the occasion of the Passover and other great Feasts any prisoner whom they might select. The custom may have been of Jewish origin, and had been continued by the Roman governors from motives of policy. Even the Romans were accustomed at the _Lectisternia_and _Bacchanalia_to allow an amnesty for criminals....

1–15. THE TRIAL BEFORE THE PROCURATOR Matthew 27:1-26; Luke 23:1-3; Luke 23:18-25 John 18:28-40; John 19:4-16...