Across the four gospel accounts, we see that Jesus faced six trials in total: three before the religious authorities and three before the secular Roman authorities. At the beginning of Mark 15, we join Jesus at his fourth trial where he was brought before Pilate. Growing up in Spain, Pilate had joined the Roman legion at a young age and would have had a certain image of the stature and behaviour expected of a powerful king. I imagine he was taken aback when the Jewish leaders brought Jesus before him.
‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ asked Pilate.
Mark 15:2
Despite the endless accusations of the chief priests, Pilate was amazed as Jesus remained silent.
6 Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.
Mark 15:6-10
Pilate knew that the trumped-up charges against Jesus were brought out of jealousy and self-interest. He had an opportunity to free Jesus, knowing he was an innocent man.
Pilate knew the right thing to do but he chose a different path.
“Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.”
Mark 15:15
How often do those five simple words lead us to make the wrong choice?
Wanting to satisfy the crowd…
To save his reputation, he sent Jesus to his death.
The humiliating process of crucifixion continued as Jesus was beaten and mocked by the soldiers. They paraded him through the streets as he struggled to carry the large beam of wood that formed part of the cross. Jesus crossed paths with Simon of Cyrene, an African Jew making his pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He was forced to carry the cross of Jesus as they made their way to Golgotha, the place of the skull.
33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
Mark 15:33-37
On this day, the crowd’s ‘Hosannas’ turned to cries of ‘Crucify Him’, the Pharisee's fears turn to joy as Jesus was crucified, and the once loyal disciples fled the scene, leaving only the women to mourn over the death of Jesus.
But at that moment the Roman centurion recognised that Jesus truly was the Messiah, the Son of God.
Something to think about…
Lord, help us to see in your crucifixion and resurrection an example of how to endure and seemingly to die in the agony and conflict of daily life, so that we may live more fully and creatively. You accepted patiently and humbly the rebuffs of human life, as well as the torture of the cross. Help us to accept the pains and conflicts that come to us each day as opportunity to grow as people and become more like you-make us realise that it is only by frequent deaths of ourselves, and our self-centered desires that we can come to live more fully, only by dying with you that we can rise with you.
Mother Teresa
For today’s reading you will need to stop the clip at 5:29.
Kay Moorby
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