Mark 15

Christ is by the Jewes delivered up to Pilate, and accused before him: whereof being examined he holds his peace, 1. Pilate endeavors to release him; but upon the importunity of the people, he lets Barabbas loose, and delivers Christ over to be crucified, 6, whom the souldiers mock and abuse, 16. Simon of Cyrene is compelled to bear his cross, 21. There is offered him myrrhewine, 23, he is crucified with two murderers, 24 and reviled by those that pass by, 29. Darkness cometh upon the earth, 33. Christ cryeth to his father and is mocked for It., 34, and as soon as vinegar was presented to him he gives up the ghost, 36. The vail of the Temple rends, 38. Certain women beheld it afar off, 40. Christ is buried by Joseph of Arimathea, 42.

1. And straight away early in the morning, the chief priests held consultations together, with the elders, and scribes, and the whole council, and having bound Jesus, they brought him away and delivered him to Pilate. [The cause wherefore they delivered him up to Pilate, see matth. 27.2.]

2. And Pilate asked him, art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering, said unto him, thou sayest it. [of this manner of speaking, see the annotations on Matth. 26.25.]

3. And the chief priests accused him of many things but be answered nothing.

4. And Pilate asked him again, saying, answerest thou nothing? Behold how many things they witness against thee.

5. And Jesus answered nothing more, [Gr. No more any thing. The reason of this silence, see Matth. 27.14] so that Pilate marveled.

6. And on the feast [or, on every feast; namely, of the Passover, see Job 18.39.] he released one prisoner unto them, whomsoever they desired.

7. And there was one called barabbas, imprisoned with other co-partners in roar, who had uproar, who had committed murder in the uproar.

8. And the multitude cryed out and began to crave (that he would do) as he had always done to them, [Namely, that he would release one prisoner unto them.]

9. And Pilate answered them, saying, will ye that I release unto you the king of the Jews?

10. (for he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up through envy.)

11. But the chief priest stirred up the multitude, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.

12. And Pilate answering, said again unto them, what will ye then that I shall do (with him) whom ye call a king of the Jews?

13. And they cried again, crusifie him.

14. But Pilate said unto them, what evil then hath he done? And they cryed the more, crusifie him.

15. Now Pilate willing to satisfie the multitude, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus over, [Namely, to the captain and souldiers] having scouged him for to be crucified.

16. And the souldiers led him into the hall, which is the judgement-house, [Gr. Praitotion, whereby is exprest the Latine word Praetorium, which signifies the place where the roman governours dwelt, and kept their Tribunal or Judgement-seat] and called the whole hand together.

17. And put on him a purple cloak, [Gr. Cloathed him with purple; i.e. with a purple cloak; see hereof more at large the Annotatios do Matth. 27.28.] and having wreathed a crown of thorns, put the same upon him.

18. And began to salute him, saying, hail thou king of the Jews.

19. And smote his head with a reed, and spit upon him, and falling on the knees, worshipped him. [honoring him by way of mockery, as the heathens in earnest use to honour their kings.]

20. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple cloak from him and put his own cloaths upon him and led him forth to crucifie him.

21. And they compelled one Simon of Cyrene who passed by there, coming from the f field, the father of Alexander and Rufus, [the names of these are here exprest because afterwards they were famous persons in the church of God: of whom there seems likewise mention to be made, rom. 16.13.] that he should bear his cross. [Namely, christs. See the cause in the Annotations on Matth. 27.32.]

22. And they brought him to the place Golgotha, which is being interpreted scull-place. [see Matth. 27.33.]

23. And they gave him myrrhe-wine to drink, [hereof see Matth. 27.34] but he took it not.

24. And they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots on the same, what every one should take away.

25. And it was the third hour, [these hours must be reckoned after the manner of the Jew, from the sun rising to sun-setting; see Matth. 20 verse 3. John 11:9. And seeing the passeover came then, about the time that the days and nights were of equal length, therefore the third hour agrees with our ninth, the sixth with our twelfth and the ninth with our third in the afternoon: John saith, chapter 19 verse 14 that it was about the sixth hour when he brought him forth. How this agrees, see the Annotations there] and they crucified him.

26. And the superscription of his accusation was written over him, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

27. And the crucified him two murderers, [or, high way robbers] one his right, and one at his left (side).

28. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, and is reckoned with the evil-doers,

29. And they that passed by, reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, Ha! Thou that breakest down the temple and buildest it up in three days:

30. Save thy self, and come down from the cross.

31. And in the like manner also the chief priests with the scribes, said one to another mocking him, he delivered others, he cannot deliver himself: [others, can not save himself?]

32. Let the Christ the King of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe it. They also that were crucified with him, [namely, one of them. See Matth. 27.44. and Luke 23:29.] reproached him.

33. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth [of this darkness, see Matth. 27.45. as also all that follows] until the ninth hour.

34. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cryed with a great voice, saying, ELOI, LAMMA SABACTHANI, which is being interpreted, My God, My God, wherefore hast thou forsaken me?

35. And some of them that stood by, hearing this said, behold be calleth Elias.

36. And there ran one, and filled a sprunge with vinegar and stuck it [or, put it] o a reed, and gave him drink, saying, hold: let us see whether Elias cometh to take him down.

37. And Jesus having sent forth a great voice gave up the ghost.

38. And the vail of the temple rent in twain from the top to the bottome. [see hereof, Matth. 27.51.]

39. And the centurion which stood by, over against him, seeing that he had given up the ghost, crying thus; [Namely, with such a strong voice, Hebrews 5:7. and that thereupon he did forthwith expire and withal seeing the miracles which happened thereupon, as is related, Matth. 27.54.] said truly this man was the son of God.

40. And there were women also beholding this afar off, amongst whom also was Mary Magdalene, and Mary [the wife of Alpheus. See Matth. 10.3 and 27.56.] The mother of James the less, [that is, the younger; which was so sirnamed to distinguish him either from another James which was the son of Zebedee; or from his uncle the brother of Alpheus, as some think] and Joses and Salome. [this was the wife of Zebedee, as appears by this place compared with Matth. 27 .56.]

41. Who also when he was in Galilee followed him, and had ministered unto him and many other (women) which were come up with him to Jerusalem:

42. And when it was now become Evening, [Namely, on the day before the Sabbath] seeing it was the preparation, [namely, of the passeover, which the Jews at this time had put off unto the Sabbath. The reason hereof is related in the Annotations on Matth. 26.20.] which is the (day) before the Sabbath.

43. (There) came Joseph, who (was) of Arimathea, an honourable Councellor, whom also himself looked for the kingdome of God, [namely, which should be set up by the Messiah, Luke 2:25.38] and emboldening himself he went in unto Pilate, and desired the body of Jesus.

44. And Pilate wondred, that he was already dead, [Gr. Whether, or if] and having the Centurion unto him, he asked him whether he had been, long dead?

45. And when he had understood if of the Centurion, he gave the body so Joseph.

46. And he brought fine linen, and having taken him down, wound (him) in that fine linen, and laid him in a grave, [sepulcher, monument] which was hewn out of a rock, [that is, it was hewn out in the rock, as it is, Matth. 27.60] and he rolled a stone against the door of the grave.

47. And Mary Magdalene, [See the fortieth verse before-going] and Mary (the mother) of Joses beheld where he was laid.