Chapter 15 begins very early the next morning with the leading priests, elders, teachers of the religious law and the entire high council meeting to figure out what to do next. They bound Jesus and took Him to Pilate. Pilate asked Jesus if He was the king of the Jews, to which Jesus answered He was. The religious leaders continued making accusations against Jesus. Hearing all that, Pilate asked Jesus if He was going to answer the charges for He had said nothing. Still, to Pilate's surprise, Jesus remained silent
(Jesus surely knew what had to happen. He knew what the truth was, He knew there was no way arguing against the charges would change anything for it all had to be as it was.)
Pilate's surprise must have come from all his years of trying people and seeing most all of them begging or arguing to save themselves. Jesus' behavior was most likely one that he had never seen.
It was the custom of the governor every year at this time to release an imprisoned person at the request of the people. One of the people from whom they could choose was a revolutionary who had killed people and his name was Barabbas. The other, that seemed logical, because of His popularity with the people, was Jesus. The people called for the release of Barabbas not Jesus. Hearing their choice, Pilate asked what he was to do with Jesus. Their answer was that He should be crucified. I imagine Pilate was shocked and his response was why? What crime has he committed? Remember Pilate had officiated many such trials and most likely had seen it all but could find nothing Jesus had done to warrant His death. The crowd yelled even louder, so Pilate released Barabbas.
Through all these events, the religious leaders kept trying to capture Jesus and rid themselves of Him. We have seen and heard them express the fear they had of the people rioting should they take Him. They took Him at night to avoid any such action on the part of the people. We can only surmise that Pilate had the same fear, he released Barabbas "to pacify" the crowd. He did not want a riot on his hands from the religious leaders and the people they had stirred up either.
(Every time I read this part of the story, I think about how often the world chooses things that are evil over things that are Godly. They chose a murderer, a taker of lives over the One who gives life. It seems as if it is easier to go along with everyone else than to stand up and say, "no, this is wrong." Even today, Godly people, the Bible, and the words of Christ convict and point to truth and justice but many people don't want to hear that. They want to be left alone to live a life with no borders or limits. In some respect, not much has changed. How often do we hear the cry of the people to be left alone in their wicked ways and that we should get rid of anything that stands against them doing what ever they want?)
Pilate released Jesus to the guards to be whipped with a lead-tipped whip and then to be turned over to theRoman solders to be crucified. The solders took Jesus into the governor's courtyard and called out an entire company as security. At that time the soldiers guarding the Praetorium were elite soldiers, the best of the best. There were anywhere from 60 to 200 men in a company. (Clearly Pilate was making sure he was ready if the people rioted.)
The soldiers dressed Him in a purple robe as a form of mocking Jesus as royalty. They wove thorn branches into a crown and forced it on His head, saluted Him and mockingly hailing Him as the king of the Jews. The beat Him, spit on Him and knelt down in mock worship before Him. When they had finished mocking Him they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him.
I have read some writing by historians this time depicting Jesus' beating as one that took Him to near death. Their view is based on Roman brutality and the type of whip used, that Jesus would have been beaten beyond any recognition. They say His flesh would have been torn to the bone so you could actually see His bone through the great gaps in His whip torn flesh and His blood loss would have been so great, He would barely been able to walk. It was common for the criminal to carry his cross in submission to Roman rule. Them walking the streets carrying their cross would be a demonstration of Roman authority and power. Considering Jesus' lack of strength and the need for His cross to be carried, we can understand why Simon of Cyrene, who was passing by, would have been recruited to carry the cross for Jesus. Cyrene was a place in Africa. He was likely to have been a Jew who came to Jerusalem for Passover. Mark mentions his sons, Alexander and Rufus. The family must have been well known for Mark to mention them. If Simon had been a stranger, Mark would not have known who his sons were.
They took Jesus to Golgotha, the place of the skull. Some say it was named that because it was shaped like a skull, others say it was named that because of the many people who had died there. There is further disagreement as to the location of Golgotha. Some say it was along a road leading to the city but outside and nearby the city. Roman crucifixion typically was done along a road or highway so that all those who were coming and going would see what happens to anyone who stands against the Roman Empire. Some say it was a small hill within the city.
They offered Jesus wine with myrrh but Jesus did not partake. One translation called it, "wine drugged with myrrh." According to the writings of Rabbis, some of the women in Jerusalem would mix wine with myrrh and would give it to the criminals who were about to die. Using myrrh (the sap of a plant which has anesthetic properties) would decrease the pain of the person being crucified or put to death. Jesus declined it leaving Him open to the fullness of the pain He would experience. He took our guilt, pain and punishment, in full, on our behalf.
At six o'clock in the morning, the soldiers nailed Him to the cross, divided His cloths and threw dice to see who would keep them. It was customary for someone to walk before the condemned person carrying his cross with a sign telling all who he was and what he had done. They made such a sign for Jesus that had written on it, "King of the Jews." This was the sign that was nailed on Jesus' cross. Two criminals were crucified next to Him, one on the left and one on the right. Crucifixion was not a punishment for low level criminals. Most likely the two men were revolutionists. (Barabbas might have met that fate that day if he had not been set free. In an ironic thought, it cost Jesus His life for Barabbas to be set free. Jesus died so that Barabbas could have life. What He did for us all regarding eternity, He did for Barabbas on an earthly level.)
Witnesses and passersby mocked Jesus for His talk about destroying the temple and rebuilding it in three days. They mocked Him telling Him to save Himself and to jump down from the cross.
Notice that at six in the morning much of the city would still be asleep. They took Jesus in the night, tried Him and charged Him early the following morning and crucified Him all by 6 a.m. One would think that all this was done before any of those who believed Jesus was the Messiah were even awake.
The entire land became dark at noon and remained that way until 3 p.m. when Jesus called out, "My God, My God why have you abandoned me?" Some thought He was calling for the prophet Elijah to save Him and waited to see if Elijah would come and rescue Jesus.
Then Jesus called out again and took His last breath. The curtain in the Temple that was most likely the inner curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, tore from top to bottom. Tearing in that direction signified that the curtain had been torn by God. It also signified that there was no longer any need for sacrifices for Jesus had paid the price once and for all and signified that Jesus' death opened a way to the Father.
There was a Gentile, Roman Centurion (commander of 100 men) who was supervising the execuion. He was in charge of the soldiers who performed the actual executions. He was there to witness all that. He saw how Jesus came to the place, how He refused the wine and myrrh and the wine and vinegar, and he saw how Jesus died. Witnessing all these things, he exclaimed, "This man truly was the Son of God!"
There were some women there who were followers of Jesus and who had cared for Him when He was in Galilee. There were also many other women who were from Jerusalem. All these things happened on Friday, before the Sabbath.
As it became evening, Joseph from the town of Arimathea, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body so he could bury it before the Sabbath for no work was allowed on the Sabbath. Joseph was an honored member of the high Council (Sanderin) who had not approved of Jesus' execution. Joseph was one who was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. Matthew and John both identify him as a disciple of Jesus.
It was Roman tradition that crucified bodies be left on the cross for days to be eaten by vultures. Joseph however, wanted to obey Jewish tradition to have a body buried before sundown on the day of death. No work was to be done on the Sabbath which began at sundown on Friday.
Such a request was usually granted to family members but Joseph took a chance and asked himself. Pilate was surprised Jesus was already dead and called for the Roman officer (the Centurion) to make sure. Once positive Jesus was dead, Pilate gave Joseph permission to have His body. Joseph wrapped Him in linen and placed Him in a tomb carved into the rock. Then he had a large rock rolled in front of the tomb. I have read that such rocks are circular stones similar to a millstone. They are often set outside a tomb on an angled rise and rolled downhill to rest covering the opening. This would mean that it would take a very large group of men to roll it uphill and away from the opening.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Joseph buried Jesus' body.
(While Matthew, Mark and Luke agree that Joseph wrapped Jesus in white linen, only John mentions the use of perfumes and spices.)