The Condemned King

November 17, 2024

Series: Mark

Book: Mark

Audio Download

Mark 15:1-20a
And early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Sanhedrin, immediately held council; and binding Jesus, led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. And Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “You yourself say it.” And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things. Then Pilate was questioning Him again, saying, “You answer nothing? See how many accusations they bring against You!” But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate marveled. Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. And the man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. And Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he was aware that the chief priests had delivered Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. And answering again, Pilate was saying to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” And they shouted again, “Crucify Him!” But Pilate was saying to them, “Why? What evil did He do?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he delivered Him over to be crucified. So the soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. And they dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; and they began to greet Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him; and kneeling, they were bowing down before Him. And after they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.