As soon as morning came, the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He said to him in reply, “You say so.” The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of.” Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested. A man called Barabbas was then in prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion. The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for them as he was accustomed. Pilate answered, “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate again said to them in reply, “Then what do you want me to do with the man you call the king of the Jews?” They shouted again, “Crucify him.” Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.
The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him. They began to salute him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him. They knelt before him in homage. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him.
They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.
They brought him to the place of Golgotha —which is translated Place of the Skull—. They gave him wine drugged with myrrh, but he did not take it. Then they crucified him and divided his garments by casting lots for them to see what each should take. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross.” Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him. At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “Look, he is calling Elijah.” One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink saying, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.” Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Gospel Trivia:
Mark's Gospel of the Passion of Jesus Christ provides the following significant points:
1. Mark recounts two trials of Jesus: the first was held in front of the Sanhedrin (included in the verses that precede today's gospel); and the second is before Pilate.
The first is a Jewish trial for which Jesus was accused and condemned of blasphemy (for which death by stoning is the prescribed punishment). The second is a Roman trial for which Jesus was condemned of rebellion (for claiming to be the king of the Jews) for which crucifixion is the prescribed punishment.
In both trials, the chief priests, elders and scribes play a major part. In both scenes, Jesus was silent.
2. Simon of Cyrene meets Jesus for the first time, and carries his cross. Mark presents him as representing future disciples who also must "take their cross" if they wish to follow Jesus.
3. Mark presents Jesus' kingship as an act of humility. The "preparation" for his enthronement as king takes place when he is scourged, given a makeshift crown of thorns, and spat and insulted by soldiers. The "coronation" takes place in the crucifixion. Crucifixion is the worst way to die! It's purpose is to shame the criminal as they are hanged naked on a hill (such as Golgothat) for everyone to see them.
Jesus refuses to take the "wine drugged with myrrh" which is usually provided to ease the pain, so that he is unclouded and willingly accepts his death.
4. Jesus passion started with a prayer in the garden of Gethsemane where he prayed "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup aware from me, but not what I will but what you will."
It ends with a prayer at the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me."
Jesus goes through his passion not as God, but as truly and deeply human -- someone who has complete faith in the Father to a point of desperation and doubt, until he addresses God not anymore as "Abba" but as "My God."
5. The veil is torn. The veil separates the sanctuary from the rest of the temple; it is the place where only the high priest can enter. Jesus' death breaks this barrier between the holy of holies and the rest of humanity. God now dwells among his people. He is no longer the God up there but, through the God-Man Jesus, is now God-with-us.
Reference:
- Wilfrid Harrington, OP, Mark (Manila: St. Paul's Publications, 1988), pp. 232-239.
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