Charles Spurgeon Commentary Mark 15
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
Mark 15
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
Mark 15
"And straightway in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate." — Mark 15:1 (ASV)
"The whole council" could be there, so early in the morning, for such an evil purpose. Wicked men are very diligent in carrying out their sinful schemes; so, when Christ was to be murdered, his enemies were there, as Luke tells us, as soon as it was day.
How much more diligent ought the followers of Christ to be to give him their devoted service! It is a good thing to begin the day with united prayer and holy converse with his people. Let these wicked men, who were so early in the morning seeking to secure the death of Christ, make us ashamed that we are not more diligent in his blessed service.
"And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering saith unto him, Thou sayest. And the chief priests accused him of many things." — Mark 15:2-3 (ASV)
Silence was the best answer, the most eloquent reply that he could give to his accusers; they deserved no other answer.
Moreover, by his silence, he was fulfilling the prophecy, As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
"And Pilate again asked him, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they accuse thee of. But Jesus no more answered anything; insomuch that Pilate marvelled." — Mark 15:4-5 (ASV)
You will often find that your highest wisdom, when you are slandered, will lie in the imitation of your Lord and Master. Live a blameless life, and it will be the best reply to the false charges of the wicked.
"Now at the feast he used to release unto them one prisoner, whom they asked of him. And there was one called Barabbas, [lying] bound with them that had made insurrection, men who in the insurrection had committed murder. And the multitude went up and began to ask him [to do] as he was wont to do unto them. And Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up." — Mark 15:6-10 (ASV)
And he therefore hoped that the people, who were not moved by the same envy, would have chosen to have Jesus set free.
"But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate again answered and said unto them, What then shall I do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him." — Mark 15:11-13 (ASV)
This was the very best reply to the charge of high treason; for, if Jesus had really set himself up as a king in the place of Caesar, the people, when they were thus publicly appealed to, would not have cried out, "Crucify him." If there had been any truth in the allegation that he was the ringleader of a sedition, the Jews would not have said again and again, "Crucify him." Thus Christ gave Pilate a much more effectual answer than if he had himself spoken.
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