Mark 15:12, commentary and pictures

The question belongs to the trial of Jesus before Pilate the Roman governor, in his judgment hall, on the way from the judgment hall to Calvary. Christ stands there bound as a prisoner with a guard of soldiers about Him and the hall fast filling with spectators, while just outside the entrance are the judges of the Sanhedrim, priests, rulers, elders and the mob. That journey from judgment hall to Calvary is bound up with the guilt of those responsible for His death, upon whom retribution was already visiting.

The council of the Sanhedrim has already condemned Him and has come to have the sentence confirmed and executed. The Jewish officials will not enter the Roman hall, lest by ceremonial law they be defiled and kept from the Passover feast, though murderous hatred has defiled their hearts. Christ Himself is the real Passover lamb, so by rejecting Him the great feast has lost its significance for them.

Pilate has been called in haste from his bedchamber at an early hour, looks on Jesus with no friendly eyes, and means to do his work quickly with magisterial severity, knowing the authorities want hasty trial and punishment. Yet his searching gaze finds no guilt and no fear or boldness or defiance, but goodness, nobility, and calm and dignified bearing. The countenance bears not the marks of a criminal but the signature of heaven, which makes a favorable impression, rouses his better nature, and holds him back from hasty condemnation.

He has heard of Jesus and His works, and his wife has told him of the wonderful deeds of the Galilean prophet who cured the sick and raised the dead. Rumors from several sources revive in his mind, and he remembers how not long before Jesus raised Lazarus who had been dead four days. He therefore resolves to demand of the Jews their charges against the prisoner and whether they can be proved before signing sentence of condemnation.

He then asks the crowd what he should do with Him whom they call the King of the Jews. The question comes before their demand that Jesus be crucified and recalls the rulers' choice to reject Christ and claim Caesar as their king. Though he recognizes Jesus' innocence and has no proof of wrongdoing, he appeals to the people and yields his judgment to the mob, compromising his authority and losing control. His effort to conciliate the crowd and appease them while seeking a way to release Jesus shows weakness. His appeal fails because he does not understand the priests' hatred of Jesus.

Trying to save Jesus' life while seeming to satisfy the Jews, he proposes to have Him scourged and then release Him, hoping punishment short of death will excite pity and satisfy malice. He has Jesus scourged and mocked, has Barabbas brought and sets the two prisoners side by side, solemnly declares Jesus innocent, and makes entreaty for sympathy, trusting the contrast will move the multitude to choose Jesus. For in suffering Jesus shows gentleness, resignation, pity, strength and dignity, while Barabbas shows himself a hardened ruffian, a notorious criminal who falsely claimed to be Christ.

The Jews with keen perception see the weakness of punishing a man declared innocent and know Pilate is trying to release the prisoner, and they are determined He shall not be released. Moved by priests, rulers and people to mad fury, His own nation clamors for His blood and demands crucifixion until the demand prevails. Jesus is scourged to satisfy the fury of the priests and rulers, and the murderous Barabbas is chosen in place of their beloved Teacher. Pilate despairingly tells them to take Jesus and crucify Him themselves while repeating that he finds no fault in Him.

The choice between Barabbas and Christ is a choice between Satan and the Son of God. Choosing Barabbas and demanding Christ's crucifixion is repeated in the world, and each person demonstrates whom they choose. The crowd's demand shows what people do when not controlled by God's Spirit and the hostile spirit that will be shown by those aligned with the powers of darkness in a coming crisis. The crowd's later demand to crucify Jesus and its abuse of Him fulfills the trial Jesus had prepared His disciples to face, when the people who had hailed Him as king turn against Him. His faithful disciples are not caught by surprise or led to abandon their faith.

The choice belongs to Christ's approach to the cross and descent into humiliation into the hands of wicked men, in which He whom the disciples thought was to take His place on David's throne and in whom their hopes of eternal life were centered is scourged as the worst of criminals and then lifted on the cross dying as a malefactor. Witnessing that rejection and humiliation tries their faith so that hope and courage fail and gives them cause to mourn and fast.