151 And the first thing in the morning the chief priests, with those in authority and the scribes and all the Sanhedrin, had a meeting, and put cords round Jesus, and took him away, and gave him up to Pilate. 2 And Pilate put a question to him, Are you the King of the Jews? And he, answering, said to him, You say so. 3 And the chief priests said a number of things against him. 4 And Pilate again put a question, Do you say nothing in answer? see how much evil they say you have done. 5 But Jesus gave no more answers, so that Pilate was full of wonder.
6 Now at the feast every year he let one prisoner go free at their request. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, in prison with those who had gone against the government and in the fight had taken life. 8 And the people went up, requesting him to do as he had done for them in other years. 9 And Pilate said in answer to them, Is it your desire that I let the King of the Jews go free? 10 For he saw that the chief priests had given him up through envy. 11 But the people were moved by the chief priests to make him let Barabbas go free. 12 And Pilate again said in answer to them, What then am I to do to him to whom you give the name of the King of the Jews? 13 And they said again loudly, To the cross with him! 14 And Pilate said to them, Why, what evil has he done? But their cry was the louder, To the cross!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 15:1-14
Commentary on Mark 15:1-14
(Read Mark 15:1-14)
They bound Christ. It is good for us often to remember the bonds of the Lord Jesus, as bound with him who was bound for us. By delivering up the King, they, in effect, delivered up the kingdom of God, which was, therefore, as by their own consent, taken from them, and given to another nation. Christ gave Pilate a direct answer, but would not answer the witnesses, because the things they alleged were known to be false, even Pilate himself was convinced they were so. Pilate thought that he might appeal from the priests to the people, and that they would deliver Jesus out of the priests' hands. But they were more and more urged by the priests, and cried, Crucify him! Crucify him! Let us judge of persons and things by their merits, and the standard of God's word, and not by common report. The thought that no one ever was so shamefully treated, as the only perfectly wise, holy, and excellent Person that ever appeared on earth, leads the serious mind to strong views of man's wickedness and enmity to God. Let us more and more abhor the evil dispositions which marked the conduct of these persecutors.