Mark's brief account of Jesus' arraignment and sentencing concentrates on Pilate's offer to release Jesus or Barabbas.
15:6 Evidently this custom served to improve relations between the Roman ruler and his subjects. Dictatorial governments such as Rome sometimes imprison popular rebel leaders. The Roman governor of Egypt practiced a similar custom.379
"Amnesties at festival times are known in many parts of the world and in various periods."380
15:7 This verse and the next provide more background information. Barabbas was one of these popular freedom fighters whom the Romans had imprisoned for participating in an uprising against Rome. Perhaps he was a Zealot since that party wanted to overthrow Roman sovereignty in Palestine violently. He had also committed robbery probably as part of his insurrection (John 18:40). Mark's use of the definite article before his name implies that his original readers had heard of Barabbas.
15:8 Evidently a large crowd of Jews had come to request the customary amnesty from Pilate. There is no indication in the text that they had come because they knew of Jesus' arrest or because they wanted to observe the outcome of His trial. They appear to have been there for reasons unrelated to Jesus.381
15:9-10 Pilate responded to this crowd's request by asking if they wanted him to release Jesus, whom he contemptuously called "the King of the Jews"(cf. v. 2). He recognized the chief priests' motives in arresting Jesus as being self-seeking rather than loyalty to Rome. He hoped to frustrate the chief priests by getting the people to request the release of someone Pilate viewed as innocent. He could thereby retain real criminals such as Barabbas. Matthew wrote that Pilate gave the people the choice of Jesus or Barabbas (Matt. 27:17). He evidently believed that Jesus had the greater popular following and would be the choice of the people.
15:11 Many of the people in the crowd were residents of Jerusalem and many were pilgrims from far away. The chief priests were able to persuade them to ask for Barabbas' release. The people may have accepted the advice of their leaders because Barabbas had already tried to lead a rebellion, but Jesus had only hinted at an overthrow. Moreover it would have been very unusual for the crowd to side with Pilate and oppose their leaders.
15:12-14 The people's choice left Pilate with a problem. What would he do with innocent Jesus? Pilate's wife had just warned him to have nothing to do with that innocent man (Matt. 27:19). He put the question to the crowd. The religious leaders probably started the chant calling for Jesus' crucifixion, but it quickly spread through the crowd. The mob ignored Pilate's request for reasonable reconsideration and continued chanting.
15:15 Pilate had had problems in his relations with the Jewish people that he governed (cf. Luke 13:1-2). He saw the present situation as an opportunity to gain popular support. This overrode his sense of justice and his wife's warning.
Evidently Pilate flogged Jesus in the presence of the crowd hoping that that punishment would satisfy them. John recorded that after the flogging Pilate tried again to persuade the people against crucifixion (John 19:1-7). Flogging was not a necessary preparation for crucifixion.382Probably two soldiers stripped Jesus and tied His hands above him to a post. Then they beat Him with a leather whip containing pieces of leather with pieces of bone and or metal embedded in them. Victims of Roman floggings seldom survived.383
"The heavy whip is brought down with full force again and again across Jesus' shoulders, back and legs. At first the heavy thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continue, they cut deeper into the subcutaneous tissues, producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin, and finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles. . . . Finally the skin of the back is hanging in long ribbons and the entire area is an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue."384
Mark's use of the phrase "delivered Him over"(NASB) or "handed Him over"(NIV) may be an allusion to Isaiah 53:6 and 12 where the same expression occurs in the Septuagint translation. This reminder of Jesus' position as the Suffering Servant is the emphasis in Mark's account of this aspect of His trial.
