MARKAN MEDITATIONS

Meditations in the Gospel of St. Mark

St. Mark 15:1-15

=====

THE SUFFERINGS of Jesus for us continue here in his trail before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Important things stand out vividly in this short account.

The first is in Christ's demeanour and action at his trial. When Pilate asked him concerning a fact about himself, he answered clearly and unequivocally, but when he faced the accusation of the Jews he remained silent. There is nothing meaningless about this fact.

Jesus answered clearly when he was asked the truth about himself because he wanted Pilate and others to be told the exact truth. To be told the exact truth was an act of love. Pilate was left in no doubt as to the true identity of Jesus. He could have responded to the truth and refused to take part in an act of injustice towards him. Because he did not draw back, the truth he was told left him without excuse. The testimony of Jesus at his trial concerning himself and who he was, is also a blessing to all who read the Gospels. We have the revelation given us so that we may believe with confidence.

The fact that Jesus was silent when he was accused is also full of meaning. Jesus was giving himself a sacrifice for our sins. He was accepting our guilt and taking responsibility for our sins. This refusal to defend his innocence by silence, was Jesus accepting this role as our sin bearer and revealing that he was accepting the responsibility for sins not his own. So Jesus was dumb before his accusers and by this was revealing that he was bearing the sin of the world. As our sin-bearer he could not defend himself because he must accept the accusation of the sins of others.

However this passage also reaffirms the important truth that Jesus was without sin, and that his condemnation was of an innocent man. Pilate makes this plain when he says that he knew that the Jews were seeking the death of Jesus out of envy. By this Pilate was declaring that he saw no sin in Jesus. This is so very important. The lamb for sacrifice must be without blemish, so the sacrifice made became the bearing of the blemish of others. If Jesus had not been sinless he could not have paid the price of sin in the place of others.

The substitution of Barabbas illustrates an important truth concerning the death of Jesus. Barabbas gained his freedom and salvation from the punishment of his crimes, because Jesus was chosen to die and he to go free. Whether Barabbas benefited spiritually by this substitution we do not know, but it illustrates the truth of what Jesus was doing. He was becoming the substitute for sinners, bearing their sin and its penalty, so that they may be free and have eternal life. The Bible reveals to us the glorious truth of what is known as 'substitutionary atonement' which means that our sins are atoned for because Jesus became our substitute before the judgement seat of God. He accepted our guilt and took our punishment in our place. He was wounded for our transgressions. God laid on him our iniquity. Praise be to God Jesus became and is our substitute, so that by his stripes we are healed, that is saved from death and everlasting damnation.

How nourishing to our souls it is to meditate upon the sufferings of our dear Saviour.