August 5, 2025
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 1 Samuel and Mark? Here’s today’s reading:
Mark 15 (NIV)
Jesus Before Pilate
1 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
2“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.
“You have said so,”Jesus replied.….Continue Reading
It is always difficult and emotional for me to read the account of Jesus’ crucifxtion. It is a part of scripture that I will never become comfortable with and shouldn’t. It is a sobering reminder of what He did for the likes of me! The same crowd that was following Him desperate to hear Him teach, to touch His robe, and to be a part of the ministry that He was bringing to them, was now an active part of His long, torturous death. While we weren’t there we had as much to do with that death as each of them because it was a plan carried out with every person in mind. It was our only way to salvation and therefore we should never become familiar with this text and we should always read it knowing the severity of what happened to make a way for us!
I couldn’t help thinking as all this evil and pain is inflicted on Jesus how all these human actors thought they were in control. We are bringing Him to Pilate, Pilate wants to save Him, but is swept up by public opinion, he has Him flogged, the soldiers mock Him and then He is crucified. And yet they were all acting in the way God the Father had planned and Jesus was willingly carrying out. What love and trust Jesus had in His Father and what love He had for all humanity to be separated from His Father so we don’t have to be. What courage and care Joseph gives to Jesus. I was struck by the picture of him taking Jesus down from the cross and caring for the body as well as the verse that says Mary and Mary took note of where He was buried. Such commitment these women had for Him.
Ok. Now we come to the utmost ever in creation. For God SO LOVED THE WORLD. Yes. But it’s also personal. For God SO LOVED MARK!! I need eternity to thank!!
As you said Kelly, we should never become comfortable with the crucifixion of Christ. It is one thing to read about it and try to picture His death, but another thing to actually see it on film. When I saw the movie “Passion of the Christ last Easter it was heart breaking and hard to watch but I needed to. He didn`t have to go through any of it, but He did it for us. He could had come off the cross at any time but stayed there for us to take our place for the payment of all our sins. He literally took the place of Barabbas and Barabbas was let go. When I read this account, I often wonder if Barabbas ever got saved after Jesus` resurrection. He was given a second chance. Then you have the two thieves on the cross where one of them called out to Jesus to save him and Jesus told him that he would be with Him. This man didn`t do anything to earn his own salvation. All he did was ask Jesus to save him. Compare all four gospels. Then you have a list of the women that were there when Christ died. Matthew, Mark, and John give this list but I am sure that it wasn`t everyone. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus and her sister, Mary the mother of James the less and Joses, and Salome, the mother of Zebedee`s two sons. {James and John}, Mary the wife of Cleophas. Then Mark mentions Joseph of Arimathea getting the body of Jesus. But John mentions that Nicodemus was also there to get the body of Jesus. Nicodemus was quiet to others about being a believer but here he is shown to care for Jesus. Hopefully after Christ`s resurrection, he was more bold about telling others about Christ. May we as believers always be willing to talk about Christ to others.
Mark 15
The behavior of the chief priests, elders, teachers of the law and Sanhedrin is pure evil on steroids. Very early in the morning, they plotted their scheme against Jesus. They accused him of many things and stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas (us sinners) instead. “Crucify him!” they shouted. Jesus did this for us. So when we think about our sin we can know for sure that Jesus took the punishment for it and his blood purifies us from all sin. This is the ultimate example of unconditional LOVE. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
”Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.”“
Mark 15:2 NKJV