Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Mark 15:1-47

This chapter is one of those that needs little explanation and must ever be read in awe and reverence. Pilate represented the Roman empire, which attempted to secure itself by its ordinary methods of policy and force, and then fell, crushed and broken forever. Simon was “impressed," that is compelled to His service; but it is most probable that this man became a devout follower of the Master, and that his sons, Rufus and Alexander, also were well known to the early Christians. We gaze and... read more

James Nisbet

James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary - Mark 15:22-23

THE MORTIFICATION OF BODILY DESIRES‘And they bring Him unto the place Golgotha.… And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but He received it not.’ Mark 15:22-Isaiah : The first great law of Christian life as revealed in the Passion is obedience; the second finds expression in this incident. It is that great law of the mortification and of the disciplining of our bodily passions and desires, which is only possible through abstinence. Obedience is not within our powers, except it be... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 15:20-39

The Crucifixion (15:20-39). It must have come as a huge anti-climax to those who heard this story for the first time when they learned that this One Who had done such good and had taught so well should now be in a position of being led off to be crucified. We know the story so well that we take it for granted. But we also still recognise the staggering nature of it. Here was God’s beloved Son, Whose one interest had been in the needs of His fellowmen, (even if that had meant that He sometimes... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 15:22

‘And they bring him to the place Golgotha, which is being interpreted ‘the place of a skull’.’ There is no mention in the Gospels of a hill, but the site would be outside the city walls (Hebrews 13:12) and on a road leading in so that passers by might see and take warning. There may have been a skull shaped hill there or it may simply have been a place seen as ‘unclean’ because skulls had been found there. This might explain why it was a regular place for executions, because it was an unclean... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 15:21-32

Mark 15:21-Jonah : * The Crucifixion.— Usually the criminal himself carried his cross ( i.e. the cross-bar, probably not the upright). Jesus seems to have been exhausted by the scourging and by His own sorrow. Simon of Cyrene was forced into His service. The reference to Simon’ s children is pointless unless they were known to Mk.’ s readers (HNT). Rufus is mentioned in Romans 16:13 and Alexander in Acts 19:33, 1 Timothy 1:20 (but they are not necessarily the same men as those to whom Mk.... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Mark 15:21-37

To make this history complete, all the other evangelists must be consulted, and compared with Mark, who omits many considerable passages recorded by them; we have done it in our notes on Matthew 27:32-50, See Poole on "Matthew 27:32", and following verses to Matthew 27:50, to which I refer the reader, both for the understanding the several passages of this relation, and reconciling any small differences between the relations of the several evangelists. It is the observation of some, that when... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Mark 15:21-41

CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTESMark 15:21. Compel.—Press into service: original word is of Persian origin, and denotes the impressment into service which officials were authorised to make to expedite the mails.Mark 15:26. The fact that the inscription was written in three languages is quite enough to account for the slight variations in wording.Mark 15:27. Thieves.—Robbers, or bandits.Mark 15:28. Wanting in many of the best MSS., but found in all the most ancient versions; therefore probably... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Mark 15:1-47

Let's turn to Mark's gospel chapter 15.Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane in the evening or late night, and immediately brought before Caiaphas the high priest and some of the rulers where they held an illegal night tribunal. And they tried to develop charges that they could bring against Jesus before the Roman court because they were determined that Jesus must be put to death. But they did not have the power of condemning a prisoner to death. That was Rome's power. So, their trial... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Mark 15:1-47

Mark 15:1 . Straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. Συνεδριν , the whole sanhedrim, consisting of seventy, but which must never be less than twenty three, and the highpriest, to form a bench. St. John has the same idea of twenty four elders, clothed in white raiment. Revelation 5:4; Revelation 5:10. To this assembly it would be recited, that as good and faithful magistrates, when the state is in danger, they had sat... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Mark 15:22

Mark 15:22The place Golgotha.Golgotha.The place of executionCalvary, or Golgotha, is not now distinguishable as a hill, partly because of the accumulation of rubbish from the ruin of the city, in the hollows and valleys, and partly because it is doubtful whether it ever was, properly, a hill. It stood below Zion, and was looked down on from Herod’s new palace, but it was slightly above the elevation of the lower town. Its name, Golgotha, more correctly, Golgoltha, comes from the same root as... read more

Group of Brands