Reflection for March 29 – Danielle Webber

Today’s Passage from The Bible:  Mark 15:1-24

As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ He answered him, ‘You say so.’ Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, ‘Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.’ But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Then he answered them, ‘Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate spoke to them again, ‘Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?’ They shouted back, ‘Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify him!’ So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take.

Reflection – Danielle Webber

In Mark 15, Jesus’ indifference to authority takes a deadly turn. Jesus is brought before Pilate, who questions him about his kingship. Despite numerous accusations, Jesus remains silent, leaving Pilate amazed. Per the Passover tradition of releasing a prisoner, Pilate offers the crowd the choice between Jesus and Barabbas, a known insurrectionist.  Influenced by the chief priests, the crowd chooses Barabbas. Pilate, seeking to placate the crowd, orders Jesus to be crucified. Next, the soldiers cruelly mock Jesus, crowning him with thorns and hailing him as King of the Jews. After their derision, they lead him out to be crucified.

Mark 15 portrays the depths of human cruelty contrasted with divine love. Amid the pain and sorrow, moments of faith and recognition stand out. This is where my understanding of Jesus’ true victory really starts. I have learned that even in the darkness, I can see glimmers of hope.  I once had a pastor tell the congregation about an assignment that he gave to his confirmands. The students were to ask members of the congregation when they most doubted God in their lives and when they most felt his presence. I thought about this and picked the same event! I was not alone in this discovery. Many of those being asked picked the same event for both questions.