And so Pilate, willing to content the people,.... To satisfy and make them easy, who were become very noisy and tumultuous, and fearing the consequences of their resentment, should he not comply, of which he had formerly had experience; therefore to humour them, and keep in their favour, after he had washed his hands, to testify his innocence in the matter,

he released Barabbas unto them; the seditious person, robber, and murderer, as they desired:

and delivered Jesus when he had scourged him; or having scourged him; for this he had done before, hoping the Jews would have been satisfied with that, and not have insisted on any further punishment. The Arabic version very wrongly renders the words, "and delivered unto them Jesus, that he might be scourged": as if this was afterwards to be done by the Jews, or Roman soldiers; whereas he had scourged him before, and now delivered him

to be crucified, as they desired; in which he acted contrary to law and justice, to the violation of his own conscience, and merely to gratify the humour of the people; See Gill on Matthew 27:26.

To content (τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι)

Lit., to do the sufficient thing. Compare the popular phrase, Do the right thing. A Latinism, and used by Mark only. Wyc., to do enough to the people.

And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

15:1-20 The Crucifixion

SUMMARY OF MARK 15:

Jesus Sent by Pilate to the Sanhedrin. The Multitude, Moved by the Priests, Clamor for His Death. They Reject Jesus and Demand Barabbas. Jesus Delivered to Be Crucified. Crowned with Thorns, Spit Upon, and Mocked. Crucified at Golgotha Between Thieves. Mocked by the Priests. Jesus Dies. The Veil of the Temple Rent. The Centurion's Confession. Buried in the Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.

The chief priests... bound Jesus... and delivered him to Pilate. See notes on Mt 27:1-2,11-31.. Mark's account differs a little from that of Matthew. Compare Lu 23:1-35 Joh 18:28-40 19:1-16.

15:15-21 Christ met death in its greatest terror. It was the death of the vilest malefactors. Thus the cross and the shame are put together. God having been dishonoured by the sin of man, Christ made satisfaction by submitting to the greatest disgrace human nature could be loaded with. It was a cursed death; thus it was branded by the Jewish law, De 21:23. The Roman soldiers mocked our Lord Jesus as a King; thus in the high priest's hall the servants had mocked him as a Prophet and Saviour. Shall a purple or scarlet robe be matter of pride to a Christian, which was matter of reproach and shame to Christ? He wore the crown of thorns which we deserved, that we might wear the crown of glory which he merited. We were by sin liable to everlasting shame and contempt; to deliver us, our Lord Jesus submitted to shame and contempt. He was led forth with the workers of iniquity, though he did no sin. The sufferings of the meek and holy Redeemer, are ever a source of instruction to the believer, of which, in his best hours, he cannot be weary. Did Jesus thus suffer, and shall I, a vile sinner, fret or repine? Shall I indulge anger, or utter reproaches and threats because of troubles and injuries?