514
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
T h e
November 1930
Seed Thoughts From St. Mark C h a pte r X V — V erses 1-42 B y W ilfred M. H o p k in s
S ELD A CONSULTAT ION— They were in a difficulty; ) they had no real evidence on which to stone Him for blasphemy [their claim in John 18:31 was mere sub terfuge (see Acts 7 :58, 59) ; they were not allowed to execute for any but religious offenses.]. D EL IV ERED H IM TO P ILATE— They therefore decided to get Him executed for a civil offense. This happened by divine overruling, since it was necessary (a) to fulfill His own prophecy in chapter 10:33, 34, and (b) in order that He might become a curse by hanging on a tree (cf. Gal. 3 :1 3 ; Deut. 21:23). 2—P ILATE ASKED H IM— At the private examination in the Prætorium. ART THOU TH E K ING OF TH E JEW S ?— They had accused Him of seditious agitation, forbidding to pay tribute and assuming the royal title: these were things which would bring Him under the condemnation of the Roman law (cf. Luke 23:2). THOU SAYEST— The Eastern form of em phatic assent. While not verbally claiming kingship, Christ did not deny His right to it when questioned. He was King in two senses (1) physically, as lawful heir to the Jewish throne by descent from David, and (2) spiritually, by His right to the throne of the ages (cf. Psa. 2:6 -8 ; 110:1). It was necessary that the Messiah should be David’s heir in order to fulfill the divine promises in Psa. 8 9 :3, 4 ; Ezek. 34 :23, 24. 3— KEPT ON ACCUSING H IM OF M A N Y TH INGS— For example, sedition, stirring up the people, forbidding to pay tribute, etc.' (cf. Lk. 23:2, 5). Utterly false charges, but they knew that Pilate must condemn if he believed the accusations. 5—JESUS NO LONGER AN SW ER ED— He had already given Pilate all the necessary information (cf. John 18:36, 37). If Pilate refused to receive this testimony, He had nothing more to say to him. If men will not accept His word, He will not argue with them. This silence of Christ was according to prophecy (cf. Isa. 53:7). P ILATE MARVELLED— Calm silence under cal umny and injury are far more impressive and effective than clam orous defense. 6 — A T FEAST T IM E HE W A S IN TH E H AB IT OF RELEASING , etc.— The origin o f this custom is obscure; it was probably introduced by the Romans in order to gain favor with the people. 7— BAR -ABBAS (which is, being interpreted, “the son of his father” )— A fair type of all evil men, who are the sons of their father, the devil (cf. John 8:4 4). BOUND W IT H H IS FELLOW INSURGENTS, etc.— A rioter and a murderer (cf. Luke 23:19) ; one who had opposed forcé to lawful authority: a disturber of the peace, a destroyer of life, yet preferred to the Prince of Peace and the Giver of Life! 8 — TH E CROWD CRYING OUT-VThat is, yelling. “ Vox populi, vox Dei” (the voice of the people is the voice of God). Is it? Listen to them now. As a matter of fact, there is nothing less trustworthy than the voice, or the passing opinion, of the crowd. 9—W IL L Y E TH A T I RELEASE, etc,— Pilate from the first realized the innocence of the prisoner, and should have at once released Him, but he lacked moral courage. 10—HAD DELIVERED H IM FOR EN V Y— One of the deadliest passions of the. fallen heart (cf. Jas. 3:1 6; 5:19-21). 11— TH E CHIEF PRIESTS STIRRED UP TH E PEO PLE, etc.— Could there be a more vivid and striking picture of the evil results of envy, jealousy, and theological hate?
12 W H A T THEN SHALL I DO, etc. [The question prob ably ran, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ, whom ye call the King o f the Jews?” (cf. Matt. 2 7 :22) ] This is the question of the ages; what shall we do with Him? Reject Him? Neglect Him? Accept Him? 13— CRIED OUT AGA IN , CRUCIFY H IM— Yet this is largely the same crowd who less than a week ago, cried, “Ho sanna, blessed is he” referring to the same person; truly a very fickle “voice of the gods!” 14— W H A T EV IL H A TH H E DONE ?— Pilate could find no fault in H im ; he ought therefore to have let Jesus go. But there was no impartial and fearless justice in either the Jewish or the Roman court. TH E Y CRIED OUT TH E MORE EXCEED INGLY— They yelled, “Crucify! crucify!” This had now become a mere wild, irresponsible, howl. 15— W ISH IN G TO SA T ISFY TH E PEOPLE— His real fear was lest they should accuse him to Caesar (cf. John 19:12, 15, 16). He ultimately lost Caesar’s favor and was banished to Vienne, in Gaul. RELEASED BAR -ABBAS— The people had their will. They chose force and fraud instead of love and mor- ality; the physical instead of the spiritual; and they perished as a consequence. H A V IN G SCOURGED H IM— The Roman scourge was cruel in the extreme ; lead and sharp pieces of bone were woven into it, and the suffering it caused was intense. Hence the fulfillment of the prophecy in Psa. 129:3. DEL IV ERED H IM TO BE CRUCIFIED— An act o f the most das tardly cowardice and the most scandalous injustice. 14—TH E SOLDIERS— There was some excuse for them, for they had not Moses and the prophets and they looked upon Jesus not only as an imposter, but as a worshiper of a false god. TH E W H O LE SPEIRA,— or maniple; about two hundred men. They were intent on making sport of the prisoner. 17— CLOTHED H IM W IT H PULPLE— The imperial color. His very persecutors were made to invest Him with-the sign of royalty. So shall all men who now reject Him be one day forced to acknowledge His kingship (cf. Isa. 4 5 :23, interpreted in Rom. 14:11; Phil. 2:9, 10). A CROWN OF THORNS—Thorns are emblems (a) of the original curse (cf. Gen. 3:17, 18), (b) of failure; a thorn is due to the failure of Nature to produce a bud or a branch; (c) of toil and pain (cf. Gen. 3:18, 19), [not of work, which is a blessing given to man before he fell, but of toil — i.e., weary labor, evidenced by sweat], Christ takes our curse, our failures, our weariness, and our pain, and bears them all upon His way to Calvary, that He may deliver us from the one, and mitigate the suffering and the consequences of the others. 18— H A IL ! K ING OF TH E J EW S !— Note again how, though in wanton mockery, His enemies are compelled to ac knowledge His kingship. 19— W ER E SM IT ING . . . W IT H A REED—Which they had first put in His hand as a sceptre (cf. Matt. 27:29, 30). W ER E SP ITT ING ON H IM— See notes on chapter 14:65. They knew no better, but for him who does, this is the most dangerous of sins— to treat the holiest with contempt and contumely. BEND - D ING THE IR KNEES, etc.—How truly there may be outward prostration without true worship. 20— TOOK OFF TH E PURPLE, etc.— They invested Him with the signs of honor for their own purpose, which being ful filled, they denuded Him thereof. TH E Y LED H IM A W A Y
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