Mark 15

Now Jesus goes before secular authorities. Because of the religious holiday and probably due to Roman rule, the religious leaders cannot execute Jesus (by stoning him to death). They need to get the government involved. Pilate is the local authority. He questions Jesus.

He asks Jesus if he is a king (treasonous) but Jesus does not answer. Pilate, following the custom of freeing a prisoner for Passover, asks the people who to release, Jesus or Barabbas. Pilate is up to the tricks of the religious authorities. He knows that they are just envious of Jesus power with people. The religious authorities have to work the crowd to get them to ask for Barabbas.

Barabbas is released and Jesus is mocked and tortured before death. Crucifixion is the Roman death for treason. The person dies an excruciating death through asphyxiation.

The Temple (the center of God's presence) curtain tears right at the moment of his death. Bystanders think that maybe Jesus was God's son. Women followers watch. It seems the apostles are absent. One of the religious authorities who was swayed by Jesus, Joseph, asks for Jesus body for burial in order to do it in a religiously proper manner. Jesus is laid in a tomb.