What Evil has Jesus Done? - Mark 15:14

Mark wrote, “Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. But Pilate answered them, saying, Will you that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will you then that I shall do unto him whom you call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him”, and in chapter fifteen and verse fourteen of his book, Mark shared how Pilate asked the multitude, “why, what evil has he done?” where we read:

Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil has he done?

And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

The verse reads, “Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil has he done?”. Mark began with the words, “Then Pilate” which means “at that time the sixth Roman procurator of Judah and Samaria who ordered Christ to be crucified whose name means armed with a spear” “said unto them” or “uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked the multitude”, “why” which means “for what reason and cause”, “what evil” or “what harm, wickedness, ill, bad or noisome deed” “has he done” which means “has Jesus performed, produced or made happen”? Mark shared how Pilate questioned the crowd concerning the “wrong” Jesus performed that would cause “reason” for Him to be “crucified”.

The verse continues, “And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.” Mark added the words, “And they cried out” which means “and the crowd shouted, vociferated and spoke loudly” “the more exceedingly” or “to a greater degree, more earnestly and abundantly”, “Crucify him” which means “drive down with stakes, palisade, destroy the flesh and power and extinguish completely Jesus”. Mark shared how the multitude “shouted” even louder that Jesus should be “crucified”.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how this crowd of people exacerbated their directive for Pilate to “crucify” Jesus. Even after Pilate could not find reason for Jesus to be killed, the people vigorously desired for Him to be “crucified”. God knew this would be His Son Jesus' fate, and because He loves people so much, He allowed this multitude to be a part of the process by which people could be “forgiven” of their sins and receive “everlasting life” with God.

Next time Mark shares how Pilate, “released Barabbas unto them”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".