Marco 15:27 Commento

What we read of the sufferings of Christ, in the foregoing chapter, was but the prologue or introduction; here we have the completing of them. We left him condemned by the chief priests; but they could only show their teeth, they could not bite. Here we have him, I. Arraigned and accused before Pilate the Roman governor (Mar 15:1-5). II. Cried out against by the common people, at the instigation of the priests (Mar 15:6-14). III. Condemned to be crucified immediately (Mar 15:15). IV. Bantered and abused, as a mock-king, by the Roman soldiers (Mar 15:16-19). V. Led out to the place of execution with all possible ignominy and disgrace (Mar 15:20-24). VI. Nailed to the cross between two thieves (Mar 15:25-28). VII. Reviled and abused by all that passed by (Mar 15:29-32). VIII. Forsaken for a time by his father (Mar 15:33-36). IX. Dying, and rending the veil (Mar 15:37, Mar 15:38). X. Attested and witnessed to by the centurion and others (Mar 15:39-41). XI. Buried in the sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea (Mar 15:42-47).

And straightway in the morning,.... As soon as it was break of day, or daylight appeared: the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and Scribes; who were the principal men in the sanhedrim: and the whole council; which, on this extraordinary occasion, was convened; the result of which was, to bind Jesus, and deliver him up to the Roman governor, to be put to death by him, as a seditious person, and an enemy to Caesar, and accordingly they did so: and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. The Syriac and Persic versions add, "the governor"; See Gill on Mat 27:1, Mat 27:2.

And they that passed by,.... In the road, and went by the cross. The Arabic version adds, "before him", Christ, as he hung on the cross: railed on him, wagging their heads; gave him opprobrious language, and used indecent gestures; and saying, ah! thou that destroyest the temple; the Vulgate Latin version adds, "of God": and buildest it in three days; thou poor vain miserable creature, that boasted of thy power, where art thou now? and what dost thou think of thyself?

Amid the courtroom of the cross, one robber who believed was freed, the other who insulted him was condemned. He was then signifying in advance what he would do concerning the living and the dead, putting some on his right and some on his left. The one robber was like to those who would be on the left; the other, to those who would be on the right. He who was being judged was anticipating final judgment.

Of the robbers crucified with him, it was said: “He was reckoned among the wicked.” Up to this time both were wicked, but one of them was wicked no longer. For one was wicked to the end, yielding not to salvation, and, though his hands were fastened, he struck blasphemously with his tongue.

And with Him they crucified two robbers, one on His right, and the other on His left. The robbers who are crucified with the Lord signify those who, under the faith and confession of Christ, undergo either the struggle of martyrdom or any other practices of stricter continence. But whoever undertakes these solely for the eternal and heavenly glory, these are undoubtedly identified by the merit and faith of the right-hand thief. But those who, either in view of human praise or any less worthy intention, renounce the world, they justly imitate the mind and actions of the blasphemous and left-hand thief. Of whom the Apostle says: If I give my body so that I may be burned, if I give all my resources to feed the poor, if I seem to do many other works of piety or to have received spiritual gifts, but do not have charity, it profits me nothing (I Cor. XIII). Blessed are those who leave their own things for the Lord, and for the Gospel. Blessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matt. V).

(ubi sup.) Mystically, however, the thieves crucified with Christ signify those, who by their faith and confession of Christ undergo either the struggle of martyrdom, or some rules of a stricter discipline. But those who do these deeds for the sake of endless glory, are signified by the faith of the right hand robber; those again who do them for worldly praise copy the mind and the acts of the left hand robber.

The Lord was also crucified with the robbers so that people would think ill of Him, that He too was an evildoer. But this was by God's dispensation, for on the one hand the prophecy was fulfilled: "He was numbered with the transgressors" (Isa. 53:12), and on the other hand the two robbers were figures of the two peoples — the Jewish and the Gentile. Both of these peoples were lawless — the Gentile, as having transgressed the natural law, and the Jewish, as having transgressed both this law and the written law that God had given them. But the Gentile people proved to be the wise robber, while the Jewish people, on the contrary, remained blasphemers to the end. The Lord is crucified between these two peoples, inasmuch as He is the Cornerstone who unites us in Himself.

They did this that men might have a bad opinion of Him, as though He also were a robber and a malefactor. But it was done by Providence to fulfil the Scriptures. There follows: And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. Or else; the two robbers were meant to point out the two people, that is, the Jews and the Gentiles, for both were evil, the Gentile as transgressing natural law, but the Jew by breaking the written law, which the Lord had delivered to them; but the Gentile was penitent, the Jew a blasphemer unto the end. Between whom our Lord is crucified, for He is the corner stone, which binds us together.

Truth was numbered with the wicked; He left one on His left hand, the other He takes on the right, as He will do at the last day. With a similar crime they are allotted different paths; one precedes Peter into Paradise, the other Judas into hell. A short confession won for him a long life, and a blasphemy which soon ended is punished with endless pain.

Jesus is brought before Pilate, examined, and accused, but makes no answer, Mar 15:1-5. The multitude clamor for the release of Barabbas, and the crucifixion of Christ, Mar 15:6-14. Pilate consents, and he is led away, mocked, insulted, and nailed to the cross, Mar 15:15-26. Two thieves are crucified with him, Mar 15:27, Mar 15:28. While hanging on the cross, he is mocked and insulted, Mar 15:29-32. The miraculous darkness and our Lord's death, Mar 15:33-37. The rending of the veil, and the confession of the centurion, Mar 15:38, Mar 15:39. Several women attend and behold his death, Mar 15:40, Mar 15:41. Joseph of Arimathea begs the body from Pilate, and buries it, Mar 15:42-46. Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joses, note the place of his burial, Mar 15:47.

Two thieves - A copy of the Itala tells their names: One on the right hand - named Zoathon; and one on the left hand - named Chammatha.