V.1-15 Today we read of Jesus standing before Pilate, and yesterday in verses 53 to 72 we had read of Jesus before the High Priest. In both He is condemned for what He had said of Himself. Who Jesus is, is the most important single subject of your whole life. If He were not God, then there is no heaven nor hell, there is no eternity, the Bible is not true. But He is God, therefore all these things are real and true. Everything hinges on this.
V.16-20 Jesus before King Herod; they mock Him, strike Him and spit on Him. But the real hatred of Jesus was seen in the priests.
V.21-47 His crucifixion, and death and burial.
V.32 The chief priests said that if they saw Christ come down from the cross they would believe Him. But read Mark 16:1111And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. (Mark 16:11); Luke 16:3131And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 16:31); John 20:2929Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:29). We believe with our hearts (Rom. 10:1010For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:10)).
V.33-34 Here we stop. We cannot follow Jesus into the darkness. This was His alone. In these three hours, He bore the punishment for the sins of all who believe on Him. Here He was punished for sin by God. What He had suffered from men during the first three hours on the cross was for righteousness. We may share the first three hours, never the last three.
V.34 The only words spoken on the cross recorded by Mark.