Mark 15:15
And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
Original Language Analysis
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
τῷ
G3588
τῷ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
5 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ὄχλῳ
the people
G3793
ὄχλῳ
the people
Strong's:
G3793
Word #:
6 of 20
a throng (as borne along); by implication, the rabble; by extension, a class of people; figuratively, a riot
τὸ
G3588
τὸ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἱκανὸν
to content
G2425
ἱκανὸν
to content
Strong's:
G2425
Word #:
8 of 20
competent (as if coming in season), i.e., ample (in amount) or fit (in character)
ποιῆσαι
G4160
ποιῆσαι
Strong's:
G4160
Word #:
9 of 20
to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
ἀπέλυσεν
released
G630
ἀπέλυσεν
released
Strong's:
G630
Word #:
10 of 20
to free fully, i.e., (literally) relieve, release, dismiss (reflexively, depart), or (figuratively) let die, pardon or (specially) divorce
αὐτοῖς
unto them
G846
αὐτοῖς
unto them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
11 of 20
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
12 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
14 of 20
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
16 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἰησοῦν
Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦν
Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
17 of 20
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
φραγελλώσας
when he had scourged
G5417
φραγελλώσας
when he had scourged
Strong's:
G5417
Word #:
18 of 20
to whip, i.e., lash as a public punishment
Cross References
Isaiah 50:6I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.Matthew 27:26Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.John 19:1Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.Psalms 129:3The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.Proverbs 29:25The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.Mark 10:34And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.Psalms 57:11Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.John 19:16Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.1 Peter 2:24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Historical Context
Roman scourging (verberatio) used a flagrum—a multi-thonged whip with embedded bone shards, metal balls, or hooks that tore flesh to the bone. Victims often died from blood loss or shock. Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History 4.15.4) describes victims with 'veins laid bare, muscles, sinews, even entrails exposed.' Isaiah 52:14 prophesied: 'his visage was so marred more than any man.' The scourging weakened Jesus, explaining why He couldn't carry His cross (15:21) and died relatively quickly (15:37).
Questions for Reflection
- What does Pilate's desire to 'content the people' teach about leadership that prioritizes popularity over principle?
- How does the release of Barabbas and condemnation of Jesus encapsulate the gospel message of substitution?
- What does the brutality of Roman scourging reveal about the physical suffering Christ endured for our redemption?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And so Pilate, willing to content the people (Ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος βουλόμενος τῷ ὄχλῳ τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι, Ho de Pilatos boulomenos tō ochlō to hikanon poiēsai)—The verb βούλομαι (boulomai) means to will, wish, desire. The phrase τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιέω (to hikanon poieō) means to do what is sufficient/satisfactory—essentially, to appease. Pilate chose political expedience over justice. Released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus (ἀπέλυσεν τὸν Βαραββᾶν...παρέδωκεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, apelysen ton Barabban...paredōken ton Iēsoun)—The contrast is stark: ἀπολύω (apolyō, release, set free) for the guilty; παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi, deliver, betray) for the innocent.
When he had scourged him (φραγελλώσας, phragellōsas)—from Latin flagellum, a whip with leather thongs embedded with bone/metal. Roman scourging was so brutal it often killed. To be crucified (ἵνα σταυρωθῇ, hina staurōthē)—The purpose clause shows Pilate's intent. In six Greek words, Mark captures the complete miscarriage of justice, the substitution at the cross's heart (Barabbas freed, Jesus condemned), and the beginning of redemption's story.