What Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled in the mocking of Jesus in Mark 15:18? Verse under Study “And they began to salute Him: ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ ” Key Old Testament Passages Foretelling Ridicule • Psalm 22:6-8 — “All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads.” • Psalm 22:16-18 — “They pierce my hands and feet… they cast lots for my garments.” • Psalm 35:19-21 — “They gape at me and say, ‘Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!’ ” • Psalm 69:19-21 — “Insults have broken my heart… they gave me vinegar to drink.” • Isaiah 50:6 — “I did not hide My face from scorn and spitting.” • Isaiah 53:3 — “He was despised and rejected by men.” • Micah 5:1 — “They will strike the Judge of Israel on the cheek with a rod.” • Psalm 2:2 — “The kings of the earth take their stand… against the LORD and against His Anointed.” How Each Prophecy Connects to Mark 15:18 • Public scorn (Psalm 22:6-8; 69:19-20) – The soldiers’ sarcastic salute echoes the psalmist’s picture of unrestrained mockery. • Sneering words and gestures (Psalm 22:7; 35:21) – “Hail, King of the Jews!” is spoken with the very sneer foretold in these psalms. • Despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:3) – The mockery fulfills Isaiah’s portrait of Messiah bearing contempt rather than honor. • Spitting and beating (Isaiah 50:6; Micah 5:1) – Mark 15:19 reports the soldiers spitting on Jesus and striking Him with a reed, matching these prophecies that predict physical humiliation alongside verbal ridicule. • Conspiracy of rulers (Psalm 2:2) – Roman soldiers join Jewish leaders in derision, illustrating the nations’ united opposition to God’s Anointed. • Suffering King motif (Psalm 22:16-18; 69:21) – Even while the soldiers parody His kingship, the scene inches toward further fulfillments—pierced hands, divided garments, sour wine—already outlined in the psalms. Takeaways for Today • Scripture’s foresight is painstakingly precise; every taunt was foreknown and foretold. • The very words meant to belittle Jesus become proofs of His true royalty and the reliability of God’s Word. • Because He willingly bore mockery, believers can face scorn with confidence that their King understands and has overcome it. |
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