What is the meaning of Mark 15:4? Then Pilate questioned Him again • Mark tells us, “Then Pilate questioned Him again”, signaling that this is not Pilate’s first attempt to get to the bottom of the accusations (cf. Mark 15:2). • Repeated questioning shows Pilate’s uncertainty. Earlier he declared, “I find no basis for a charge against Him” (Luke 23:4). He is looking for a reason either to release or condemn. • Pilate is a Roman governor, yet he is being drawn into a spiritual drama foretold in Psalm 2:1-2—“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?”—where earthly rulers stand against the Lord’s Anointed. • The fact that Scripture records each step underscores its accuracy: every move of Pilate aligns with prophecy and divine purpose (Acts 4:27-28). “Have You no answer?” • Pilate’s question highlights the startling silence of Jesus. Isaiah 53:7 predicted, “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth.” • Jesus had spoken earlier (John 18:37), but here He chooses silence, fulfilling prophecy and demonstrating meekness under unjust treatment (1 Peter 2:23). • The silence is not weakness; it is deliberate submission to the Father’s will (John 10:18). • Pilate expects the accused to defend himself, as Paul would later do before Festus (Acts 25:8). Jesus’ silence confounds that expectation and exposes the baseless nature of the accusations. “Look how many charges they are bringing against You!” • The chief priests inundate Pilate with accusations—political, religious, moral (Luke 23:2; Matthew 27:12-13). • Their strategy mirrors Psalm 35:11, “Malicious witnesses rise up; they question me about things I do not know.” • Pilate’s exasperation—“Look how many…”—shows he senses the piling on of fabricated claims. Yet public pressure mounts (John 19:12). • In spite of the multitude of accusations, Jesus remains the spotless Lamb (1 Peter 1:19). No earthly court can uncover guilt where none exists. summary Mark 15:4 records a pivotal moment: Pilate presses Jesus for a defense, amazed at His silence while the religious leaders flood the room with charges. Jesus’ choice not to answer fulfills prophecy, manifests perfect obedience, and exposes the emptiness of the accusations. The verse reminds believers that God’s plan advances even through unjust trials, and the sinless Savior stands firm, securing our redemption by His steadfast submission. |
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