Jesus and the Jewish Council / Mark 14:43-15:15
Alright, church. Grab your Bibles. We are almost done with our journey through the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament. We are going to be starting in chapter 14, verse 43, and we are going to cover a lot of ground today. We have been slowing down over the past few weeks, but we will pick up the pace a little bit here because we only have three times together left in this gospel.
The overarching theme throughout this series has been this: follow the servant. You have seen the imagery for a number of months now—the idea that the world and the culture around us walk in a certain direction, most often away from Jesus, yet we are called to do something radically different. We are called to walk differently. We are called to turn away from the direction the religious and secular worlds walk, and instead follow the servant. And He is a suffering servant. Our theme verse in Mark speaks directly to that, and today you are going to see the suffering truly begin to play itself out.
These are marked, pivotal moments for every person we encounter in this text. The intensity has never been greater—for the disciples, for the religious leaders, for secular government officials, and even for criminals. Last week, PJ took us to the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus poured out His soul and His heart before the Father. The divine side of Jesus knew from the very beginning what He had to do, but His humanity wrestled, toiled, and pleaded with the Lord to take this cup away. Yet at the end of the day, He set aside those natural feelings to pray, “Not my will, but yours.” That is where we pick up the story: at the close of that garden experience.
Make or Break Moments
This is a marked moment, a true make-or-break moment. Have you ever had one of those in your life? They do not come around very often, but when they do, you remember them forever. They do not ultimately define your worth, but they determine the trajectory of where your life is heading.
I had one of those moments when I was a sophomore in high school. I was a kid who got along with pretty much everybody. I could hang with the honors kids, I could hang with the jocks, I could do drama, and I could float between different crowds. But I remember going to my very first high school party at a house in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Naturally, the guy’s parents were out of town. There was a lot of alcohol there.
Growing up, my dad drank often, and I was known in our house as the “beer boy.” All he had to do was say “beer,” and I was expected to go fetch it and bring it to him. Having grown up seeing what alcohol did to my dad, I had always told myself, I am never going to be that way. But standing in that kitchen, looking at the kitchen island loaded with cheap beer and bottles of liquor, I felt a heavy conviction pressing down on me. I asked myself: Is this what you want? Is this how you are going to define the next few years of your high school experience? Are you going to run with this crowd, or are you going to do something different?
The Lord had me right there in that tension. As a young Christian, I had a critical decision to make. Looking back, I am so grateful for the grace of God that whispered: Call your mom. Call your mom and have her come pick you up. This is not who you are going to be. I made the choice to walk out of that house, call my mom, and choose a different path.
In our passage today, the people surrounding Jesus—including His very own disciples—face their own make-or-break moments, and unfortunately, they do not make the right choice. It all begins with Judas.
Mark 14:43-45 (NASB)
Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, [who were] from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, ‘Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away under guard.’ After coming, Judas immediately went to Him, saying, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed Him.
Judas arrives with a small mob armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests, scribes, and elders. Think about that: an armed mob coming to arrest one peaceful man who never once led an insurrection against the government. Jesus taught about an upside-down kingdom, but He never provoked political violence. He lived a completely sinless life, yet here comes an armed force to seize Him.
Notice that Judas had arranged a signal beforehand: a kiss. That detail reveals that many people in this arresting crowd did not even know what Jesus looked like. Judas walks up to Him, calls Him “Rabbi,” and kisses Him on the cheek. In that culture, a kiss on the cheek was a customary, affectionate greeting among friends. What must Jesus have been thinking in that moment? Just hours earlier at the Last Supper, Jesus had told Judas, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now, Jesus willingly receives this hypocritical, deceitful kiss.
Swords, Flight, and Fear
Immediately after that kiss, the intensity skyrockets. In the garden, Jesus experienced an internal agony so severe that He was sweating drops of blood. Now, all that tension explodes outwardly.
Mark 14:46-47 (NASB)
They laid hands on Him and seized Him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.
When they grab Jesus, they do not escort Him politely; they seize Him aggressively. Peter, acting entirely on impulse, pulls out a small dagger and strikes the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. God bless Peter—he is always the kind of guy who speaks and acts first and thinks later. But Jesus immediately tells him to put his sword away. Jesus makes it clear that His kingdom will not advance by violence.
From the other Gospels, we know that Jesus reached out and healed that servant’s ear. Imagine what was going through that servant’s mind! He had been dragged out of bed in the middle of the night to arrest a supposed criminal, had his ear sliced off, and then the prisoner Himself touched his wound and made it whole. That servant must have realized right then that Jesus was entirely different from anyone else.
Mark 14:48-52 (NASB)
And Jesus said to them, ’Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as [you would] against a robber? ‘Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me; but [this has] [taken place] to fulfill the Scriptures.’ And they all left Him and fled. A young man was following Him, wearing [nothing but] a linen sheet over [his] naked [body]; and they seized him. But he pulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked.
Jesus points out the cowardice of His captors, reminding them that He sat teaching openly in the temple day after day. Then Mark records that all His disciples left Him and fled. Every single one of them ran away into the darkness. Mark even includes that unusual detail about a young man who slipped out of his linen nightshirt and fled naked into the night. Why is that in your Bible? It underscores the sheer panic of the moment. The situation was so terrifying that people literally ran out of their clothes to escape. These disciples, who had walked with Jesus for three years and witnessed countless miracles, completely scattered. If you have ever run away or failed in a critical moment, be encouraged: you are not alone.
The Trial Before the Sanhedrin
Jesus is left entirely alone, with laser-like focus on the mission ahead. He is brought into the house of the high priest.
Mark 14:53-59 (NASB)
They led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes gathered together. Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and they were not finding any. For many were giving false testimony against Him, but their testimony was not consistent. Some stood up and [began] to give false testimony against Him, saying, ’We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’’ Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent.
They take Him straight to Caiaphas, the leader of the Sanhedrin, the seventy-man ruling council of Israel. They conduct this trial in the dead of night because the Passover festival is beginning, and they want Jesus condemned before the city wakes up. Meanwhile, Peter follows at a distance, lurking in the shadows of the courtyard, warming himself by the fire. He loves Jesus enough to follow, but lacks the courage to stand beside Him.
Inside, the religious leaders search desperately for testimony to condemn Jesus, but their witnesses cannot agree. Under Jewish law, based on Deuteronomy, a capital conviction required two or three consistent witnesses. The council members are shouting over one another, bringing false charges, but none of the stories match. Some claim He promised to destroy the physical temple, completely misunderstanding Jesus’ teaching about the temple of His own body.
Mark 14:60-61 (NASB)
The high priest stood up [and came] forward and questioned Jesus, saying, ‘Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?’ But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, ‘Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed [One]?’
The high priest stands up in frustration and demands, “Have you no answer to make?” And how does Jesus respond? He remains completely silent. In human terms, we might want Jesus to defend Himself, call down legions of angels, and put on a dramatic display of power. But Jesus remains silent in fulfillment of prophecy.
Isaiah 53:7 (NASB)
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.
When your life is entirely vindicated by God, you do not need to dignify ridiculous lies with an answer. Jesus’ silence only infuriates the high priest further, prompting the ultimate question.
Mark 14:61-62 (NASB)
But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, ‘Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed [One]?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.’
The high priest asks, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” In other words: Are you the Messiah? Are you the promised Savior we have awaited since Genesis?
Throughout Mark’s Gospel, Jesus frequently commanded people not to speak of His miracles—what scholars call the “messianic secret.” But the time for secrecy is over. Standing bruised and facing death, Jesus answers unequivocally: “I am.” He then quotes Psalm 110 and Daniel 7, declaring that they will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven. He takes the entire Old Testament expectation of the Messiah and says, That is Me.
Mark 14:63-65 (NASB)
Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, ’What further need do we have of witnesses? ‘You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?’ And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. Some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, ‘Prophesy!’ And the officers received Him with slaps [in the face].
The high priest tears his clothes—a traditional sign of mourning that had devolved into an empty, pious display—and the council condemns Jesus as worthy of death. Yet because the Jewish authorities lacked the legal power to carry out capital punishment under Roman rule, they had to turn Him over to the Roman governor.
Peter’s Denial and God’s Grace
While Jesus is standing firm inside, Peter is failing outside in the courtyard.
Mark 14:66-72 (NASB)
As Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.’ But he denied [it], saying, ‘I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.’ And he went out onto the porch, and a rooster crowed. The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, ‘This is [one] of them!’ But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, ‘Surely you are [one] of them, for you are a Galilean too.’ But he began to curse and swear, ‘I do not know this man you are talking about!’ Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, ‘Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.’ And he began to weep.
Three times, servant girls and bystanders recognize Peter and say, “You were with Jesus of Nazareth.” And three times, Peter vehemently denies it: “I do not know Him!” When the rooster crows a second time, Peter remembers Jesus’ prophecy, breaks down, and weeps bitterly.
It is easy to judge Peter until we examine our own hearts. Have you ever hidden your faith when the conversation got uncomfortable? Have you ever lived as though you do not know Him? If you are sitting here today carrying the weight of past failure, hear this: God was not finished with Peter, and He is not finished with you.
Peter’s story does not end in the courtyard. After the cross and the resurrection, Jesus restores Peter. In the book of Acts, you do not see a timid man hiding in the shadows; you see a bold leader who proclaims the gospel before thousands, leads the early church, and willingly lays down his life for Christ. Remember the cross, remember the empty tomb, and know that our God is a God of boundless grace.
Jesus Before Pilate
As morning breaks, the religious council binds Jesus and hands Him over to Pontius Pilate.
Mark 15:1-5 (NASB)
Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. Pilate questioned Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ And He answered him, ‘[It is as] you say.’ The chief priests [began] to accuse Him harshly. Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, ‘Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!’ But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.
Pilate was the Roman governor over Judea, stationed in Jerusalem during Passover to maintain order among the massive crowds. Notice how the religious leaders shift their accusation when presenting Jesus to Pilate. Before the Sanhedrin, the issue was religious: Are you the Messiah? But Rome did not care about Jewish theology. So they reframe the charge as political treason: He claims to be the King of the Jews.
Pilate asks Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus gives a measured response: “You have said so.” When further accusations are hurled at Him, Jesus remains completely silent, leaving Pilate amazed. Pilate can clearly see that Jesus is innocent of political rebellion, but the pressure from the crowd continues to mount.
The Exchange: Barabbas and Jesus
Pilate attempts to use a holiday custom to set Jesus free.
Mark 15:6-15 (NASB)
Now at [the] feast he used to release for them [any] one prisoner whom they requested. The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. The crowd went up and began asking him [to] [do] as he had been accustomed to do for them. Pilate answered them, saying, ‘Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd [to ask] him to release Barabbas for them instead. Answering again, Pilate said to them, ‘Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?’ They shouted back, ‘Crucify Him!’ But Pilate said to them, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify Him!’ Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.
Every year at Passover, Pilate would release one prisoner chosen by the crowd. In custody at that time was a notorious rebel named Barabbas, who had committed murder during an insurrection against Rome. Barabbas was a violent insurgent, fully guilty, condemned, and awaiting execution.
Pilate asks the crowd, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” But the chief priests stir up the crowd to ask for Barabbas instead. When Pilate asks what he should do with Jesus, the mob screams, “Crucify him!”
Consider the profound meaning behind the name Barabbas. In Aramaic, Bar means “son” and Abba means “father.” Barabbas literally translates to “son of the father.” Furthermore, several early manuscripts identify this prisoner as Jesus Barabbas. Pilate stands before the crowd and presents a choice between two individuals: Jesus Barabbas, a guilty rebel, and Jesus the Christ, the sinless Son of the Heavenly Father.
The crowd chooses to release the guilty murderer and demand the crucifixion of the innocent Savior. In that moment, Barabbas became the first person in history to physically experience the substitutionary reality of the gospel: he was guilty and condemned to die, but an innocent man took his cross and died in his place.
Which Jesus Do You Want?
If you understand the story of Barabbas, you understand the gospel. We are Barabbas. We are guilty of rebellion against God, deserving of judgment, and utterly incapable of saving ourselves. Yet Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God, took our chains, stood in our place, and endured the death we deserved so that we might walk free.
This same Jesus, bound and beaten, went to the cross to break the chains of sin and death forever. The question Pilate put before the crowd is the very question each of us must answer in our daily lives, in our homes, and in our workplaces: Which Jesus do you want?
Will you settle for a savior of your own making, or will you surrender to the true King who gave His life for you?
Let’s pray.
Father, we are deeply humbled by what we read in Your Word. We thank You for the faithfulness of Jesus, who set His face toward Jerusalem and endured the shame of the cross for our sake. Lord, help us to see ourselves in Barabbas. We were guilty, yet Christ took our place and bore our penalty. May that glorious truth transform the way we live, love, and follow You each day. We commit our lives into Your hands. In the precious name of Jesus Christ, Amen.