What does Mark 15:26 Mean?

Study Notes

superscription
See note, .

This is

Cf Mark 15:26 ; Luke 23:38 ; John 19:19 These accounts supplement, but do not contradict one another. No one of the Evangelists quotes the entire inscription. All have "The King of the Jews." Luke adds to this the further words, "This is"; Matthew quotes the name, "Jesus"; whilst John gives the additional words "of Nazareth." The narratives combined give the entire inscription: "This is Matthew, Luke Jesus Matthew,John of Nazareth John the King of the Jews" all.

Verse Meaning

Typically Mark recorded only the essence of the charge that Pilate wrote and had displayed over Jesus" head on the cross. It was probably written in red or black letters on a whitened background. ^[1] [source]

Context Summary

Our Lord refused to drink the potion prepared by the women of Jerusalem, in order to stupefy those who were crucified and so deaden the sense of pain, because He would drain the cup to its dregs. It was nine o'clock in the morning when He was nailed to the cross. His persecutors were, as they thought, destroying the Temple of which He had spoken in John 2:19, and making its restoration impossible. In fact, however, they were giving Him the opportunity of fulfilling His great prediction. He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Nature veiled her face from that awful spectacle. Christ was not really forsaken, but as our Redeemer he passed under the dark shadow of human sin. The access to the Holy of Holies is now forever free through the entry of our great High Priest. See Hebrews 9:7-8. What love inspired the women, Mark 15:40, to brave the horrors of the scene! And how good to see that God cares for the body as well as for the spirit of His beloved! For Joseph, see Matthew 27:57 and Luke 23:50-51. Born of the Virgin's womb our Lord was buried in a virgin tomb. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 15

¹  Jesus brought bound, and accused before Pilate
⁶  Upon the clamor of the people, the murderer Barabbas is released,
¹²  and Jesus delivered up to be crucified
¹⁶  He is crowned with thorns, spit on, and mocked;
²¹  faints in bearing his cross;
²⁷  hangs between two thieves;
²⁹  suffers the triumphing reproaches of the crowd;
³⁹  but is confessed by the centurion to be the Son of God;
⁴²  and is honorably buried by Joseph