The trial before Pilate, the crucifixion and burial (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Revision Notes
The trial before Pilate, the crucifixion and burial
This section of St Mark's Gospel covers three crucial events in Jesus' final hours: his appearance before the Roman governor, his execution, and his entombment. These events form the climax of Mark's narrative and hold profound theological significance for Catholic Christians.
This passage represents the culmination of Mark's Gospel narrative, where the central figure of Christianity faces his ultimate trial and sacrifice. Understanding these events is essential for grasping the core message of Christian salvation.
The trial before Pilate (Mark 15:1-15)
Following his trial before the Jewish religious authorities, Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. This transfer was necessary because the Jewish authorities lacked the power to carry out capital punishment under Roman rule.
Roman Authority in Judea
Under Roman occupation, local Jewish authorities could conduct religious trials but were prohibited from executing death sentences. This limitation forced them to bring Jesus before the Roman governor, making his death a matter of both Jewish religious law and Roman political authority.
When Pilate questioned Jesus directly, asking "Are you the king of the Jews?", Jesus responded with "You have said so" (Mark 15:1-2). This exchange reveals the political dimension of Jesus' trial, as claims to kingship would be seen as treasonous against Rome.
Jesus' response to Pilate is deliberately ambiguous. Rather than directly claiming or denying kingship, his answer allows for multiple interpretations - acknowledging the title while not explicitly making a political claim that would justify execution.
Despite Pilate's apparent belief that Jesus was innocent, he faced pressure from the crowd during the Passover festival. Following a tradition of releasing a prisoner during this Jewish celebration, Pilate offered the people a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, a known murderer and insurrectionist. When the crowd demanded Barabbas' release instead of Jesus', Pilate found himself with little option but to condemn Jesus to crucifixion, even though he seemed unconvinced of Jesus' guilt.
The crucifixion (Mark 15:21-41)
The crucifixion took place at Golgotha, which Mark explains means "the place of the skull". This location outside Jerusalem became the site of Jesus' execution by this brutal Roman method of capital punishment.
Mark records several significant details about the crucifixion itself. Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh, likely to dull the pain, but he refused it. The inscription placed above him read "THE KING OF THE JEWS" (Mark 15:22-25), ironically proclaiming his true identity even as he was being executed.
The Significance of Jesus Refusing the Wine
By refusing the wine mixed with myrrh, Jesus chose to experience the full extent of his suffering. This detail emphasises his willingness to endure complete sacrifice without seeking to diminish his pain, highlighting the voluntary nature of his suffering.
Supernatural events during the crucifixion
Mark describes remarkable occurrences that accompanied Jesus' death. At noon, darkness fell across the entire land and lasted until three in the afternoon. Just before his death, Jesus cried out "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which Mark translates as "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:33-34). This cry echoes Psalm 22, connecting Jesus' suffering to Jewish scriptures.
The Cry of Dereliction
Jesus' words from the cross quote the opening of Psalm 22, which begins in despair but ends in triumph and vindication. This connection suggests that even in his moment of greatest anguish, Jesus' words point to ultimate victory and God's faithfulness.
The moment of Jesus' death was marked by the tearing of the temple curtain from top to bottom. This curtain separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple, and its supernatural tearing (from top to bottom suggests divine action) symbolises how Jesus' death opened up direct access to God for all people.
A Roman centurion who witnessed Jesus' death declared "Surely this man was the Son of God!" (Mark 15:38-39). This confession from a Gentile soldier represents one of the clearest declarations of Jesus' divine identity in Mark's Gospel.
The Temple Curtain
The tearing of the temple curtain from top to bottom is highly significant - it occurred at the exact moment of Jesus' death and the direction (top to bottom) suggests divine rather than human action. This event symbolises that Jesus' sacrifice removed the barrier between God and humanity.
The burial of Jesus
After Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea approached Pilate to request Jesus' body. Mark describes Joseph as a prominent member of the Jewish Council who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God. This detail is significant because it shows that not all Jewish leaders opposed Jesus.
Joseph's actions demonstrate proper Jewish burial customs of the time. He purchased linen cloth, removed Jesus' body from the cross, wrapped it carefully, and placed it in a tomb cut from rock. Finally, he rolled a large stone across the entrance to seal the tomb (Mark 15:42-46).
Jewish Burial Practices
Jewish law required that bodies be buried before sunset, especially before the Sabbath. Joseph's actions show respect for both Jesus and Jewish law. The careful wrapping in linen and placement in a rock-hewn tomb were signs of honour and proper burial for someone of importance.
These burial practices were important both for showing respect for the dead and for confirming that Jesus had truly died. The careful attention to burial customs in Mark's account emphasises the reality of Jesus' death before the resurrection accounts that follow.
Catholic interpretation of Jesus' death
Catholic Christians understand Jesus' death as God sending his only son to earth so that humanity's sins could be forgiven. This theological framework sees Jesus as perfect and without sin, making his death a complete redemption that saved humanity from the consequences of sin through his sacrifice.
The Doctrine of Atonement
Catholic theology teaches that Jesus' death was not just a tragic execution, but a deliberate divine plan. As the sinless Son of God, Jesus could offer the perfect sacrifice that no human could make, achieving redemption for all of humanity through his voluntary suffering.
The death of Jesus can be understood through several theological lenses:
- A divine sacrifice representing God's love for humanity
- An offering made to atone for human sin
- The victory of good over evil through apparent defeat
- The price paid to secure God's forgiveness for humanity
These theological interpretations help Catholics understand how Jesus' crucifixion, though appearing as a moment of defeat and suffering, actually represents the ultimate triumph of God's redemptive plan for the world.
Key Points to Remember:
- Pilate found Jesus innocent but yielded to crowd pressure, showing the political complexities surrounding Jesus' death
- The crucifixion at Golgotha included supernatural signs like darkness and the temple curtain tearing, indicating divine significance
- Joseph of Arimathea's careful burial of Jesus demonstrates both respect for Jewish customs and confirmation of Jesus' actual death
- Catholic theology interprets Jesus' death as a divine sacrifice that achieved redemption and forgiveness for humanity
- Mark's Gospel presents Jesus' death not as defeat, but as the fulfilment of God's plan for salvation