August 25th, 2024

The progression still continues. This particular Sunday is the “Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost”. It could also be stated that, at both congregations I am currently serving, we will be following the rubrics for Christian Education Sunday. The end of August is close to the start of the school year in this part of the world, and the Missouri District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has chosen this Sunday to support future church workers. Having stated that, the Gospel reading for Christian Education Sunday is Luke 18:15-17, while the Gospel reading for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost is Mark 7:1-13.

The historical presents will in some ways continue to the end of this gospel account (and the one in this text below appears in bold print). An historical present is when a verb is expected in a past tense but appears in the present tense. In this gospel account these historical presents are frequently at a point of conflict between Jesus and others. We will be looking at a small section of this gospel account each week, and if there is time at the end of the church year, we will go over some of these historical presents that are unique to this gospel account. This may help to see the emphasis that this account gives, whereas the other accounts are emphasizing other things.

The text for our study this time is Mark 15:1-15. You may wish to look at various translations or a study bible to aid in your understanding of the text. What is below could be called a somewhat-literal translation. It tries to keep the order of the original (Greek) words, while still being somewhat understandable. In the Greek language, because of its structure, the words that appear first in the sentence are often the most important. For that reason, the verb is often early in the sentence.

It is a difficult text. Jesus had the power to stop things completely. But they keep on going. So, without further comment, here is Mark 15:1-15:

And immediately, early, a council having made, the archpriests, with the presbyters and writers, and whole, the Sanhedrin, having bound the Jesus, they carried away, and they surrendered to Pilate. And he questioned him, the Pilate, “You, yourself, are the King of the Jews?”

Now the one, having answered him, he says, “You, yourself, are saying.” And they were accusing him, the archpriests, many.

Now the Pilate, again he was questioning him, saying, “You answer, do you not, nothing? See how many, of you, they accuse. Now the Jesus, no more, nothing he answered, so as to marvel, the Pilate.

Now according to a Feast, he was releasing for them one prisoner whom they were begging. Now he was, the one called Barabbas, with the rebels having been bound, who in the Rebellion, murder they had done.

And having gone up, the crowd began to ask, as he did for them. Now the Pilate answered them, saying, “You want, I will release to you the King of the Jews?” For he knew that, because of envy, they had surrendered him, the archpriests.

Now the archpriests stirred up the crowd, that rather the Barabbas, he should release for them. Now the Pilate, again, having answered, he was saying to them, “Therefore, what do you want should I do, with whom you are saying, the King of the Jews?”

Now the ones, again, they cried out, “Crucify him.”

Now the Pilate was saying to them, “For what, he did evil?”

Now the ones, more they cried out, “Crucify him.”
​
Now the Pilate, wishing the crowd, the sufficient thing, to do, he released for them the Barabbas, and he surrendered the Jesus, having whipped, that he might be crucified.