1Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. 2Then Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"
He answered and said to him, "It is as you say."
3And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. 4Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!" 5But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.
Immediately, in the morning they took him to Pilate. Is this the same morning? The rooster just crowed the second time for Peter. So our last discussion was still very early in the morning. I'm guessing it is the same morning.
I read in the footnotes of my Bible that the Sanhedrin didn't have the authority to inflict capital punishment. So they needed to have Pilate pronounce the legal sentence.
Once again, Jesus would respond to only specific questions, but would give no response to any of the false accusations.
Jesus usually referred to Himself as the Son of Man. Why is He agreeing to the title of King of the Jews? Jesus came for all mankind, not just the Jews. I would have thought He would have ignored that as another false accusation. There are those Jews who would place their Messiah on a pedestal as King, but He came to serve. I think here He is agreeing that He is their Messiah, but if that Messiah is perceived as a King, then it is as Pilate says. Even in His answer He still doesn't refer to Himself directly as King, but lets Pilate provide the title. If He is proclaimed King, it is by their doing, not His.
Pilate marveled. I remember seeing the word marveled used many times throughout the book of Mark. So I did a quick check to see what things were marveled at. In Mark 5:20 when the demon possessed man proclaimed all that Jesus had done for him, all marveled. In Mark 6:6, Jesus marveled at the unbelief of his own countrymen. In Mark 6:51, his disciples marveled at how Jesus walked on the water and stopped the storm at sea. In Mark 12:17, the Pharisees marveled at Jesus' answer about whether or not it is lawful to pay taxes. And now in Mark 15:5 Pilate marveled when Jesus still answered nothing when He was being accused of many things. Hardly the same caliber of things to marvel about as previous examples.
Other marvels had the element of miracles or surprise twists. So what was Pilate marveling at here? My dictionary defines marvel as something that evokes surprise, admiration, or wonder. Was he surprised? Here he had a King of the Jews being brought down by the Jewish leaders. This alone would be a surprise to anyone. Did he admire Jesus? Here he had a man who was remaining calm in what was sure to lead to His death, very admirable. Did he wonder about Jesus? Here he had a man he felt was innocent but who would have nothing to do with false accusations. Pilate was unable to get his questions answered. This trial must have stirred his curiosity more than it satisfied it. I do not know what was going through Pilate's mind, but there were definitely many things for him to marvel about.
Yes, it is a marvel when we think of the miracles that Jesus performed, of his incomparable teaching, of his unending compassion. But the greatest thing we can marvel at is when we think of what Jesus did for us, for he truly did it for us.