Mark 15:18
And they began to salute Him: "Hail, King of the Jews!"
And they began
This phrase indicates the initiation of an action, suggesting a deliberate and collective effort by the Roman soldiers. The Greek word used here, "ἤρξαντο" (ērxanto), implies a commencement of mockery. Historically, this moment is set during the Passion of Christ, a time of intense suffering and humiliation. The soldiers' actions were not spontaneous but rather a continuation of the scornful treatment Jesus received after His arrest.

to salute Him
The act of saluting, "ἀσπάζομαι" (aspazomai) in Greek, typically conveys respect or honor. However, in this context, it is laden with irony and mockery. The soldiers were not genuinely honoring Jesus but were instead ridiculing His claim to kingship. This mock salute is a stark contrast to the genuine reverence Jesus deserves as the true King. Historically, Roman soldiers would salute their emperor, making this mockery even more poignant as they sarcastically equate Jesus with Caesar.

'Hail, King of the Jews!'
The phrase "Hail, King of the Jews!" is a derisive parody of the Roman salute "Ave Caesar!" The Greek word "Χαῖρε" (Chaire) means "rejoice" or "hail," and it was used in greetings. The soldiers' use of this term is deeply ironic, as they mockingly acknowledge Jesus' royal title. The title "King of the Jews" was used by Pilate during Jesus' trial (Mark 15:2) and was intended to provoke the Jewish leaders. In a broader scriptural context, this title is significant because it acknowledges Jesus' messianic role, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about the coming King from the line of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7). Despite the soldiers' mockery, their words inadvertently affirm a profound truth about Jesus' identity and mission.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The central figure of the New Testament, who is being mocked by the Roman soldiers in this passage. He is the Messiah, the King of the Jews, and the Savior of the world.

2. Roman Soldiers
The individuals who mock Jesus by saluting Him as "King of the Jews." They are representatives of the Roman authority and are carrying out the crucifixion.

3. Pilate's Praetorium
The place where Jesus is taken to be mocked and scourged. It is the governor's headquarters in Jerusalem.

4. The Mocking Event
This event is part of the Passion of Christ, where Jesus is humiliated and scorned before His crucifixion.
Teaching Points
Understanding Mockery and Suffering
Jesus endured mockery and suffering as part of His mission to save humanity. Believers can find comfort in knowing that Jesus understands their own experiences of ridicule and pain.

The Irony of the Mockery
The soldiers mockingly call Jesus "King of the Jews," yet in reality, He is the King of Kings. This highlights the irony and the fulfillment of God's plan through what seems like defeat.

Responding to Persecution
Jesus' response to mockery and suffering was one of silence and submission to God's will. Christians are called to respond to persecution with grace and trust in God's sovereignty.

The Fulfillment of Prophecy
The events of Mark 15:18 fulfill Old Testament prophecies, demonstrating the reliability and divine inspiration of Scripture.

The Cost of Discipleship
Following Jesus may involve facing ridicule and persecution. Believers are encouraged to remain steadfast in their faith, knowing that their reward is in heaven.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the mockery of Jesus by the Roman soldiers fulfill the prophecies found in the Old Testament, and what does this teach us about the nature of God's plan?

2. In what ways can we find comfort in knowing that Jesus experienced mockery and suffering similar to what we might face today?

3. How does the irony of the soldiers' mockery ("Hail, King of the Jews!") deepen our understanding of Jesus' true identity and mission?

4. What can we learn from Jesus' response to persecution and mockery that can be applied to our own lives when we face similar situations?

5. How does understanding the fulfillment of prophecy in Jesus' suffering and mockery strengthen our faith in the reliability of Scripture?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 53
This passage prophesies the suffering servant, describing how the Messiah would be despised and rejected by men, which is fulfilled in the mocking of Jesus.

Philippians 2:9-11
This passage speaks of Jesus being exalted and given the name above every name, contrasting the mockery He faced with His ultimate glorification.

Psalm 22
This psalm is a prophetic depiction of the suffering and mockery that the Messiah would endure, aligning with the events of Mark 15:18.
An Indictment Against ManC. H. Spurgeon.Mark 15:18
Fickleness of the PopulaceDictionary of AnecdoteMark 15:18
The World's Treatment of ChristMark 15:18
The World's Treatment of ChristMark 15:18
The Second TrialE. Johnson Mark 15:1-20
The Crucifixion: the Human DeedR. Green Mark 15:16-32
The Mockery of JesusA.F. Muir Mark 15:16-20, 29-32
The Closing SceneJ.J. Given Mark 15:16-41
A Crown of ThornsH. M. Luckock, D. D.Mark 15:17-19
A Crown of ThornsMother's TreasuryMark 15:17-19
Mock DignityS. Baring Gould, M. A.Mark 15:17-19
Symbolism of the Crown of ThornsS. Baring Gould, M. A.Mark 15:17-19
The Coronation of ChristC. H. Spurgeon.Mark 15:17-19
The Cruel CoronationJ. Irons, M. A.Mark 15:17-19
The Curse and Crown of ThornsHiller.Mark 15:17-19
The Thorn Crown a ShelterC. H. Spurgeon.Mark 15:17-19
The Thorn Crown a StimulusC. H. Spurgeon.Mark 15:17-19
People
Alexander, Barabbas, Elias, Elijah, James, Jesus, Joseph, Joses, Mary, Pilate, Rufus, Salome, Simon
Places
Arimathea, Cyrene, Galilee, Golgotha, Jerusalem, Place of the Skull
Topics
Acclaim, Hail, Honouring, Jews, Salute, Shouts
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Mark 15:5-20

     2585   Christ, trial

Mark 15:9-20

     5838   disrespect

Mark 15:11-20

     2545   Christ, opposition to

Mark 15:15-19

     2570   Christ, suffering

Mark 15:15-20

     5824   cruelty, examples
     8797   persecution, attitudes

Mark 15:16-18

     4520   thorns

Mark 15:16-20

     2312   Christ, as king
     5584   torture

Mark 15:17-19

     2036   Christ, humility
     5356   irony

Mark 15:17-20

     2315   Christ, as Lamb

Library
Simon the Cyrenian
'And they compel one Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear His Cross.'--Mark xv. 21. How little these soldiers knew that they were making this man immortal! What a strange fate that is which has befallen chose persons in the Gospel narrative, who for an instant came into contact with Jesus Christ. Like ships passing athwart the white ghostlike splendour of moonlight on the sea, they gleam silvery pure for a moment as they cross its
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Christ and Pilate: the True King and his Counterfeit
'And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. 2. And Pilate asked Him, Art Thou the King of the Jews? And He answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. 3. And the chief priests accused Him of many things: but He answered nothing. 4. And Pilate asked Him again, saying, Answerest Thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against Thee. 6. But Jesus yet
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Death which Gives Life
'And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear His cross. 22. And they bring Him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. 23. And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but He received it not. 24. And when they had crucified Him, they parted His garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. 25. And it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. 26. And the superscription
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Dying Saviour Our Example.
(On Good Friday.) TEXT: MARK xv. 34-41. HEAVENLY Father! On all who are assembling to day to commemorate the death of the Holy One, in whom Thou wast well pleased, look graciously down! Let not one go away from the cross of Thy Well-beloved without exclaiming, with new, living faith, Truly this was the Son of God! Let not one wipe away his tears of emotion until the heartfelt desire has taken possession of him that his end may be like that of this righteous One! Let not the feeling of holy reverence
Friedrich Schleiermacher—Selected Sermons of Schleiermacher

The Centurion at the Cross.
MATT. XXVII. 54. Comp. MARK XV. 39. "Now, when the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying: Truly this was the [a] Son of God." LUKE XXIII. 47. "Now, when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying: Certainly this was a righteous man." Note.--The centurion here spoken of is the one who, according to Roman custom, presided over the execution (hence called by Seneca centurio supplicio præpositus;
Philip Schaff—The Person of Christ

Joseph of Arimathea
BY REV. ALFRED ROWLAND, D.D.. LL.B. "Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God."--MARK xv. 43. The crucifixion of our Lord produced strange and startling effects in moral experience, as well as in the physical world. The veil of the Temple was rent from top to bottom as if a hand from heaven had torn it, in order to teach men that the ancient ritual was done with. Darkness covered the earth, suggesting to thoughtful minds the guilt of the world and
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known

"Himself He could not Save. " --Mark xv. 31
"Himself He could not save."--Mark xv. 31. "He saved others," scorners cried, Beholding Jesus crucified; "Is this the Son of God with power? Lo, in His own afflictive hour, Himself he cannot save." He was the Son of God with power, He "came unto that very hour;" I'll joy in His reproach and shame, "He savest others;" I'll exclaim, "Himself He could not save." His agony and bloody sweat, His cross and passion paid my debt; He saved others when he fell, Yet,--who the mystery can tell? Himself, He
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

Whether Christ was Buried in a Becoming Manner?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ was buried in an unbecoming manner. For His burial should be in keeping with His death. But Christ underwent a most shameful death, according to Wis. 2:20: "Let us condemn Him to a most shameful death." It seems therefore unbecoming for honorable burial to be accorded to Christ, inasmuch as He was buried by men of position---namely, by Joseph of Arimathea, who was "a noble counselor," to use Mark's expression (Mk. 15:43), and by Nicodemus, who was "a ruler of
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

H. The Crucifixion. Ch. 23:26-38
26 And when they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to bear it after Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. 28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the
Charles R. Erdman—The Gospel of Luke, An Exposition

Pilate
"And straightway in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, and bound Jesus, and carried Him away, and delivered Him up to Pilate." ". . . And they lead Him out to crucify Him." MARK 15:1-20 (R.V.) WITH morning came the formal assembly, which St. Mark dismisses in a single verse. It was indeed a disgraceful mockery. Before the trial began its members had prejudged the case, passed sentence by anticipation, and abandoned Jesus, as one
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

Christ Crucified
"And they compel one passing by, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear His cross. And they bring Him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. And they offered Him wine mingled with myrrh: but He received it not. And they crucify Him, and part His garments among them, casting lots upon them, what each should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. And the superscription of
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

The Death of Jesus
"And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, He calleth Elijah. And one ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave Him to drink, saying, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to take Him down. And Jesus
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

Part 1 Christ's Humiliation, Exaltation, and Triumph. Phil. 2:8,9; Mark 15:20,24,29; Col. 2:15
Christ's humiliation, exaltation, and triumph. Phil. 2:8,9; Mark 15:20,24,29; Col. 2:15. The mighty frame of glorious grace, That brightest monument of praise That e'er the God of love designed, Employs and fills my lab'ring mind. Begin, my soul, the heav'nly song, A burden for an angel's tongue: When Gabriel sounds these awful things, He tunes and summons all his stungs. Proclaim inimitable love: Jesus, the Lord of worlds above, Puts off the beams of bright array, And veils the God in mortal
Isaac Watts—The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts

The Fourth Word
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani."--ST. MATT. XXVII. 46; ST. MARK XV. 34. There are three peculiar and distinguishing features of this fourth word which our Saviour uttered from His Cross. 1. It is the only one of the Seven which finds a place in the earliest record of our Lord's life, contained in the matter common to St. Matthew and St. Mark. 2. It is the only one which has been preserved to us in the original Aramaic, in the very syllables which were formed by the lips of Christ. 3. It is the
J. H. Beibitz—Gloria Crucis

The Shortest of the Seven Cries
As these seven sayings were so faithfully recorded, we do not wonder that they have frequently been the subject of devout meditation. Fathers and confessors, preachers and divines have delighted to dwell upon every syllable of these matchless cries. These solemn sentences have shone like the seven golden candlesticks or the seven stars of the Apocalypse, and have lighted multitudes of men to him who spake them. Thoughtful men have drawn a wealth of meaning from them, and in so doing have arranged
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 24: 1878

Third Stage of Jewish Trial. Jesus Formally Condemned by the Sanhedrin and Led to Pilate.
(Jerusalem. Friday After Dawn.) ^A Matt. XXVII. 1, 2; ^B Mark XV. 1; ^C Luke XXII. 66-23:1; ^D John XVIII. 28. ^a 1 Now when morning was come, ^c 66 And as soon as it was day, ^b straightway ^c the assembly of the elders of the people was gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away into their council, ^a all the chief priests and { ^b with} the elders ^a of the people ^b and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, and ^a took counsel against Jesus to put
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

First Stage of the Roman Trial. Jesus Before Pilate for the First Time.
(Jerusalem. Early Friday Morning.) ^A Matt. XXVII. 11-14; ^B Mark XV. 2-5; ^C Luke XXIII. 2-5; ^D John XVIII. 28-38. ^d and they themselves entered not into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover. [See p. 641.] 29 Pilate therefore went out unto them, and saith, What accusation bring ye against this man? 30 They answered and said unto him, If this man were not an evildoer, we should not have delivered him up unto thee. [The Jewish rulers first attempt to induce
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Third Stage of the Roman Trial. Pilate Reluctantly Sentences Him to Crucifixion.
(Friday. Toward Sunrise.) ^A Matt. XXVII. 15-30; ^B Mark XV. 6-19; ^C Luke XXIII. 13-25; ^D John XVIII. 39-XIX 16. ^a 15 Now at the feast [the passover and unleavened bread] the governor was wont { ^b used to} release unto them ^a the multitude one prisoner, whom they would. { ^b whom they asked of him.} [No one knows when or by whom this custom was introduced, but similar customs were not unknown elsewhere, both the Greeks and Romans being wont to bestow special honor upon certain occasions by releasing
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Crucifixion.
Subdivision A. On the Way to the Cross. (Within and Without Jerusalem. Friday Morning.) ^A Matt. XXVII. 31-34; ^B Mark XV. 20-23; ^C Luke XXIII. 26-33; ^D John XIX. 17. ^a 31 And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the ^b purple, ^a robe, and put on him his garments [This ended the mockery, which seems to have been begun in a state of levity, but which ended in gross indecency and violence. When we think of him who endured it all, we can not contemplate the scene without a shudder. Who
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Morning of Good Friday.
The pale grey light had passed into that of early morning, when the Sanhedrists once more assembled in the Palace of Caiaphas. [5969] A comparison with the terms in which they who had formed the gathering of the previous night are described will convey the impression, that the number of those present was now increased, and that they who now came belonged to the wisest and most influential of the Council. It is not unreasonable to suppose, that some who would not take part in deliberations which were
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Crucified, Dead, and Buried. '
It matters little as regards their guilt, whether, pressing the language of St. John, [6034] we are to understand that Pilate delivered Jesus to the Jews to be crucified, or, as we rather infer, to his own soldiers. This was the common practice, and it accords both with the Governor's former taunt to the Jews, [6035] and with the after-notice of the Synoptists. They, to whom He was delivered,' led Him away to be crucified:' and they who so led Him forth compelled' the Cyrenian Simon to bear the Cross.
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Death of Jesus.
Although the real motive for the death of Jesus was entirely religious, his enemies had succeeded, in the judgment-hall, in representing him as guilty of treason against the state; they could not have obtained from the sceptical Pilate a condemnation simply on the ground of heterodoxy. Consistently with this idea, the priests demanded, through the people, the crucifixion of Jesus. This punishment was not Jewish in its origin; if the condemnation of Jesus had been purely Mosaic, he would have been
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

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