When Jesus arrived at the site of the crucifixion, he was offered wine mixed with myrrh (Mark 15:23). Matthew says it was mixed with gall (Matthew 27:34). Gall was a term applied to many bitter substances, including myrrh and was an intoxicant meant to dull the pain that was about to be endured by criminals. The gesture was a Jewish one, not Roman, and probably based upon Proverbs 31:6-7. It was probably prepared by women of the city. Jesus accepted the gesture, but when he tasted the intoxicant, he refused to drink it. So, they crucified him and divided his cloths among themselves by lot (Mark 15:24), and it was the third hour (about 9 AM as we reckon time), which was the hour of prayer. Luke records the prayer: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34) but not the time, while Mark records the time, but not the prayer (Mark 15:25).
Jesus was crucified and hung between two thieves (Mark 15:27) that the scripture could be fulfilled, which says he was numbered among the transgressors, making intercession for them (Mark 15:28; Isaiah 53:12; cp. Luke 23:34). Written above his head was the accusation: “King of the Jews” (Mark 15:26; cp. Matthew 27:37; Luke 23:37-38; John 19:19). Yet, Pilate had found Jesus innocent of this charge (Luke 23:1-3; John 18:33-38), but, if he were to execute Jesus, he needed an accusation to record for the records sent to Caesar (cp. Acts 25:24-27). Moreover, Pilate also claimed Herod Antipas found him innocent of the charge (cp. Luke 23:14-15). Nevertheless, the Jewish court, the Sanhedrin, found Jesus guilty of blasphemy, claiming he was God’s own Son (Mark 14:61-64; Luke 22:66-71). This was the final accusation the Jewish authorities made against Jesus before Pilate (John 19:7). It was for this charge and not a political one that Jesus was condemned to die and crucified. Romans considered such things (blasphemy) innocuous and not a threat to Caesar. Nevertheless, this is the accusation, against which Pilate found himself helpless. So, he reluctantly conceded to the demands of the Jewish authorities.
Why, however, would Pilate do such a thing. First of all, he despised the Jews and seemed to want to curry the favor of the multitude by releasing Jesus in an effort to blacken the eye of the elders and the chief priests. Secondly, he was, after all, the Roman governor and he had authority to do as he wished and answered to no one higher in authority, unless his government opposed the wishes of Caesar. What happened that he would kowtow to the wishes of the Jewish authorities?
I believe the answer lay in the Jewish authorities’ threat: “If thou let this man go, you are not Caesar’s friend: whosoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar” (John 19:12). Immediately afterward and without further ado, the text says Pilate sat in judgment of Jesus and delivered him over to be crucified (John 19:13-16). Putting this accusation in context of the day, Pilate had been appointed to his office by Sejanus,[1] the head of the praetorian guard. This man had been acting in Tiberius’ absence with all the power of an emperor, himself. However, recently Tiberius was told secretly by his sister that Sejanus intended a coup, so Tiberius had Sejanus slain and, launched an investigation of Sejanus’ friends and appointees. Therefore, the words: “…you are not Caesar’s friend!” carried with them a threat upon Pilate’s life, for many of Sejanus’ associates were tried and put to death.
So, in the end Pilate saved his own life by crucifying Jesus, and Barabbas was saved by condemning Jesus in his stead. Three years earlier Jesus raised a man who was at the time being carried out of the city to be buried (Luke 7:11-15). Only a month before his crucifixion, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, and even his enemies knew this was true (John 11:47-51), and thought to save themselves by slaying Jesus. So, those who passed by the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, probably those who had falsely accused him during his night trial (Mark 14:55-59), now wagged their heads mocking him (Mark 15:29). Likewise, the chief priests claimed he saved others but was unable to save himself (Mark 15:31), and all, seeking but another miracle challenged him to come down from the cross that they might believe (Mark 15:30, 32). After all, the true Messiah cannot die (John 12:34), and for over three years they had been unsuccessfully demanding Jesus to perform miracles at their command in order to show he was, indeed, the Messiah (Matthew 12:38; 16:1; Mark 8:11; John 2:18; 6:30). Nevertheless, in the end they would succeed and their wishes would be granted, but not according to their planned outcome, for Jesus, the Messiah, would die exposing their false doctrine (John 12:34), but would rise again three days and three nights later according to the scriptures (Matthew 12:39-42).
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[1] See: Sejanus and the Chronology of Christ’s Death; and Pilate and Sejanus.
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