Gospel of Mark
Mark 15: 1 to 20

3) Trial Before the Sanhedrin (15:1a)
The purpose of this was to give a semblance of _____________________to the decision that had earlier been reached at the trial before the high priest.  The latter was at night, this was immediately after daybreak, perhaps between _____________________a.m.

The Sanhedrin
Constituted the “_____________________” of the Jews.  Lesser courts were also called by this name, but the Sanhedrin which met in _____________________wielded an authority which distinguished it.  

The origin of the Sanhedrin
Is_____________________, but it is generally thought that it arose during the intertestamental period – during the time Israel was dominated by the _____________________and_____________________.  

The Composition of the Sanhedrin
Was _____________________members, including the High Priest, who acted as president.  The members were drawn from the chief priests (which included the acting high priest, those who had been high priests and members of the families from which high priests were chosen), the scribes (who were usually _____________________or sympathetic with them), and the elders (tribal and family heads).

From This point
To the end of Mark’s Gospel, the usual details are _____________________from his record.  Some see this as an indication of Mark’s dependence on_____________________, who now is apparently in utter seclusion and not an eye witness of the events which are transpiring in Christ’s life.

4) Trials Before _____________________ (15:1b-15)
There were _____________________trials before Pilate, the first recorded in 15: 1b-5, the second in 15: 6-15.  Between these two trials comes the trial before Herod_____________________, recorded only by Luke.

5) Mockery of the Roman _____________________ (15: 16-20a)
•	The soldiers put a _____________________robe on him. This is royal color, but in most likelihood it would have been a soldiers crimson coat (v. 17).  They gave Him a crown of _____________________ (v. 18) and a scepter. They beat Jesus with it.  They spit upon Him (14:65) and mocked worship of Him and led Him out to crucify Him (v.20).

6) The Crucifixion (15: 20b-41)
Crucifixion was a method of execution originating in the East.  It was picked up by _____________________the Great, apparently from the Persians.  The Romans, who reserved crucifixion for slaves, assassins, _____________________provincials, etc. Roman citizens were ordinarily exempt from such punishment.

A Cross in NT Times
Could be made in three styles

Death on a Cross
Was usually _____________________in coming and the pain was _____________________and prolonged.

Crucifixion
Was too pagan a method of execution to be permitted by the Jewish court system.  Only Pontius Pilate’s _____________________court could sentence a _____________________to be crucified.  

Some Scholars
Suggest that the request by some of the _____________________priests, that Pilate crucify Jesus was partly motivated by the fact that this form of punishment resulted in the victim becoming _____________________ (Deut 21: 22-23).  If a potential messianic deliverer experienced death from hanging on a tree, such a death would make him “accursed of God” .

Crucifixion
Would also, it seem, stop any further talk about this individual being a Messiah!  Yet, within days of Jesus’ death, _____________________and John were preaching boldly in the temple that “God had made this Jesus whom you _____________________both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). 

From the Perspective
Of the Jewish leaders the movement should have _____________________away with a _____________________Jesus. 

In Acts 4:2-3
We learn that the _____________________were extremely annoyed at their teaching (probably an understatement).  _____________________summarized the issue in 1 Corinthians 1:23.  

The Phrase “Christ crucified”
Is an “_____________________” (two words that do not belong together).  How could the Messiah of God be cursed of God?  This is an understandable problem.   In order for these two words (cursed Messiah) to go together, the theology of the early followers of Jesus must have been that there is no_____________________, time or place too cursed for the outstretched arm of God.

But For the Followers of Jesus
God was in Christ reconciling the world to God.  Only when one realizes that _____________________looked like trees can one understand why this was a stumbling block for Jews and folly to the_____________________.

Style One

Style Two

Style Three
The Roman Sources
•	Mention that the cross-bar was carried by the criminal from the place of _____________________to the place of_____________________.  The gospels indicate Jesus had difficulty carrying his cross(bar).  This point influenced artists (see next slide).

Remember
•	_____________________scourged Jesus. 

The Scourge
•	Was several leather whips, inserted with sharp pieces of bone and_____________________, all tied together.  It is unpleasant to consider the brutality of scourging, as the scourge removed much of the skin and muscle from the_____________________.  Jesus may have had trouble since he no longer had use of his back muscles.

An Anklebone
•	With a nail still inserted, was discovered in a _____________________period tomb in Jerusalem in 1968.  Wood fragments were still detected under the head of the nail.  Under the head of the nail were fragments of _____________________wood from the upright trunk of the cross. See next slide.

The Anklebone

In this crucifixion
•	The nail entered the ankle from the _____________________ (see next slide).  There were also scratches on the bones of the lower wrists, not the palms.  In Semitic languages the word “_____________________” can indicate any part of the_____________________.