The Meaning of Mark 15:16 Explained

Mark 15:16

KJV: And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.

YLT: And the soldiers led him away into the hall, which is Praetorium, and call together the whole band,

Darby: And the soldiers led him away into the court which is called the praetorium, and they call together the whole band.

ASV: And the soldiers led him away within the court, which is the Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the soldiers  led  him  away  into  the hall,  called  Praetorium;  and  they call together  the whole  band. 

What does Mark 15:16 Mean?

Study Notes

the hall
Or, the court which is the judgment-hall.

Verse Meaning

"Praetorium" is a Latin loan word that describes a Roman governor"s official residence (cf. Matthew 27:27; John 18:28; John 18:33; John 19:9; Acts 23:35). The Roman soldiers escorted Jesus to the courtyard (Gr. aule, cf. vv54 , 66) of the palace. This could have been either the Antonia Fortress or Herod"s palace, but it was probably Herod"s palace. There a group of soldiers assembled around Jesus, probably those who were nearby and available. A cohort consisted of600 men.

Context Summary

Mark 15:1-21 - The Choice Of The Multitude
The hurried consultation of the evening was followed by the more formal meeting of the early morning; and even the decision made then had no binding force till ratified by Pilate, the Roman governor, who happened at that time to be in Jerusalem. John gives a more detailed account of this memorable interview, John 18:33-38. Our Lord did not plead His own cause but committed Himself to the One who judges righteously, 1 Peter 2:23. It was only when Pilate asked questions for his own guidance that Jesus sought to help him and then He relapsed into silence. "Like a sheep dumb before her shearers, so He opened not His mouth." Men like Barabbas, embodiments of brute force, are ever the darlings of the crowd. By narrowing the people's choice to the murderer and Jesus, Pilate expected to bring them to demand the release of the lover and helper of men. But he failed to gauge the malice of which men are capable. Perhaps he hoped that the marks of extreme suffering would soften their hatred. As well appeal to a pack of hungry wolves! His purple stood for royalty won by blood; thorns, because His diadem was won by suffering; the reed, because he can wield the frailest life to momentous issues. Happy is the man who shares Christ's cross! Simon was an African, probably colored, and this incident changed his life, Romans 16:13. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 15

1  Jesus brought bound, and accused before Pilate
6  Upon the clamor of the people, the murderer Barabbas is released,
12  and Jesus delivered up to be crucified
16  He is crowned with thorns, spit on, and mocked;
21  faints in bearing his cross;
27  hangs between two thieves;
29  suffers the triumphing reproaches of the crowd;
39  but is confessed by the centurion to be the Son of God;
42  and is honorably buried by Joseph

Greek Commentary for Mark 15:16

The Praetorium [πραιτωριον]
In Matthew 27:27 this same word is translated “palace.” That is its meaning here also, the palace in which the Roman provincial governor resided. In Philemon 1:13 it means the Praetorian Guard in Rome. Mark mentions here “the court” (της αυλης — tēs aulēs) inside of the palace into which the people passed from the street through the vestibule. See further on Matthew about the “band.” [source]
Into the hall called Pretorium []
Mark, as usual, amplifies. Matthew has simply the Pretorium. The courtyard, surrounded by the buildings of the Pretorium, so that the people passing through the vestibule into this quadrangle found themselves in the Pretorium. [source]
Band [σπεῖραν]
Originally anything wound or wrapped round; as a ball, the coils of a snake, a knot or curl in wood. Hence a body of men-at-arms. The same idea is at the bottom of the Latin manipulus, which is sometimes (as by Josephus) used to translate σπεῖρα . Manipulus was originally a bundle or handful. The ancient Romans adopted a pole with a handful of hay or straw twisted about it as the standard of a company of soldiers; hence a certain number or body of soldiers under one standard was called manipulus. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 15:16

John 18:3 A band [τὴν σπεῖραν]
Properly, the band. See on Mark 15:16; also see on centurion, Luke 7:2; and see on Acts 21:31. The band, or cohort, was from the Roman garrison in the tower of Antonia. [source]
John 18:3 The temple police []
The Synoptists speak of the body which arrested Jesus as ὄχλος , a multitude or rabble; but both Matthew and Mark mention the band ( σπεῖρα ) later in the narrative (Matthew 27:27; Mark 15:16). [source]
John 19:1 Took and scourged [ελαβεν και εμαστιγωσεν]
First aorist active indicative of λαμβανω — lambanō and μαστιγοω — mastigoō (from μαστιχ — mastix whip). For this redundant use of λαμβανω — lambanō see also John 19:6. It is the causative use of μαστιγοω — mastigoō for Pilate did not actually scourge Jesus. He simply ordered it done, perhaps to see if the mob would be satisfied with this penalty on the alleged pretender to royalty (Luke 23:22) whom Pilate had pronounced innocent (John 18:38), an illegal act therefore. It was a preliminary to crucifixion, but Jesus was not yet condemned. The Sanhedrin had previously mocked Jesus (Matthew 27:27-309; Matthew 26:67.; Luke 22:63.) as the soldiers will do later (Mark 15:16-19; 1711710343_32). This later mock coronation (Mark and Matthew) was after the condemnation. Plaited a crown of thorns Old verb πλεκω — plekō to weave, in the N.T. only here, Mark 15:17; Matthew 27:19. Not impossible for the mock coronation to be repeated. Arrayed him “Placed around him” (second aorist active indicative of περιβαλλω — periballō). In a purple garment Old adjective πορπυρεος — porphureos from πορπυρα — porphura purple cloth (Mark 15:17, Mark 15:20), dyed in purple, in the N.T. only here and Revelation 18:16. Jesus had been stripped of his outer garment ιματιον — himation (Matthew 27:28) and the scarlet cloak of one of the soldiers may have been put on him (Matthew 27:28). [source]
John 19:17 They took [παρελαβον]
Second aorist active indicative of παραλαμβανω — paralambanō they took Jesus from Pilate. Cf. John 1:11; John 14:3. This is after the shameful scourging between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. when the soldiers insult Jesus ad libitum (Mark 15:16-19; Matthew 27:27-30). [source]
Acts 27:1 Band []
See on Mark 15:16. [source]
Acts 21:31 Band [σπείρης]
Or cohort. See on Mark 15:16. These troops were quartered in the tower of Antonia, which was at the northwestern corner of the temple-area, and communicated with the temple-cloisters by staircases. [source]
Acts 10:1 Band [σπείρης]
See on Mark 15:16. [source]
Acts 21:31 Tidings [πασις]
From παινω — phainō to show. Old word for the work of informers and then the exposure of secret crime. In lxx. Here only in the N.T. Came up (ανεβη — anebē). Naturally in the wild uproar. The Roman guard during festivals was kept stationed in the Tower of Antonia at the northwest corner of the temple overlooking the temple and connected by stairs (Acts 21:35). To the chief captain Commander of a thousand men or cohort (Mark 15:16). His name was Claudius Lysias. Of the band (της σπειρης — tēs speirēs). Each legion had six tribunes and so each tribune (chiliarch) had a thousand if the cohort had its full quota. See note on Acts 10:1; and note on Acts 27:1. The word is the Latin spira (anything rolled up). Note the genitive σπειρης — speirēs instead of σπειρας — speiras (Attic). Was in confusion Present passive indicative of συνχυννω — sunchunnō (see Acts 21:27, συνεχεον — sunecheon). This is what the conspirators had desired. [source]
Acts 21:31 To the chief captain [τωι χιλιαρχωι]
Commander of a thousand men or cohort (Mark 15:16). His name was Claudius Lysias. Of the band (της σπειρης — tēs speirēs). Each legion had six tribunes and so each tribune (chiliarch) had a thousand if the cohort had its full quota. See note on Acts 10:1; and note on Acts 27:1. The word is the Latin spira (anything rolled up). Note the genitive σπειρης — speirēs instead of σπειρας — speiras (Attic). Was in confusion Present passive indicative of συνχυννω — sunchunnō (see Acts 21:27, συνεχεον — sunecheon). This is what the conspirators had desired. [source]
Philippians 1:13 Throughout the whole praetorian guard [εν ολωι τωι πραιτωριωι]
There were originally ten thousand of these picked soldiers, concentrated in Rome by Tiberius. They had double pay and special privileges and became so powerful that emperors had to court their favour. Paul had contact with one after another of these soldiers. It is a Latin word, but the meaning is not certain, for in the other New Testament examples (Matthew 27:27; Mark 15:16; John 18:28, John 18:33; John 19:9; Acts 23:35) it means the palace of the provincial governor either in Jerusalem or Caesarea. In Rome “palace” would have to be the emperor‘s palace, a possible meaning for Paul a provincial writing to provincials (Kennedy). Some take it to mean the camp or barracks of the praetorian guard. The Greek, “in the whole praetorium,” allows this meaning, though there is no clear example of it. Mommsen and Ramsay argue for the judicial authorities (praefecti praetorio) with the assessors of the imperial court. At any rate Paul, chained to a soldier, had access to the soldiers and the officials. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 15:16 mean?

- And the soldiers led away him into the palace that is [the] Praetorium and they call together all the cohort
Οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται ἀπήγαγον αὐτὸν ἔσω τῆς αὐλῆς ἐστιν Πραιτώριον καὶ συνκαλοῦσιν ὅλην τὴν σπεῖραν

Οἱ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
στρατιῶται  the  soldiers 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: στρατιώτης  
Sense: a (common) soldier.
ἀπήγαγον  led  away 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀπάγω  
Sense: to lead away.
ἔσω  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἔσω  
Sense: to within, into.
αὐλῆς  palace 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: αὐλή  
Sense: among the Greeks in Homer’s time, an uncovered space around the house, enclosed by a wall, in which the stables stood, hence among the Orientals that roofless enclosure by a wall, in the open country in which the flocks were herded at night, a sheepfold.
  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
Πραιτώριον  [the]  Praetorium 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πραιτώριον  
Sense: “head-quarters” in a Roman camp, the tent of the commander-in-chief.
συνκαλοῦσιν  they  call  together 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: συγκαλέω  
Sense: to call together, assemble.
σπεῖραν  cohort 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: σπεῖρα  
Sense: anything rolled into a circle or ball, anything wound, rolled up, folded together.

What are the major concepts related to Mark 15:16?

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