third hour
Cf. John 19:14 . John used the Roman, Mark the Hebrew, computation of time.
Verse Meaning
This time reference is unique to Mark"s Gospel. The third hour was9:00 a.m. John located Jesus" trial before Pilate at "about" the sixth hour ( John 19:14). This would have been noon. Consequently we should probably understand Mark"s reference as being to the approximate beginning of Jesus" crucifixion rather than the precise time when the soldiers nailed Him to the cross. [1][source]
Context Summary
Mark 15:22-47 - A King Upon His Cross
Our Lord refused to drink the potion prepared by the women of Jerusalem, in order to stupefy those who were crucified and so deaden the sense of pain, because He would drain the cup to its dregs. It was nine o'clock in the morning when He was nailed to the cross. His persecutors were, as they thought, destroying the Temple of which He had spoken in John 2:19, and making its restoration impossible. In fact, however, they were giving Him the opportunity of fulfilling His great prediction. He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Nature veiled her face from that awful spectacle. Christ was not really forsaken, but as our Redeemer he passed under the dark shadow of human sin. The access to the Holy of Holies is now forever free through the entry of our great High Priest. See Hebrews 9:7-8. What love inspired the women, Mark 15:40, to brave the horrors of the scene! And how good to see that God cares for the body as well as for the spirit of His beloved! For Joseph, see Matthew 27:57 and Luke 23:50-51. Born of the Virgin's womb our Lord was buried in a virgin tomb. [source]
Chapter Summary: Mark 15
1Jesus brought bound, and accused before Pilate 6Upon the clamor of the people, the murderer Barabbas is released, 12and Jesus delivered up to be crucified 16He is crowned with thorns, spit on, and mocked; 21faints in bearing his cross; 27hangs between two thieves; 29suffers the triumphing reproaches of the crowd; 39but is confessed by the centurion to be the Son of God; 42and is honorably buried by Joseph
Greek Commentary for Mark 15:25
The third hour [ωρα τριτη] This is Jewish time and would be nine a.m. The trial before Pilate was the sixth hour Roman time (John 19:14), six a.m. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 15:25
Matthew 27:45From the sixth hour [απο εκτης ωρας] Curiously enough McNeile takes this to mean the trial before Pilate (John 18:14). But clearly John uses Roman time, writing at the close of the century when Jewish time was no longer in vogue. It was six o‘clock in the morning Roman time when the trial occurred before Pilate. The crucifixion began at the third hour (Mark 15:25) Jewish time or nine a.m. The darkness began at noon, the sixth hour Jewish time and lasted till 3 p.m. Roman time, the ninth hour Jewish time (Mark 15:33; Matthew 27:45; Luke 23:44). The dense darkness for three hours could not be an eclipse of the sun and Luke (Luke 23:45) does not so say, only “the sun‘s light failing.” Darkness sometimes precedes earthquakes and one came at this time or dense masses of clouds may have obscured the sun‘s light. One need not be disturbed if nature showed its sympathy with the tragedy of the dying of the Creator on the Cross (Romans 8:22), groaning and travailing until now. [source]
Mark 15:33The sixth hour [ωρας εκτης] That is, noon (Jewish time), as the third hour was nine a.m. (Mark 15:25). See Matthew 27:45 for discussion. Given also by Luke 23:44. Mark gives the Aramaic transliteration as does B in Matthew 27:45, which see for discussion. [source]
John 1:39Come and ye shall see [ερχεστε και οπσεστε] Polite invitation and definite promise (future middle indicative οπσεστε opsesthe from οραω horaō correct text, not imperative ιδετε idete). Where he abode Indirect question preserving the present active indicative after secondary tense “By his side,” “beside him.” That day Accusative of extent of time, all during that day. About the tenth hour Roman time and so ten o‘clock in the morning. John in Ephesus at the close of the century naturally uses Roman time. See John 20:19 “evening on that day,” clearly Roman time. Thus also John 19:14 (sixth hour, morning) and Mark 15:25 (third hour, nine a.m.) suit. To his latest day John never forgot the hour when first he met Jesus. [source]
John 19:14The Preparation of the passover [παρασκευη του πασχα] That is, Friday of passover week, the preparation day before the Sabbath of passover week (or feast). See also John 19:31,John 19:42; Mark 15:42; Matthew 27:62; Luke 23:54 for this same use of παρασκευη paraskeuē for Friday. It is the name for Friday today in Greece. About the sixth hour Roman time, about 6 a.m. (a little after 6 no doubt) when Pilate rendered his final decision. Mark 15:25 notes that it was the third hour (Jewish time), which is 9 a.m. Roman time, when the crucifixion began. Why should John give Jewish time writing at the close of the first century when Jerusalem and the Jewish state passed away in a.d. 70? He is writing for Greek and Roman readers. Behold your king Ιδε Ide is here an exclamation with no effect on the case of βασιλευς basileus just as in John 1:29. The sarcasm of Pilate is aimed at the Jews, not at Jesus. [source]
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ὥρα
Sense: a certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and returning with the revolving year.
Greek Commentary for Mark 15:25
This is Jewish time and would be nine a.m. The trial before Pilate was the sixth hour Roman time (John 19:14), six a.m. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 15:25
Curiously enough McNeile takes this to mean the trial before Pilate (John 18:14). But clearly John uses Roman time, writing at the close of the century when Jewish time was no longer in vogue. It was six o‘clock in the morning Roman time when the trial occurred before Pilate. The crucifixion began at the third hour (Mark 15:25) Jewish time or nine a.m. The darkness began at noon, the sixth hour Jewish time and lasted till 3 p.m. Roman time, the ninth hour Jewish time (Mark 15:33; Matthew 27:45; Luke 23:44). The dense darkness for three hours could not be an eclipse of the sun and Luke (Luke 23:45) does not so say, only “the sun‘s light failing.” Darkness sometimes precedes earthquakes and one came at this time or dense masses of clouds may have obscured the sun‘s light. One need not be disturbed if nature showed its sympathy with the tragedy of the dying of the Creator on the Cross (Romans 8:22), groaning and travailing until now. [source]
That is, noon (Jewish time), as the third hour was nine a.m. (Mark 15:25). See Matthew 27:45 for discussion. Given also by Luke 23:44. Mark gives the Aramaic transliteration as does B in Matthew 27:45, which see for discussion. [source]
Polite invitation and definite promise (future middle indicative οπσεστε opsesthe from οραω horaō correct text, not imperative ιδετε idete). Where he abode Indirect question preserving the present active indicative after secondary tense “By his side,” “beside him.” That day Accusative of extent of time, all during that day. About the tenth hour Roman time and so ten o‘clock in the morning. John in Ephesus at the close of the century naturally uses Roman time. See John 20:19 “evening on that day,” clearly Roman time. Thus also John 19:14 (sixth hour, morning) and Mark 15:25 (third hour, nine a.m.) suit. To his latest day John never forgot the hour when first he met Jesus. [source]
That is, Friday of passover week, the preparation day before the Sabbath of passover week (or feast). See also John 19:31, John 19:42; Mark 15:42; Matthew 27:62; Luke 23:54 for this same use of παρασκευη paraskeuē for Friday. It is the name for Friday today in Greece. About the sixth hour Roman time, about 6 a.m. (a little after 6 no doubt) when Pilate rendered his final decision. Mark 15:25 notes that it was the third hour (Jewish time), which is 9 a.m. Roman time, when the crucifixion began. Why should John give Jewish time writing at the close of the first century when Jerusalem and the Jewish state passed away in a.d. 70? He is writing for Greek and Roman readers. Behold your king Ιδε Ide is here an exclamation with no effect on the case of βασιλευς basileus just as in John 1:29. The sarcasm of Pilate is aimed at the Jews, not at Jesus. [source]