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MARCH 18
the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bow-
20
ing the knee, they worshiped Him. And when
they had mocked Him, they took the purple off
15:7 Barabbas. A robber (John 18:40) and Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him
murderer (Luke 23:18,19) in some way out to crucify Him.
involved as an anti-Roman insurrectionist. 21 Then they compelled a certain man, Simon
Whether his involvement was motivated by a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus,
political conviction or personal greed is not as he was coming out of the country and pass-
known. It is impossible to identify the specific ing by, to bear His cross. And they brought
22
insurrection in question, but such uprisings Him to the place Golgotha, which is translat-
were common in Jesus’ day and were precur- ed, Place of a Skull. Then they gave Him
23
sors of the wholesale revolt of A.D. 66–70.
wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did
24
not take it. And when they crucified Him,
rebels; they had committed murder in the they divided His garments, casting lots for
8
rebellion. Then the multitude, crying aloud, them to determine what every man should
began to ask him to do just as he had always take.
done for them. But Pilate answered them,
9
saying, “Do you want me to release to you the
10
King of the Jews?” For he knew that the chief
priests had handed Him over because of envy. 15:17 clothed Him with purple;…crown of
11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, thorns. “Purple” was the color traditionally
so that he should rather release Barabbas to worn by royalty. The “crown of thorns” was in
them. Pilate answered and said to them mockery of a royal crown.The callous soldiers
12
again, “What then do you want me to do with decided to hold a mock coronation of Jesus as
Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” king of the Jews.
13 So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
14 Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil 15:21 Condemned prisoners were required to
has He done?” carry the heavy crossbeam of their cross to the
But they cried out all the more, “Crucify execution site. Exhausted from a sleepless
Him!” night and severely wounded and weakened
15 So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, by His scourging, Jesus was unable to contin-
released Barabbas to them; and he delivered ue. The Roman guards conscripted Simon,
Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be cruci- apparently at random, to carry Jesus’ cross-
fied. beam the rest of the way. Simon, from the
16 Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall North African city of Cyrene, was on his way
called Praetorium, and they called together the into Jerusalem. The identification of him as
“the father of Alexander and Rufus” (Rom.
17
whole garrison. And they clothed Him with 16:13) is evidence of Mark’s connection with
purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put the church at Rome.
it on His head, and began to salute Him, “Hail,
18
King of the Jews!” Then they struck Him on
19
DAY 18:What are some general, time-tested principles
that will help rightly interpret Proverbs?

One of the most common characteristics of Proverbs is the use of parallelism—placing truths
side by side so that the second statement expands, completes, defines, and emphasizes the first.
Sometimes a logical conclusion is reached; at other times, a logical contrast is demonstrated.
The following tools will assist a student in gaining greater confidence as he or she interprets
these Proverbs: 1) determine what facts, principles, or circumstances make up the parallel ideas in
that proverb—what two central concepts or persons are being compared or contrasted; 2) identify
the figures of speech and rephrase the thought without those figures—for example, restate the
idea behind “put a knife to your throat”(23:1–3);3) summarize the lesson or principle of the proverb
in a few words; 4) describe the behavior that is being taught or encouraged; and 5) think of exam-
ples from elsewhere in Scripture that illustrate the truth of that proverb.

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