Mark 15:1, Jesus's Third Religious Trial: Sunrise Trial before the Sanhedrin Council. The Sanhedrin conducts its official sunrise trial of Jesus, in which the Jewish leaders quickly reaffirm their predetermined verdict of death before binding Him and delivering Him to Pilate, thereby concluding His religious trial and beginning His Roman civil trial.
Mark 15:1 concisely reports about Jesus's official religious trial before the Sanhedrin that took place at sunrise and it introduces His civil trial before Pilate,
Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate (v 1).
Before He was crucified, Jesus had two trials. He had a religious trial conducted illegally by the Jewish leadership. And He had a civil trial conducted by the Roman governor Pilate. Each trial had three distinct phases to them.
The three phases of Jesus's religious trial following Jesus's arrest in Gethsemane were:
No single Gospel account fully describes every phase of both trials, but collectively the four Gospel accounts do provide a complete picture of what happened throughout the phases of these trials and how Jesus came to be condemned to crucifixion despite being innocent.
This commentary of Mark 15:1 will discuss these events from Mark's perspective while also drawing upon the accounts of the other Gospels to gain a fuller picture as to how these important events in the life of Jesus took place.
Additionally, The Bible Says has multiple articles describing aspects of these trials for those who are interested in learning more about them. These articles include.
Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation (v 1a).
The first part of verse 1 briefly describes Jesus's official religious trial before thewhole Council of the Sanhedrin. Jesus's official religious trial is also called His "Sunrise Trial" because it took place early in the morning.
Mark begins by telling his readers that it was now early in the morning. This clearly distinguishes what is about to happen from what has already happened the night before.
A Brief Review of What Happened the Night Before
The previous night had unfolded as none but Jesus had anticipated.
Jesus was a rising public figure who was beloved by the people because of His miracles and astonishing teaching. He opposed and exposed the religious establishment as hypocrites. Many Jews believed He was the Messiah sent from God to lead Israel to glory and out from beneath the yoke of Roman subjugation. The High Priest Caiaphas and the Council believed that if Jesus was not stopped, then He would lead the people against Rome, who would then destroy their nation (John 11:47-50). Therefore, they had plotted to kill Him, but not during the Passover, when a million or more Jews came to town, lest a riot occur (Matthew 26:3-5).
But during His celebration of the Passover with His disciples, Jesus unmasked Judas as His betrayer (Matthew 26:20-25), which startled His conspirators into immediate action that would lead to His crucifixion in less than 24 hours.
As Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray in preparation for the trials to come, Judas informed the priests that Jesus was aware of their illegal plot to murder Him. Despite the fact that it was the night of Passover (one of the most intimate and celebratory nights of the year) the chief priests, elders, and scribes of the Sanhedrin Council hastily assembled to decide what to do so they could prevent being exposed and thrown out of power by the people who loved Jesus or by Rome for not being able to control the masses.
As they began to conjure up potential charges prepared for trial, they simultaneously sought and were granted permission from the Roman governor Pilate to arrest Jesus. A cohort was sent, led by Judas, to arrest Jesus.
After submitting to arrest, Jesus was brought first to Annas, the former high priest, where he illegally interrogated and physically abused Jesus in his own home in the middle of the night (John 18:12-14, 19-23). The preliminary investigation in the house of Annas was the first phase of Jesus's religious trial.
Then Jesus was brought to the house of Caiaphas, the sitting high priest and Annas’s son-in-law, where "all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes had gathered together" in the middle of the night (Mark 14:53). The night-time trial in the house of Caiaphas was the second phase of Jesus's religious trial (Matthew 26:57-68,Mark 14:53-65,Luke 22:54,John 18:24).
During this illegal trial, false witnesses were brought forth to accuse Jesus, but their testimonies did not align (Mark 14:55-59). Rather than let their fraudulent case fall apart, Caiaphas illegally intervened to condemn Jesus (Mark 14:60). He demanded that Jesus say whether or not He was the Christ, and as soon as Jesus affirmed that He was the Christ (Mark 14:61-62), Caiaphas demanded that the trial should end and Jesus be condemned to death and the Council condemned Him (Mark 14:63-64). At this point some began to vilely beat, mock, and abuse Jesus (Mark 14:65).
Even though they had illegally condemned Jesus in the house of Caiaphas in the middle of the night, their trial had no legitimacy. All trials with possibility of capital punishment had to be held during the day and in the council chamber courtroom called "the Hall of Hewn Stone" located on the temple grounds. Therefore, there was a need for the semblance of "legitimacy" for the Sanhedrin Council to conduct a third trial of Jesus--an official trial--at sunrise in this council chamber.
This official trial is the consultation briefly described in Mark 15:1a.
Jesus's Official Religious Trial
Mark's account of Jesus's official religious trial is brief and easy to miss as one reads the rapid succession of events from Gethsemane to Calvary.
Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation (v 1a).
The official trial was itself brief. Mark says this consultation was heldimmediately as it was morning. According to Jewish Law, all trials involving the possibility of capital punishment had to be conducted during the day, so the trials of the previous night had no legitimacy. This final phase of Jesus's religious trial was held as early as possible because the conspirators wanted to have Jesus killed quickly to prevent their scandalous plot and wicked actions from being exposed, which would have led to their downfall or death.
When we factor in that John records that the Sanhedrin also handed Jesus over to the Roman authorities while "it was [still] early" (John 18:28), it is likely that this official trial lasted no more than half an hour, probably less. Jesus's Sunrise Trial in front of the whole Council took place at dawn, probably between 5:30 - 6:00am, on the morning of Nisan 15 (Friday morning by Roman reckoning).
While Mark tells us that the timing of the third phase of Jesus's trial was early in the morning, Luke tells us that it took place in the Sanhedrin's "council chamber" (Luke 22:66). The relocation to the council chamber and their waiting until the arrival of early morning were the Sanhedrin Council's tacit admissions that their night-time trials were illegal [Rule 5: Illegal Timing; Rule 6: Illegal Location].
Note: Throughout this portion of commentary, each time a Jewish law was broken by the chief priests and elders as they prosecuted Jesus, we identify that rule by means of brackets--i.e. [Rule 2: Neutrality]. The numbering of these rules is according to The Bible Says series about the Religious Prosecution of Jesus.
However, Jesus's third and official religious trial still broke multiple laws regarding its timing because there were to be no trials on a Sabbath or Feast Day. The date was most likely Nisan 15 which was the first day of the seven-day festival of Unleavened Bread. And the day before was Passover. Under no circumstances should Jesus's trials have taken place during any of these days. [Rule 5: Illegal Timing]. But the Jewish leadership ignored their own laws because the whole Council was eager to have Jesus put to death (Mark 14:55).
Additionally, Jesus's third trial also broke the following judicial principles and laws of legal practice the instant it began:
Rule 1: Conspiracy--The judges had plotted to kill Jesus.
Rule 2: Neutrality--The judges hated Jesus.
Rule 3: Rigged Trial--The outcome was predetermined.
Rule 4: Bribery--The trial was based on a bribe.
Matthew writes that the purpose of this trial was "to put [Jesus] to death" (Matthew 27:1).
Mark says the whole Council was present, which means that a full court was in session. In order to have a whole Council the requisite number of chief priests, elders, and scribes had to have been present. The chief priests were leading members of the Sadducees who were Sanhedrin Council members. The elders were leading members of the Pharisees who were Sanhedrin Council members. The scribes were leading religious lawyers who were Sanhedrin Council members.
A whole Council does not mean that every single Council member was seated in the chamber. For instance, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who were secret allies of Jesus, were also on the Council. Luke tells us that Joseph did not vote to condemn Jesus (Luke 23:50-51). Joseph and Nicodemus were likely absent from this trial, probably because they were suspected as being sympathizers of Jesus (John 7:50-52, 19:38-42). These men may not have even been notified of Jesus's sudden arrest or His trials to avoid complications or hinderances to the murderous schemes. Remember the trials were sudden reactions to Jesus's unmasking of Judas the night before and it was still early in the morning.
In order to have a whole Council, the requisite number of chief priests, elders, and scribes had to have been present. The chief priests were leading members of the Sadducees who were Sanhedrin Council members. The elders were leading members of the Pharisees who were Sanhedrin Council members. The scribes were leading religious lawyers who were Sanhedrin Council members.
Jesus had first predicted He would be rejected and condemned to death by the chief priests, elders, and scribes back in Mark 8:31.
The consultation likely consisted of the trial itself and a brief meeting to strategize how they would attempt to prosecute Jesus when they delivered Him to Pilate.
According to Luke's account (Luke 22:66-71) the official trial was a re-enactment of the line of interrogation that Caiaphas used in the night-time trial, hours earlier.
During the night-time trial, Caiaphas illegally intervened and illegally put Jesus under oath to testify whether or not He was the Christ and then called upon those present to condemn Jesus to death for His affirmative answer (Mark 14:60-64,Matthew 26:62-66).
According to Luke, the trial began by repeating Caiaphas's question: "They were saying to Him: 'If You are the Christ, tell us'" (Luke 22:67).
Jesus's third trial was not so much about trying to discover whether or not Jesus committed a crime as it was to stage things and set Him up to say something that the Council could claim was a crime. This was a gross perversion of justice.
Their approach violated multiple Jewish laws:
Rule 7: Lack of a Charge--The trial was not based on a charge of a previously committed crime, it was based on trying to stage a new one.
Rule 8: Lack of Defense--The trial did not begin with a statement on behalf of the defendant as required by Jewish law.
Rule 9: Lack of Evidence--The trial was not weighing evidence of a previously committed crime; the accusers were trying to create evidence with which to condemn Jesus.
Rule 12: Improper Prosecution--Judges could not act as an advocate for or against the defendant, but Jesus's judges were also prosecuting Him.
Rule 13: Forced Self-Incrimination--It was unlawful to use a defendant's testimony about himself.
And as happened the night before, as soon as Jesus answered, all evidence and the requirement for witnesses was dismissed and He was condemned (Luke 22:70-71).
If the guilty verdict was unanimous, as it was in Jesus's second trial where "they all condemned Him to be deserving of death" (Mark 14:64), then according to Jewish law the verdict was invalid. The Gospels give no indication that it was not unanimous, and they offer a couple of indicators that it was unanimous.
The judges that previously voted unanimously to condemn Jesus were the same judges assembled at this Councilconsultation.
If the guilty verdict of Jesus's third religious trial was unanimous, it violated their own judicial laws when it was allowed to stand [Rule 16: Faulty Verdict].
Unlike many Western judicial codes which require all its jury trials to be decided unanimously, according to the Jewish legal code, any guilty verdict that was unanimous automatically triggered the defendant's acquittal.
Jewish verdicts required guilty convictions to be decided by a majority of two or more judges--but not unanimously. At least one judge must decide in favor of the defendant. This was for two reasons:
The Jews also felt that a unanimous conviction suggested that there was a conspiracy against the defendant because judges announced their verdict one at a time, starting with the youngest. If all twenty-three (or more) judges independently voted guilty, it implied collusion.
The verdict and sentence were issued in the same sitting when they should have been deliberated and decided separately. In cases involving capital punishment, Jewish law required a death sentence to be delivered the day after finding the defendant guilty.
In Jesus's official religious trial, the sentencing came swiftly after the verdict of guilt was issued. The sentencing was not delivered with the requisite day between the conviction of guilt and condemnation [Rule 17: Hasty Sentence].
Jesus's third and final religious trial was initiated and decided within a span of a few minutes. We know this because the Councilimmediatelyheld their consultation"early in the morning" when it was day (Mark 15:1), and according to John, they arrived at the Praetorium on the other side of the temple complex to deliver Jesusto Pilate while "it was [still] early" (John 18:28).
This sequence of events began with an unexpected and unnerving alarm shortly after nightfall when Judas warned the priests that Jesus was aware of their conspiracy (John 13:21-30). This triggered a flurry of activity gathering priests and elders, procuring a Roman cohort, locating and arresting Jesus, interrogating Him in the home of Annas, organizing false witnesses to testify, Caiaphas intervening and charging Jesus with blasphemy, and reconvening early in the morning to swiftly try Jesus officially.
Through countless perversions of their law, the conspiracy to condemn Jesus to death had accomplished a significant step toward its murderous goal.
But because the Jews did not have political authority to execute criminals, they had to get Roman approval. To do this the religious leaders would have to convince Pilate to have Rome crucify Him.
Therefore, they also likely used this consultation to discern how best to accuse Jesus as a criminal of the Roman state deserving of death. But there was a major problem with their case which unexpectedly occurred shortly before they brought Him to Pilate. Their star witness was not available to present evidence for their case. Judas had killed himself out of bitter regret for betraying innocent blood (Matthew 27:3-5).
Matthew explains this by mentioning Judas's suicide between his accounts of Jesus's religious and civil trials. Mark, in his efforts to be concise does not mention Judas's death, even though it looms over Jesus's civil trial.
But the chief priests, elders, and scribes were in it too deep to stop now. They would have to persuade Pilate to execute Jesus somehow, and so, binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate (v 1).
The beginning of Jesus's civil trial is the substance of Mark 15:2-5 and the next section of our commentary.
Mark 15:1
Jesus before Pilate
1 Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate.
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Mark 15:1 meaning
The parallel Gospel accounts for Mark 15:1 are found in Matthew 27:1-2, Luke 22:66 - 23:1, and John 18:28.
Mark 15:1 concisely reports about Jesus's official religious trial before the Sanhedrin that took place at sunrise and it introduces His civil trial before Pilate,
Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate (v 1).
Before He was crucified, Jesus had two trials. He had a religious trial conducted illegally by the Jewish leadership. And He had a civil trial conducted by the Roman governor Pilate. Each trial had three distinct phases to them.
The three phases of Jesus's religious trial following Jesus's arrest in Gethsemane were:
(John 18:12-14, 18:19-24)
(Matthew 26:57-68, Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:54, John 18:24)
(Matthew 27:1-2, Mark 15:1, Luke 22:66-71)
The three phases of Jesus's civil trial after He was delivered to Pilate were:
(Matthew 27:1-2, 11-14, Mark 15:1-5, Luke 23:1-5, John 18:28-38)
(Luke 23:6-12)
(Matthew 27:15-26, Mark 15:6-15, Luke 23:13-25, John 18:38 - 19:16)
No single Gospel account fully describes every phase of both trials, but collectively the four Gospel accounts do provide a complete picture of what happened throughout the phases of these trials and how Jesus came to be condemned to crucifixion despite being innocent.
This commentary of Mark 15:1 will discuss these events from Mark's perspective while also drawing upon the accounts of the other Gospels to gain a fuller picture as to how these important events in the life of Jesus took place.
Additionally, The Bible Says has multiple articles describing aspects of these trials for those who are interested in learning more about them. These articles include.
Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation (v 1a).
The first part of verse 1 briefly describes Jesus's official religious trial before the whole Council of the Sanhedrin. Jesus's official religious trial is also called His "Sunrise Trial" because it took place early in the morning.
Mark begins by telling his readers that it was now early in the morning. This clearly distinguishes what is about to happen from what has already happened the night before.
A Brief Review of What Happened the Night Before
The previous night had unfolded as none but Jesus had anticipated.
Jesus was a rising public figure who was beloved by the people because of His miracles and astonishing teaching. He opposed and exposed the religious establishment as hypocrites. Many Jews believed He was the Messiah sent from God to lead Israel to glory and out from beneath the yoke of Roman subjugation. The High Priest Caiaphas and the Council believed that if Jesus was not stopped, then He would lead the people against Rome, who would then destroy their nation (John 11:47-50). Therefore, they had plotted to kill Him, but not during the Passover, when a million or more Jews came to town, lest a riot occur (Matthew 26:3-5).
But during His celebration of the Passover with His disciples, Jesus unmasked Judas as His betrayer (Matthew 26:20-25), which startled His conspirators into immediate action that would lead to His crucifixion in less than 24 hours.
As Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray in preparation for the trials to come, Judas informed the priests that Jesus was aware of their illegal plot to murder Him. Despite the fact that it was the night of Passover (one of the most intimate and celebratory nights of the year) the chief priests, elders, and scribes of the Sanhedrin Council hastily assembled to decide what to do so they could prevent being exposed and thrown out of power by the people who loved Jesus or by Rome for not being able to control the masses.
As they began to conjure up potential charges prepared for trial, they simultaneously sought and were granted permission from the Roman governor Pilate to arrest Jesus. A cohort was sent, led by Judas, to arrest Jesus.
After submitting to arrest, Jesus was brought first to Annas, the former high priest, where he illegally interrogated and physically abused Jesus in his own home in the middle of the night (John 18:12-14, 19-23). The preliminary investigation in the house of Annas was the first phase of Jesus's religious trial.
Then Jesus was brought to the house of Caiaphas, the sitting high priest and Annas’s son-in-law, where "all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes had gathered together" in the middle of the night (Mark 14:53). The night-time trial in the house of Caiaphas was the second phase of Jesus's religious trial (Matthew 26:57-68, Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:54, John 18:24).
During this illegal trial, false witnesses were brought forth to accuse Jesus, but their testimonies did not align (Mark 14:55-59). Rather than let their fraudulent case fall apart, Caiaphas illegally intervened to condemn Jesus (Mark 14:60). He demanded that Jesus say whether or not He was the Christ, and as soon as Jesus affirmed that He was the Christ (Mark 14:61-62), Caiaphas demanded that the trial should end and Jesus be condemned to death and the Council condemned Him (Mark 14:63-64). At this point some began to vilely beat, mock, and abuse Jesus (Mark 14:65).
Even though they had illegally condemned Jesus in the house of Caiaphas in the middle of the night, their trial had no legitimacy. All trials with possibility of capital punishment had to be held during the day and in the council chamber courtroom called "the Hall of Hewn Stone" located on the temple grounds. Therefore, there was a need for the semblance of "legitimacy" for the Sanhedrin Council to conduct a third trial of Jesus--an official trial--at sunrise in this council chamber.
This official trial is the consultation briefly described in Mark 15:1a.
Jesus's Official Religious Trial
Mark's account of Jesus's official religious trial is brief and easy to miss as one reads the rapid succession of events from Gethsemane to Calvary.
Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation (v 1a).
The official trial was itself brief. Mark says this consultation was held immediately as it was morning. According to Jewish Law, all trials involving the possibility of capital punishment had to be conducted during the day, so the trials of the previous night had no legitimacy. This final phase of Jesus's religious trial was held as early as possible because the conspirators wanted to have Jesus killed quickly to prevent their scandalous plot and wicked actions from being exposed, which would have led to their downfall or death.
When we factor in that John records that the Sanhedrin also handed Jesus over to the Roman authorities while "it was [still] early" (John 18:28), it is likely that this official trial lasted no more than half an hour, probably less. Jesus's Sunrise Trial in front of the whole Council took place at dawn, probably between 5:30 - 6:00am, on the morning of Nisan 15 (Friday morning by Roman reckoning).
While Mark tells us that the timing of the third phase of Jesus's trial was early in the morning, Luke tells us that it took place in the Sanhedrin's "council chamber" (Luke 22:66). The relocation to the council chamber and their waiting until the arrival of early morning were the Sanhedrin Council's tacit admissions that their night-time trials were illegal [Rule 5: Illegal Timing; Rule 6: Illegal Location].
For a complete listing of the broken rules, see The Bible Says article: "Jesus's Trial, Part 1. The Laws Broken By The Religious Leaders: A Summary."
However, Jesus's third and official religious trial still broke multiple laws regarding its timing because there were to be no trials on a Sabbath or Feast Day. The date was most likely Nisan 15 which was the first day of the seven-day festival of Unleavened Bread. And the day before was Passover. Under no circumstances should Jesus's trials have taken place during any of these days. [Rule 5: Illegal Timing]. But the Jewish leadership ignored their own laws because the whole Council was eager to have Jesus put to death (Mark 14:55).
Additionally, Jesus's third trial also broke the following judicial principles and laws of legal practice the instant it began:
Matthew writes that the purpose of this trial was "to put [Jesus] to death" (Matthew 27:1).
Mark says the whole Council was present, which means that a full court was in session. In order to have a whole Council the requisite number of chief priests, elders, and scribes had to have been present. The chief priests were leading members of the Sadducees who were Sanhedrin Council members. The elders were leading members of the Pharisees who were Sanhedrin Council members. The scribes were leading religious lawyers who were Sanhedrin Council members.
A whole Council does not mean that every single Council member was seated in the chamber. For instance, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who were secret allies of Jesus, were also on the Council. Luke tells us that Joseph did not vote to condemn Jesus (Luke 23:50-51). Joseph and Nicodemus were likely absent from this trial, probably because they were suspected as being sympathizers of Jesus (John 7:50-52, 19:38-42). These men may not have even been notified of Jesus's sudden arrest or His trials to avoid complications or hinderances to the murderous schemes. Remember the trials were sudden reactions to Jesus's unmasking of Judas the night before and it was still early in the morning.
In order to have a whole Council, the requisite number of chief priests, elders, and scribes had to have been present. The chief priests were leading members of the Sadducees who were Sanhedrin Council members. The elders were leading members of the Pharisees who were Sanhedrin Council members. The scribes were leading religious lawyers who were Sanhedrin Council members.
Jesus had first predicted He would be rejected and condemned to death by the chief priests, elders, and scribes back in Mark 8:31.
The consultation likely consisted of the trial itself and a brief meeting to strategize how they would attempt to prosecute Jesus when they delivered Him to Pilate.
According to Luke's account (Luke 22:66-71) the official trial was a re-enactment of the line of interrogation that Caiaphas used in the night-time trial, hours earlier.
During the night-time trial, Caiaphas illegally intervened and illegally put Jesus under oath to testify whether or not He was the Christ and then called upon those present to condemn Jesus to death for His affirmative answer (Mark 14:60-64, Matthew 26:62-66).
According to Luke, the trial began by repeating Caiaphas's question: "They were saying to Him: 'If You are the Christ, tell us'" (Luke 22:67).
Jesus's third trial was not so much about trying to discover whether or not Jesus committed a crime as it was to stage things and set Him up to say something that the Council could claim was a crime. This was a gross perversion of justice.
Their approach violated multiple Jewish laws:
And as happened the night before, as soon as Jesus answered, all evidence and the requirement for witnesses was dismissed and He was condemned (Luke 22:70-71).
If the guilty verdict was unanimous, as it was in Jesus's second trial where "they all condemned Him to be deserving of death" (Mark 14:64), then according to Jewish law the verdict was invalid. The Gospels give no indication that it was not unanimous, and they offer a couple of indicators that it was unanimous.
The judges that previously voted unanimously to condemn Jesus were the same judges assembled at this Council consultation.
If the guilty verdict of Jesus's third religious trial was unanimous, it violated their own judicial laws when it was allowed to stand [Rule 16: Faulty Verdict].
Unlike many Western judicial codes which require all its jury trials to be decided unanimously, according to the Jewish legal code, any guilty verdict that was unanimous automatically triggered the defendant's acquittal.
Jewish verdicts required guilty convictions to be decided by a majority of two or more judges--but not unanimously. At least one judge must decide in favor of the defendant. This was for two reasons:
The verdict and sentence were issued in the same sitting when they should have been deliberated and decided separately. In cases involving capital punishment, Jewish law required a death sentence to be delivered the day after finding the defendant guilty.
In Jesus's official religious trial, the sentencing came swiftly after the verdict of guilt was issued. The sentencing was not delivered with the requisite day between the conviction of guilt and condemnation [Rule 17: Hasty Sentence].
Jesus's third and final religious trial was initiated and decided within a span of a few minutes. We know this because the Council immediately held their consultation "early in the morning" when it was day (Mark 15:1), and according to John, they arrived at the Praetorium on the other side of the temple complex to deliver Jesus to Pilate while "it was [still] early" (John 18:28).
This sequence of events began with an unexpected and unnerving alarm shortly after nightfall when Judas warned the priests that Jesus was aware of their conspiracy (John 13:21-30). This triggered a flurry of activity gathering priests and elders, procuring a Roman cohort, locating and arresting Jesus, interrogating Him in the home of Annas, organizing false witnesses to testify, Caiaphas intervening and charging Jesus with blasphemy, and reconvening early in the morning to swiftly try Jesus officially.
Through countless perversions of their law, the conspiracy to condemn Jesus to death had accomplished a significant step toward its murderous goal.
But because the Jews did not have political authority to execute criminals, they had to get Roman approval. To do this the religious leaders would have to convince Pilate to have Rome crucify Him.
Therefore, they also likely used this consultation to discern how best to accuse Jesus as a criminal of the Roman state deserving of death. But there was a major problem with their case which unexpectedly occurred shortly before they brought Him to Pilate. Their star witness was not available to present evidence for their case. Judas had killed himself out of bitter regret for betraying innocent blood (Matthew 27:3-5).
Matthew explains this by mentioning Judas's suicide between his accounts of Jesus's religious and civil trials. Mark, in his efforts to be concise does not mention Judas's death, even though it looms over Jesus's civil trial.
But the chief priests, elders, and scribes were in it too deep to stop now. They would have to persuade Pilate to execute Jesus somehow, and so, binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate (v 1).
The beginning of Jesus's civil trial is the substance of Mark 15:2-5 and the next section of our commentary.