Introduction: When the Judge Becomes the Deliverer
Mark 15:15 reports Pilate’s final act:
καὶ παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν φραγελλώσας· ἵνα σταυρωθῇ —
“And he handed over Jesus, having scourged him, so that he might be crucified.”
The verb παρέδωκε {paredōken} comes from παραδίδωμι, “to hand over,” and it is rich in judicial and theological nuance. It appears in both secular legal texts and biblical prophecy. In this verse, it communicates both official transfer and profound injustice.
Ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος… παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν φραγελλώσας· ἵνα σταυρωθῇ.
Let us now turn to the verb:
παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν — “he handed over Jesus.”
This verb παρέδωκε is the aorist active indicative of παραδίδωμι, a term that carries both legal and theological weight. It is frequently used in contexts of betrayal, legal transfer, and even divine surrender. In Mark 15:15, it functions as the culmination of Pilate’s decision, linking Roman authority with divine purpose.
Morphological Breakdown of παρέδωκε
- παρέδωκε {paredōken} –
Root: παραδίδωμι {paradidōmi};
Form: aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular;
Tense: aorist (summary past action);
Voice: active;
Mood: indicative (statement of fact);
Meaning: “he handed over,” “he delivered,” “he gave up.”
Notes: This verb is commonly used in contexts of legal custody, military surrender, or betrayal (e.g., Judas also *παραδίδωσιν* Jesus in Mark 14:10).
Syntactical Analysis: Main Verb of Transfer and Verdict
This is the main verb of the final clause:
– Subject: (implied) Πιλᾶτος
– Verb: παρέδωκε
– Object: τὸν Ἰησοῦν
The verb is modified by the aorist participle φραγελλώσας (“having scourged”) and followed by the ἵνα-clause indicating purpose (ἵνα σταυρωθῇ).
The syntax communicates a judicial verdict:
– Scourging precedes,
– Handing over is the legal decision,
– Crucifixion is the intended result.
Semantic and Theological Implications
The verb παραδίδωμι has broad resonance:
– Judicially: to hand over a prisoner for punishment.
– Militarily: to surrender to an enemy.
– Relationally: to betray (cf. Judas, Mark 14:10).
– Theologically: to yield someone into the hands of others—or even of God (cf. Romans 8:32: *“He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all…”*).
Here in Mark 15:15, παρέδωκε functions on two levels:
1. Pilate’s judicial role — he enacts Roman judgment.
2. God’s salvific plan — Jesus is being delivered for crucifixion, in fulfillment of prophecy.
This same verb is used multiple times in the Passion narrative, forming a chain of handovers:
– Judas hands over Jesus to the priests.
– The priests hand over Jesus to Pilate.
– Pilate hands over Jesus to be crucified.
Literary and Narrative Significance
The verb παρέδωκε is climactic—it is the point of no return. From here on:
– Jesus will not speak in his defense.
– No further trials are held.
– The journey to Golgotha begins.
It is the moment when Roman politics and divine purpose intersect in a legal sentence.
In narrative terms, this verb is heavier than it sounds. Though just one word, it marks the fulfillment of Jesus’ earlier predictions (Mark 10:33: “they will deliver him to the Gentiles”).
He Handed Him Over
The aorist verb παρέδωκε summarizes both Roman procedure and sacred prophecy. In it, we see:
– The failure of justice,
– The culmination of betrayal, and
– The fulfillment of redemptive design.
Pilate hands Jesus over to men.
But heaven has already handed him over to suffer, die, and rise.
