Sovereignty and Suffering
John 19:1-16
Introduction:
We are seeing the suffering of the Son of God. Jesus has been betrayed by Judas. He has been deserted by His disciples. He has been denied by Peter. He has been illegally arrested, tried and condemned by the Jews. He has been slandered by false witnesses. He has been spit at in the face. His beard has been ripped out. He has been slapped by guards. He has been called a liar.
We see all this suffering but what are we to see? We are to see the sovereign plan of God and we are to marvel. We are not to become sentimental and perpetually mourn these events. Our hearts ought rather to marvel that the Son of God would willingly subject Himself to this treatment for our salvation. We are to marvel that here in these events is the will of God being carried on by the Son of God where our sins and our guilt are being carried away and the way to a right standing before God, the way to God is being opened for us. It is not pity for Christ that we ought to feel. But it is admiration and adoration of the Son of God who would love us enough to die in our place. Remember that everything He goes through is what we deserve. He became our Substitute.
The Torture (v1-3)
Notice first they flog Jesus. None of the Gospel writers describe for us what this was like, but, it is well known what a Roman flogging was like. It was nothing short of horrific. A man was stripped of his clothes and then strapped to a post with his backside exposed. Then the soldiers would take turns giving blows – this was to prevent them from getting too tired and maintain maximum force with each blow.
Jewish law set a maximum of 40 blows (Deut 25:3) and in practice the Jews would only strike a man 39 times to avoid accidentally going over 40. The Romans had no such limits; they would stop for one of 3 reasons: 1) the soldiers were too tired, 2) the commanding officer stopped it, or 3) as often was the case, the victim died.
The weapon of choice differed as well. Jews used rods in a beating, and sometimes the Romans would too when they would beat the soles of a man’s feet. But, in the case where someone was not a Roman citizen, the weapon of choice was the Scorpion. It was a short wooden handle with several long leather thongs attached to it. Each thong had sharp pieces of bone or metal on the end. These sharp pieces would shred the flesh and cause severe lacerations across the entire body. The body could be so torn that muscles, veins, and even bones were exposed.
Often it was men who were to be executed who were flogged so that they were weakened and dehumanized as much as possible. The scourging was the preparation for the cross, and, just like the cross, it was meant to maximize not only the horrific pain, but, also the humiliation of the victim.
“By His stripes we are healed” Isaiah 53:5 says.
But Pilate’s purpose in flogging Jesus was a strategy he hoped would get him out of putting Jesus to death. He hoped perhaps the pitiful bloody appearance of Jesus after the flogging would appease the Jews and that they would sympathetically back down from demanding His death.
Then notice what happens to Jesus after His flogging. The soldiers get Jesus alone in some hallway somewhere and begin to mock Him terribly. The charge against Jesus is that He claimed to be the King of the Jews. These soldiers are going to make sport of Him and intensify their scornful mockery of that claim.
They put a crown of thorns on His head. One author I read pointed out that in Genesis 3 it says that sin had brought thorns and thistles into the world and that it was only fitting that the Savior wear a crown of thorns as He bore the sins of the world on the cross. They mocked Him by putting that crown on Him. But how they did not understand what they were doing. Thorns are the result of sin and Christ bore those thorns, those thorns that came because of our sins. And in the same way He bore our shame that was the result of our sin.
Then notice they put on Him a purple robe. Purple is a color for royalty. They were mocking Him. Other Gospel’s tell us that they put a staff in His hand as a mock scepter. Then Mark’s gospel tells us that they then began to beat Him in the face with their fists, and also hit Him in the head with rods – while this crown of thorns was on His head. While they were beating Him they would mockingly bow down before Him and mockingly say, “Hail the King of the Jews!”
Then, while the soldiers were doing this to Jesus, Pilate went out to the Jews and said to them, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.” This is the 2nd time Pilate says this. And then after the soldiers get their last licks in Pilate has Jesus come out and stand before the Jews. The sight is unimaginable: bloody from head to toe, shredded skin all over his body, swollen beyond recognition, missing teeth, just a horrific and pathetic picture.
And this is what Pilate wanted them to see. This is what Pilate hoped would cause them to feel pity and back off from demanding crucifixion. Pilate did not want to put Jesus to death.
This is the 3rd time Pilate tried to get himself out of the jam he was in. He tried to send Jesus to Herod, but Herod just sent Jesus back. Then Pilate tried to get the Jews to release Jesus over Barabbas, but, they chose Barabbas instead. Then Pilate flogs Jesus, hoping this will settle the Jews down and back them off. So Pilate has Jesus come out after being flogged and says to the crowd, “Here is the man!” As if to say, “Here he is, the one who claimed to be a king, the one you are so afraid of. Look at him. He is pathetic. Is he really a threat? Look at Him. Is He really worth such hatred and fear? Look at Him. Is all your upheaval over this man worth it?”
Application: It takes more than pity and sentimentality to come to Jesus Christ. It takes conviction of sin and seeing that Jesus died for your sins.
But this did not get Pilate out of his predicament. This did not satisfy the Jewish leaders. It only heightened their thirst for blood more and they shouted back at Pilate in verse 6, “Crucify! Crucify!” Again and again their voices shouted in unison to let Pilate know that they will not accept anything less than the pathetically tortured body of this Jesus hanging on a cross.
Here is another point that is important to see. Pilate says in verse 6 back to the Jews, “You take Him and crucify Him”. Pilate is feeling a great frustration and disgust with the Jews for their blood-thirst. He’s desperately trying to excuse himself from any part in the death of Jesus. But he is finding no way out of his situation. He is faced with Jesus. He has to deal with Jesus. He has to make a decision about Jesus. He cannot procrastinate, or dodge, or hide any longer.
Many people think that they don’t have to face Jesus. Everyone has to face Him. His claims to be the Son of God and the only way to heaven are too big for anyone to ignore. Like it or not, everyone stands in judgment of Jesus and must make a decision about what they will do with Him. Either He is everything He claimed to be, or, He is a liar, or a lunatic.
Let Pilate’s agonizing situation be an example, we all must decide one way or the other about Jesus. We all must choose either to believe He is the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of our souls, or, we must reject Him along with Pilate and the Jews.
Then Pilate says something very sad, “As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” This is the 3rd time Pilate says this (18:38; 19:4 and 6). Three times Pilate says that Jesus is innocent. To say something 3 times is to make something complete (“Holy, holy, holy”). Jesus is innocent, innocent, innocent. On one hand it establishes the complete innocence of Jesus and the injustice He is experiencing, but, on the other hand it is the basis for hypocritical condemnation of those who are condemning God’s Son.
This is a sad day for Roman justice system. The Roman’s exalted justice and were heroic with their justice system. It was said by the Romans, “We can do only that which we can do justly”. And another saying was, “Let justice be done, though heaven itself should fall”. But, instead, here at the trial of Jesus, heaven stood while Roman justice fell with a great crash.
For a man declared innocent 3 times was flogged. A man declared innocent 3 times was not set free. The greatest human justice system seen at that point in history was the Roman system and it failed horrifically to bring justice at the most important moment in history – when the innocent Son of God was on trial. The best human’s can do is still infinitely far from that which God does.
Pilate was a weak-willed man. He was a compromising man who tried to please everybody. He condemned himself when he declared the innocence of Jesus.
Try Again(7-9)
The chief priests then tried again to push Pilate and this time they switched back to the original charge they had against Jesus – blasphemy, “We have a law and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” They probably were referring to Leviticus 24:16 which says, “Anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be put to death..”
So the Jews tell Pilate that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, that this is blasphemy and according to their law requires his death. Verse 8 says that Pilate became even more afraid.
Why did Pilate become afraid when he heard that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God?
The Romans and the Greeks were very superstitious, and, they had stories about the gods coming to earth as men. Pilate was impressed with Jesus, and had never met a prisoner like Him before. It may be that he became afraid that he may have just tortured one of these gods who came from the heavens. That’s why in verse 9 he asks Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus gives him no answer. Jesus remains silent. Isaiah 53:7 says, “He did not open his mouth, he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Why didn’t Jesus answer Pilate? Because Jesus had already given him an answer. In 18:36-37 Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world…my kingdom is from another place…You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, for this reason I came into the world..” Pilate made it very clear that he didn’t have any interest in finding spiritual truth, so he snorted to Jesus, “What is truth?” and walked off. Jesus does not answer Pilate in verse 9 because Pilate does not deserve an answer.
Application: God does not reveal new truth to us until we act on the truth He has already shown us. Think about that. Until we act on what God has already given us, we will not get more. Maybe the reason many of us don’t get much out of reading and studying the Word is because we don’t put into action what we’ve already gotten out of it. Maybe our insight and understanding into deeper spiritual truth is limited because our willingness to obey what we already know is so limited. Knowing what is right according to God’s Word and willfully not doing what is right will result in a darker mind that is unable to receive, and unable to comprehend spiritual truth. James
It is a terrible thing when God is silent. It is a terrible thing when men are unresponsive to God when He is not silent. Perhaps, after enough time, that is why He is silent.
The Twist (v10-11)
Then Pilate says in verse 10, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” I wonder why Jesus didn’t ask Him, “Then why are you not freeing a man whom you’ve declared innocent three times?” Pilate condemns himself with these words.
Pilate has lost control. He’s feeling controlled by the Jews as they keep putting the pressure on him to crucify Jesus. He feels he doesn’t have control of Jesus when Jesus doesn’t speak to Him. So, Pilate becomes angry, which is what we do when we feel weak and lose control. And Pilate tries to appear strong and in control by telling Jesus he has control over his life.
Notice how in control Jesus appears compared to Pilate. Why would Jesus respond the way that He did? First He informs Pilate that the only power he has at that moment is the power that God in heaven has allowed him to have for this moment. Romans 13:1 says, “there is no governing authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Pilate has been put in this position not so much by the Jews as he has been by the God of heaven. What a comfort for us to know that our God is sovereign, that “Many are the plans of our hearts but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails”. It may have been a frightful thing to hear for Pilate, but, for us, it is a great comfort to know our God is the great Director of our lives.
So Pilate was Jesus’ judge. And as the judge of Jesus, Pilate had power to free or power to crucify Him. What Pilate did not also know was that he was speaking to His own judge. Pilate was acting as Jesus’ judge, but, Pilate was in reality speaking to his own judge. Jesus is the final, ultimate Judge. In John 5:22, Jesus said, “The Father judges no one, but, has entrusted all judgment to the Son”. Then in verse 27 Jesus said, “And the Father has given the Son authority to judge, because He is the Son of Man.” Notice that when Pilate talks to Jesus as His judge it is Jesus who turns around and speaks to Pilate as Pilate’s Judge. He says “the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin”
Jesus affirms two things as Judge here: 1) that there was someone more guilty than Pilate in this situation, but that still 2) Pilate was in fact guilty. Jesus didn’t say to Pilate, “It’s not your fault. I know you’re in a tough spot here who can blame you? I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same if I were in your sandals” No. As the Judge, Jesus evaluated Pilate’s actions and heart, and, as the Supreme Judge, Jesus judged Pilate to be guilty of sin – even if he was not as guilty as Caiaphas - Pilate was still guilty.
Did Pilate need to hear that? Pilate felt as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders with this situation. He felt like he was all alone. What he decided here could end very badly for him. Perhaps he comforted himself by thinking that there was someone else in this situation who had more blame than him.
Applicaton: Pressure is not an excuse for sin. When the world is pressing down, when life seems to be coming unraveled, when you seem to be losing control, doing what is right is still an option. Even if it comes with a great sacrifice to ourselves, doing what is right is always an option. Pressure is not an excuse to sin. Pilate knew what pressure was. He had a ruthless boss in Tiberius. He had a bad relationship with the Jews. His name has been reported several times already to Caesar by the Jews. He knew Jesus was innocent. The glory of Roman law was at stake if he condemned an innocent man. If he didn’t give the Jews what they wanted they were going to riot and his career would be over, possibly even his life. His wife was telling him that she was having dreams about Jesus and to let Jesus go. His conscience was telling him to let Jesus go. Caiaphas and the Jewish crowds were shouting to crucify Him. It was all caving in on him.
It was a lose-lose situation. Have you ever been in a lose-lose situation? No matter what you decided you were going to lose? What if Pilate had more to hold on to in this world than his career? What if he had more to anchor his soul in than power and personal glory? What if Pilate saw that there was a God in heaven, and standing before him that day was the very Son of that God. Pilate could have done what was right
Application: How often we reassure ourselves that we’re okay if we can just find someone who is worse than us. Never mind striving for excellence and out-doing what I was yesterday in Christ, just give me some poor wretch I can look to and feel better about myself. Never mind pressing on towards greater perfection in Christ, just bring me a sinner or a tax-collector that I might not feel so bad about who I am. It’s too easy to commend ourselves when we can say: “Well at least I’m not like that jerk”. This is pride, self-righteousness, complacency. They are fools who compare themselves with themselves. The only time you should compare yourself to another is when it is someone who is greater in Christ than you, and only then so that you can develop further in your walk with Christ. Don’t compare yourself with someone worse than you so you can ease your conscience. Compare yourself with someone better than you so your motivated to keep pressing on, to push forward, to mature by following the example of others who are mature and are maturing even more.
Verses 12-14
This remarkable response by Jesus makes Pilate have one last spurt of courage and it says in verse 12 that he went out and tried to set Jesus free. But the Jews only met him with more heat and more strategy. “If you let this man go you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” The irony is that the Jews hated Rome and were themselves no friend of Caesar. They pretended to care about loyalty to Caesar. They were trying to intimidate Pilate by implying that he would be a traitor to Caesar if he does not crucify a man who opposed Caesar.
This was the breaking point for Pilate. Finally, after 3 pronouncements of Jesus’ innocence, after multiple attempts to wiggle out of the situation, after compromising Roman justice by holding and beating an innocent man, Pilate finally caves in.
He goes out to the judge’s seat to pass judgment on the One who has been entrusted by the Father will all authority to judge. Sitting there, having been out-maneuvered by the chief priests, Pilate no doubt was seething with hatred towards them. So in one final act of mocking them he brings Jesus out to them and says, “Here is your king”.
“Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!” They shouted. And Pilate asked this question, “Shall I crucify your king?”
One author says this about their answer, “In a chilling act of appalling hypocrisy, the chief priests answered ‘We have no king but Caesar.’ Though said with blatant duplicity, the irony was that there was truth in their statement; having rejected their messianic King, they were left with only Caesar as their king. In yet one more bitter irony, those who had falsely accused Jesus of blasphemy committed an act of blasphemy of their own, since God alone was Israel’s true King.”
According to Matthew 27 Pilate asked the Jews, “What shall I do with this Jesus?” That is the question you must face today. What will you do with this Jesus? Condemn Him and you will be condemned. Believe in Him and you will be set free.
John 19:1-16
Introduction:
We are seeing the suffering of the Son of God. Jesus has been betrayed by Judas. He has been deserted by His disciples. He has been denied by Peter. He has been illegally arrested, tried and condemned by the Jews. He has been slandered by false witnesses. He has been spit at in the face. His beard has been ripped out. He has been slapped by guards. He has been called a liar.
We see all this suffering but what are we to see? We are to see the sovereign plan of God and we are to marvel. We are not to become sentimental and perpetually mourn these events. Our hearts ought rather to marvel that the Son of God would willingly subject Himself to this treatment for our salvation. We are to marvel that here in these events is the will of God being carried on by the Son of God where our sins and our guilt are being carried away and the way to a right standing before God, the way to God is being opened for us. It is not pity for Christ that we ought to feel. But it is admiration and adoration of the Son of God who would love us enough to die in our place. Remember that everything He goes through is what we deserve. He became our Substitute.
The Torture (v1-3)
Notice first they flog Jesus. None of the Gospel writers describe for us what this was like, but, it is well known what a Roman flogging was like. It was nothing short of horrific. A man was stripped of his clothes and then strapped to a post with his backside exposed. Then the soldiers would take turns giving blows – this was to prevent them from getting too tired and maintain maximum force with each blow.
Jewish law set a maximum of 40 blows (Deut 25:3) and in practice the Jews would only strike a man 39 times to avoid accidentally going over 40. The Romans had no such limits; they would stop for one of 3 reasons: 1) the soldiers were too tired, 2) the commanding officer stopped it, or 3) as often was the case, the victim died.
The weapon of choice differed as well. Jews used rods in a beating, and sometimes the Romans would too when they would beat the soles of a man’s feet. But, in the case where someone was not a Roman citizen, the weapon of choice was the Scorpion. It was a short wooden handle with several long leather thongs attached to it. Each thong had sharp pieces of bone or metal on the end. These sharp pieces would shred the flesh and cause severe lacerations across the entire body. The body could be so torn that muscles, veins, and even bones were exposed.
Often it was men who were to be executed who were flogged so that they were weakened and dehumanized as much as possible. The scourging was the preparation for the cross, and, just like the cross, it was meant to maximize not only the horrific pain, but, also the humiliation of the victim.
“By His stripes we are healed” Isaiah 53:5 says.
But Pilate’s purpose in flogging Jesus was a strategy he hoped would get him out of putting Jesus to death. He hoped perhaps the pitiful bloody appearance of Jesus after the flogging would appease the Jews and that they would sympathetically back down from demanding His death.
Then notice what happens to Jesus after His flogging. The soldiers get Jesus alone in some hallway somewhere and begin to mock Him terribly. The charge against Jesus is that He claimed to be the King of the Jews. These soldiers are going to make sport of Him and intensify their scornful mockery of that claim.
They put a crown of thorns on His head. One author I read pointed out that in Genesis 3 it says that sin had brought thorns and thistles into the world and that it was only fitting that the Savior wear a crown of thorns as He bore the sins of the world on the cross. They mocked Him by putting that crown on Him. But how they did not understand what they were doing. Thorns are the result of sin and Christ bore those thorns, those thorns that came because of our sins. And in the same way He bore our shame that was the result of our sin.
Then notice they put on Him a purple robe. Purple is a color for royalty. They were mocking Him. Other Gospel’s tell us that they put a staff in His hand as a mock scepter. Then Mark’s gospel tells us that they then began to beat Him in the face with their fists, and also hit Him in the head with rods – while this crown of thorns was on His head. While they were beating Him they would mockingly bow down before Him and mockingly say, “Hail the King of the Jews!”
Then, while the soldiers were doing this to Jesus, Pilate went out to the Jews and said to them, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.” This is the 2nd time Pilate says this. And then after the soldiers get their last licks in Pilate has Jesus come out and stand before the Jews. The sight is unimaginable: bloody from head to toe, shredded skin all over his body, swollen beyond recognition, missing teeth, just a horrific and pathetic picture.
And this is what Pilate wanted them to see. This is what Pilate hoped would cause them to feel pity and back off from demanding crucifixion. Pilate did not want to put Jesus to death.
This is the 3rd time Pilate tried to get himself out of the jam he was in. He tried to send Jesus to Herod, but Herod just sent Jesus back. Then Pilate tried to get the Jews to release Jesus over Barabbas, but, they chose Barabbas instead. Then Pilate flogs Jesus, hoping this will settle the Jews down and back them off. So Pilate has Jesus come out after being flogged and says to the crowd, “Here is the man!” As if to say, “Here he is, the one who claimed to be a king, the one you are so afraid of. Look at him. He is pathetic. Is he really a threat? Look at Him. Is He really worth such hatred and fear? Look at Him. Is all your upheaval over this man worth it?”
Application: It takes more than pity and sentimentality to come to Jesus Christ. It takes conviction of sin and seeing that Jesus died for your sins.
But this did not get Pilate out of his predicament. This did not satisfy the Jewish leaders. It only heightened their thirst for blood more and they shouted back at Pilate in verse 6, “Crucify! Crucify!” Again and again their voices shouted in unison to let Pilate know that they will not accept anything less than the pathetically tortured body of this Jesus hanging on a cross.
Here is another point that is important to see. Pilate says in verse 6 back to the Jews, “You take Him and crucify Him”. Pilate is feeling a great frustration and disgust with the Jews for their blood-thirst. He’s desperately trying to excuse himself from any part in the death of Jesus. But he is finding no way out of his situation. He is faced with Jesus. He has to deal with Jesus. He has to make a decision about Jesus. He cannot procrastinate, or dodge, or hide any longer.
Many people think that they don’t have to face Jesus. Everyone has to face Him. His claims to be the Son of God and the only way to heaven are too big for anyone to ignore. Like it or not, everyone stands in judgment of Jesus and must make a decision about what they will do with Him. Either He is everything He claimed to be, or, He is a liar, or a lunatic.
Let Pilate’s agonizing situation be an example, we all must decide one way or the other about Jesus. We all must choose either to believe He is the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of our souls, or, we must reject Him along with Pilate and the Jews.
Then Pilate says something very sad, “As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” This is the 3rd time Pilate says this (18:38; 19:4 and 6). Three times Pilate says that Jesus is innocent. To say something 3 times is to make something complete (“Holy, holy, holy”). Jesus is innocent, innocent, innocent. On one hand it establishes the complete innocence of Jesus and the injustice He is experiencing, but, on the other hand it is the basis for hypocritical condemnation of those who are condemning God’s Son.
This is a sad day for Roman justice system. The Roman’s exalted justice and were heroic with their justice system. It was said by the Romans, “We can do only that which we can do justly”. And another saying was, “Let justice be done, though heaven itself should fall”. But, instead, here at the trial of Jesus, heaven stood while Roman justice fell with a great crash.
For a man declared innocent 3 times was flogged. A man declared innocent 3 times was not set free. The greatest human justice system seen at that point in history was the Roman system and it failed horrifically to bring justice at the most important moment in history – when the innocent Son of God was on trial. The best human’s can do is still infinitely far from that which God does.
Pilate was a weak-willed man. He was a compromising man who tried to please everybody. He condemned himself when he declared the innocence of Jesus.
Try Again(7-9)
The chief priests then tried again to push Pilate and this time they switched back to the original charge they had against Jesus – blasphemy, “We have a law and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” They probably were referring to Leviticus 24:16 which says, “Anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be put to death..”
So the Jews tell Pilate that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, that this is blasphemy and according to their law requires his death. Verse 8 says that Pilate became even more afraid.
Why did Pilate become afraid when he heard that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God?
The Romans and the Greeks were very superstitious, and, they had stories about the gods coming to earth as men. Pilate was impressed with Jesus, and had never met a prisoner like Him before. It may be that he became afraid that he may have just tortured one of these gods who came from the heavens. That’s why in verse 9 he asks Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus gives him no answer. Jesus remains silent. Isaiah 53:7 says, “He did not open his mouth, he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Why didn’t Jesus answer Pilate? Because Jesus had already given him an answer. In 18:36-37 Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world…my kingdom is from another place…You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, for this reason I came into the world..” Pilate made it very clear that he didn’t have any interest in finding spiritual truth, so he snorted to Jesus, “What is truth?” and walked off. Jesus does not answer Pilate in verse 9 because Pilate does not deserve an answer.
Application: God does not reveal new truth to us until we act on the truth He has already shown us. Think about that. Until we act on what God has already given us, we will not get more. Maybe the reason many of us don’t get much out of reading and studying the Word is because we don’t put into action what we’ve already gotten out of it. Maybe our insight and understanding into deeper spiritual truth is limited because our willingness to obey what we already know is so limited. Knowing what is right according to God’s Word and willfully not doing what is right will result in a darker mind that is unable to receive, and unable to comprehend spiritual truth. James
It is a terrible thing when God is silent. It is a terrible thing when men are unresponsive to God when He is not silent. Perhaps, after enough time, that is why He is silent.
The Twist (v10-11)
Then Pilate says in verse 10, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” I wonder why Jesus didn’t ask Him, “Then why are you not freeing a man whom you’ve declared innocent three times?” Pilate condemns himself with these words.
Pilate has lost control. He’s feeling controlled by the Jews as they keep putting the pressure on him to crucify Jesus. He feels he doesn’t have control of Jesus when Jesus doesn’t speak to Him. So, Pilate becomes angry, which is what we do when we feel weak and lose control. And Pilate tries to appear strong and in control by telling Jesus he has control over his life.
Notice how in control Jesus appears compared to Pilate. Why would Jesus respond the way that He did? First He informs Pilate that the only power he has at that moment is the power that God in heaven has allowed him to have for this moment. Romans 13:1 says, “there is no governing authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Pilate has been put in this position not so much by the Jews as he has been by the God of heaven. What a comfort for us to know that our God is sovereign, that “Many are the plans of our hearts but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails”. It may have been a frightful thing to hear for Pilate, but, for us, it is a great comfort to know our God is the great Director of our lives.
So Pilate was Jesus’ judge. And as the judge of Jesus, Pilate had power to free or power to crucify Him. What Pilate did not also know was that he was speaking to His own judge. Pilate was acting as Jesus’ judge, but, Pilate was in reality speaking to his own judge. Jesus is the final, ultimate Judge. In John 5:22, Jesus said, “The Father judges no one, but, has entrusted all judgment to the Son”. Then in verse 27 Jesus said, “And the Father has given the Son authority to judge, because He is the Son of Man.” Notice that when Pilate talks to Jesus as His judge it is Jesus who turns around and speaks to Pilate as Pilate’s Judge. He says “the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin”
Jesus affirms two things as Judge here: 1) that there was someone more guilty than Pilate in this situation, but that still 2) Pilate was in fact guilty. Jesus didn’t say to Pilate, “It’s not your fault. I know you’re in a tough spot here who can blame you? I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same if I were in your sandals” No. As the Judge, Jesus evaluated Pilate’s actions and heart, and, as the Supreme Judge, Jesus judged Pilate to be guilty of sin – even if he was not as guilty as Caiaphas - Pilate was still guilty.
Did Pilate need to hear that? Pilate felt as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders with this situation. He felt like he was all alone. What he decided here could end very badly for him. Perhaps he comforted himself by thinking that there was someone else in this situation who had more blame than him.
Applicaton: Pressure is not an excuse for sin. When the world is pressing down, when life seems to be coming unraveled, when you seem to be losing control, doing what is right is still an option. Even if it comes with a great sacrifice to ourselves, doing what is right is always an option. Pressure is not an excuse to sin. Pilate knew what pressure was. He had a ruthless boss in Tiberius. He had a bad relationship with the Jews. His name has been reported several times already to Caesar by the Jews. He knew Jesus was innocent. The glory of Roman law was at stake if he condemned an innocent man. If he didn’t give the Jews what they wanted they were going to riot and his career would be over, possibly even his life. His wife was telling him that she was having dreams about Jesus and to let Jesus go. His conscience was telling him to let Jesus go. Caiaphas and the Jewish crowds were shouting to crucify Him. It was all caving in on him.
It was a lose-lose situation. Have you ever been in a lose-lose situation? No matter what you decided you were going to lose? What if Pilate had more to hold on to in this world than his career? What if he had more to anchor his soul in than power and personal glory? What if Pilate saw that there was a God in heaven, and standing before him that day was the very Son of that God. Pilate could have done what was right
Application: How often we reassure ourselves that we’re okay if we can just find someone who is worse than us. Never mind striving for excellence and out-doing what I was yesterday in Christ, just give me some poor wretch I can look to and feel better about myself. Never mind pressing on towards greater perfection in Christ, just bring me a sinner or a tax-collector that I might not feel so bad about who I am. It’s too easy to commend ourselves when we can say: “Well at least I’m not like that jerk”. This is pride, self-righteousness, complacency. They are fools who compare themselves with themselves. The only time you should compare yourself to another is when it is someone who is greater in Christ than you, and only then so that you can develop further in your walk with Christ. Don’t compare yourself with someone worse than you so you can ease your conscience. Compare yourself with someone better than you so your motivated to keep pressing on, to push forward, to mature by following the example of others who are mature and are maturing even more.
Verses 12-14
This remarkable response by Jesus makes Pilate have one last spurt of courage and it says in verse 12 that he went out and tried to set Jesus free. But the Jews only met him with more heat and more strategy. “If you let this man go you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” The irony is that the Jews hated Rome and were themselves no friend of Caesar. They pretended to care about loyalty to Caesar. They were trying to intimidate Pilate by implying that he would be a traitor to Caesar if he does not crucify a man who opposed Caesar.
This was the breaking point for Pilate. Finally, after 3 pronouncements of Jesus’ innocence, after multiple attempts to wiggle out of the situation, after compromising Roman justice by holding and beating an innocent man, Pilate finally caves in.
He goes out to the judge’s seat to pass judgment on the One who has been entrusted by the Father will all authority to judge. Sitting there, having been out-maneuvered by the chief priests, Pilate no doubt was seething with hatred towards them. So in one final act of mocking them he brings Jesus out to them and says, “Here is your king”.
“Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!” They shouted. And Pilate asked this question, “Shall I crucify your king?”
One author says this about their answer, “In a chilling act of appalling hypocrisy, the chief priests answered ‘We have no king but Caesar.’ Though said with blatant duplicity, the irony was that there was truth in their statement; having rejected their messianic King, they were left with only Caesar as their king. In yet one more bitter irony, those who had falsely accused Jesus of blasphemy committed an act of blasphemy of their own, since God alone was Israel’s true King.”
According to Matthew 27 Pilate asked the Jews, “What shall I do with this Jesus?” That is the question you must face today. What will you do with this Jesus? Condemn Him and you will be condemned. Believe in Him and you will be set free.
Comments
Post a Comment