Gospel of John - Pilate's Three-peat

  

Pilate’s Three-Peat

John 18:38, 19:1-16

Pilate was not a righteous man, but he knew innocence when it crossed him as magistrate. In fact, one could commend him that he wasn’t hoodwinked by the malcontents, dissentients, and dissidents under his rule nor was he fooled by the spurious desires of the crowd, for three times he tried to free Jesus on “no basis for a charge against him” and each time he was reproached with a uproar of violence bordering on the edge of a riot. He had gone through the arraignment prehearing and found Jesus innocent of criminal acts demanding death, but there wouldn’t be any charges dropped by the prosecution of the Sanhedrin. Now Pilate, acting in his power as magistrate, weighs the punishment for the case against Jesus. Through the custom of the scapegoat, Jesus was to be condemned. Let’s look at the first portion of the text. “With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him…Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.”

Jesus was flogged with a cat of nine tails, a whip constructed of nine knotted cords or thongs of rawhide attached to a formed handle or loop. Some had pieces of bones tied on the throngs to rip through the flesh for more pain. In Deut. 25:3, the law stated a jewish man could only be lashed 39 times and no more. “But never give more than forty lashes; more than forty lashes would publicly humiliate your neighbor.” Jesus’ back would have been lacerated, and the pain intense, but all this was to fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 53, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” (v.5) 

As well, the Roman soldiers derided Jesus with a twisted crown of barbed branches with seventy 4 cm. long thorns that pierced his skull as it was beaten down, then the soldiers took a purple robe, and mockingly acclaimed Jesus as king of the Jews in the midst of slapping his face, spitting on him, and hitting him with the ruler’s rod over his head as an affront and insult to his kingship. (Matt.27:31)

Application - Many are there who have been placed in power to magistrate over a court hearing. They have seen the cleverness of deception, heard the vileness of deceitful speech, and witnessed the controlled contempt of the two opposing sides. Yet in many ways truth is sacrificed, and the innocent maligned in keeping order and peace amongst a warring opposition. Scripture tells us to “Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.” (Ex. 23:7) and “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” (Prov.6:16-19) 

In this case of injustice, it was God’s will to allow it to fulfill the prophecies foretold that the Messiah, the suffering servant must undergo. The purpose and will of God the Father was the mission of our Lord Jesus in order to be the propitiation for our sins. God gives grace to those who go through injustice for the will of God’s purpose. Though many have succumbed to the voices of deception, the contemptible, and the iniquitous, we are to hate injustice and have nothing to do with deception. Jesus understood Pilate’s situation. “Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”. And to the innocent who will face injustice, they will “walk through the valley of death” as the psalmist said, and God will “prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” (Ps. 23:4,5)  We shouldn’t be upset when injustice is frequent, for the Word of God says “If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them.” (Ecc. 5:8) Our Father in heaven, who sees every act of injustice, is the ultimate Judge and will judge with justice.

Here again Pilate, after having Jesus flogged severely, brings Jesus out for another attempt of freeing Jesus in the preliminary evidence finding against him, “...the man!” Let’s look at the next portion of the text, “Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” The tactic of brutalization by flagellation before sentencing in a trial was common in a society of religious intolerance. Pilate was maneuvering through the talmudic law that demanded only one verdict for blasphemy, death for Jesus. He had Jesus humiliated with scourging in hopes of appeasing the vociferous crowd demanding a sentencing of death. It was to no avail, and now the Sanhedrin demanded death because of Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God, the breaking of Talmudic law (Sanh. 56a) and a form of Torah law (Lev. 24:15-16).

Pilate’s desire again to free himself from this trial and to free Jesus failed, even after he had again ordered the Sanhedrin to fulfill the death sentence themselves. 

Application - In our societies today, it is rare to see brutality such as flagellation and scourging. It usually only happens in societies with religious intolerance, such as hangings for breaking of a religious blasphemy law. The oppression of demonic driven laws are still common in the political realms of the world today. But Jesus has given us his word that he will not leave us nor forsake us. He has been through the injustice of man, and literally Satanic attacks. For Satan knows that his time is near, and he will attack the church, the body of Christ, and bride. Jesus told us that these days would come. And like Jesus, we will face oppression, and will be brought before a court for his sake. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other… Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matt. 24:9-10, 12-13)

No one wants to be the blunt of injustice, or persecution, but there are many today in countries that oppress the Word of God and those who adhere to it. They are facing death for their faith in Jesus Christ. One sixteen year old boy is to be executed in one country for sharing his faith in Jesus very soon. There are many in Africa, some Asian countries who have already been beheaded, hung, or imprisoned for testifying of their faith in Jesus and sharing the Words of Jesus with others. Jesus’ words are to stand firm to the end and we will be saved. 

  In this last attempt to free Jesus, Pilate was hit with a dilemma in the closing arguments of the trial before Jesus’ peers, let’s look at the last portion of the text, “The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God. When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

Pilate was trying diligently to wash his hands of this fiasco, but when the Sanhedrin’s claim that Jesus had a divine origin (“...he claimed to be the Son of God”), and Jesus wouldn’t deny it (wouldn’t testify against the evidence, “Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?”) Pilate became even more afraid, for now he was dealing with the Son of God, as well as loyalty to Caesar.

Then Jesus’ last statement spoke of a power greater than Pilate’s, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” Pilate’s fear of a divine power greater than Caesar's was incomprehensible. Jesus’ statement that he had no power over him that was not given to him by God was a game changer. And now the prosecuting Sanhedrin was to make an accusation in their closing argument to Caesar that Pilate wasn’t fulfilling his obedience to Caesar as the only king and ruler in the Roman empire. At noon, the preparation day before Passover, Pilate, gave way to the deriding crowd, sat on the judgment seat (Gabbatha, the bema seat of the judge) and for one final time tried to release Jesus and wash his hands of this offense, “When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” (Matt. 27:24-25)  He succumbed to the Sanhedrin and ordered Jesus’ crucifixion.

Application - True power, the authority that triumphs over all, comes from the One who created all. We forget in arrogance and pride who truly is in the place of authority when we repudiate God’s authority and establish our own. For God’s word says “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. (Rom. 13:1-2) 

Like Jesus, to whom all authority has now been given, he submitted to the Father, who placed Pilate in the office of magistrate of Judea for that very hour. In earnestness, we should seek to live within the law as long as it doesn’t supersede God’s rule and authority. Even in the direst of circumstances, we are to obey God and not yield to the will of mankind or of the flesh. We live and are to be submitted to the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives. This requires yielding to the will and purpose of God that may go beyond our understanding. God says,“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:8-9)

Pilate didn’t know God, but he would come to understand that there was a power greater than himself, that he must submit to it. We who know God the Father and his Son Jesus the Christ, should as well submit and yield to the Holy Spirit who indwells all who believes in Jesus Christ for salvation, and has placed him as Lord over our lives. For it is in the difficult times of life that our submission should be the firmest. 

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. And he wants to empower you with the Holy Spirit. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second, B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I am developing a new webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. I’m adding answers each week to questions that pertain to our time today.  Thank you

http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com