May 5,2019
CHRIST’S ARRAIGNMENT BEFORE PILATE (CONTINUED)
INTRODUCTION:
1. From the time that Jesus was led to appear before Pilate, the governor had three times declared His innocence.
a) After the charge of insurrection (Ch. 18:35),
b) After trying to appease His accusers by having Jesus humiliated and scourged (Ch. 19:4),
c) After the Jews cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him.” (Ch. 19:6)
2. Clearly, Pilate had no heart for sentencing an innocent man to die, but he lacked the character to maintain a righteous stand.
a) Even his attempts to satisfy the Jews by compromise were unjust. First, the Jewish custom called for the release of acriminal, and Christ was not guilty of any crime. (Ch. 18:39) Secondly, it is cruel injustice to order an innocent man to be scourged. (Ch. 19:1)
b) But Pilate’s betrayal of justice would not stop short of the greatest possible abuse of his God-given authority.
3. The latest exchange between Pilate and our Lord seemed to turn the heat up to a very uncomfortable degree for the governor. (Verses 8-11)
a) The charge that the prisoner claimed to be the Son of God was not denied.
b) The solemn declaration concerning judicial power, and from whence it came, and the guilt that the misuse of it would incur clearly shook Pilate. (Verse 11)
c) Pilate’s guilt in putting an innocent man to death out of fear is only exceeded by that of the Jews, who did so out of hatred.
I. PILATE STRUGGLED IN VAIN TO DELIVER JESUS. (VERSES 12-15) From this point forward we hear no further exchange between Pilate and our Lord, only what passed between him and the Jews.
A. PILATE, PERHAPS OUT OF FEAR, NOW SEEMED MORE ZEALOUS THAN BEFORE TO GET JESUS DISCHARGED. (VERSE 12a)
1. “Thenceforth” – from this time, after the previous exchange (Verses 8-11), particularly after the rebuke in Verse 11, (though his was not the greater guilt) – “Pilate sought to release him.”
2. The charge of blasphemy was made by the Jews because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. This struck fear into Pilate. (Verse 8) But, Jesus’ conduct and speech when examined increased his fear, because it seemed to give credence to the claim. He spake as one having authority. Pilate’s rebuke in Verse 10 would have frightened any common man, but clearly it did not shake our Lord at all.
B. THE JEWS WERE NOW MORE FURIOUS THAN EVER, AND MORE DETERMINED TO SEE JESUS CRUCIFIED. (VERSE 12b)
1. They made out that putting Jesus to death was the outcry of the whole nation, when in actuality it was, at this point, essentially the rulers who were in an uproar.
2. They tried to frighten Pilate by calling into question his loyalty to Caesar, in that he was trying to acquit an insurrectionist. Jesus had already convinced Pilate that His kingdom was not an earthly one. (See Ch. 18:36-38)
C. PILATE AT LAST YIELDED TO THE WILL OF THE JEWS. (VERSES 13-15)
1. “When he heard that saying,” that he could not expect Caesar’s favor if he did not put Jesus to death, then he thought it was time to look out for his own interest.
a) He maintained Christ’s innocence through all attempts to prove Him a malefactor, up until they convinced him that it was in his interest to condemn Him.
b) Those who make the favor of men their chief concern open themselves up for temptation.
2. “Pilate brought Jesus forth,” and, no doubt, put on his royal robe and “sat down in the judgment seat.” (Verses 13, 14)
a) The place where Christ was condemned was a place called the pavement, which is in Hebrew Gabbatha. This was probably an elevated place, where criminals were tried, raised that all might see.
b) The time was about the sixth hour, apparently according to Roman reckoning, which agrees with out six o’clock in the morning. It was the preparation for the Passover Sabbath. (Verse 14; see Luke 23:54) This is mentioned as an aggravation of their sin. At a time when they should have been purging out the leaven, they were persecuting Christ with malice and fury.
3. Pilate, before proceeding to give judgment, once more endeavored to cool their rage, but in vain. (Verse 15)
a) He said, “Behold your King!” This was apparently intended to demonstrate the absurdity of their charge. “Look at this man! Is He likely to be a danger to government?”
b) They responded with great indignation, “Away with him, away with him.” This was an expression of disdain as well as malice. “Get him out of our sight.” (See Isa. 49:7)
c) Remember, all of this shows how we deserved to be treated before God the Judge.
4. Perhaps in order to quiet his own conscience, Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” “Shall I, a Roman, really crucify your King?”
5. To this question, the rulers cried out, “We have no king but Caesar.” These memorable words inflicted indelible disgrace on the leaders of the Jews, and stamped the Jews forever as a fallen, blinded, Godforsaken and apostate nation. They renounced the faith of their forefathers, and declared that Caesar was their king and not God.(See John 8:33) It must have been here that Pilate washed his hands before the people. (See Matt. 27:24)
II. PILATE’S GREAT STRUGGLE AT LENGTH ENDED WITH HIS CONVICTIONS YIELDING TO HIS CORRUPTIONS IN THE CONDEMNATION OF THE INNOCENT. (VERSES 16-18)
A. PILATE GAVE JUDGEMENT AGAINST CHRIST AND SIGNED THE WARRANT FOR HIS EXECUTION. (VERSE 16a) “Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified.”
1. We see here how Pilate sinned against his conscience by condemning Him Who he had again and again pronounced innocent. (Ch. 18:38; 19:4, 6)
2. Let us remember, when we read the word “delivered” (“then delivered he Him”), that He was “delivered for our offences,” and that God “spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all.” (Rom. 4:25; 8:32)
B. JUDGEMENT GIVEN, THE PROSECUTORS HASTENED TO SEE THE EXECUTION CARRIED OUT. (VERSE 16b) “And they took Jesus, and led him away.”
1. We are here reminded by the phrase, “and led him away,” of what Isaiah said, that Messiah should be “brought (or led) as a lamb to the slaughter.” (Isa. 53:7)
2. “They took him,” either the chief priests themselves greedily flew upon Him, or the soldiers present laid hands on Him. Either way, the process was being hurried along by the Jews.
a) They feared that Pilate might have second thoughts and order a reprieve.
b) They also feared a possible uproar among the people. They had to stir up the people, and it is most unlikely that all, or even a majority of the people should have favored such a travesty of justice.
3. Now was the Son of Man delivered into the hands of men. (Mark 9:31) They were wicked and unreasonable men.
a) Once authorized by Pilate, the prosecutors became the executioners. According to the Law of Moses, the witnesses shall be “first upon him to put him to death.” (Deut. 17:7)
b) The priests here were clearly proud to carry out the sentence. They took him, no doubt, forcefully, yet He offered no resistance. “He openeth not his mouth.”
C. TO ADD TO HIS MISERY, THEY OBLIGED HIM TO CARRY HIS CROSS. (VERSE 17a)
1. This Jesus did so long as He could bear up under the load. When He could no longer bear up, one Simon, a Cyrenian, was compelled to take over. (Mark 15:21)
2. According to Roman custom, their crosses did not stand permanently in the places of execution, because the malefactor was to be nailed to his cross as it lay long upon the ground, then lifted up with the subject fastened to it and dropped into a socked prepared in the ground to receive it. The timbers were long and neither seasoned nor hewn. What horrific pain this must have added to one whose back had been scourged and torn to shreds by the Roman lectors!!
3. Though none of us could ever bear His cross, for it was our iniquity that was laid on Him, and He was bearing our sins in His body on the tree. (Isa. 53:6; I Pet. 2:24) Nevertheless, our Lord hereby taught all of His disciples to take up their cross, and follow Him. (Luke 9:23)
D. JESUS WAS BROUGHT TO THE PLACE OF EXECUTION. (VERSE 17b)
1. “He went forth,” not against His will, but voluntarily in His suffering.
2. He went forth out of the city, for He was crucified without the gate. (Heb. 13:12; see Lev. 16:27) He went forth to the common place of execution, as one in all points, numbered with the transgressors. (Isa. 53:12)
3. The place of the crucifixion was called the place of a skull, which is called…Golgotha.”
a) Many believe it was called “the place of a skull” because of the many skulls and bones of countless executed criminals that were left there.
b) Others believe that the rising resembles the shape of a skull, which seems more likely.
E. JESUS WAS THERE CRUCIFIED. (VERSE 18)
1. He died the death of the cross, nailed to the tree, as a sacrifice bound to the altar. He was lifted up as the brazen serpent. (Num. 21:8, 9; John 3:14, 15)
2. He was crucified between two malefactors. (Verse 18b; see Luke 23:39-4
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