JANUARY 3, 2016
CHRIST BEFORE PILATE
INTRODUCTION:
1. In the previous chapter we saw what was only the first phase of our Lord’s trial. He was brought before the high priest, who presided over the ecclesiastical court. Their intention was to convict Him of something worthy of death. They were willing to go to whatever lengths necessary, including the hiring of false witnesses, in order to accomplish their purpose. But, when the witnesses could not agree about what they supposedly heard and saw, a completely frustrated and exasperated high priest shouted, “Answerest thou nothing?” It was only when Jesus confessed that He was the Son of God that the high priest had what he wanted. He (falsely) charged Jesus with blasphemy, a crime worthy of death. He could have saved himself a lot of trouble had he just asked that question to begin with. The Son of God could not deny Himself.
2. Even so, Christ’s condemnation by the ecclesiastical court of the Jews was only the prologue. They could show their teeth, as it were, but they could not bite. The Romans had taken from the Jews the power of capital punishment. They must now convince the Roman authorities that their condemned prisoner is worthy of death. The rulers have declared themselves, now the kings of the earth must gather with them against the Lord and against His Christ. This is how the Holy Spirit by Peter applied Psalm 2:2. (Acts 4:25-27)
3. Thus, Christ is next brought before Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea.
I. CHRIST IS ARRAIGNED AND ACCUSED BEFORE PILATE THE ROMAN GOVERNOR. (VERSES 1-5)
A. A CONSULTATION WAS HELD BY ALL OF THE JEWISH LEADERS TO CONSIDER WHAT WAS TO BE DONE. (VERSE 1)
1. The council was convened the very next morning. They could not have given much time to sleep, if any.
2. This was essentially be called a ways and means council, in which they discussed how they might get Christ put to death.
3. They clearly did not see this as a done deal. Pilate is characterized by the Roman writers of the time as a man of a rough and haughty spirit, willful, implacable, and extremely oppressive, particularly to the Jews. They did not take kindly to him, nor he to them. Yet, they must somehow gain his support, and get him to agree with their case and sentence.
B. CHRIST WAS DELIVERED UP TO PILATE BY THE COUNCIL IN HOPES THAT HE MIGHT EXECUTE THE SENTENCE THEY HAD PASSED UPON HIM. (VERSES 1b)
1. Ironically, He whose death they were seeking was Shiloh come, and this proceeding is proof that the scepter was indeed departed out of Judah. (Gen. 49:10) Nevertheless, unto Him shall the gathering of the people be. In being lifted up, He would draw all men, all people, from every nation under heaven, so that all of the Israel of God shall be gathered to Him.
2. They bound Jesus, and led Him in a sort of triumph. He had already been bound when arrested, but now being convicted, He is bound again. How easily He, like Samson, could have broken these bonds. But, He is led away, even as a lamb to the slaughter. He was delivered to Pilate, according to that which He had often said, that He should be delivered to the Gentiles.
C. CHRIST WAS INTERROGATED AND EXAMINED BY PILATE HIMSELF (VERSE 2)
1. Notice, Pilate asked nothing about whether He claimed to be the Son of God, the claim for which the high priest charged Him with blasphemy and sentenced Him to die.
2. It would seem that the Jews felt that His claiming to be a King would sooner bring down the wrath of the Roman government, and therefore made that the charge.
3. Pilate therefore asked Him, “Art thou the King of the Jews?” To this charge also, Jesus answered in the affirmative: “Thou sayest it.” (See John 18:33-37 for the full answer.)
D. MANY ACCUSATIONS WERE WITNESSED AGAINST CHRIST BY THE CHIEF PRIESTS WHICH DREW NO ANSWER FROM HIM. (VERSES 3-5)
1. These wicked priests were clearly the children of, and of the same character as those that were condemned by the Old Testament prophets. (Ezek. 22:26; Hos. 5:1; 6:9; Mic. 3:11; Zeph. 3:4; Mal. 1:6; 2:8 See also Lam. 4:13) Wicked priests are generally the worst of men.
2. When Pilate urged Jesus to clear Himself, and was even desirous that He should, still Jesus stood silent. (Verses 4, 5) He gave a direct answer to Pilate in Verse 2, but would not answer the prosecutors and witnesses, because the things they alleged were notoriously false, and Jesus was well aware that Pilate himself knew they were false.
II. PILATE MADE A PROPOSAL THAT, HAD THEY ACCEPTED IT, WOULD HAVE ALLOWED FOR JESUS’ RELEASE, BUT IT WAS REJECTED. (VERSES 6-11)
A. HOW DISPARATELY PILATE SOUGHT AN OUT FOR HIMSELF.
1. It was according to custom that each year at the feast a prisoner of their choice could be released.
2. Pilate, therefore, offered them a choice between Barabbas, perhaps the most notorious of all of the felons that were awaiting execution, and Jesus, Who, as we have noted, was in Pilate’s opinion, falsely accused, and guilty of nothing criminal at all.
3. Had they made what seemed to be the obvious choice, Pilate would have gotten himself off of the hook. His only problem would have been having to live with the fact that he had released a vicious murderer back into society.
B. HOW DELIBERATELY THE JEWS MADE THEIR CHOICE OF A DANGEROUS FELON TO CHRIST. (VERSES 8-11)
1. It was a great surprise to Pilate when he found the people so much under the influence of the priests that they all desired that Barabbas should be released. (Verses 8-10)
a) The multitude desired of him to honor the custom, and release a prisoner. (Verse 8)
b) Pilate then inquired if they desired that Jesus should be released. (Verse 9) He probably thought it was a no brainer, as we say.
c) Pilate knew what the motive of the chief priests was in delivering Jesus, and it was personal, and did not equal anything close to a capital offense. (Verse 10)
2. Yet, the decision was final. The chief priests had convinced the people to ask that Barabbas be released to them. Pilate could not believe it!! (Verse 11)
III. THE JEWS PERSISTED IN THEIR CALL FOR CHRIST TO BE CRUCIFIED. (VERSES 12-14)
A. PILATE FOUND THE CLAMOR FOR CHRIST’S DEATH TO BE OUTRAGEOUS, AND OPPOSED IT ALL HE COULD. (VERSE 12)
1. It is as if he was saying, “Since you call for Barabbas to be set free, what will ye then that I shall do unto Jesus, would not ye that I release Him too?”
2. It is clear that the governor had no heart for what he was being pressured to do. Sadly, however, he had not the character enough to simply refuse them on the basis that he found no fault in Him. (Luke 23:14; John 19:6)
B. THE PEOPLE WERE UNMOVED BY PILATE’S PASSIONATE PLEA. (VERSE 13)
1. John shows more clearly how the people were responding to the agitation and manipulation of the chief priests and elders.
2. To Pilate’s question, “What will ye then that I do unto him?” We see their only response: “And they cried out again, Crucify him.” The context of the question was that Jesus was an innocent man. Yet, the people had been worked up into such a frenzy that it did not matter to them.
C. PILATE’S FINAL QUESTION WHICH IMPLIED CHRIST’S INNOCENCE WAS ANSWERED WITH THE SAME DEMAND. (VERSE 14)
1. Although the name Pilate will forever be held in contempt for what he did, the apostles later correctly charged the Jews with the crucifixion of Christ. (Acts 3:15; 5:30; I Thess. 2:15)
2. Pilate, we are told, released according to the will of the people, one who was a murderer, but he delivered up Jesus to die, for which Peter charged the Jews with killing the Prince of Life. (See Acts 3:14, 15)
3. There is a deeper meaning, however, in what Pilate did when he condemned the innocent prisoner and acquitted the guilty murderer. The whole transaction shows how Christ became the sinner’s substitute.
a) Like it or not, we are Barabbas. We are guilty and condemned to die for our sins.
b) Christ the innocent has been reckoned guilty in the stead of those who are actually guilty. We, the guilty, are therefore reckoned innocent being set free from condemnation. (II Cor. 5:21)
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