John 19:8-16

John 19:8-16

Therefore when Pilate heard this word, he was being even more afraid.  And he again entered into the governor’s palace and says to Jesus, “Where are you from?”  But Jesus did not give an answer to Him.  Therefore Pilate says to him, “Do you not speak to me?”  Do you not know that I have the authority to set you free and I have authority to crucify you?”  Jesus answered to him, “You were not having any authority against me except that which was being given to you from above.  Because of this, the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”  Pilate was seeking to set him free of this.  But the Jews cried out while saying, “If you should set this one free, you are no friend of Caesar.  Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”  Therefore after Pilate heard these words He led Jesus outside and he sat upon the judgment seat in the place that is called the Lithostroton (courtyard made of stone blocks) while being called Gabbatha in Aramaic.  And it was the day of preparation of the Passover.  It was about the sixth hour.  And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your king.”  Therefore those ones cried out, “Take away, take away!  Crucify him!”  Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?”  The chief priests answered, “We do not have a king except Caesar!”  Therefore he handed him over to them in order that he should be crucified.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

In this passage we have more evidence that Jesus was getting to Pilate.  Look at what Jesus says to the most powerful man in Jerusalem: “You have no authority against me except that which is given to you from above.”  Jesus just told Pilate that he is powerless against Jesus except in that which God allows him to do.  A normal politician would be offended at such an idea!  Normal politicians do not take kindly to challenges to their power and authority.  But what does John tell us about Pilate’s response to Jesus’ challenge?  Pilate sought to free Jesus.  A normal politician would have wanted Him crucified after saying such things!  But not Pilate.  Pilate knows Jesus speaks truth.  Jesus is getting to Pilate.  Jesus speaks truth, and we find here that Pilate is a person who is willing to listen to Jesus, like Jesus, and even try to serve Jesus by trying to set Him free.

Is it amazing to you that a condemned criminal could get to a political figure?  Is it amazing to you that Pilate would even be willing to listen when faced with all the political ramifications that might come from being open to Jews (ie, the Jews could revolt and Pilate would either be overthrown by the Jews or removed by the Roman military leader sent in to quell such a revolt)?  What can this tell us about being aware of people listening to us even when circumstances seem direly set against us?

Second Thought:

Having said these glowing things about Pilate in his willingness to listen, we find that he is still a flawed man.  The Jews threaten him.  If Pilate sides with Jesus, they are willing to make a case against him to Caesar.  If Pilate sides with Jesus, the chief priests are willing to go before Caesar and make a case how Pilate sided with someone they believed to be an insurrectionist.  That’s what they mean when they say, “You are no friend of Caesar.”  The Jews have put Pilate in a place where he can either side with them or lose everything he has gained in the Roman Empire.  He would lose wealth, status, occupation, standard of living, identity, ability to provide for family … everything.  Tragically, we see Pilate just isn’t ready for this.  In the end, Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified.  He’s not yet ready to sacrifice his own life.  But then again, neither were any of Jesus’ own disciples.  At Jesus’ arrest, they all ran!  Therefore, we cannot fault Pilate any more than we can fault Peter, James, John, etc.  Let’s also not forget that it was ultimately God’s plan for His Son to find the cross and die upon it.

How does this make Pilate a tragic figure?  How does this make all of us tragic figures?  Is there a limit to what you would give up to follow God?

Third Thought:

In this passage we have perhaps the most significant statement made by the chief priests of Jesus’ day.  They themselves bear witness to where they stand from a theological standpoint.  “We have no king but Caesar.”  I invite you to read 1 Samuel 8:1-9.  That is the passage when Samuel is near death and the Hebrew people come to Samuel and demand that a king rule over them.  Listen deeply to God’s commentary on the heart of the people.  The elders – the leaders of the people in Samuel’s day – reject God as king.  In this section of John we hear nothing different from the leaders of the people in Jesus’ day.  They have rejected God as their king.  They embrace Caesar.  Is there any wonder that Jesus is crucified when the religious leaders of His day make these kinds of claims?

What does this tell us about the religious leaders, their blind hatred, and their willingness to say anything to get Jesus crucified?  What can anyone who is put in a leadership position learn from this passage regarding pledges and oaths of loyalty to anything except God?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 19:17-22