March 31: Pilate was afraid
John 18:28-40 TNIV from Biblegateway.com
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
Devotional Comments:
I believe Pilate is afraid of the Jews. They refuse to come into the Praetorium so he goes out to them to speak to them. When asked what Jesus is accused of the Jews do not have an answer. He suggests they take Jesus and judge him, but the Jews refuse again saying they are not permitted to put anyone to death. It should be a very serious offence that would warrant a death sentence but Pilate seems to be uninterested. He does not try to get any more information out of the Jews.
When Pilate questions Jesus he can’t see what Jesus has done that would upset the Jews so much. He has heard that someone has apparently claimed to be the King of the Jews and is wondering if this man is him. The conversation Pilate and Jesus have confuses Pilate. They discuss kingdoms and truth. Pilate goes out to the Jews again and declares that Jesus is not guilty.
Why doesn’t Pilate demand that the Jews acquit Jesus? They have no definite charge against him yet want the Romans to kill him. Pilate lets the Jews do whatever they want. He even offers to fulfill a Passover custom of theirs.
It is obvious that God intended Jesus to be killed (for our sakes) and places a Roman governor, who is afraid of the people he is governing, to be in power at that time.
Lynn Wahl
Pray for our nation’s leaders and judges to know Jesus as the King.