Day 8 Pilate’s Moment

Pilate’s Moment

Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked “What charges are you bringing against this man?” “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected. This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled    John 18:28-32

‘Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor.’ John omits Jesus being taken before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council (Matthew 26:57-27:1; Mark 14:53-65). There, when Jesus had refused to answer questions or defend Himself, the high priest had put Him under oath and demanded to know whether He believed Himself to be the Messiah. Jesus effectively said He was, by claiming to be the heavenly Son of Man from Daniel 7 who shares the glory of the Ancient of Days and exercises the role of Judge at the end of history (Mark 14:62; Matthew 26:64). The Sanhedrin members were united in horror at this seemingly blasphemous claim and had Jesus immediately taken to Pilate to have the governor confirm their verdict and authorise Jesus’ immediate execution.

By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.’ The term ‘early morning’ covers any part of the 3am to 6am time slot, so all this is happening before 6am. Roman governors often began working before 6am anyway so this was not an inconvenient time for Pilate. The irony of these Jewish leaders not being willing to defile themselves on the Passover day by entering a Gentile’s home would not have been missed by John’s readers. They were beginning the day when the nation celebrated its cleansing from the past and beginning their new life with God by plotting and scheming the death of God’s own Son. In their zeal to eat the Passover lamb, they unwittingly bring about its ultimate fulfilment by demanding the death of the Lamb of God, but cut themselves off from knowing its saving power in their own lives.

Because the Jews wouldn’t enter Pilate’s palace ‘Pilate came out to them.’ He opened the proceedings with the formal question, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” Their response is quite disrespectful to Pilate, “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” They expected Pilate to confirm their decision about Jesus’ criminality without naming any specific charges.

Pilate was not known as a friend of the Jews. He was a career politician who had risen to be a provincial governor. He probably hoped an effective tour of duty in Judea would lead to better things. Pilate snubbed Jewish leaders constantly and was often arrogant in his rulership over the Jews. He was not going to be bullied by this small crowd who wouldn’t even name the charge against their prisoner. ‘Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”’ In effect he was saying: ‘you’ve decided by your own law and without my judgement that he’s a criminal; so deal with him yourself.’ “But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected. If a Gentile broke the Temple rules by going where he was forbidden (into the Holy Place), he could be put to death but Jesus was a Jew.

This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.’ If the Jews carried out an execution, it would have been by stoning but Jesus had already said He would be ‘lifted up,’ which meant crucifixion (3:14; 8:28; 12:32,33). This could only happen if the death penalty was carried out by Romans. It’s quite possible the Jews wanted Jesus crucified to show He was under God’s curse. (Deuteronomy 21:23).

The greatest legal system in the world, the Roman system, and the noblest religion in the world, the Jewish religion, come together at the centre of the world (as Jerusalem was long supposed to be) and at the centre of history. Together they blunder and stumble into the most unjust and unnecessary act the world has ever known. Such is the love and mercy of God that He overruled the so called ‘nobility of mankind,’ to have His Son die a harrowing death on a wicked and cruel cross, as He bore your sin and mine.

‘I’ll never know how much it cost, to see my sin upon that cross’ (from ‘Here I am to Worship’ by Chris Tomlin)

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