In Pilate's Court

Friday

Readings: John 18: 28-40, 19:1- 16, Matthew 27: 24, 25 NLT, Luke 19:41-44 NKJ, Matthew 23:37-39 NKJ

Dear Reader, This is a very powerful, painful and passionate time in Jesus' life.  God bless you as you see His heart and partake of His pain on this Good Friday.

"Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?” “We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted. “Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied.

Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him. Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked. 

Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?” But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)

Christ is Mocked by Carl Bloch

Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face. Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.” Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Look, here is the man! ”When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” “Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”The Jewish leaders replied, “By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.”
When Pilate heard this, he was more frightened than ever. (His wife sent him this message:'Leave this innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about Him last night.' Matthew 27:19) He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave no answer. “Why don’t you talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?” Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”

 Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, “If you release this man, you are no ‘friend of Caesar.’Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.” When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, “Behold your king!” “Away with him,” they yelled. “Away with him! Crucify him!” “What? Crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back. John 19:1-15 NLT

^"Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!” And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!” Literally, “His blood be on us and on our children.” Matthew 27: 24, 25 NLT

"Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away" John 19: 16 NLT

When I read, "And all the all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!” Literally, “His blood be on us and on our children.” I wonder if this what Jesus saw in His heart when He wept over Jerusalem. Was this the defining moment when they brought judgment on themselves and the people? They still suffer today all over the world in the places they were scattered to when Rome destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. Jesus, in His omniscience, He knew what was about to come... the misery on these people.

^"Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Luke 19:41-44 NKJ

What can I say?... other than I can't imagine the pain of His rejection. It must have far exceeded the pain of the physical punishment. Jesus came to bring people life and salvation. For Him to see these people willingly act to their own destruction must of been one of His greatest griefs. Here Jesus speaks His heart for Jerusalem:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’” Matthew 23:37-39 NKJ

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey..."
Zechariah 9:9 NKJ

Behold, O daughter of Zion, your King came and you crucified Him, an innocent man.  If you could have only understood the things that would have brought you peace, but it was hidden from your eyes. So the day came when there was a breach in the hedge of God's protection for you and your enemies leveled beautiful Jerusalem to the ground, only the wailing wall remains of the temple. There was death and the rest of you were scattered. So incredibly sad... heartrendingly sad and extreme grief for them.

By your own words, His blood was on you and your children.

Oh God, I pray for our own America, for our leaders, that there would be revival and healing in our land. May we not go the way of Israel and into complete judgment; though as a nation we truly deserve it.  I know Lord that You are merciful and gracious, slow to anger. I pray that you will forbear immanent calamity and move us to pray and repent. In Jesus' name. Amen