Pontius Pilate, The First Evangelist

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John 19:16b-22

16b So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

 
 

The Gospels spend an inordinate amount of time recounting events from the last week of Jesus’s life. It’s as if the narratives slow way down and zoom in to make sure we see everything we need to say. That said, however, it is striking how matter of fact they are when it comes to the crucifixion. It’s almost as if it’s too horrible to recount. For example, look at John’s account:

18a There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them [John 19:18a].

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Pontius Pilate is the first evangelist. He is trying to mock and show his disdain both for Jesus and the Jews who wanted to have Him killed, but nevertheless he testifies to the truth:

19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews’” [John 19:19].

 

The Enthronement of Jesus

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John 19:1-16a

19 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.

 
 

John’s Gospel has been filled with irony from the very beginning, but perhaps the greatest moments of irony take place during the passion of Jesus.

Pilate, a pagan unbeliever, repeatedly and mockingly calls Jesus “King.” We know that Jesus is the King of Israel (see 1:49), but the Jewish leaders resent Pilate calling Jesus that. So, you have the truth ironically being spoken by the very man who refuses to believe in truth.

Then, Jesus is being prepared for His “enthronement” on the cross by the soldiers. They plait a crown of thorns and wrap a purple robe around His shoulders. He is “dressed” as a king. They “worship” Him by striking Him and saying “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then Pilate presents Him to the mob and shouts “Behold the man!” Each action is John’s way of showing us the mystery of the Gospel, in that the one who was truly King gave up His kingship to free people from slavery.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Pontius Pilate willingly crucified an innocent man.

 

Pilate The Philosopher

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John 18:28-40

28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. 39 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

 
 

Note the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders: they refuse to enter a Gentile residence so as not to render themselves ceremonially unclean as they prepare for the Passover, while at the same time they are conspiring to have an innocent man put to death.

Jesus tells Pilate that his kingship is not from this world. (What we the readers know is that it is from heaven.)

Jesus has often spoken about truth.

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [John 8:31-32]

47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” [John 8:47]

26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. [John 10:26-27]

When Pilate asks his cynical question “What is truth?” he shows that he is not part of Jesus and therefore does not hear his voice.

Thought for the Day
In John 18:37, Jesus gives one of the clearest statements in all of the Bible as to why he came: “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.”

 

Barabbas

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The Greek word that John uses in 18:40 to describe Barabbas can mean “robber,” but it can also mean “revolutionary” or “insurrectionist.” We learn from Mark and Luke that Barabbas was a murderer as well. In other words, Barabbas had been arrested by the Romans because he was trying to overthrow Roman rule.

And what happens? Barabbas is freed, and Jesus is crucified.

Pontius Pilate releases a murderer and crucifies an innocent man.

 

Today’s Scripture

John 18:28-40