The Enthronement of Jesus — Andrew Forrest

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.