February 24th
PEOPLE JESUS MET
Profile: Roman governor of Judea for a turbulent ten years. He always had a stormy relationship with the Jews. In 33 C.E. Pilate found a crowd at his door demanding Jesus’ death. After questioning him a number of times, Pilate seven times declared Jesus innocent of the charges against him - subversion, advocating non-payment of taxes, and was saying he was a king, thus rivalling Caesar. Eventually he succumbed to pressure from the Jews who said, "If you release this man, you aren't Caesar's friend! Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!" Motivated by a strong sense of self-preservation Pilate went against what he knew was right. In desperation to keep his position he consented to the death penalty. He attempted to relieve his conscience by symbolically washing his hands and placing the sign above Jesus saying "This is Jesus, The King of the Jews."
PEOPLE JESUS MET
PILATE – The Compromiser
PILATE – The Compromiser
After that Pilate began to seek to release him, but the Jews shouted out. "If you release this man you are no friend of the Emperor.
Any man who makes himself out to be king is a rebel against the Emperor." John 19:12, Montgomery New Testament
Any man who makes himself out to be king is a rebel against the Emperor." John 19:12, Montgomery New Testament
Profile: Roman governor of Judea for a turbulent ten years. He always had a stormy relationship with the Jews. In 33 C.E. Pilate found a crowd at his door demanding Jesus’ death. After questioning him a number of times, Pilate seven times declared Jesus innocent of the charges against him - subversion, advocating non-payment of taxes, and was saying he was a king, thus rivalling Caesar. Eventually he succumbed to pressure from the Jews who said, "If you release this man, you aren't Caesar's friend! Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!" Motivated by a strong sense of self-preservation Pilate went against what he knew was right. In desperation to keep his position he consented to the death penalty. He attempted to relieve his conscience by symbolically washing his hands and placing the sign above Jesus saying "This is Jesus, The King of the Jews."
Lessons:
- In many ways it was not Jesus on trial but Pilate and the accusers. Pilate washed his hands of the truth; Herod treated Jesus like an idle curiosity; Pilate’s wife regarded Jesus with fear and superstition and the angry mob rejected Jesus because He wasn’t the Messiah-King they wanted. While the trials of Jesus adjourned almost 2,000 years ago, each of us must render a verdict about Him in our own hearts. Only today, it is not His fate we decide; it is our own.
- Does fear of man or consequences to our reputation lead us to compromise our open stand for Christ and who he is?
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We have no King but Jesus!
We have no King but Jesus!
