Introduction
I wonder what went through you mind when you heard that the G20 summit was coming to London, did you immediately think of the problems that may occur, of the protests that may turn violent? Did you think of the extra police, and the tightened security? Did you think of the show of force that would be needed? Did you expect to hear phrases like 'fortress London'? Did you think that it would be a good opportunity for some nutter to make his or her point by doing something really stupid? Did you think about bombs, and bombers, and suicide missions aimed at taking out someone, anyone so long as they are important – worthy of a few pages of news print? Did you envisage riots on the streets, tear gas, police charges, explosions, fires, ambulances, TV reporters, arrests and prosecutions? Did you think of the impact of all of this on the image of Britain on the world stage? Did you think of the overtime bill, the effect on the cities budget and on the ability of the tax payers to support the summit. Did you think of the disruptive effect of all the extra security on the day to day business life of the city?
If you did, then “welcome to Pilate's world”. It was passover, there were thousands of extra visitors to the city. Extra troops would be needed to keep order. Any time during the festival some Jewish nutter might come along and do something stupid to gain some fame for some obscure freedom fighters movement. Who knows what they might do, attack someone important, or just make a scene. Some of it might happen in the temple, if it did that could trigger an uprising. The troops would have to be ready – not just to deal with the extra thousands, but also to swiftly put an end to anything that might go wrong. Pilate may not have had to worry about the press, but Rome was watching. His little province was known for trouble, and if you couldn't keep your part of the Empire in order there were hundreds lined up ready and waiting to prove they could do it better.
In the scene we have before us today the really important person, the one we are all interested in is reduced to the role of a nobody. We must not forget though that this is exactly where He is supposed to be.
Political battle
What we have here is a political battle of wills between the Jewish authorities and the occupying Roman government. It is Jesus that they have chosen to argue over.
As we look through the verses that make up the reading try to see where you might fit in. Try to remember times when you have been involved in similar situations and remember how you behaved. Who were you most like, The Jewish Leaders, Pilate, the crowd, or the soldiers.
Vv 28&9 Round 1 to the Jews. Its passover. If they go in a Gentiles house they will be unclean, and will have to go through purification rituals, so they get Pilate to come out of his residence. He will have become used to their bizarre religious practices, so its not too big a point for him to concede.
Vv 30-32 Round 2 to Pilate. The Jews will not specify the charges. He would probably have guessed what was coming, but for now he can just dismiss them. “Then you judge him yourself”. Pilate must also have a concern for Roman justice, that is a major part of his role.
Vv 32 Now we get to what the Jews really want. Under Roman law the local law in the provinces could be used, but there were limits placed on its power. One of those limits was the death sentence. The power to issue the death sentence remained with the Roman government.
V33-34 Pilate has no wish to give in to the Jews request. If he can find a legitimate way to deny them then he can win another small power struggle. He takes Jesus aside “Are you the King of the Jews” He's expecting a Yes/No type answer. He gets a question. Jesus wants to know exactly where Pilate stands. Is this your question, or has someone been prompting you?
V35 “Do I look like a Jew?” Your people are the cause of this, just answer the question and lets get on with the day.
V36 “My Kingdom is of another place”
Pilate concentrates on the charge before him. So it isn't an entirely spurious charge, this man does claim to be a king.
V37 Jesus agrees that he is a King, and then goes on to talk about truth.
Vv38-39 “What is truth?” Pilate asked? - although he doesn't give Jesus a chance to answer, Pilate clearly has some interest in what Jesus is saying. Given the circumstances today though the bigger picture must be addressed. The Jews are making a fuss about something he has little understanding of. He wants to send them away with their tails between their legs, so that the religious festivities will pass without any trouble.
Round 3 to Pilate. Having questioned Jesus, he returns to the Jews and informs then that there is no case to answer. Now an idea occurs to Pilate, perhaps he can get rid of this issue by offering leniency to the prisoner. It is the tradition to let the Jews have one prisoner freed at passover, lets offer them Jesus. Now perhaps remembering the scenes of Jesus entry into Jerusalem, that we heard about last Sunday, Pilate tries a plea to the crowd.
Do you want me to pardon 'the king of the Jews'?
OK Pilate, just what did you expect the response to that would be? After all that was the charge brought to out in the first place. Do you think the Jewish leaders are that incapable of organising their people? You may not be able to understand the offence that the perceived blasphemy causes, but form a political point of view such a statement isn't going to make the problem go away.
V 40 The response is predictable, even if the target of the response isn't. Barrabass was a freedom fighter, and probably a hero to a number of the Jews, and had taken part in a rebellion, so Pilate would probably have preferred to keep him until he could be killed.
V1-3 So Pilate hands Jesus over to be flogged. If you've seen this scene portrayed in the Mel Gibson film “The passion of the Christ” you will have an understanding of just how brutal Roman punishments could be. The flogging would take away the strength of the individual, and would go on as long as the soldiers enjoyed it. Here though they choose to mock Jesus, no doubt showing their contempt for the Jews in the process.
The soldiers actions would do nothing to placate the Jews, nor help Pilate in his aim of getting Jesus out of his way without any more disturbances.
Even so, given the state of play at this point, it would have to be round 4 to Pilate.
V4-5 So Pilate has another go, and tells the Jews again that he finds no reason to charge Jesus. Jesus is brought out. The mocking is now directed at the Jews. “Here's the man”, Jesus covered in his own blood and barely able to stand. Look at him, with a crown and a royal robe. This is your best man – look all of you this is the man who is your king.
V6 The crowd show their hatred of the man “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”. Where did that come from, a strength of feeling against a sin that reminds me very much of the reaction to the “Satanic Verses”, or the cartoons of the prophet published in Denmark. This is no longer about justice or a reasonable charge, this is religious fervour at its extreme, at its worst type.
V7 The Jewish leaders state their case again, they are beaten, but they won't lie down and go away. They are determined that they will get their way. We are reaching,or perhaps have passed the point of no return in this little battle of strength.
V10 Pilate tries to talk to Jesus again. “Do you realise that your life is in my hands?”
v11 Jesus is no help to Pilate “You don't have any authority over me except that which is given to you from my Father” That's why the ones who handed me over to you share a greater part of the blame.
Pilate was still trying to release Jesus
v12 The Jews protest, at last making their claims that Jesus must die carry some weight under Roman law. The pressure on Pilate is increased to a point where Pilate really has no choice but to accede to their demands – round 5 to the Jews.
One last attempt by Pilate to free Jesus is met with more cries for blood. Pilate's final question “Am I to Crucify you king?” gives him the knock out in this contest.
V15 The Jews respond “We have no King but Caesar?”
They have rejected God, the whole sorry system that has built up around the temple has finally come to an end. The Jewish leaders of their time had shown their true colour – God and his Son – their true King are rejected. It is plain to see a religious system controlled by priests for the benefit of the priests. Their fate is sealed. Half a generation later God allowed the Romans to destroy the temple and the whole system came crashing down for ever.
Looking at ourselves
What about us – which of these parts have we played?
Are you in the crowd, have you been manipulated by the leaders around you to do something that you know isn't right? Have you gone along with the crowd, even when you knew better?
Are you in the Jewish leadership, have you been in a position of leadership and denied your principles for a short term gain? “Cut off your nose to spite your face?”
Are you a soldier, taking orders, and enjoying the pain of others, being hurtful just because that's what you have been told to do?
or are you a Pilate – the master politician, seeing the big picture, concerned with world issues, but avoiding the real questions that life, and especially Jesus asks of you?
I can think of times when I've been in all those situations to one degree or another.
In reality it me – I'm the reason he's there, its not the fault of the Jews, or Pilate, or the soldiers, or the rabble that turned out to do the priests bidding.
It was me, if I was the only other human on earth it would still have happened somehow
Isaiah 53:5: from the message:
But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed.
‘he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.’
We have just looked at the physical events the things that were said and done on earth, we have not seen the spiritual battle that is behind them driving them to the desired conclusion.
The good news of Good Friday is that because of all that happened, because Jesus chose to go through with Gods plan for redemption, because He did nothing to avoid the crucifixion that Pilate finally gave in to He will take the blame for all of those things you and I have done:
for all the times when we have failed to stand up for right.
for all those times when we have denied your principles for a quick profit.
for all those times when we have enjoyed inflicting pain and suffering on someone else.
for all those times when politics is more important than God's plans for us.
and all you have to do is ask and genuinely try not to repeat the mistake.
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