Lessons from John 19: Pilate Gives the Order
Well, it is here in this next section, John 19:1-17 that Pilate gives the order to have Jesus crucified.
In an attempt to appease the people and probably to play on their emotions, Pilate orders that Jesus be flogged. Now, Roman flogging was a painful and brutal punishment reserved for non-Romans. These trained executioners would take a whip made of leather and insert pieces of bone, metal or glass and tie it to the ends and then use it to beat a person who was bent over with their hands tied to a low stake.
The restriction was 39 lashes and was based on the theory that 39 lashes were the maximum amount of lashes a person could endure without dying. It was cruel, vicious and an inhumane way to treat any human being, no matter what they had done.
So, John 19:4 tells us that, “Once more Pilate went out to the Jews, and said, ‘Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”
Yet, when Jesus came out wearing a crown of thorns that the soldiers had made and the purple robe given by Herod, as soon as the crowd saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But we are told in verse 6 that Pilate answered their cry by telling them, “You take Him and crucify Him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility!”
In making no decision Pilate made the decision to let the crowds crucify Jesus. Although he washed his hands, Pilate’s guilt remained. Washing your hands of a tough situation doesn’t cancel your guilt. It merely gives you a false sense of peace. We must not make excuses—we must take responsibility for the decisions we make, or don’t make, by our silence.
But the Jews insisted that they had a law, and according to that law He must die because He claimed to be the Son of God.
Now when Pilate heard this, he became even more afraid. Apparently Pilate believed in false gods. He believed that they walked the earth pretending to be people. This caused Pilate to wonder if Jesus was one of these gods. And so Pilate took Jesus back inside and asked Jesus, “Where do you come from?”
But we are told that Jesus gave Pilate no answer. Jesus had already given Pilate all he needed to believe and act honestly by letting Jesus go.
Yet, Jesus silence was also in fulfillment of the scripture found in Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth, He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.”
And from what we read here in verse 10, Jesus silence made Pilate angry for which Pilate then threatened Jesus. But still, Jesus remained calm and in control. Jesus knew that God had given Pilate power to rule. God was working to accomplish His plan to save the people from sin and death. Which, not only had Pilate rejected but so had Annas, Caiaphas, Herod, and the Jews.
From then on verse 12 tells us that Pilate continually tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
Pilate recognized the obvious plot against Jesus and wanted to let Him go, but Pilate was already under pressure from Rome to keep the peace in his territory. The last thing he needed was a rebellion over this quiet and seemingly insignificant man.
For a leader that was supposed to administer justice, Pilate proved to be more concerned about political expediency than about doing what was right. Pilate had several opportunities to make the right decision. His conscience told him Jesus was innocent; Roman law said an innocent man should not be put to death, and his wife had a troubling dream. Therefore Pilate had no good excuse to condemn Jesus, but he was more afraid of the crowd and losing his position than he was over the eternal effects of his decision to crucify Jesus.
So, when Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and took his place at the judge’s seat. The scripture tells us that it was the Day of Preparation of Passover Week and it was about the sixth hour when Pilate presented Jesus as king before the Jews. Yet again they shouted, “Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!”
And Pilate seated in the place of judgment asks the crowd, “Shall I crucify your king?” And it was the chief priests who answered and declared for all to hear, “We have no king but Caesar.”
And finally, John tells us that Pilate gave into to their pleas and handed Jesus over to them with His blessings to have Jesus crucified.
God’s glorious plans were unfolding just as He had said, and nothing and no one could stop them.
And that the truth that we take away from this section is this: God always achieves His purposes yet holds us responsible for our choices.
Pilate thought he was in charge of Jesus. He thought that he was deciding whether Jesus should live or die. What Pilate did not realize was that he and the others were actually the ones on trial. God was judging them all. God had given them all an opportunity to know the truth of Jesus. Yet, they rejected Jesus and sent Him to the cross. And yet it was on the cross that God’s plan of salvation would be accomplished.
Our choices matter to God. We are responsible for them. But what God plans will happen no matter what. God holds us responsible for our choices but always achieves His purposes through them!
The question is how will you let God guide your choices this week, for His glory and others good!
Terri Hamman
Faith & Fitness Coach