John 18:28-19:16
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. — The Apostle’s Creed (Originally Written 2nd Century AD)
Key Scripture
John 18:28 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. 29 So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?” 30 “We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted. 31 “Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied. 32 (This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.)
What no one is thinking about in all this - but as John reminds us - this is all a part of Jesus plan and an essential part of His mission.
John 18:33 Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him. 34 Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?” 35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” 37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” 38a “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. 39 But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?” 40 But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)
Barabbas, a violent revolutionary, is set free while the innocent Jesus is sent to be tortured…
John 19:1 Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. 2 The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. 3 “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face. 4 Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.” 5 Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Look, here is the man!” 6 When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” “Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.” 7 The Jewish leaders replied, “By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this, he was more frightened than ever.
The situation is getting worse, not better.
John 19:9 He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave no answer. 10 “Why don’t you talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?” 11 Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”
“You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you”... whether Pilate realizes it or not, this is all a part of Jesus fulfilling His mission.
John 19:12 Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, “If you release this man, you are no ‘friend of Caesar.’ Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.” 13 When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). 14 It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, “Look, here is your king!” 15 “Away with him,” they yelled. “Away with him! Crucify him!” “What? Crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back. 16a Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified…
Pilate - Pilate is in a no-win situation.
The Problem of Kingship and the Romans - Pilate is between a rock and a hard place. Anger the Jewish leaders, or the adoring crowd, or anger Ceasar?
We have no King But Caesar - Pilate is trying to find some kind of compromise or a way to end this without having to kill a man he knows has not done anything wrong. But the religious leaders keep saying “He says He’s a king and He’s openly said He’s a threat to Rome” - they know this is the angle that will force Pilate into action.
John 19:12b…“If you release this man, you are no ‘friend of Caesar.’ Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.”...15b…“We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back.
What is Truth?
John 18:37b…All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” 38a “What is truth?” Pilate asked…
Though he asks the question, he doesn’t expect an answer. The Truth Himself is standing right in front of him and he misses it.
Truth is a person. Truth is central to Jesus’ identity.
If what Jesus says about life is true, we need to stop believing lies and start believing the truth.
There Is Not A Single Area Of A Believer’s Life Unaffected By The Truth Of The Gospel.
Choosing Barabus
John 18:38b… Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. 39 But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?” 40 But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)
Mark 15:7 One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising.
Barabbas represents people trying to do the Messiah’s work themselves. To choose Barabbas is to reject the Truth.
This is the invitation of Jesus:
Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
This has always been the choice:
Jeremiah 6:16 This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’
Yet, we don’t choose that path. Why do we choose the lie instead? Why don’t we want what God offers?
Jesus the King
After Barabbas is released Pilate then gives Jesus to the soldiers, A King means a power struggle. A King means their authority was going to be challenged.
John 19:2 The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. 3 “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.
This contention between Jesus and the Romans didn’t end after the resurrection and Jesus’s return to Heaven.
Romans 10:9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Declaring this publicly was a dangerous thing to do in that context. It was a declaration that Caesar was not Lord.
If you believe that the resurrection is a historical event that literally happened as described by the eyewitnesses, the promise is you will be saved.
Summary
The truth changes everything
STOP BELIEVING LIES
Barabbas or Jesus
CHOOSE PROPERLY don’t give up the truth by choosing something else.
Jesus’ Kingdom is different
BE READY TO CHANGE
If Jesus is so different, it changes my expectations of what is real and normal.
I must be willing to adjust my life to the truth He declares.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. —The Apostle’s Creed (Originally Written 2nd Century AD)