Monday: Behold the Man!
Daily Lesson for Monday 16th of December 2024
Read John 18:38-40; John 19:1-5. How did Pilate try to persuade the people to ask for Jesus’ release?
Pilate did not wait for an answer from Jesus concerning truth. Instead, he went back out to try to persuade the people. By dialoguing with them instead of just letting Jesus go free, Pilate placed himself at a disadvantage. The religious leaders recognized that they could manipulate the governor through the crowd.
Image © Jeff Preston from GoodSalt.com
Pilate refers to a custom of letting a prisoner go free at the time of Passover and asks if the people want him to release “the King of the Jews.” Surprisingly, and quite ironically, the people ask for the release of a brigand named Barabbas rather than the innocent Jesus.
Now begins the mockery and shaming of Jesus. The Roman soldiers plait a crown of thorns, put a purple robe on Him, and keep coming up and mockingly hailing Him as King of the Jews. This type of greeting by soldiers would be similar to the way they greeted the emperor, but here it was done in mockery.
By playing on the pity of the people, Pilate seems to be seeking some way to release Jesus. He brings Jesus out wearing the crown of thorns and purple robe. The scene, uncommented on by John, displays Jesus in mock kingly garb, with the governor calling on the people to “ ‘Behold the man!’ ” (John 19:5, ESV). This reminds the reader of John the Baptist’s words in John 1:29, ESV, “ ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’ ” It is ironic that the pagan governor presents the Messiah in this kingly attire before Israel.
However, as John 19:6-16 shows, the mob calls for Jesus’ crucifixion, based on His claim to be the Son of God. This frightens Pilate, who seeks all the more to arrange Jesus’ release. But the leaders seal Jesus’ fate by claiming that to release Him is to oppose Caesar. They know that Pilate’s loyalty to Caesar would mean he could not release someone claiming the same role. The leaders say they have no king but Caesar. Thus, their deep hatred of Jesus was greater than their national aspirations. To rid themselves of this Jesus, they were willing to sacrifice claims to national autonomy.
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How scary—a pagan ruler wants to release Jesus while the spiritual leaders of the nation, who should have recognized Him, wanted Him crucified instead! What lessons can we take from this for ourselves? |
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He's the Man, in Dwight K. Nelson's words. Yes if we don't behold the Man, what have we to gain. The Bible puts it this way. Come unto Me all you who labor and I will give you rest. Jesus was talking to five thousand men. Women and Children made it 2-3, maybe 4-5 times larger. Jesus was talking at the sermon on the mount.
Today we behold the Son of God who took on humanity to save us, and with tears in our eyes we contemplate what He has done for us, what He went through to acomplish our Salvation is more than we can comprehend.
Put yourself in one of the disciples 👞's. I have, and also in my current shoe's.
Christ withstood the mob proded on by Pharisaism. Christ responded not relinquishing the Word of God, though proded by Pilate, too.
John 19:6.
Yes but John, it was not on the mount. Christ had rebuked the cities because they had not repented. Then, right after He prayed to Our Father in Heaven, He said, "Come unto Me all you who are heavy laiden, for my yoke is easy and my burden light. Learn of me and I will find you rest. We can rest on that promise assuredly."
Matthew 11:28-29.
A friend of mine from my early days in computing was a teacher in the state school system. At one time they went on strike over pay and conditions and a large number of teachers union memembers travelled to Sydney where they marched through the streets and finally arrived at the gates of the state parliament. They chanted and shouted their demands and got themselves on TV. My friend told me about it afterwards. He said it felt so good to be part of a group with so much power to persuade governments. He was ecstatic about the experience.
I did not try to dissuade him otherwise. As an outsider, I saw the power of the crowd being carefully manipulated by the union officials of the day. They knew that once the crowd had accepted their goals, they were like putty in their hands.
The same mentality was at work during the trial of Jesus. The crowd was manipulated by the Jewish leaders who wanted this Jesus upstart out of the way. We like to describe Pilate as weak. Perhaps it could better be described as scared spitless. He had a potential crowd riot on his hands and if he let that get out of hand he knew that would not sit well with Rome and his career prospects.
Fast forward to today, the mob chooses to ignore Jesus. And in its own way, the mob applies pressure on us to do the same. The silent, "Ignore him! Ignore him!" can be just as effective as, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" And it becomes very easy to follow the mob.
Choosing Jesus is a personal decision, not a mob one. It means you have to swim against the current.
Amen
Well said. Quite thought provoking.
Maurice your answer spoke to me. In these last days we will have to contend for our faith Jude 3-4. As the faith in Jesus is getting less and less popular there is temptation to go with the crowd and endorse lies in place of truth 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12. Under the delusion of the spirit of darkness we join the masses in denying truth or to use your words, "have to swim against the current." The truth will not change we have to embrace the truth, deny the truth or seek after the truth.
I suppose one could say that that was an ancient version of "groupthink" (Orwell--1984). Sadly, it's alive and well today. Deny the prevailing or accepted narrative and get cancelled, or worse.
See how the man who was blind from birth was treated by "Big Brother" after Jesus healed him.
I appreciate your point. Thank you
What kind of man was Pontius Pilate? Was he a man of integrity? As an administrator of justice, did he uphold the rule of law? What spiritual lessons can we learn from this man?
Pilate's interactions with Jesus reveal a man torn between his own convictions and the demands of the crowd. In John 18:38, Pilate acknowledges Jesus’ innocence, saying, "I find no basis for a charge against him." Despite recognizing Jesus as innocent, Pilate succumbed to the pressures of the Jewish leaders and the crowd for fear of unrest. His decision reflects a prioritization of political expediency over justice (John 19:12–13). Pilate's symbolic act of washing his hands to absolve himself of Jesus' blood (Matthew 27:24) does not absolve his responsibility. It reflects a lack of moral courage to stand for what he believed was right. As believers who hold certain values, must stand to defend what we believe to be the truth (1 Peter 3:15, Jude 1:3, Matthew 10:32-33).
An innocent man was condemned to be crucified in the hands of Pontius Pilate. He failed to administer justice. He lacked moral courage and judicial fairness. Pilate is a specimen of earthly leaders who prioritize political survival over the administration of justice and equity. Truth should never be compromised whatever the reward (Deuteronomy 5:32-33, Isaiah 5:20).
There are some spiritual lessons to be learnt from the character and behaviour of Pontius Pilate:
1. Moral Courage is Essential – There is danger when one fail to act on personal convictions. Fear of human opinion or consequences can cause terrible suffering to others (Proverbs 29:25). Christians are called to stand firm for truth and righteousness, even when it is unpopular (1 Corinthians 16:13).
2.The Danger of People-Pleasing - Pilate prioritized appeasing the crowd over doing what was right. This underscores the spiritual lesson of avoiding the trap of people-pleasing, which can compromise integrity (Galatians 1:10).
3.Truth is Absolute - Pilate’s question, "What is truth?", reflects a skeptical worldview that rejects absolute truth. Jesus had already declared Himself as the truth (John 14:6). Pilate’s failure to recognize this eternal truth cost him the opportunity for redemption.
4.Earthly Power is Temporary - Pilate’s reliance on his authority and position contrasts with Jesus’ statement that all power comes from God (John 19:11). Leaders are accountable to God for their actions (Romans 13:1–4).
5.Neutrality in Moral Matters is Complicity - Pilate’s attempt to remain neutral by washing his hands was futile. When it comes to moral decisions, neutrality is often an endorsement of wrongdoing (James 4:17).
In this episode, Pontius Pilate is a cautionary figure whose actions reveal the perils of moral compromise, fear-driven leadership, and an inability to recognize and stand for truth. His failure to administer justice reminds believers of the importance of standing firm in faith and integrity, regardless of external pressures. May the gracious good Lord grant us the courage and wisdom to stand for the truth in these perilous times.
“The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.” - Education (1903), p. 57,
Thank you for the insightful comments and EGW quote.
Amen.
The world does not match Heaven. The world and everything in it are decaying. Only through Christ can things be made new. If I'm not aligned with the Word and follow my heart, I can undoubtedly fall into a pit, my trap. Unsolvable things are for the Lord; that's when I grow in faith.
Pilate's question, "What is truth?", might indeed have been mocking or dismissive, reflecting Roman philosophical traditions. Romans revered Veritas - Truth as a virtue, tied to reason and natural law, as emphasized by Stoicism. Yet, their view of truth often lacked the relational and redemptive aspect central to Christ’s message.
The revelation of God is deeply personal and unfolds differently for each person — sometimes sudden, other times gradual, building "truth upon truth." This process reflects God's Grace and Love in drawing individuals toward His ultimate Truth in Christ.
When people fail to recognize Jesus as God's self-revelation, they often look elsewhere — philosophy, ideologies, or self-constructed truths. Tragically, the pursuit of these can lead to profound error, even justifying actions like condemning Christ to death. This reveals humanity's vulnerability to sin, where self-preservation and pride, stirred by spiritual opposition, can blind us to God's Grace and Mercy.
Desiring to know 'Truth' is not satisfied by merely not engaging in 'lying'; it is much more profound than this. I see accepting 'untruth' in all its forms as part of one's life, and 'believing' God's Truth at the same time, as incompatible. We all have a critical need for humility and openness to God's spiritual Truth - and accepting His Truth with all our heart and mind will set man free indeed - John 8:36.
The world needs courageous men who won't follow the crowd but stand for the truth .Be blessed for sharing this.
Thank you for all that you do.
Alright I've learned a lot from this lesson especially from the comments that you people were making. They're so very important in the way that someone can understand, really understand the truth. Like what Pilate did, most of us people here in Zambia who could do it in order for it to have a position in some maybe in government somewhere. So you try to compromise a truth in order for you to prioritize, your political realization or political experience. So that's why to normally do a check in Africa so that we satisfy our interest so I really appreciate this lesson because it's teaches us that we have to advocate for the truth, and we have to have more courage understand the truth. Thank you!
The truth convicts us and I learn that one should not even compromise with truth irrespective of the environment we are in.