Dear Student of the Word,
This week we take a look at Jesus' trial before Pilate and His treatment at the hands of the Roman soldiers. I found it difficult to make any comments about some of the verses; instead, I just wrote a prayer. I don't want to trivialize Jesus' sacrifice by trying to find creative insights or make glib comments. Jesus paid a high price for me to even be writing these studies, and I want to give proper reverence and respect for that price.
In light of that, this week I wrote:
So the elders and priests had their agenda, Pilate had his agenda and Jesus had His agenda. Jesus’ agenda was to do the will of the Father, so He was the one with the moral authority and power in this situation, even though He was bound by chains and the will of the mob. How about you? Do you see yourself in charge, even if circumstances and sinful people have you boxed in? God is in control of your affairs, and if you entrust yourself to Him, you will be rewarded and vindicated.
v. 25 – This was a scary declaration by the people. They proclaimed that the penalty for what they were doing should be on them and their children! They were so convinced that what they were doing was God’s will that they were willing to assume full responsibility for the outcome. Forty years later, God would take them up on their proclamation, destroying their country, Temple, religious system and way of life. I do not believe that the curse they called down on themselves is still in effect, for they extended it one generation beyond themselves to their children.
v. 26 – Releasing Barabbas and condemning Jesus was a travesty of justice. As stated earlier, it clearly showed the priorities of sinful man – rebellion over submission to God. Pilate had Jesus flogged and handed him over the executioner. It is not important, but I wonder what Barabbas did with his life after his release? In some sense, Barabbas was the firstfruits of Jesus’ ministry, for he was a sinner set free as Jesus took his place and endured the sentence that Barabbas and all sinful men should have endured.
We do not see Jesus resisting, complaining, or trying to use the system to escape His death. He was as a lamb led to the slaughter, as Peter so aptly described:
But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 4:20-25).
Are you in a situation where you are suffering? Then suffer nobly and in the manner that Jesus suffered. Trust God to deliver you.
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God (1 Peter 4:1-2).
As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, First Timothy and Mark's gospel on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.
Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished Faith Files.
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