Dear Student of the Word,
Only three more studies after this and we will finish John's gospel. It took us all of 2009 to get through, but we have just about made it, by God's grace. This week we look at Jesus' time with Pilate from John's perspective and we learn some things that the other gospels did not include. In this study, I raise the question of how John knew so much of what happened between Pilate and Jesus, especially since John's gospel was written years after the other gospels. We will never know. We don't need to know, however, for there is plenty to study and focus on in this week's account. This week I wrote on the seventh day of this seven-day study:
v. 14 – It was the day of the Passover celebration, so what meal did the disciples eat with Jesus the night before? Did they move their Passover dinner up a night because of what would take place with Pilate? At any rate, Pilate tried once more to impress the people with the gravity of who Jesus was and what they were proposing to do. The people had their king before them and they cried out that He should be crucified. In other words, they ordered the slaying of Jesus the Passover Lamb so that all those who apply His blood would be saved from the avenging angel.
v. 15 – The people shouted that Jesus should be taken away and crucified. Pilate was still bewildered by their demands, or perhaps he was mocking them at this point. They wanted to crucify one who proclaimed to be their king and he was amused. He had already washed his hands of the matter and was not in the final stages of passing sentence. Perhaps he enjoyed the scene of the Jews making fools of themselves, hanging an innocent man. At any rate, Pilate had done all he could do at that point.
v. 16 – So the Jews declared that they had no king but Caesar and they spoke the truth. They had rejected God as their king back when they demanded a king in the time of Samuel and nothing had changed. Those Jews did not want God ruling over them.
But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do” (1 Samuel 8:6-9).
So Pilate gave the order and handed Jesus over to be crucified. From then on, the soldiers were in charge of Jesus and would do what needed to be done to kill Him.
Forgive us, Lord, for there is a part of me in each one of those involved in this story. I am part the mob, choosing rebellion over submission. I am part the leaders, who want no King over them but my own limited perspective. There is part Pilate in me, who knows the truth but is too cowardly and weak to carry it out. And there is part soldier in me, who wants to treat you as I choose and not as you deserve. Forgive me, Lord.
Can you identify any parts or actions of this cast of characters that are a part of your life, past or present?
As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can
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THE SOPHIA FUND & DEBORAH FOUNDATION: Books, toys and money have begun to arrive for our Christmas project for the Kenya orphans, with promises of much more to come. This is so much fun to sit back and see what will happen with all this. I am grateful for your prayerful and prompt response to the children's needs. To read all about what's going on, go to my blog to see my latest post or go to my Facebook page. I need books and educational toys and I need you to help me get them. I will figure out a way to get them to Kenya. You just figure out a way to get them to me.
I also need help to continue feeding the orphans and widows there from The Sophia Fund. When you do your Christmas shopping and giving this year, please remember The Sophia Fund and The Deborah Foundation. I know you will be blessed when you do.
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