The Judgment of Jesus (continued-page 2)
by Gene Easley
Some people stand back and
marvel but never allow their lives to be touched by this Man from
Here was an opportunity in
Mark 15:9. “But
Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of
the Jews?” But the
religious leaders did not want that. It was insulting to them.
It was ridiculous to offer them an alternative to killing Jesus.
Pilate's suggestion to release Jesus and set Him free was a feeble attempt
on Pilate's part to do what he knew was right. He had found no fault
in Jesus. He should have been set free. But the Jews rejected
the thought and were only more enraged by such a ridiculous suggestion.
Pilate knew why the chief
priest had delivered Jesus to him. He was far more informed than he
wanted people to know. Envy was eating at the heart of these Jewish
leaders. Jesus had something real in His life and ministry, and they
didn't. All of their religiosity was producing nothing, but the presence
of Jesus always brought change. The blind were seeing, the deaf were
hearing, the lame were walking, and the hypocritical Jewish leaders could
take it no more.
The chief priests quickly intervened. They quickly quenched the thought of Jesus being set free. Barabbas, who should never have been allowed to roam the streets again, suddenly became the object of their mercy. Not that they had any feelings of mercy for Barabbas, but they had to move quickly. They were afraid that Jesus would escape.
Pilate decided that he must
yield to the request of the Jewish leaders.
He tried to wash his hands of any responsibility. “When
Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was
made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I
am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it” (Matthew
27:24). But washing one’s
hands does not clear a person of his responsibility.
Pilate, like most people, was only looking out for himself and not
really doing what was right.
The multitude cried out, “His
blood be on us, and on our children” (Matthew 27:25).
With that Barabbas was set free, and Jesus was scourged and
delivered to be crucified. Events
moved rapidly. Within the
matter of a few hours, Jesus was judged and was hanging on a cross.
He laid down His life, and what man meant for evil God meant for
good. Man’s ungodliness
became an avenue through which God would reveal His mercies.
Jesus had to die on Calvary’s Cross to purchase our salvation.
For Pilate, the whole ordeal
was now over. For the
religious leaders, they could go home and exult in defeating Jesus; at
least they thought so. In
reality, three days later, Christ would be resurrected from the dead.
In forty more days, the Holy Spirit of promise would be poured out
on the 120 in the upper room. That
same day, 3,000 would be added to the church.
Every day, the early church would see new members being added!
Man’s judgment that Jesus
must die agreed with God’s judgment.
However, man’s judgment came from a heart of hatred and envy and
God’s from a heart of love and compassion.
Through man’s cruel actions, God prepared a Sacrifice for all
sins for all people for all ages! Thank
God that
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