Mark 15:12-15 Pilate's Really Bad Day

Mark 15:12-15 NASB “Answering again, Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"  (13)  They shouted back, "Crucify Him!"  (14)  But Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify Him!"  (15) Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.”

Men, have you ever been in that “No Win” situation?  You know, when your wife says something like, “Do you like this dress”? Or “Does this outfit make me look fat”?  What are you supposed to say about that?  Any answer may be the wrong answer and – you’re in T R O U B L E.  No win here.

Just maybe that is the situation Pilate found himself in after Jesus came on the scene in Jerusalem so many years ago.  The trumped up charges the chief priests accused Jesus of which they had no authority to enforce were dumped on him, Pilate. 

Who was Pilate?

"The pagan historian Tacitus (Ann. 15:44) writes: "Christ, while Tiberius was emperor, was capitally executed by the procurator Pontius Pilate." The procurator was generally a Roman knight, acting under the governor of a province as collector of the revenue, and judge in cases arising under it. But Pontius Pilate had full military and judicial authority in Juda, as being a small province attached to the larger Syria; he was responsible to the governor of Syria. Archelaus having been deposed (A.D. 6), Subinus, Coponius, Ambivius, Rufus, Valerius Gratus, and Pontius Pilate successively were governors (Josephus, Ant. 18:2, section 2)."

So, all that to say – Pilate (Pontius Pilate) was large and in charge.  He was the ultimate decision maker appointed by the Roman Emperor – Tiberius.  It was this Pilate that the Jewish leaders turned Jesus over to for punishment.

Pilate had been witness to the throngs of people cheering Jesus just days before as he rode in to town.  This man’s reputation was large and the last thing Pilate needed was some insurrection stirred up because he upset the populace.  It didn’t help th
at these Jewish leaders were so adamant about the desired outcome for this man Jesus.

Pilate had to be very uncomfortable as he begins asking questions.  Mark 15:2 NASB  “Pilate questioned Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ And He *answered him, ‘It is as you say.’"

Pilate makes no judgment but, Mark 15:3 NASB “The chief priests began to accuse Him harshly.”

Mark 15:4-5 NASB “Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, "Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!"  (5) But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.”

Amazed – indeed

We are not given what additional accusations were presented here nor the specific questions Pilate asked but we know this – Jesus was done answering pointless questions.

Pointless?  Yes, there was no point in giving truth to a bunch who had no interest in hearing the answer but were simply using questions to make a point of their own.  To trump up charges before Pilate.

“Jesus made no further answer” and because of that, “Pilate was amazed.”

What to do – what to do thinks Pilate.  I don’t want a riot.  These Jewish leaders are ticked but I don’t see anything in this man Jesus that warrants punishment.

Then it hits him.  Once a year we release one of the condemned at the request of the people.  I can implement that loophole right here – right now for Jesus.

So he puts it to the people giving them the choice to release a known murderer or Jesus.  He had to be thinking – these people that welcomed Jesus with such enthusiasm will surely ask for his release NOT the murderer Barabbas.  WRONG – the crowd having been riled up by the chief priests asked for Barabbas’ freedom and when asked – said, “Crucify him” regarding Jesus.

CRUD!  Now what do I do?

Mark 15:14 NASB  “But Pilate said to them, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify Him!’”

Well that was unexpected but I have my way out – the people want this even though he is innocent so far as I can see.

I’ll disown the whole thing Pilate says to himself.

Matthew 27:24  “So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.’"

With that – Pilate was done.

The question I have for you is whether Pilate’s no win situation and the solution he finally came to a valid one.  Did he effectively wash is hands of the whole thing?  Was he truly guiltless in the crucifixion of Jesus?

I think the washing of the hands is illustrative.  In fact, the washing of hands was a known and practiced ceremonial cleansing that the Jews would have recognized.

Pilate in so doing was claiming his own innocence in the forthcoming brutality and death of Jesus.  But could he do that?

Can we, hover over a basin of water, wash our hands ceremonially and proclaim our innocence?  NO!!!

Pilate could no more cleanse himself from this sin than can we.  Ironically, the death Jesus was about to endure at the hands of Pilate was the only way that Pilate could possibly have been made clean.  It is the only way this terrible sin could have been wiped away.

It is the only way ANY sin can be removed.  The death of Jesus, His sacrifice is the only washing that could have removed his guilt.  That death, some two thousand years ago is the only way any of us can be cleaned.

We don’t know the fate of Pilate.  We know some Romans even some Roman leaders came to know Jesus and his work of salvation accepting it for themselves.  Maybe he did.  Most likely he didn’t.

What is your choice?  Belief in what Jesus did as a cleansing of the blood on your hands or not?  AMEN!

Matthew 27:27-31 Humiliated, Scourged and Crucified

Matthew 27:27-31 "Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him.  They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.  And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head.  After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him". (NASB)

Today is what is referred to as Palm Sunday in Christendom.  It signifies the day when Christ triumphantly entered into Jerusalem to cheering crowds waving palm branches and shouting hosanna!  Seemingly everyone knew who Jesus was and everyone was on the band wagon.  As he rode that little donkey into the town it was a truly joyous moment.

What a difference just a few days would make.

This was the topic of the sermon shared today in our local service.  In particular we spent time looking through the Scripture including the one I am sharing today of the event leading up to the actual crucifixion of Jesus.  Sometimes, it seems we read past some of this not fully understanding what is being said because it isn’t a part of our culture or vivid historical understanding.

In today’s discipleship class for the junior high and high school we discussed the impact of the visual media in our lives.  We shared a brief clip from the movie, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and contrasted it with the written story several of the students had read several years previously.  The essence of the discussion was that the vivid portrayal present in the video helped to bring out the message in a stronger way by touching more of our senses and actually bringing us into the story.

In the case of the Gospel message it was observed that the Jesus Film project has been extremely effective for this very reason; allowing viewers to identify with the Gospel message as never before.  At the end of the BLOG today will be a link to a You Tube video.  Maybe that will help bring this Scripture and the message to a deeper level of understanding.

The Scripture today says they, “Took Jesus into the Praetoriam and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him”.  Likely this represented hundreds of soldiers; someone speculated more than 500 of them would have been present.  Then they, “Stripped Him” of his own clothes and, “Put a scarlet robe on Him”.  Earlier He had been questioned about being King of the Jews and in following this line of questioning the soldiers, “After twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in his right hand” they then “Knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying ‘Hail, King of the Jews’”.

John’s Gospel records that this period of mocking and humiliation including a scourging.  And that is the thing that I think we miss sometimes in our sanitized understanding of what Jesus suffered.  The scourging was a whipping with a whip that was laced with metal or bone designed to penetrate the flesh.  The whip had multiple tails so each lash would have inflicted several wounds.  A typical scourging would have included 39 lashes.  They would have been severe blows on the back, buttocks and legs leaving the individual bruised and bloodied.  Scourging was nearly always a precursor to a crucifixion.  Many died from the injuries inflicted there and never made it to the cross.

Jesus was scourged and mocked before being forced to carry his own cross to Golgotha for the actual crucifixion.  Remember, He was too weak to make it all the way there carrying that cross.  The scourging he had been given was the reason why.

Why worry about all of this Dale?

Here’s the deal.  Sometimes I think it is a little too easy for us to just say, “Jesus died for my sins”.  I don’t think we give it the appropriate gravity many times; we don’t appreciate what He went through for us.  The bottom line is this; I don’t think we appreciate it appropriately.  What Jesus went through for you and for me suffering that humiliation, that scourging and finally that painful death was a tremendous sacrifice.  Jesus made that personal sacrifice for me.  He suffered pain, He suffered humiliation and He suffered death all for my benefit.  His Father also turned his back on Him briefly as He paid this price for sin.  Such a sacrifice!

In this life we will never be able to fully appreciate the great gift of salvation that Jesus gave to any who would believe when He submitted to that humiliation and death.  Take a few minutes to follow the link I’ve included today.  Not only does it share some of the imagery that may help you to more fully appreciate what Jesus has done for you, but it also gives the perspective of resurrection hope.  AMEN!