Luken 23:13-24
13 Now Pilate summoned to himself the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,
14 and he said to them, “You brought this Man to me on the ground that He is inciting the people to revolt; and behold, after examining Him before you, I have found no basis at all in the case of this Man for the charges which you are bringing against Him.
15 No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him.
16 Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
17 [Now he was obligated to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]
18 But they cried out all together, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas!”
19 (He was one who had been thrown into prison for a revolt that took place in the city, and for murder.)
20 But Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again,
21 but they kept on crying out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!”
22 And he said to them a third time, “Why, what has this Man done wrong? I have found in His case no grounds for a sentence of death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
23 But they were insistent, with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail.
24 And so Pilate decided to have their demand carried out.
Jesus’ Trial (3)
Pilate’s judgement
Since Herod had sent Jesus back, Pilate was forced to make a final decision. He tried four times to avoid giving a verdict. (1) First, he suggested that the matter should be handled within the Jewish community itself (John 18:31). (2) Next, he sent Jesus to Herod. (3) Furthermore, he proposed releasing Jesus as the prisoner customarily pardoned during the Passover festival (Mark 15:6). (4) Finally, he suggested punishing Jesus with a flogging and then releasing Him. Pilate cried out, “I have found in His case no grounds for a sentence of death.” He knew that Jesus was innocent. However, he feared both a Jewish uprising and the loss of his own position as governor. In the end, Pilate declared that he would do as the Jews demanded. How about you? Are you living a life of compromise because you fear something or someone other than God?
Their voices
Luke records, “But they were insistent, with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail.” The New Testament (and the Gospel of Luke in particular) is by no means an antisemitic document. The idea that “the Jews became a cursed people because they crucified Jesus” has been taught in the Christian church for a long time, but it has produced very unfortunate consequences. From this passage, let us note the following points. (1) The ones who demanded that Jesus be crucified were not all the Jewish people, but a small group of Jews, specifically, a handful of leaders, who had been cunningly gathered together. (2) The cry, “Crucify Him!” is also my own voice. If I had been there, I would have done the same. Therefore, in the matter of crucifying Jesus, I too share in the same guilt. (3) Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (v 34) Through this prayer, the way of salvation was opened both to the Jews and to the Gentiles. If you hold any prejudice against the Jewish people, repent of it. And if you are doing anything that, in effect, crucifies Jesus again, repent of that sin immediately.
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ, since the time of Adam, there has been a “voice of my own” within our hearts that rejects the voice of God. That voice crucified Jesus. I confess and repent that through my words, thoughts, and actions, I have done things that crucified Jesus. Please forgive me. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.