Pilate warned.
AS we have already seen, Pilate was well aware that Jesus was innocent, and that it was only for envy that the Jews had delivered Him. And knowing all this he was perfectly inexcusable in delivering Jesus over to the will of the Jews. But besides knowing that Jesus was innocent, he also received a most solemn warning through his wife. “When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him.”
God took care that those, who were guilty of the condemnation and murder of His Son should have no cloak for their sin. The Jews had seen the miracles, and heard the teachings of Jesus. They knew that He had healed the sick; that He had cleansed the lepers; that He had caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. They knew that He had cast out devils, and set the captives of Satan free. They knew that He had raised up Lazarus from the dead, after he had been dead four days, and the body had become corrupt. They knew all these things, and yet, in the hardness of their hearts, they not only would not have Him, but they were determined He should be crucified. It was indeed a dreadful condition; and as they loved darkness rather than light, a dreadful eternity of darkness and woe will be theirs.
So also it was with Pilate. If he condemned Jesus to be crucified, God saw to it, that it should be against the truth and against his own conscience. He knew the innocence of Jesus, and when he heard the claims of Jesus, that He was the Son of God, he was filled with fear, and asked Jesus whence He was, but got no answer. Never had he had to do with such a prisoner before. He was made to feel that he was in the presence of One who was superior to himself. And then, too, God warned him through his wife’s dream to have nothing to do with that just One. It was not an ordinary dream, but a dream in which God was speaking, and in which Pilate’s wife suffered many things because of Jesus. Pilate was thus without excuse. Led by his own pride, and swayed by the influence of the Jews and the power of Satan, he gave forth the judgment that Jesus should be crucified. He took water indeed, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person; see ye to it.” But his guilt remained.
Poor Pilate! Could he give the death sentence against the Son of God, and then wash his hands of the fearful guilt? Could he plead innocence of that horrible crime, when he had just yielded to the “bulls of Bashan” who had pleaded so furiously against innocence? Oh! no, both Pilate and the Jews were guilty of murdering the holy One of God. Both he and they knew that He was innocent and he and they will alike be dumb with terror, when called upon to answer to the charge of that unparalleled crime.
God gave solemn warnings to these wicked men before their wickedness was consummated. And does He not send warnings to you, unsaved reader? Ah! yes. He declares that Jesus is appointed to be the Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:4242And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. (Acts 10:42)) and He warns you to flee from the wrath to come. And whither will you flee? Flee to Jesus Himself; He says: “Come unto Me.” Through His precious blood there is pardon for the sinner. His blood cleanses from all sin. Submit your soul to Him, and pardon will be yours, through faith in His name.
“Now is the accepted time!”
Now is the day of grace;
Then, children, come without delay,
And seek the Saviour face.
ML 07/15/1906