John 19:1-24.
THE previous chapter plainly presents the Jews and their religious leaders intent upon destroying Jesus. They were legal, and pledged to uphold the legal system from which they derived their authority and subsistence.
He was full of grace and truth; it came by Him; and He derived His authority from, and lived by, His Father. Theirs was religious flesh; His was piety in the power of the Spirit. Their boast was in earthly religious privilege — the temple, city, and people of God; He brought souls to the Father, gave eternal life and a place in the Father’s house. The display of this grace in Him attracted the fickle multitude, and produced true conscience work and faith in those who were given Him of the Father; but the bitterest antagonism in those who had imposed themselves and their authority upon a nation in the flesh.
Blinded thus, and by self-interest, they sought His blood. They were the instruments of Satanic mischief made ready to his hand.
It was different with Judas and Pilate. Hitherto with Judas, self-interest had enlisted him on the side of Jesus; nor was he troubled by religious scruples or conscience. Never do we find him smarting under the reproofs of Christ or stumbled by His teaching. He saw and profited by power superior to anything that he or anyone else had ever seen before. This was enough to assure him that whatever difficulties were in the path, all must ultimately turn out for the profit of those who followed Jesus. That it meant ruin in this world, as the world counts ruin, only with difficulty forced itself upon his mind, and indeed not fully until the last. Then it was utter despair. He had striven to get at least something in the meanwhile out of the priests, yet counting craftily upon that irresistible power which he well knew was centered in his Master. But now with convicted conscience he sees Him about to be crucified — thought of insupportable misery!
How clearly we see in all this a dark and subtle power enticing the man, by playing on his greed, until he becomes the traitorous but unwitting tool of Satan’s plans!
With Pilate, too, it was no question of religion or conscience. What there was of either, as there is, even though seared, something of both in all men, arrayed him on the side of Christ as against His persecutors (18:38, 19:4, 6, 8-12). Of Moses’ law or grace he knew nothing; religious privilege from God he had not; he did not oppose what was spiritual, for to him there was no such thing (18:38). It was a mere idea, with which he had no quarrel (vers. 36-38). But step by step he is insensibly led on in spite of himself; and of that justice in which Rome so vainly boasted, to the act in which culminated the apostasy of man’s judgment-seat. No longer is imperial Caesar seated there, but Satan, this world’s prince.
As the first step in this abysmal apostasy Pilate scourges Jesus, at the same time repeating his previous declaration, “I find in Him no fault whatever.” Meanwhile in heartless mockery the Roman soldiery had clothed Him with simulated imperial attire, saluting Him King of the Jews, and striking Him on the face. Thus clad, Jesus went forth from the judgment hall, and Pilate says, “Behold the Man!” He probably thought that the sight of the indignity and cruel punishment which the Blessed One had suffered would appease their rage and excite compassion.
Seeing Him, these Jewish priests and officers, as wolves thirsting for His blood, cry, Crucify!
Crucify! But Pilate is not yet prepared for such an unrighteous act. Let them do so if they chose, but he repeats his sentence for the third time, “I find no fault in Him.”
This marks another step in the downward course. Pilate is willing that the guiltless should be crucified, provided the Jews do it and bear the responsibility. But for many reasons this they will not do. Moreover, little do their reasons signify; the word of Jesus had already fixed the mode of death by which He was to die. His must be the Roman cross.
The Jews, having now decided among themselves as to the charge to be brought against Him, say, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” But will the Roman magistrate take cognizance of an infraction of Jewish law? Moreover, the claim to be Son of God confirms, while it arouses still more, Pilate’s fears. The finger of God upon his conscience produced those fears. To shed Jewish blood, innocent or guilty, was a slight matter to Pilate; but before this prisoner the judge felt ill at ease. And though his wife’s message is not mentioned here, it is certain that were it a question only of Pilate’s will and the will of the Jews, he would have released Jesus. But a far more serious controversy is in question. Shall Satan or God in moral government control man’s judgment-seat?
Again Pilate goes into the Prætorium and says to Jesus, “Whence art Thou?” Jesus answered not. Of His acts and teaching He would speak, but His divine origin and nature came not within the scope of creature judgment.
Amazed at His silence, Pilate asserts in pride his irresponsible authority. Then Jesus answers, resting authority upon its true basis, and insisting on the responsibility to God of those who exercise it. Pilate had no authority if it were not given to him from above. And those who in the false assumption of it had delivered up their King had the greater sin. Had not the Jews put the law in motion, Gentile authority would never have taken cognizance of the case. Scope being given them to do their will, nothing short of His death in the most ignominious form — that of a Roman criminal — will satisfy their rage. Their hatred was more culpable than Pilate’s injustice.
Authority might indeed be with Pilate, but divine discernment and ability to judge were with Him who stood before his tribunal, and apportioned to each his share of guilt.
From this time Pilate sought to release Him; for the facts, his own personal conviction, and conscience alike convinced him of the guiltlessness of Jesus. Why not then give immediate effect to the promptings of justice? Ah, here the fatal opportunity was given. He who knoweth to do right, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. In most things he who hesitates when the right is known is lost.
Quick to perceive and take advantage of this weakness, the Jews cry out, If thou releasest this Man thou art not Caesar’s friend; every one making himself a king speaks against Caesar.
This decided him. Pride of place, love of authority, and of the emoluments pertaining to it, held by the slight tenure of the most jealous tyrant’s will, all combined to weight the scales of justice against the claims of righteousness and truth. For the first time Pilate’s self-interest was opposed to Christ. In Matthew, he, as a crafty, far-sighted ruler, surrenders the innocent One to His murderers to avoid a tumult. In Mark, he does so out of pure indifference, in order to content the people. In Luke, he is overborne by their violence, and gives Him up from fear. But here, from mere self-interest, most despisable of all, he plunges the judgment-seat into apostasy.
It is now early morning, and, having heard these words, he leads Jesus out and formally assumes the seat of judgment at a place called the Pavement, outside of the Prætorium. Clearheaded and with conscience enough to see that these Jews had forced him to an act which revolted his judicial instincts, as well as every moral feeling — an act which shattered every principle of right, and the foundation of government itself, yet forced to it by a determination to seek his own interests at all costs, he is at least determined that they also shall be made to sacrifice all that nationally was sacred to them.
He says to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests, speaking in the name of the whole people, answer, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he delivered Him up to them to be crucified. “And they took Jesus and led Him away.”
Everything divine that God had ever committed to the responsibility of men; every promise confirmed and established by the holy sanction of the law; His gracious intervention on His people’s behalf held in bondage by an evil power mightier than they; His mercy which in spite of reiterated transgression fulfilled His word, all was surrendered. On the other hand, His ordinance of governmental authority, committed though it now was to the Gentile, still God’s minister for good, or an avenger for wrath to him that does evil, all given up for cruel spite or personal interests. Never in all time’s history could there be another moment of equal importance for judgment to be administered in righteousness, and spite and selfishness abhorred. But instead, at that tribunal, spite and selfishness presided, and unrighteousness decreed.
Jesus bears His cross to the place of a skull, and there they crucify Him, together with two others, one on either side, and Jesus in the midst. Pilate puts upon the cross a title, signifying who He was, Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews. For this the Jews desire to substitute, He said, I am King of the Jews. But Pilate holds them to their bargain. They had denied their King and accepted Caesar. He the while confesses the claims of Jesus while nailing Him to the cross. Who shall estimate the turpitude of such a decree? At the same time he gratifies his cynical contempt of priests and people by putting Jesus’ true title in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin on the tree. What he had written, he had written.
To Jesus this much at least was left. Of all else He was despoiled. But prompt as the soldiers were to wound and pierce His body, they refrained from rending the coat, for this Was seamless, woven from the top throughout, and to rend would be to ruin it. So they cast lots for it instead. Thus the Scripture was fulfilled which says, They parted My garments among them, and on My vesture they did cast lots.
The contrast how terrible! Jesus surrendering everything for man, man seizing everything from Jesus!
W. T. W.