June 7, 2015
Series: Discovering the Life Changing Gospel
The Legal Trial Continues
John 19:1–16 (HCSB)
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. 2 The soldiers also twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and threw a purple robe around Him. 3 And they repeatedly came up to Him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and were slapping His face. 4 Pilate went outside again and said to them, “Look, I’m bringing Him outside to you to let you know I find no grounds for charging Him.” 5 Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
6 When the chief priests and the temple police saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate responded, “Take Him and crucify Him yourselves, for I find no grounds for charging Him.” 7 “We have a law,” the Jews replied to him, “and according to that law He must die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever. 9 He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus did not give him an answer. 10 So Pilate said to Him, “You’re not talking to me? Don’t You know that I have the authority to release You and the authority to crucify You?” 11 “You would have no authority over Me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.” 12 From that moment Pilate made every effort to release Him. But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!” 13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s bench in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Hebrew Gabbatha). 14 It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about six in the morning. Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!” 15 But they shouted, “Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?” “We have no king but Caesar!” the chief priests answered. 16 So then, because of them, he handed Him over to be crucified. Therefore they took Jesus away.
1. CHRIST SUFFERS PAIN AND HUMILIATION ON THE WAY TO THE CROSS. (19:1-4)
• Jesus took on the pain and suffering meant for us.
Isaiah 53:5 (HCSB) 5 But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.
• He was without sin, but took on the humiliation from our sin.
2. THE GOVERNOR MAKES ONE LAST ATTEMPT TO HAND THIS MATTER BACK TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS. (19:5-7)
• Ironically, Pilate presents Jesus to His own people.
• Twice Jesus is declared to have no fault, yet He remained in custody.
• The real question is whether or not we see Jesus as He really is.
3. THE DEATH SENTENCE IS HANDED DOWN BASED ON EXPEDIENCY RATHER THAN EVIDENCE. (19:8-16)
• Jesus did not answer, because He had already answered.
Isaiah 53:7 (HCSB) 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, He did not open His mouth.
• The more Pilate proclaimed His innocence, the louder the cries to crucify Him became.
• Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God and was led away to be crucified to bring salvation to the lost.
The legal trial resumes with Pilate as the reluctant judge trying to send this back to the Sanhedrin. Pilate is more concerned about an uprising (both from the followers of Jesus and from the Jews) than he is about justice. But Jesus willingly takes on the sins of the world to bring salvation by way of the cross.
