Matthew 27 - Part 2

 

Read Matthew 27

Jesus went before Pilate.  We don’t get the exchange between Pilate and the religious hypocrites as we saw in John’s account.  There is less dialogue in Matthew even between Jesus and Pilate.

But he is before the Roman Governor, the man who can send him to the cross.  Jesus does nothing that would stop what must be done.

Pilate saw no threat in Jesus.  He knew that it was jealousy among the religious hypocrites that brought him for judgment.  Pilate’s wife even pleaded with him to have nothing to do with Jesus.  She had been warned in a dream.

Pilate thought his best way out of this was to turn it over to the people.  The governor’s custom was to release one prisoner at this time of year.  He would make the choice easy.  He would offer them the murderer Barabbas and the peaceful Jesus, whom surely he people loved.

The religious hypocrites persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas.  When asked what about Jesus, they answered:  Crucify him!

Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere with the crowd and he publicly washed his hands.  He told the crowd that the blood of the one they condemned was on them.  He would be innocent of his blood. 

That was not true.  Pilate had to order or at least consent to the execution.  He gave tacit consent while playing the role of being innocent.  Nonetheless, this moved Jesus closer to the cross.

The people played along. 

All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”

They didn’t know it, but his blood would wash away the sins of all who believed in him.  His blood would be the greatest sacrifice in all of history.  The people were ignorant of that but God’s plan would be fulfilled.

Amen.