Love is vigilant.

The King – Part 5

(John 19:12-14, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, July 4, 2010)

19:12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour.

From then on... (12)

We have been following John's account of Jesus' suffering as He moves toward the cross in order to face the punishment that we deserved. What has happened so far? We think of Judas betraying Jesus, and Peter denying Jesus three times. The high priest and related Jewish officials and officers have been doing what they planned to do, while trying to appear innocent of any malice. But we have especially been following the story of Pilate, the Roman Governor, since the leaders of the Jews have brought Jesus to his headquarters hoping to present Him as a man who must be put to death because He has made Himself a king and even the Son of God, and is therefore a threat to Roman order.

Pilate is an interesting character. He has heard the vague accusations of the Jews, coupled with their insistent demands that this man be put to death. The governor has consistently attempted to have Jesus released, declaring him to be innocent three times, yet the Jewish leaders continue to press for His death by crucifixion. During these strange proceedings Pilate has taken Jesus inside his headquarters for more private questioning. This Roman official seems genuinely perplexed by what is taking place. He wants this problem to go away. He hopes to satisfy the anger of the Jewish officials by beating and humiliating Jesus in front of them, but this is unsuccessful.

The governor is increasingly concerned about the identity of Jesus. In particular, he is concerned by this title, “Son of God,” used in one of the Jews' accusations against Him. Meanwhile, Jesus Himself is not attempting to be released, and is not trying to win any favors from Pilate. This is all very disconcerting to the man who believes that he is in charge of these proceedings. Jesus tells Pilate that any authority that the governor has, comes from above, that is from God. He then calmly speaks not as the accused, but as the Judge of judges. He says that the Jewish leaders have greater sin in what is transpiring than Pilate does. Pilate is hard to figure out. There can be no doubt that all of this is troubling him. Jesus has no guilt. Pilate has guilt. The Jewish leaders have more guilt. You and I have guilt too, guilt that requires the death of someone innocent.

We are told that from then on Pilate sought to release Jesus. He was trying to release Him before, but it has not been working. The Jewish leaders are insistent that Jesus must die. Jesus is not trying to be released. He is ready to face the horror of the cross. He has no friends or followers who are pleading for His life. Only one man is trying to let Jesus go: Pilate. He wants Him to be released because Jesus has no guilt, and he does not want to be responsible for the death of an innocent man, especially one who may have come from a place where higher beings dwell. Could He be a “Son of God” whatever that phrase means? The governor is the only one speaking up for Him that day, trying to get Jesus released. He does not want Jesus to die on his watch.

“If you release this man...” (12-13)

The Jewish leaders have Jesus right where they want Him. They were able to put together a workable plot with Judas. Jesus was successfully arrested. They have put together the religious case against Him as a blasphemer, and they are satisfied that they can make a civil case that Jesus is a threat to Roman order, and that He must be put to death. They have come so far with their plans and faced absolutely no opposition from any sympathetic crowds or from any loyal disciples. There is only one more approval necessary for complete success. But that one man, Pilate, is looking like he might end up being a problem. He is obviously trying to get Jesus released, and the Jews cannot allow that to happen.

They are not about to let everything unravel here before their eyes. They will say what they need to say. They will not let Jesus slip away. They must see His death, so they cry out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” They know something about Pilate. They know that the governor does not want to face any problems with Rome. Jesus had told Pilate that the governor's authority had come from above. Pilate surely agrees, but they have different definitions of “above.” The above that Pilate especially does not want to have any trouble with is the capital of the empire.

This tactical move by the Jews wins the day for those who want to be rid of Jesus. If Pilate was concerned about an innocent man who takes the title “Son of God,” if that caused him to be afraid for a moment, that moment has now passed. Pilate has been effectively distracted into a pathway of injustice by something more important to Him than any ultimate Judge of judges.

God loves justice. He cares about the bodies and property of people as well as their souls. He is never content to have His church ignore the cries of those who are being unjustly put to death in a system of public wickedness. He calls us all to an understanding of justice that is motivated by His love, and is not easily distracted. Pilate was distracted by fear, and so he quickly took the bait that was cast out to him by enemies of Christ who wanted to see both justice and love fail.

“So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha.” This is it. They said the word: “Caesar.” Pilate does not want any trouble. He will be done with this by yielding to evil men.

Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover... (14)

On that fateful day when people were betraying, denying, entrapping, and generally giving in to injustice, envy, and malice; on that day when there was so much going on that was illegal, offensive, insulting, and threatening, on that date when Pilate was distracted, the Lamb of God would not be distracted. John writes, “Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover.” John reminds us about the Passover week because Jesus is the willing and resolute Lamb of God.

The blood of the Lamb was very important on the first Passover. When God was coming in judgment upon the firstborn of Egypt, there was only one symbol given that would keep His wrath from taking the lives of the firstborn of the Israelite families: the blood of the sacrificial lamb. Now it is time for the real Sacrifice. The firstborn of God will die for you. The Stone that the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone. This is the day that the Lord has made. Jesus has love and justice that will not be distracted. He has come to die for sinners, that we might live.

Application: True love is not easily distracted. It will not quickly take the bait offered by enemies who want to see love and justice fail.

If you truly love the cross of Christ enough to receive it as the love and justice of God for you, and if you find in that cross something so admirable that you want to live it out in your marriage, your family, your work, your life as a citizen, and in your participation in the Lord's church, then you must not take your eyes off that cross. Pay attention to the innocence of Jesus, and do not abandon the cause of love. You must not allow yourself to be too easily distracted.

1. Why did Pilate want to release Jesus?

2. What pressure did the leaders of the Jews apply to achieve their plan?

3. How are we to understand the effectiveness of this malice and abuse?

4. Is the timing of these events significant?