(1) “And straightway in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, and bound Jesus, and carried Him away, and delivered Him up to Pilate. (2) And Pilate asked Him, Art Thou the King of the Jews? And He answering saith unto him, Thou sayest. (3) And the chief priests accused Him of many things. (4) And Pilate again asked Him, saying, Answerest Thou nothing? behold how many things they accuse Thee of. (5) But Jesus no more answered anything; insomuch that Pilate marveled. (6) “Now at the feast he used to release unto them one prisoner, whom they asked of him. (7) And there was one called Barabbas, lying bound with them that had made insurrection, men who in the insurrection had committed murder. (8) And the multitude went up and began to ask him to do as he was wont to do unto them. (9) And Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? (10) For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered Him up. (11) But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. (12) And Pilate again answered and said unto them, What then shall I do unto Him whom ye call the King of the Jews? (13) And they cried out again, Crucify Him. (14) And Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath He done? But they cried out exceedingly, Crucify Him. (15) And Pilate, wishing to content the multitude, released unto them Barabbas, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified.”
Golden Text.—“Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this Man.” Luke 23:4.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) In the morning, after it had been decided to condemn Jesus, what did the chief priests do? What was the result of their council? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) What question did Pilate ask Jesus? What was His reply? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) How did the chief priests further press their complaint? How did Jesus treat their accusations? Verse 3. Note 3. (4) What did Pilate say regarding the silence of the prisoner? Verse 4. (5) How did Jesus regard these words of the governor? How was Pilate affected by this continued indifference? Verse 5. Note 4. (6) What custom of the governor is noted in verse 6? (7) What noted man was under conviction of insurrection? What other crime had resulted from his insurrection? Verse 7. (8) For what did the people begin to clamor? Verse 8. (9) What did Pilate ask concerning this demand? Verse 9. (10) What had he discerned in the action of the chief priests? Verse 10. Note 5. (11) What did the priests suggest to the people? Verse 11. Note 6. (12) Then what further question did Pilate ask? Verse 12. (13) What answer did the multitude give? Verse 13. (14) How did Pilate endeavor to dissuade the people? What was the result of his effort? Verse 14. (15) What was apparently Pilate's greatest anxiety? To this end, whom did he release? And then what did he do with Jesus? Verse 15. Note 7.
NOTES.
1. Jesus was first taken before the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, who hastily assembled the Sanhedrim. It was not lawful to try a capital offense between sunset and sunrise; but there was haste to try Jesus, and turn Him over to the Roman authorities before His friends could rally for His defense. The charge against Jesus was blasphemy, for which the Jewish penalty was death. It was necessary to have two concurring witnesses, and they were obliged to accept the testimony of two false witnesses in order to condemn Him. Between the time of the condemnation and the morning, Jesus was subjected to insult and mocking. It was during this time that Peter, being fearful of like treatment and also of death, forgot his protestations of loyalty a few hours before, and denied his Lord. Jesus was hurried to Pilate's palace just as soon as it was possible to get the governor's attention.
2. Pilate's question, “Art Thou the King of the Jews?” was naturally a leading one, arising out of the charge. The Jews had said, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ a King.” Luke 23:2. Of course this was false, for Jesus had plainly taught them to give Caesar all that was due to him. Matt. 22:15-21. “Thou sayest.”—This is equivalent to an affirmative answer; yet He did not claim to be King in the sense which His accusers inferred. John (ch. 18:33-37) gives the conversation more fully. Jesus explained the nature of His kingdom, saying, “My kingdom is not of this world; if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is My kingdom not from hence.” One whose kingdom was of this world would not have suffered himself to be put to death when it was in his power to prevent it.
3. Fearing that the main charge against the prisoner might not hold, seeing that Pilate was not disposed to wholly credit their word, the chief priests became vehement in their accusations.
4. “Pilate marveled.”—He never had seen a prisoner maintain such a wholly indifferent attitude under such threatening circumstances. Like the Jews, the governor did not understand that the success of Messiah's kingdom depended upon the death of the King, and that Jesus was simply trusting in the fulfilment of the Father's purpose, regardless of what man could do to Him. In this patient attitude He set an example for all His followers.
5. Pilate's appeal to the people was in hope that they would choose to have Jesus released. He was aware of the envy of the chief priests, but had reason to believe that Jesus was popular with the common people. Pilate wanted to release Him, but he did not want to incur the enmity of the leading Jews; so he thought to throw the responsibility upon the people. But he had not reckoned on the fickleness of the masses in the face of Christ's apparent lapse of power to free Himself. But by this appeal Pilate compromised his own authority. Having made the appeal, he was in a measure bound to abide by the people's decision.
6. In choosing Barabbas, the rulers and people virtually indorsed the insurrection of which he had been convicted, the very crime with which they had charged Jesus, and for which they were demanding His life. Barabbas had not only been guilty of outward insurrection, but he had committed murder in attempting to carry it out.
7. Pilate's subserviency was emphasized when, on learning that both the rulers and the masses wanted Jesus crucified, he, of his own volition, added the humiliation of a cruel scourging. And he did this after formally declaring his own innocence of the blood of Jesus. Matt. 27:24-26. Having placed himself in the hands of the people, he was constrained, for the time, to do all in his power to please them. Pilate's experience is an apt illustration of the result of fearing man, and compromising with error.
