NOTE.—The events comprising the present lesson followed in a few hours after the institution of the Lord’s supper, which was considered in the lesson of last week. Yet, between that celebration of His death, and His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus had given much valuable instruction for the church. The very important discourse recorded in John, from chapter 13: 31 to chapter 17, inclusive, was given on that eventful night after the departure of Judas from the company.
11 “Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked Him, saying, Art Thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto Him, Thou sayest. 12 And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. 13 Then saith Pilate unto Him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against Thee? 14 And He gave him no answer, not even to one word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly. 15 Now at the feast the governor was wont to release unto the multitude one prisoner, whom they would. 16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered Him up. 19 And while he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21 But the governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas. 22 Pilate saith unto them, What then shall I do unto Jesus which is called Christ? They all say, Let Him be crucified. 23 And he said, Why, what evil hath He done? But they cried out exceedingly, saying, Let Him be crucified. 24 So when Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing, but rather that a tumult was arising, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; see ye to it. 25 And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. 26 Then released he unto them Barabbas; but Jesus he scourged and delivered to be crucified.”
Golden Text: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Tim. 1:15.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) As Jesus stood before the governor, what question did the governor ask? V. 11. (2) How did Jesus reply? Same v. Note 1. (3) How did Jesus treat the accusations of the Jews? V. 12. Note 2. (4) What question did His silence call forth from the governor? V. 13. (5) How did Jesus treat this query? V. 14. (6) How was the governor affected by the prisoner’s silence? Same v. Note 2. (7) What had been the governor’s custom at these annual feasts? V. 15. (8) What notable prisoner was then in custody? V. 16. (9) For what crime was he in prison? Luke 23:19; John 18:40. (10) Whom did Pilate set before the multitude for selection? V. 17. (11) What did he know of the feeling of the rulers toward Jesus? V. 18. (12) What remarkable message came to Pilate as he sat on the judgment-seat? V. 19. Note 3. (13) What did the priests and elders urge the multitude to do? V. 20. (14) What was the result of their persuasion? V. 21. (15) Then what would they have done with Jesus? V. 22. (16) How did the governor express his surprise? V. 23. (17) Then what did the multitude cry? Same v. (18) How did Pilate attempt to throw off the responsibility of putting Jesus to death? V. 24. Notes 4 and 5. (19) What was the answer of the people to this protestation? V. 25. Note 6. (20) When Pilate had released Barabbas, what cruelty did he inflict upon Jesus? V. 26.
NOTES.
1. “Thou sayest.”—That is, thou hast said right, or, thou sayest the truth. In fact, He was the King of all the universe, but He had temporarily laid aside His regal prerogative to become a teacher of righteousness and the Sacrifice for sin. His confession to Pilate might have been taken as corroborative of the charge brought against Him that He assumed to be a king; but Jesus also told the governor that His kingdom was not of this world. His kingship was of a spiritual nature; He was then establishing a kingdom in the hearts of all lovers of truth. See John 18:37.
2. He answered nothing.—About the hardest thing for human nature to bear is to be falsely accused and not reply to it. Few men will bear it without resentment. No wonder the governor, a man of the world—so accustomed to seeing men defend themselves even against the truth—marveled at the silence of Jesus. But Jesus never wrangled with any one; He had exhausted reasonable effort to save His accusers, and nothing more could be done for them.
3. Pilate’s wife’s dream.—The Lord did everything that could be done for the salvation of Pilate, and he passed through a remarkable conflict before he yielded to the enemy of souls and condemned the Just One. The angel of God was sent to the governor’s wife, and, appearing to her in a dream, gave a message of warning for her husband. This message was faithfully delivered in time for him to have escaped the sin of condemning the Saviour of men. But his love of worldly honor overcame his sense of justice, and the golden opportunity to gain eternal life was gone forever. Alas, how many are following his example!
4. “Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing.”—Why could he not prevail?—Because he had yielded point after point, until the Spirit of God, which strove to sustain him, was grieved away, and he was left at the mercy of those whom he should have restrained at the outset. So much for tampering with evil, and yielding to wrong influences to any extent.
5. Pilate washed his hands.—But water could not erase the stain upon his soul caused by judicially consenting to the shedding of innocent blood. Only the blood of Him whom the governor’s own cowardice had permitted to be crucified could wash out that stain.
6. “His blood be on us, and on our children.”—We have here an instance of the desperate lengths to which men will go when they persistently reject the testimony of the Spirit, as given in His Word. We may glean from this some idea of the terrible condition of things on the earth when probation shall have ended, the Spirit of God withdrawn entirely, and men left to themselves to endure the results of their waywardness. See Amos 8:11, 12; Rev. 14:6-11, and chapter 16.
