TEXT: Mark 15:1-15

SUBJECT: Meeting the Lord #16: Pontius Pilate

The story takes place in the spring of the year, about 30 A.D; the place is Jerusalem. Our Lord has spent the night in the Hebrew Court, being tried for heresy, and convicted on all charges. Under the Mosaic Law, the Man must die for leading God's people astray.

But there's a problem. Israel is no longer an independent state; it's now an occupied territory, ruled by the Law of Rome, and its governor, Pontius Pilate. If the Lord is to be crucified, Pilate must sign-off on the decision.

Will he? Let's see.

The trial begins with a question: "Are You the king of the Jews?" Pilate wants to know. The answer is direct and without horns: "It is as you say". This, you'd think, would prejudice the judge against Him, for "whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar".

The prosecutors are next. They are "the chief priests", men who have a personal interest in the status quo. Like Pilate, they support the Roman system and oppose any Jew who calls himself a king. Against our Lord they levy many serious charges, all of which must lead to death.

How does our Lord answer the charges? He doesn't.

Pilate is very surprised. Maybe He doesn't understand the legal system. Under Roman Law, a man is permitted to speak in His own defense. Or, maybe He doesn't feel the gravity of the charges--these are capital crimes! The judge explains these things to our Lord and urges Him to answer the charges.

But again, nothing.

Pilate is puzzled by His silence, and not happy with the results of the trial. But then, an idea occurs to him; it's a stroke of genius! If the Lord won't answer for Himself, maybe the people will. And, just to be sure, he fetches the worst prisoner he's got: Barabbas. Given this choice, even the Jews will choose wisely.

The two men are proposed. "Jesus or Barabbas"--which one goes free? Stirred by their leaders, the people shout for the release of Barabbas! Pilate is thunderstruck! "What will I do with your King?" he asks. "Crucify Him".

Pilate doesn't like the decision. But he surrenders to it, releasing Barabbas, and after a ferocious beating, he sends our Lord to the cross.

That's the story.

What does it mean? Two things come to mind, the first minor, the second, of major importance.

It confirms the saying of Lord Acton, "Power tends to corrupt". The Hebrew Council wants power. If they have to lie, blaspheme, and crucify God's Son to keep it, they will. Pilate craves power, too. He knows our Lord is innocent; he knows the rulers are motivated by envy. Yet when he forced to choose, will he be "the friend of Caesar or the friend of God?", he chooses Caesar over Christ--power over truth. The people? They're as despicable as their rulers. One Man offers peace; the other promises power. They prefer the roaring lion of revolution to the gentle Lamb of God.

The love of power is an awful thing. Big kids bully little ones. Mothers scold their children; husbands beat their wives; pastors dominate their churches; bosses humble their workers. There's a "rush" in power--a "kick", a "high"; that's why everyone wants it.

Well, not quite everyone. Jesus Christ didn't want it. When a man pledged his sword to the Lord's defense, He told him to "sheath his sword". Power is not the Lord's way.

It mustn't be our way, either. We must choose the joys of service over the "rush" of power. Paul urges the whole church to "submit yourselves to one another in the fear of God". Men are you serving your wives and children? Or are you ruling them for your pleasure? Women, are you serving your husbands and children? Or are you struggling for mastery over them? Children, are you serving your parents? Or rebelling against them and resenting everything they ask you to do? Pastor--do you want to be the servant of God's people? Or "the Man"?

These are the choices we have to make every day. God give us the grace to choose wisely.

This is an important point. And needs to be made as often as possible.

But there's another point, more important still.

The passage tells us something about our Lord. Pilate is important, so are the rulers and people, but our Jesus Christ is the central character. What does it say about Him?

The key verses are vv.3-5. Let me read them to you again; listen to the inflection in my voice.

Unless he just can't write, Mark is trying to stress our Lord's silence. At the most crucial moment of His life, He has nothing to say.

Why not? On trial for His life, why wouldn't a man speak in His own defense? I can think of four good reasons to not testify.

How do we explain His silence? Quite easily: He wanted to die. Our Lord is eager to die a shameful death on the cross.

Is that true? It is. The Gospels teach this in so many ways. Negatively, He does nothing to avoid His fate. He doesn't argue in court; He doesn't foment rebellion; He doesn't call for twelve legions of angels. He does nothing; "He answers nothing".

What's more, He does many things to secure His doom . He knows the Hebrew Rulers are after Him, yet He walks right into their trap. He goes to Jerusalem; He goes there public; He calls attention to Himself while He's there; He hastens the traitor on his evil errand.

Our Lord is either the world's biggest fool...or it's most willing sacrifice. Which is it? He knows: "I lay down my life for the sheep; no man takes my life from Me".

Our Lord eagerly dies on the cross.

Why? Two reasons: (1) He is more devoted to God's will than to personal comfort. "What shall I say? Father save Me from this hour? Father, glorify Your Name". (2) Because He loves us more than He loves Himself. "No greater love has any man than this; that he lay down his life for his friends".

How does this apply to us?

It makes us celebrate our Savior! How great was His devotion to God! How deep His love for us! Do we adore Him? Do we praise Him? Do we thank Him every day of our lives--with hearts brimming with love? We would if we'd but remember how eagerly He went to the cross.

It also teaches us God's will for our lives. The Christian life must be devoted to God supremely, and then to others. The first commandment is to "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and mind". The second is like it, to "Love your neighbor as yourself". Pretty broad, isn't it? But something's missing: do you know what it is? Yourself.

The importance of self-esteem does not occur to our Lord. In fact, He sees it as the chief obstacle to loving God and others. He doesn't tell us to hate ourselves or to wallow in self-criticism. He tells us to do something much more radical than these; He wants us to forget ourselves in serving God and others. "To lose our lives...so that we may, in time, "find them".

What He preached He also practiced. At His trial before Pontius Pilate, "He answered nothing", choosing the glory of God and our salvation over every personal interest.

Did He lose as a result? He didn't. Neither will you. If you but "Learn His ways". I pray God will teach them to you. And me. For Christ's sake. Amen.