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This is not going to be your typical "story of the crucifixion" post. Because, we are trying to learn what John saw as important. I want us to see what we might not have seen before. The most stand out verse in that regard for me was this one:
Joh 19:8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.
And I'll get to the whys and wherefores of that in a minute. But first, I want us to look at this passage:
Joh 18:19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
Joh 18:20 Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.
Joh 18:21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said."
Joh 18:22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"
Joh 18:23 Jesus answered him, "If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?"
Here, John is establishing guilt- and not only the Jew's guilt, but our own. Annas expected a "rabbi" such as his perception of Jesus to not only be a living book of doctrines he could examine and debate, but also to be willing to debate them. Jesus's answer exposed a few things. One, how hollow the teaching of the teachers before Him was. A Jewish teacher would never answer like that, because most of their teachings "were too lofty for the common man to understand." Jesus taught, and people LEARNED. Second, Jesus knew very well they would not accept at His word His answers. The whole episode would show how corrupt they had become, and the lengths they would go to to hold their power.
Most telling is the blow from the officer. There was no respect in that strike for God; his god was the priesthood who paid his salary. The Jews wanted a god that bowed to the High Priest, just as the officer demanded of Jesus. Then Jesus shattered their proceedings with His return question about evil and good. The response of merely sending on up the trial path shows the utter disregard for morality that comes with disbelief in God. In this one passage, John establishes the guilt, not of Judaism, but of unbelieving mankind.
Before I go to my next stop of the discussion with Pilate, let's take a quick look at the lies the Jews told to convict Jesus...
1- John 18:28: they were bending every rule they could to convict Jesus, yet piously stood outside the house of the governor "So they wouldn't be defiled for the Passover meal". They were already defiled in their hearts; their faith was just a political show.
2- John 18:30- "They answered him, "If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you." " asked for an accusation- an accusation that they did not have, beyond a false witness or two at the trial before Caiaphas (Matt. 26:60-61). So they merely claimed He was an evil-doer (malefactor).
3- John 18:31- They claimed they had no death penalty; Yet they had tried to stone Jesus themselves twice, tried to get Him to go along with the stoning of the woman caught in adultery, and would later execute both James and Stephen. The crimes eligible included blasphemy, which they accused Jesus of at Caiaphas's trial (Matt. 26:65). Not to mention they TOLD Pilate (John 19:7) that their law said He should be executed.
4- John 19:15- "We have no king but Caesar"- the same Caesar that they would fight and die to get rid of in a mere 40 years.
All that said, we move to the trial before Pilate. John tells this tale because it establishes two things- Jesus was God in the flesh, and never sought to deny it; and Pilate was both a pragmatic debater, and very superstitious. That brings us to the verse I mentioned at the start. This is what made Pilate afraid:
Joh 19:7 The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God."
Joh 19:8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.
Joh 19:9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.
You see, Pilate came from a society where not only many, but EVERY god was worshiped to one extent or another. The idea that he might be facing a god-in-flesh terrified him. Where the Jews were deny THEIR God, Pilate was faced with a, "do I believe this is a god?" conflict. It did not help him when his wife added her two cents:
Mat 27:19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream."
Hatred and Fear- Satan's great weapons. Fortunately for our salvation, there was something Pilate feared more than gods...
Joh 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."
Oh yes, it is improper to even step into the house of Caesar's governor; but appeal to Caesar himself, no problem. But now, John has one last thing to teach us about his Lord- that He was HUMAN.
Joh 19:26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"
Joh 19:27 Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
A human concern; making sure his mother was cared for in a believing household. He didn't have to say this: Jesus had 4 half-brothers. However, they did not believe; James was not converted until the risen Christ sought him out (I Cor. 15:7). So that, pinned to the story of the Cross, was what John wanted us to know: Jesus was God and Man; and Man is separated from God by hate and fear.
