Pilate's Encounter
Pilate's Encounter
LUKE 23:1-25
1 Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.”
18 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.
1 Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.”
18 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.
The second person we meet beneath the cross is Pilate, the Roman governor over Judea. Pilate does not know much about Jesus, and does not want anything to do with the Jewish squabble over his teachings. But for the Jewish leaders to obtain the crucifixion sentence they want, they must go through Pilate. Suddenly, this man is forced to make a decision about what to do with Jesus. In the course of his story, we learn three truths about the cross.
The cross provides a substitute
Two things quickly become obvious to Pilate. First, the Jewish leaders are desperate to prove that Jesus is guilty. Second, there is no question that Jesus is absolutely, completely innocent. Four times, Pilate says, “I find no guilt in this man.” (4, 13, 15, 22) When Herod examines Jesus, he reaches the same conclusion (15)! Later, the centurion who crucifies Jesus and the thief who dies next to him all say the same thing: Jesus is innocent! (41, 47) But Jesus’s enemies refuse to listen. They demand a prisoner exchange: crucify Jesus, and release Barabbas, a guilty criminal! Pilate tries to protest, but they just scream: ‘Crucify, crucify him!’ Fearing a riot, Pilate sentences innocent Jesus to be crucified, and sets guilty Barabbas free.
In all this chaos, one person remains strangely silent: Jesus.
If you or I were falsely accused, we would fight it to our last breath! Yet Jesus never defends himself. He is silent before his accusers. Why? So that he can do for us what he does on this day for the criminal Barabbas. He came to be the innocent substitute for the guilty sinners he loves.
When you and I stand before God’s judgment bar, nothing will be hidden. Every thought, word, and deed will be revealed to the perfect Judge. He does not measure us against our neighbors, but against his own, holy law. When God makes a careful examination of our record, do you think he is able to say “I find no guilt in this man, in this woman?” Of course not! He will find us all guilty. But Jesus came to be the innocent substitute for guilty sinners like you and me. At the cross, Jesus lays down his own life to receive God’s judgment against us, for our sins. Jesus is condemned so that we sinners can be declared innocent and set free. When we trust in Jesus, he takes our guilt, and gives us his innocence before a holy God. We are set free to live for God’s glory, knowing that we have escaped death because of what he has done for us!
In all this chaos, one person remains strangely silent: Jesus.
If you or I were falsely accused, we would fight it to our last breath! Yet Jesus never defends himself. He is silent before his accusers. Why? So that he can do for us what he does on this day for the criminal Barabbas. He came to be the innocent substitute for the guilty sinners he loves.
When you and I stand before God’s judgment bar, nothing will be hidden. Every thought, word, and deed will be revealed to the perfect Judge. He does not measure us against our neighbors, but against his own, holy law. When God makes a careful examination of our record, do you think he is able to say “I find no guilt in this man, in this woman?” Of course not! He will find us all guilty. But Jesus came to be the innocent substitute for guilty sinners like you and me. At the cross, Jesus lays down his own life to receive God’s judgment against us, for our sins. Jesus is condemned so that we sinners can be declared innocent and set free. When we trust in Jesus, he takes our guilt, and gives us his innocence before a holy God. We are set free to live for God’s glory, knowing that we have escaped death because of what he has done for us!
The cross repairs a relationship
Something odd happens after Herod mocks Jesus and sends him back to Pilate. “And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this, they had been at enmity with each other.” (12) Herod and Pilate were enemies. Both wanted to be in charge in Judea, and saw each other as an obstacle. They resented and hated one another. That changes on this day. Their relationship is repaired; they become friends. Why would Luke report this callous scene to us—two sleazy politicians having a laugh and a beer over the death of Christ?
In a very ugly situation, Luke is hinting at something beautiful God is doing at the cross. Something neither Herod, nor Pilate, nor anyone else that day realized except Jesus. At the cross, God is repairing a broken relationship. He is putting away an old hostility. He is turning longtime enemies into friends. Jesus is reconciling God and sinners like us—who the Bible calls God’s “enemies” (Romans 5:10).
The Bible teaches that sin isn’t just a mistake; it’s rebellion against our Creator. Apart from Christ, our minds are naturally hostile to God’s authority (Romans 8:7). We resent him for telling us what to do. We insist on running our own lives instead of submitting to him. None of us can repair this fractured relationship with God, and left to ourselves, none of us even want to. But when we could not and would not make the first move to be reconciled to God, God did it for us!
Though he is the offended party, God himself came in Christ to remove the hostility between us by receiving the penalty for our sins. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:19, “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them.” Now, the gospel promises that if you trust in Christ, you will be completely reconciled to God. You do not have to add anything else to what Jesus has done for God to love and accept you. On the very day you turn from your sin to Jesus, you will become friends!
In a very ugly situation, Luke is hinting at something beautiful God is doing at the cross. Something neither Herod, nor Pilate, nor anyone else that day realized except Jesus. At the cross, God is repairing a broken relationship. He is putting away an old hostility. He is turning longtime enemies into friends. Jesus is reconciling God and sinners like us—who the Bible calls God’s “enemies” (Romans 5:10).
The Bible teaches that sin isn’t just a mistake; it’s rebellion against our Creator. Apart from Christ, our minds are naturally hostile to God’s authority (Romans 8:7). We resent him for telling us what to do. We insist on running our own lives instead of submitting to him. None of us can repair this fractured relationship with God, and left to ourselves, none of us even want to. But when we could not and would not make the first move to be reconciled to God, God did it for us!
Though he is the offended party, God himself came in Christ to remove the hostility between us by receiving the penalty for our sins. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:19, “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them.” Now, the gospel promises that if you trust in Christ, you will be completely reconciled to God. You do not have to add anything else to what Jesus has done for God to love and accept you. On the very day you turn from your sin to Jesus, you will become friends!
The cross demands a decision
No matter how hard Pilate tries to avoid it, he must decide what to do with Jesus. He wants the Jews to just settle it themselves—but they demand that Pilate authorize a crucifixion. When Pilate hears Jesus is from Galilee, he tries to pass him off to Herod, but Herod just sends him back an hour later. Pilate tries a compromise, offering to beat Jesus and then release him. This just sends them into a frenzy: “crucify him!” He protests the swapping of Jesus for Barabbas, but the voices of the crowd all drown him out. There is no getting around it. He must decide, and he does. “So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted…he delivered Jesus over to their will.” (24)
Pilate could not escape a decision about what to do with Jesus. He did not ask to make a decision. He did not want to make a decision. He tried desperately to get out of the decision. It seems pretty clear that he is not happy with his final decision. Matthew tells us he tried to wash his hands of all guilt in the decision before the crowd in a bowl of water (Matt 27:24).
But with all that, Pilate could not escape making a decision about Jesus in the end.
Easter week confronts each of us with the same decision. Will we gratefully receive him as our innocent substitute, the only one who can repair our relationship with God? Or will we walk away from Jesus, to continue living on our own terms? It’s a decision we all have to make.
Pilate could not escape a decision about what to do with Jesus. He did not ask to make a decision. He did not want to make a decision. He tried desperately to get out of the decision. It seems pretty clear that he is not happy with his final decision. Matthew tells us he tried to wash his hands of all guilt in the decision before the crowd in a bowl of water (Matt 27:24).
But with all that, Pilate could not escape making a decision about Jesus in the end.
Easter week confronts each of us with the same decision. Will we gratefully receive him as our innocent substitute, the only one who can repair our relationship with God? Or will we walk away from Jesus, to continue living on our own terms? It’s a decision we all have to make.
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Article by Eric Smith
Senior Pastor, Sharon Baptist Church
Senior Pastor, Sharon Baptist Church
Posted in Luke 23, Substitute, Pilate, Barabbas, Judgment, Reconciliation, Crucifixion, cross, Good Friday, Holy Week, Decision
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