John 19:16b-22

Before I begin this morning, I want to thank you for your prayers! My sister, Jodi, and her husband, Ed, who has been my big brother for 50 years, arrived Wednesday to spend two nights with us. Jodi looks fabulous! Her shingles have been very mild and are healing. I’m so thankful to have this time with them both! They will leave this morning to travel to Modesto, where they will visit with Justin’s widow, Stephanie, and their four grandchildren. Please pray for protection of Jodi’s health while she is with these little ones, as her immune system is extremely compromised at this time.

This morning we come to the Crucifixion. We will stay here, at the foot of the cross, for a while, looking at all of the accounts of it, because there are so many aspects to this most important event. As we read about the Crucifixion, let’s try to grasp the full picture, imagine the surrounding crowds, and see ourselves there. In which group would we find ourselves? We’ll start with John’s version:

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.  Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).  Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 

Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS.  Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” 

Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” (John 16b-22)

On his way to Calvary (the Latin name for Golgotha), Jesus carried his own cross, at first. But we know from the other gospels that the soldiers forced Simon of Cyrene, who just happened to be passing by, to pick up the cross. The cross would have been extremely heavy, and Jesus’ back had been completely shredded by the scourging.

Jesus was placed on the cross between two thieves, and Pilate placed the sign above Jesus’ head that, while mocking, actually spoke the truth. Jesus had come to His own, and indeed was their King - whether or not they acknowledged it.

Isaiah, in the Old Testament, and Paul, in the New Testament, both tell us that the day is coming when EVERY knee will bow, and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus is LORD, that He is, indeed the King of Kings (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10). But on the day of His Crucifixion, that sign offended and angered the Jews who were there. They demanded that Pilate change the inscription, but, finally, and too late to matter, Pilate stood his ground! I think he was so miserable over his weakness as a leader and his part in this situation that he was completely done with this mob.

So, in today’s scene we witnessed the scene of this execution. We saw the soldiers, who had mocked and beaten Jesus, lead Him out of the city where they nailed Him to the Cross. There was Simon of Cyrene, the innocent bystander who happened to be in the right place at the right time. In the background, there was Pilate, who, fearing men more than God, ultimately ordered execution of this innocent man and had the sign proclaiming Jesus’ identity to be placed over his head. And finally, there were the Jews, who were infuriated by that sign - the sign which limited their “victory.”

Next time we will watch as Old Testament scriptures were fulfilled, and we will look at one final group who stood near the cross. While we are tempted to blame Pilate or the Jews for this horrible event, let’s never forget that what actually put Jesus on that cross was our own sin! I always need to personalize that! It was MY sin that nailed Him to that cross! Pilate and the Jewish mob were responsible for their part (that was their sin), but MY sin, our sin was what put Him there!  

John 19:1-16

I’m hoping you will read today’s passage in one sitting, because you don’t want to miss the power of the scene as Pilate allows the opinion of men to overcome his conscience. Although he found no blame in Jesus, he felt the need to placate the crowd. So he ordered Jesus to be flogged, to receive 39 lashes with a flagellum.

A flagellum was a short whip with braided leather straps that had small balls of iron and sharp pieces of sheep bones attached to it. It was standard practice to scourge someone who was being executed. Jesus would have been stripped and tied to a pole with his arms over his head and his backside exposed. The lacerations would have completely shredded his back, and the blood loss and intense pain would most likely have taken him to a pre-shock condition (I googled this). John’s gospel reduces this to one verse, before it describes His humiliation at the hands of the Roman soldiers:

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.  The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe  and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in the face. 

Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”  When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” 

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” (John 19:1-6)

We know from Isaiah 52:14 that Jesus was beaten beyond recognition. So Pilate brought him out before the crowds, hoping this would be enough for them. Once again, Pilate declared Jesus innocent, but the crowd was vehement in their demand for Jesus’ crucifixion. Then the Jews reveal the real reason they were so violently opposed to Jesus:

The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” (verse 7)

This freaked Pilate out! So he went back inside the palace to interrogate Jesus about His identity. Jesus refused to answer him.

“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” 

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” 

From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free... (vs.10-12a)

Pilate tried desperately to wash his hands of this matter, but he refused, in the end to stand up for righteousness, because he cared more about his power and career than he did the Truth. He made one final attempt to get out of responsibility, presenting Jesus to the crowd, but in the end he sealed his fate in infamy:

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. 

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. 

Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. (vs.15b-16)

The chief priests, though making a blatantly false claim to loyalty to Caesar in order to accomplish their ends, nevertheless revealed that they would never have Christ as their King. They, too, sealed their fate. And what we do with Jesus determines our eternal fate. At one point in His ministry, as recorded in Matthew 16:15, Jesus turned to His disciples, and He asked them the one question that we all must answer:

“But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?”  

John 18:38b-40

After interviewing Jesus and dismissing the idea of Truth, Pilate goes back to the Jewish leaders with an attempt to appease them:

With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.  But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” 

They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion. (John 18:38b-40)

Even though he saw that Jesus was innocent of any charges, Pilate wants to placate the Jewish leaders, so he hoped to put the decision of Jesus’ fate on their heads. The custom was to release a prisoner for Passover, so he offered them Barabbas. Barabbas means son of the father. He was a Jewish rebel who had been part of an attempted sedition. Luke’s account tells us that he was actually charged with murder (Luke 23:19). Pilate probably figured that they would not want an obvious criminal type released over the innocent man, Jesus.

Pilate did not get the extent of the threat Jesus posed to the world. As Courson points out, Jesus would not bring in His Kingdom with violence or insurrection. He would bring it about through the regeneration of hearts. That was not what the people expected, nor was it what they wanted. Courson writes, “The crowd wanted activity, not spirituality. They wanted insurrection, not resurrection. They wanted to do something, not be something. They wanted Barabbas.” (Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: New Testament, P. 414)

Give most people a “to do” list for getting into Heaven, and they would be happy. “Just tell me what to do! I can volunteer at a homeless shelter. I’ll visit old people in a rest home. I’ll donate money to good causes. Just tell me what to DO!” But Jesus had given only one job in response to this demand:

“The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29)

Salvation is a matter of the heart. It is not about what we do, but about what He has already done. 

Given the choice between submission to God’s plan vs. relying on our own ability to save ourselves, people seem to prefer Barabbas. We prefer taking charge like the rebellious people we are.

So Pilate, receiving no relief from his role as executioner, must try another tack. We’ll see that tomorrow.  

John 18:28-38a

I have un update on Jacob, my former student who is battling Hodgkin’s Disease. Jacob’s recent x-rays showed substantial shrinkage of the tumors in his chest after the first round of chemo. This is great news! He entered the hospital Monday for round two. Please pray that the chemo would knock out the “enemy” cells in his body. Also, pray that he would be encouraged and strengthened in his spirit and in his body.

I’m awaiting news from my sister, Jodi, today on whether or not her doctor will release her to travel out here this week. I’ll let you know! Thanks for your prayers!

This morning we will look at Jesus’ appearance before Pontius Pilate.

Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. (John 18:28)

Isn’t it amazing that the Jewish leaders were not worrying about be defiled by the murder of Jesus? They wanted to enlist the help of Pilate, but they didn’t want to be contaminated by him! It would be funny, if it weren’t so serious and if we didn’t also do the same things ourselves! We worry about how we look at church and that we get there on time, but think nothing about gossiping over donuts after the service! We may not see our inconsistencies, but others do!

So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” 

“If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” 

Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” (vs. 29-31a)

Pilate was going to be very careful with these Jews. He did not need anymore trouble with them. Jon Courson points out that Pilate was “a former slave, who through marriage and political maneuvering” became the Procurator of Jerusalem, after the Jews had appealed to Rome for a replacement for the incompetent Herod Archelaus. He had two previous problems in his dealings with the Jews and was on warning from Rome to shape up. So he tells them to take care of Jesus according to their own laws. Now, this was a problem for the Jewish leaders:

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected.  This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled. (vs.31b-32)

In 30 A.D., Rome had taken away the Jewish right to execute criminals. They needed Pilate to accomplish this. So Pilate goes back and interviews the prisoner himself:

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 

“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” 

“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” 

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. 

Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” 

“What is truth?” Pilate asked. (vs.33-38a)

When Pilate questioned Jesus, Jesus understood that Pilate did not really want any answers. Pilate’s question, “What is truth?” was a disdainful rhetorical question, not the question of a seeker. Jesus promised here that anyone seeking truth will listen to Him. And we know from Jeremiah 29:13, that all who seek Him, find God: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Had Pilate been a true seeker, Jesus would have opened his eyes to the Truth standing before him. But none of the parties there was interested in the Truth. They all had too much to lose if they had actually sought it. The Jewish leaders and Pilate were only concerned with their own power and authority over the people. They did no want Jesus messing with their comfortable lives. And isn’t that how we feel sometimes? Before coming to Christ I agonized over how my life might change if I submitted to His authority. Would it ruin my marriage? Would God send me out into the streets with tracts? Would I become one of those “Jesus freaks?” Well, yes to the last one!! I am still a Jesus freak, 36 years later!!

As much as Pilate tried to get rid of Jesus, he wasn’t finished with Him yet. Tune in tomorrow!

John 18 side trip to Mark with prayer request!

This morning I’m asking for prayer for my sweet sister, Jodi! As you know, she spent the summer going through a second round of stem cell transfusion and chemo due to the multiple myeloma. She and her husband Ed were supposed to arrive here next week for a visit, then go on to Northern California to visit with her son’s widow and her four grandchildren there. However, she left me a phone message saying she now has shingles!!! Please pray that our LORD will have mercy on her and heal her NOW! I’m just heartsick for her! She said in the message that she thinks it will only delay her by one day...Oh, Lord, please be close to her! Thank you for praying for her!

Before we move ahead in John, I wanted to take a small side trip to Mark’s account of Jesus’ appearance before the high priest and the Jewish leaders. There are some important details in here that shed light on their purpose in taking Jesus to Pontius Pilate.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.  Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. 

Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:  “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.’”  Yet even then their testimony did not agree. (Mark 14:55-59)

When evil men plot, God thwarts them! The Jewish leaders could find no evidence against him, because He was sinless! Liars breed nothing but confusion.

Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?”  But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. 

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” 

“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 

The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” 

They all condemned him as worthy of death.  Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him. (Mark 14:60-65)

When Jesus claimed that they would see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, this was a reference to a Messianic prophecy in Daniel 7:13-14.

 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed." 

The Jewish leaders knew EXACTLY what Jesus was claiming here. Thus the charge of blasphemy, and the move to kill Him. Mark records the humiliation and the beatings Jesus received then before he was bound over to Pilate. Next week we’ll look at this next step toward the Cross.  

John 18:25-27

This morning we will look at Peter’s lowest moment, when he denied Christ three times, just as Jesus had predicted. John’s gospel gives the briefest picture of the scene:

As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” 

He denied it, saying, “I am not.” 

One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?”  Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. (John 18:25-27)

John, the Apostle of love, probably knew the pain Peter felt, and did not belabor the humiliation. He chose to give more emphasis to the restoration of Peter after Jesus’ was resurrected. The other gospels, however, give more detail about how vehemently Peter denied Christ that day. Matthew’s version shows Peter’s emotional state more clearly:

Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. 

But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. 

Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 

He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” 

After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.” 

Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” 

Immediately a rooster crowed.  Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:69-75)

Luke adds one more significant detail:

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.  The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”  And he went outside and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:60-62)

Only a short time before this, Peter had rushed to Jesus’ defense swinging his sword at Malchus. Then, with as much passion, out of fear for his own safety, he denied even knowing Christ. Peter had been impulsive and sure of himself. He was positive that, even if everyone else denied Christ, he never would. (Matthew 26:33) Peter needed some humbling so that God might lift him up to become an apostle of reconciliation.

No one understands grace better than someone who has fallen and then been lifted. I’m certain that when Jesus looked straight at Peter, His eyes were filled with love and mercy, rather than condemnation. Jesus had warned Peter earlier that Satan had asked to sift him - but Jesus had assured Peter that He had prayed for him. In fact He said, “...when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32)

We are all guilty of denying Christ at some point so that we might better fit in. It might be laughing at an inappropriate joke, or going to the R-rated movie with the girlfriends, or gossiping at the water cooler with the rest of the gang. Nothing too overt, just a mild, “I don’t know Him.” At other times our behavior may scream, “I’ve never met Him!!” How sweet of the Holy Spirit at those times to convict us with a rooster’s crow and bring us up short! And even better is the look of love from Jesus, who is always praying for us when Satan tries to sift us!

Peter immediately was filled with remorse. He repented! And for a while he must have been overcome with grief, not only for the loss of Jesus, but grief deepened by his betrayal. But, hallelujah, “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) We will see later how gently Jesus restored Peter. Aren’t we so very thankful for our own restoration?? What a wonderful Savior!  

John 18:12-23

In our reading today, the “camera” of John’s gospel shifts its focus back and forth between the scene with Jesus before Annas, the former high priest and father-in-law of Caiphas the high priest at that time, and the scene with Peter, who followed Jesus from a distance.

Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him  and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.  Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people. (John 18:12-14)

The first thing that Jon Courson notes here is that what bound Jesus was not chains or ropes, but His love for us. We need to remember that Jesus was in complete control at all times. He could have called down a legion of angels at any time if He wanted to save Himself. But He didn’t come to save Himself - He came to save us! Also, how ironic is Caiphas’ statement that one man should day for the people! He had no idea!

The camera angle widens to show Peter and John coming into the scene:

Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard,  but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. (vs.15-18)

Matthew tells us that Peter followed Jesus at a distance (Matt 26:58). So, while Peter did not scatter with the rest, he was not close to Jesus at this point - which, we will see, was a problem. John, the “other disciple” mentioned here, apparently knew the high priest, so he was able to witness the events from the inside. He manages to get Peter in the courtyard. As Peter enters, a young girl questions Peter directly about his affiliation with Jesus, and Peter makes hi first denial, just as Jesus predicted. Then Peter cozies up to the fire in the courtyard and warms himself with the enemies of Jesus. Can’t you almost hear the warning beep because he’s too close?

Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 

“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.  Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” 

When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. 

“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”  Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest. (vs. 19-23)

It’s interesting that, according to Jon Courson, Jewish law had an equivalent stipulation that made it illegal to have a defendant incriminate himself, much like our Fifth Amendment. So, even at the outset, the trials of Jesus were illegally handled. In reminding the High Priest that witnesses could be called, Jesus was implying that the proceedings were illegal, which is why the official struck him across the face. Courson reminds us that his would be just the first of many blows that would disfigure him to the point that he was beyond recognition. (Isaiah 52:14)

I don’t know about you, but reading the endings of each of the gospels always makes me tense up. It’s so horrifying to me to read of His treatment at the hands of religious leaders. But we will see ourselves in these scenes. Whether an unbeliever outright rejects, scoffs at, or violently persecutes Christ, or a believer denies Him with words or actions, ALL of us placed Him on that cross. Tomorrow we will look at the mercy shown to Peter after he denies Christ for a second and third time. It will be painful - but so hopeful!