PILATE’S DILEMMA

“But Pilate answered, ‘You take Him and crucify Him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against Him.’ The Jewish leaders insisted, ‘We have a law and, according to that law He must die, because He claimed to be the Son of God.’

“When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. ‘Where do you come from?’ he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.” John 19:6b-9.

What a horrible position to be in!

Inside Pilate’s head was a raging conscience; outside the palace was a raging mob led by a persistent, insistent religious hierarchy who were beginning to show their true colours. Although they presented Him to Pilate as a rabble-rousing, trouble-making challenge to Caesar, that was not the real issue. This was a smoke screen for a religious conflict between men who felt threatened because Jesus had exposed their wicked hearts and a man who challenged them to examine the evidence, which they refused to do.

It was easier to charge Him with blasphemy and get rid of Him than to be honest enough to check out His credentials against the Scriptures to find out the truth. It was not their religion as much as it was their position and power over the people that was at stake. Jesus had made God too nice, and that did not suit them because they wanted to retain their hold over the people by their rigid insistence on obedience to their rules.

Pilate’s close encounter with Jesus had unnerved him. He was honest enough to admit that he could find no reason to charge Him with any criminal activity. Treason? Rabble-rousing? Inciting the mob to violence? Jesus didn’t even have any supporters heckling Pilate. He stood there alone and unresisting and Pilate did not know what to make of Him. Questioning Him got him nowhere. Jesus admitted to being a king, but He did not act like a typical usurper nor did He lay claim to the throne of Israel. He said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’ What was Pilate supposed to make of that?

Now he was faced with another even more frightening possibility. Two charges Pilate did not understand. He was a pagan Roman. What did he know about these Jews and their strange and complicated religion? King, but not of this world? Son of God? Pilate would rather have been a million miles away, even on another planet if that were possible, rather than have to deal with this man and His howling accusers. He was scared. Jesus was a hot potato but the buck stopped with him. He had to make a decision.

Back he went into the palace to face Jesus again. Desperate to get to the bottom of this matter, he questioned Him again. ‘Who are you? Where do you come from? Come on, Jesus, give me some answers. I’m trying my best to save your skin.’ But Jesus said nothing. It was almost as though He wanted to die. That was even more unnerving and Pilate was thoroughly shaken by his encounter with this unusual man.

What were Pilate’s options? Condemn an innocent man to death to appease a fanatical crowd and live with an accusing conscience, or release Him and risk a Jewish uprising and the inevitable bloodshed that would follow? These Jews were volatile. He knew what would happen if he insisted on releasing Jesus. They would probably lynch Him before He got beyond the palace grounds. Pilate would have to face Rome, no matter what his choice.

Pilate was a cruel and ruthless governor. He was guilty of having Galilean worshippers murdered while they were offering sacrifices at the temple (Luke 13:1). He was recalled to Rome after brutally quelling a Samaritan up rising. Tradition had it that he was exiled to Pontus and finally took his own life.

But Pilate was caught up in circumstances that were not of his own making. Can we judge him? What would you have done?

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.