May the mumbling commence!
It’s good to be back… That’s a pun for those of you who do not know. I have spent the last nearly two months rehabilitating from lower back pain. I have a couple of bulging discs and one ruptured disc in the lumbar region of my back. AND my sciatic nerve is being pinched, which has caused discomfort in my right leg. It has been painful to sit for any length of time, so I spent my sitting time for my ministry here in Hutchinson, Kansas. Now that I have been through some physical therapy and through a series of steroid shots, I am feeling much better.
I have been missing writing these biblical reflections. The last time I blogged I was still reading in the Old Testament. I have continued reading, and now I am in the New Testament. In fact, I am reading about the trial of Jesus. I lament that I have missed reflecting on the life work of Jesus – his miracles and his teachings. To me, the teachings and miracles are just as important as the culmination of Christ’s work on earth – his death and resurrection. I hope to fill in this missing material in the next calendar year (as well as some of the beginning of the Old Testament that I did not post).
Having written all of this, let’s jump into today’s reading. I want to reflect on Pilate’s role in the trial – particularly from Matthew and John. Read some verses from chapter 27 of Matthew:
Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." (Verses 15-19)
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!"
All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"
Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. (Verses 24-26)
Pilate wanted nothing to do with Jesus. His wife had warned him not to have anything to do with this innocent man. And Pilate did nothing with Jesus – either positive or negative. Pilate was not willing to risk anything for Jesus. He had a half-hearted attempt to free Jesus when he offered them a notorious criminal as the other choice for the Passover prisoner release. That failed, so Pilate washed his hands. Jesus was handed over to be crucified. What are you and I willing to risk for Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God who died for our sins? Do we listen to the voices in our lives to do nothing for or with this Jesus? Do we benignly wash our hands of the whole affair?
Now, let’s move on to John chapter 19:
From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar."
When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.
"Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews.
But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!"
"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. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. (Verses 12-16)
Pilate, in this passage, shows his wily nature. He forces the Jewish religious leaders to publicly claim only Caesar as their king. The statement, “We have no king but Caesar,” is a rejection not only of Jesus but of Jesus’ heavenly Father. It probably proved to be a powerful bargaining chip for Pilate in later days with the Jewish religious leadership. Who do we put in place of Jesus as our Lord? It is a great question to be asking as our nation gears up for another presidential campaign in this next year.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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