Mockery of a Trial
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Norman Geisler wrote, “Propeller planes all pull to the left when taking off. Pilots must literally steer to the right to make the plane go straight.” We must continually fight to keep our lives moving in the right direction!
Matthew 27:11-25 records Jesus before Governor Pilate. First, we see the pitiful conduct of one lacking principles—“The governor asked Him, saying, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ So Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you say.’” (v. 11) How did Pilate handle the situation? He made a poor attempt to redirect the anger of the people from Jesus to Barabbas. He made an even worse attempt to satisfy his own conscience by ritually washing his hands of the matter. Pilate brushed aside the convictions of his own conscience and “delivered [Jesus] to be crucified.” Many people fear the rejection of people, dread being looked down to, and cannot bear being unpopular. The praise of man is an idol to which they bow down and willingly sacrifice their soul. Second, we see the desperate wickedness of human nature—“And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.” (v. 25) The Jews were so bent on destroying Jesus that they rejected the compromise Pilate offered them. They preferred a felon (Barabbas) be set free rather than Jesus. They shouted for Jesus’ crucifixion. What had Jesus done that the Jews should hate Him so much? He wasn’t a robber. He wasn’t a murderer. He wasn’t a blasphemer of their God. He didn’t defame their prophets. They hated Him because His light exposed their darkness. They hated Jesus because He was righteous and they were so wicked, because He was holy and they were unholy—because He testified against sin, and they weren’t willing to let their sin go. We need to distrust our own heart. Even when it has been renewed by the Spirit, it is still “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jeremiah 17:9)
Sin cera, Erik
Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
