God writes the endings…

Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 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.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 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. (Luke 23:20–25)

While no one is innocent except Jesus, Pilate was willing to put Him to death for his own selfish gain. He didn’t want to lose his position. Such is the power of sin.

We watched a television series about a very popular police woman who rose to a top position because she was good at her job. But she was also willing to kill anyone who stood in her way. She did it in such a way that others took the blame until finally she was discovered, arrested, and charged for her evil ways.

This fiction story makes me wonder what happened to Pilate. History gives no definite story. He did govern Judea for a few more years, but used violence against Samaritans and was charged then exiled. After that, various groups created legends from regret, to suicide, to an eventual conversion with honor. Only God knows his final destiny.

The TV story ended with the police woman in a jail cell and with me relieved at justice accomplished. I could not imagine this fictional woman becoming a Christian. What does that say about loving my enemies? If this story had been real, I may have wanted her crucified, maybe forgetting or ignoring the fact that Jesus had already taken that punishment in her place. 

As hubby and I discussed it, and the sermon from Sunday about Jonah’s hate for the Ninevites, we agreed how challenging it is to pray for the Pilates of this world. At least Pilate realized that Jesus was not worthy of death. Today’s truants seem to have no idea about fair play, justice, or the daily stresses of life for ordinary people. Like the police woman in the fiction story, whoever gets in their way or opposes what they are doing is in grave danger. Some lose their jobs. Some mysteriously die or simply disappear.

When it comes down to innocence, we cannot say that any person is without guilt, at least before God. If He gave me what I deserve, I would not be here. But His love and mercy is why Jesus didn’t try to fool Pilate or the Pharisees; He spoke truth and died for the whole world, including me.  

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9–11)

Pilate did wrong to crucify the innocent Son of God, but “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:23–24)

God used this sinful decision of Pilate just as God knew He would, then raised Him from the dead — eternal life cannot die — so I (and Pilate) could be forgiven and receive that forever life.

Jesus, as Your redeemed child, being put to death by Your enemies could be the way You take me home. Fearing death is not the end, only a doorway. The Pilates of this world may win for a while in life or in fiction, but their story also has an ending. All of us, saints or stubborn rejectors, will wind up where You want us to be.

 

No matter what, His will is accomplished . . .

Without intending to, I missed Herod Agrippa I, another grandson of Herod the Great, the third ruler at the time of Christ and one whose story makes me cringe. His reign from A.D. 37–44 was cut short by his sudden and gruesome death. Before that, he murdered of James the son of Zebedee and brother of John. Then he put Peter in prison. His death is recorded as follows:

On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. (Acts 12:21–23)

This “appointed day” reminds me of the phrase “in the fullness of time” as if the writers is hinting that God had orchestrated both events — the birth of His Son and the death of this man who tried to usurp His glory. I cringe when I read this, not only because of the worms, but because of the times I have failed to give God the glory when praised by others. How sinful to receive praise that belongs to Him. How gracious of God to not strike me with the same fate.

One more political leader stands out in the story of Jesus Christ. It is the Roman procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate (A.D. 26–36). He was involved in the trial of Jesus, and even though he repeatedly declared Him not guilty, he finally condemned the Son of God to death.

(Pilate) went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” (John 18:38–19:6)

Shortly after the death of Christ, Tiberius deposed Pilate for an attack on the Samaritans and ordered him to appear before the emperor (A.D. 36). What happened to him after that is uncertain.

Again, ambivalence in leadership played a role in the story of Jesus Christ. Pilate waffled. He was afraid of upsetting the Jews and putting his position in jeopardy even though he was convinced that Jesus did not deserve to die. He reminds me of many contemporary politicians who fear their loss of position and power more than they fear doing what is unjust.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, reading about these people in authority presents instruction and warning to me, but also encouragement. I’m to stand for truth, glorify God in all things, and not be afraid of what others think or might do to me. At the same time, I’m encouraged that God uses even the foolishness of human beings to fit into His plans. Your goals are met, regardless of human flaws and failures. I trust You with the events of life, the leaders who seem to be set against You, and the results of their decisions. Your plans will be accomplished. I also trust You when I mess up. I can’t make any excuses that this is part of Your plan but I can know that my mistakes will not stop You from fulfilling your plan. Big picture or small incidents, I can rest in You.

I am as guilty as Pilate

Does it happen today? Do judges decide a person’s guilt on whether or not they would lose their place at the bench? Pilate did. May that is one reason we have laws against such motivations. However, there is much more to what he did than that.

None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:8)

Pilate was always having trouble with the Jews. Some say they had “touchy patriotism” and were quick to read offense in nothing at all, unyielding about even their smallest rights. For Pilate, the worst part was that his bosses in Rome laid it out — do not irritate those people.

Then Christ came into the scene. For Pilate, this man’s ministry could not have irritated the Jews at a worse time of the year. The city was overflowing. Multitudes came to the Passover, some say two million zealous Jews who were passionate to say the least and easily inflamed by their priests.

Pilate was in a pickle. He was ordered to avoid bloodshed and keep the peace. From his standpoint, it came down to this — let the riots happen or keep peace and set up a cross. 

The chief priest, Caiaphas, announced, “It is better for you that one man die for the people” (John 11:50), and Pilate, because of his personal dilemma, began to think that way also. Jesus was innocent, but if he set him free, far worse was bound to happen. Pilate hesitated. He was unwilling to condemn Jesus to death, but because of the Passover crowds, he could not risk his own position. He may have done it in the name of peace, but he was really protecting himself.

Martin Luther said, “Pilate took our Savior Christ to be a simple, honest, ignorant man, one perchance come out of a wilderness; a simple fellow, a hermit who knew or understood nothing of the world or of government.” 

Did Pilate really believe that? Or did he understand that Jesus was far more than a simple man? We cannot know for sure. All I know is that Caiaphas had it right; Jesus did die for the people, for their sins and mine. Pilate’s selfishness may have given the nod, but my own selfishness was there too, putting Jesus on that cross and making His sacrifice a necessary plan of God.

Yes, it was a terrible shame, but He had to die, not to keep the peace, but to bring forgiveness of sin and peace with God to all who believe in Him.

God’s plan overrides selfish decisions

Pilate is said to be one of the most pathetic figures in human history. He had a strong sense of justice and knew that the charges against Christ were faked. He could easily discern that those who accused Jesus were contradicting one another and twisting Jesus’ innocent words into something evil. He also hated the crowds. They had made a fool of him in the past, yet he also feared his own position. His job was to keep these Jewish people under control and his decision must make him look favorable to his superiors. Instead of listening to his conscience, he listened to the shouting mob. Instead of focusing on Jesus’ honest face, he turned to the accusations of a crowd that he despised and signed the order for the crucifixion of the only sinless person who ever existed.

None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:8)

As I read this verse and think of Pilate, I cannot help but think of the bigger plan. The crowds intended to destroy Jesus. Pilate intended to keep his seat of power. But God had another plan, and the plan of God overruled the plans of both. This plan was declared later, after the church was born and in the first sermon preached by Peter . . .

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:22–24)

The phrase in the middle and the affirmation at the end reveal that God not only knew what Pilate would do and the crowds would do, this was part of His plan for His only begotten Son. Jesus was crucified by human and lawless hands, but He was sent to that fate by His heavenly Father.

The Old Testament prophetically said that their Messiah would suffer. Jesus Himself repeatedly said that He would suffer and die. They were informed, but so deep were their desires for political deliverance that they missed the reality of sin and the need for a once-for-all sacrifice that would bring eternal forgiveness and eternal life. They wanted redemption from bondage to Rome, not redemption from bondage to sin.

This world today is not much different. When I first came to Christ, I wanted redemption from the pain of a marriage breakup. My personal sin was not on my radar (even though it was on His). Many people want prayer or even pray themselves when they are in trouble, but they forget God if the trouble goes away. This is temporary faith for temporary issues, not saving faith that leads to eternal life. For such, a dying Savior is pushed aside so that the living One can lift them out of their current mud.

Oddly enough, the verse that says the rulers of that age would not have crucified Christ if they had known what was really going on --- would have been in greater rebellion had they not. It was the plan of God that He should die. His death was a declaration of judgment against their sin. Had they realized that, would they have wanted to keep Him alive? If they did that, it would be like saying, “I don’t need a sacrifice for my sin; I am not seriously in trouble with God.”

Jesus died because He had to die so I could be set free from my sin, the sin that would otherwise hold me in bondage to itself and to the lies that go with it. If I ever denied sin being a bondage and a harsh taskmaster, I no longer do that. A prolonged battle against any sin convinces even skeptics that sin is like chains that will not let you go, chains that cannot be broken or loosened without divine help. I need a Savior, and so does everyone else.

Because these rulers were ignorant of Jesus’ person and mission, they crucified Him. In that ignorance, they actually fit into the will of God without realizing it. Because of their selfish and horrible decision, sinners can be set free, just as Jesus said. . .

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free . . .  (and) if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:31–36)