Daily Bread 2011 - John 19
Daily Bread 2011 – John 19
6 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.” 7 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.”8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” 11 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.”12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
What Does This Mean?
We continue to see the extreme irony of the story in Jesus’ trial before Pilate. Pilate is the man with the secular power, but he can find no fault in Jesus, or certainly any reason to crucify him. The Jewish leaders on the other hand, who should have known who Jesus was through the prophecies in the Old Testament, want to kill him because He claimed to be God.
Of course, they gave the presenting problem to Pilate that Jesus was claiming to be a King and Pilate needed to protect Caesar, the Roman Emperor. But the reality is the religious leaders wanted to crucify Jesus, because He claimed to be God, which in reality was exactly who He was. When Pilate questions Jesus, he gives him no answer. Pilate tries to use his power to get Jesus to answer, but Jesus reminds him the power he has been given is from God (or in other words from Jesus). But Jesus realizes Pilate hands are tied and therefore doesn’t fault Pilate as much as His betrayer.
What Does This Mean For Us?
There is a danger or trap in the Church called “legalism”. That is when the Law is used for something other than it was intended for. The Jewish leaders were legalistic in that they used the Law to twist it to meet their own needs. The Law is meant to drive us to Christ, and instead of driving them to Christ, it drove them to crucify Christ.
As we use the Law, as summarized by the Ten Commandments, we must remember that its’ primary purpose is to convict us of our sin and show us our need for a Savior. It is useless unless a person has come to faith and Christ and received the power of the Holy Spirit. Of course secular rulers can use the law in a civil sense to enforce the laws of our country, and that is what they are given the power to do. But religious leaders (pastors, teachers…) are given the Law to teach people that apart from Christ they can do nothing. When are you tempted to use the Law in a legalistic or manipulative way on others rather than its primary purpose to convict you of your need of a Savior?
God thank you for the Law it is holy and good. Help us to have a proper use of the Law, which leads people to Your Son. Send Your Spirit so that Your Law will be written on our hearts, not just stone tablets. Amen.
6 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.” 7 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.”8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” 11 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.”12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
What Does This Mean?
We continue to see the extreme irony of the story in Jesus’ trial before Pilate. Pilate is the man with the secular power, but he can find no fault in Jesus, or certainly any reason to crucify him. The Jewish leaders on the other hand, who should have known who Jesus was through the prophecies in the Old Testament, want to kill him because He claimed to be God.
Of course, they gave the presenting problem to Pilate that Jesus was claiming to be a King and Pilate needed to protect Caesar, the Roman Emperor. But the reality is the religious leaders wanted to crucify Jesus, because He claimed to be God, which in reality was exactly who He was. When Pilate questions Jesus, he gives him no answer. Pilate tries to use his power to get Jesus to answer, but Jesus reminds him the power he has been given is from God (or in other words from Jesus). But Jesus realizes Pilate hands are tied and therefore doesn’t fault Pilate as much as His betrayer.
What Does This Mean For Us?
There is a danger or trap in the Church called “legalism”. That is when the Law is used for something other than it was intended for. The Jewish leaders were legalistic in that they used the Law to twist it to meet their own needs. The Law is meant to drive us to Christ, and instead of driving them to Christ, it drove them to crucify Christ.
As we use the Law, as summarized by the Ten Commandments, we must remember that its’ primary purpose is to convict us of our sin and show us our need for a Savior. It is useless unless a person has come to faith and Christ and received the power of the Holy Spirit. Of course secular rulers can use the law in a civil sense to enforce the laws of our country, and that is what they are given the power to do. But religious leaders (pastors, teachers…) are given the Law to teach people that apart from Christ they can do nothing. When are you tempted to use the Law in a legalistic or manipulative way on others rather than its primary purpose to convict you of your need of a Savior?
God thank you for the Law it is holy and good. Help us to have a proper use of the Law, which leads people to Your Son. Send Your Spirit so that Your Law will be written on our hearts, not just stone tablets. Amen.
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