Bible Again

When Pilate delivered Jesus to be scourged and tortured, his aim was to arouse pity in the multitude. He hoped this would be enough of a punishment. Even the vileness of the priests, he thought, will now be satisfied. But by their keen penetration, the Jews perceived that Pilate was trying to spare the life of the prisoner and were determined not to let Jesus be freed. “To satisfy us, Pilate scourged Him,” they thought, “and should we persist to the end, we will surely prevail”.
Behold, Pilate sends officers to bring Barabbas. He puts the two prisoners side by side and – pointing to the Savior – he raises his voice in a serious petition: “Behold the man!” “Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.”
There stood the Son of God, dressed in a purple garment of mockery and wearing a crown of thorns. On his back, there were the long, cruel marks from which gushed blood. His face was covered in blood and wore the signs of utter weariness and pain, but it had never been more lovely. The countenance of Christ did not show the least sign of bitterness towards his enemies. Every feature of his expressed goodness, submission, and tenderest pity to his cruel torturers. In his attitude could be seen not cowardly weakness but the strength of dignity and long-suffering. In marked contrast stood the other prisoner beside him. Every feature of Barabbas’ countenance spoke of him as a hardened criminal. The contrast spoke to everyone present. Some who witnessed the scene were in tears. Looking unto Jesus, their hearts were filled with compassion. Even the priests and rulers were convinced that he was truly the One he claimed he was.
Not all the Roman soldiers who stood around Jesus were cruel; some were anxiously searching His face for even one evidence that He was a malefactor and of a cruel character. From time to time, they turned back and cast a look of abhorrence at Barabbas. No great penetration was needed to read his character. Then they turned again to the One who was being interrogated. They looked at the Divine Sufferer with deep pity. The silent submission of Christ impressed the scene upon their minds – a scene that was never to be erased, until they should acknowledge Him as Christ, or decide their own fate by rejecting Him.
Pilate was filled with amazement at the great patience of the Savior. He did not doubt that the appearance of this man, in contrast with that of Barabbas, would arouse the pity of the Jews. But he did not understand the bigoted hatred of the priests against the One who, being the Light of the world, had brought to light the deception and error that they were in. They excited the mob to fierce madness and again priests, rulers, and people raised the terrifying cry: “Crucify him, crucify him.” At last, having lost all patience because of their unreasonable cruelty, Pilate cried in despair: “Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.”
The Roman governor, though he was used to scenes of cruelty, was moved by deep compassion for the suffering prisoner who – though being condemned and tortured, with a brow marred by bloody scars and a back covered in blood, – still had the demeanor of a king on his throne. But the priests declared: “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
Pilate shuddered. He did not have a right conception of Christ and His mission but he had a vague belief in God and in beings that are higher than man. A thought that had earlier passed through his mind now took a more definite shape. He asked himself whether the One who was standing before him could be a divine being, dressed in a garment of mockery and crowned with a crown of thorns.
Again he came to the judgment hall and asked Jesus: “Whence art thou?” But Jesus answered him not. The Savior had talked confidently with Pilate, explaining to him his mission as a witness for the truth. Pilate had not regarded the light. He had misused his rank as a judge by conceding to yield his principles and authority to the wishes of the mob. Jesus did not have any more light for him. Angered by his silence, Pilate said haughtily:
“Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?” John 19:10.
Jesus answered: “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.”
Thus the merciful Savior, amid His greatest anguish and sorrow, excused, as far as it was possible, the act of the Roman governor who was sending Him to be crucified. What a scene was left to be given as a witness to the world of all ages! What light it casts on the character of the One who is a judge over all the earth!
“He that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.” Christ was speaking of Caiaphas who – as a high priest – represented the Jewish nation. The Jews were acquainted with the principles that governed the Roman authorities. They had the light of prophecy that testified of Christ, his teaching, and miracles. The Jewish judges had received unmistakable evidence of the Divinity of the One whom they had condemned to death. And they shall judged according to the light they had.
The greatest guilt and the heaviest responsibility lay on those who occupied the place of leaders in the nation – the depositories of sacred trust which they meanly misused. Pilate, Herod, and the Roman soldiers were comparatively ignorant in regard to Jesus. They wanted to please the priests and rulers by giving him up to them. They did not have the light that the Jewish nation had received so abundantly. If this light had been given to the soldiers, they would not have treated Jesus as cruelly as they did.
Pilate again tried to release the Savior. “But the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend.” Thus those hypocrites made a show that they regarded the authority of Caesar. Of all the opposers to the Roman authority, the Jews were the bitterest. When they were not placed in jeopardy, they were most tyrannical in enforcing their own national and religious requirements, but when they wished to accomplish some cruel design, they would uphold the power of Caesar. To affect the destruction of Christ, they had publicly declared their allegiance to the foreign rule that was a constant object of their hatred.
“Whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.” This saying touched the weak point of Pilate. He was regarded with suspicion by the Roman government and he knew that such a report would destroy him. He knew that if he prevented the Jews from accomplishing their design, their rage would turn against him. They would not spare any means to take revenge upon him. He saw the obstinacy with which they wanted to take the life of One whom they hated with no cause.
Then Pilate sat on his judgment seat and presented Jesus again to the people, saying: “Behold your King!” Again was heard the mad cry: “Away with him, away with him, crucify him.” With a voice that was heard near and far, Pilate asked: “Shall I crucify your King?” But from blasphemous lips were these words raised: “We have no king but Caesar.”
Thus, by choosing a heathen ruler over them, the Jewish nation had turned away from theocracy. They had thrust out God as their King. From now on, they had no deliverer. They had no king but Caesar. This is how far the priests and the rulers brought the people. They bore the responsibility for this act and for the terrible results that followed. On the religious leaders laid the guilt of a national sin and a national ruin.
“When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.” Matt. 27:24.
In fear and self-condemnation, Pilate looked at the Savior. Out of the vast sea of angry faces, only his face was calm. It seemed as if gentle light shone around his head. Pilate said in his heart: “He is God.” Turning to the multitude, he declared: “I am clean of His blood. Take ye him and crucify him. But remember, ye kings and rulers, that I declare him to be a righteous man. Let him whom he declares to be his Father, judge ye and not me for the deed that was done this day.” Then he said to Jesus: “Forgive this act of mine. I cannot save you.” And after sending Jesus again to be tortured, he delivered him to be crucified.
Pilate desired to save Jesus. But he saw that he could not do this and keep his position and honor. In the prospect of losing his secular power, he preferred to sacrifice an innocent life. How many people – in order to save themselves from suffering – sacrifice their principles in the same way!? Conscience and duty point to one way, yet their self-interest points to another.
Pilate succumbed to the wishes of the mob. Instead of risking his position, he delivered Jesus to be crucified. But instead of securing his position, he came to experience the very thing he apprehended. He was deprived of his honors, he was cast down from his high position, and – terrified by remorse and suffering from bruised pride – not long after the crucifixion, he put an end to his life. In the same way, all who concede to do with evil will reap only sorrow and ruin. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.”
When Pilate declared himself to be guiltless of the blood of Jesus, Caiaphas answered with contempt: “His blood be on us, and on our children.” Matt. 27:25. These terrible words were taken up by the priests and rulers and rang from the crowd in an inhuman roar. The whole multitude answered and said: “His blood be on us, and on our children.”
The Jewish nation had made their choice. Pointing to Jesus, they had said: “Not this man but Barabbas.” Barabbas – that robber and murderer, was a representative of Satan. Christ was the representative of God. Christ was rejected and Barabbas was chosen. In this choice of theirs, they accepted the one who had been a liar and a murderer from the beginning. Their leader was Satan. As a nation, they would act according to his dictates. They would do his works. They would bear his rule. These people who had chosen Barabbas over Christ were to feel the cruelty of Barabbas throughout the ages.
Looking astonished at the Lamb of God, the Jews had cried out: “His blood be on us, and on our children.” This terrible cry was carried up to the throne of God. This sentence, uttered by them, was written in heaven. This supplication was heard. The blood of the Son of God was a continual curse upon their children and their children’s children.
This was fulfilled in a terrible way in the destruction of Jerusalem. Terribly was it revealed in the state of the Jewish people through the ages – a branch, cut off from the vine, withered, fruitless, that shall be burned.
Terribly shall this plea be fulfilled in the Great Day of Judgment. When Christ shall come to this earth again – now not a prisoner surrounded by a mob – every man shall see him. People shall see him as a heavenly King. Christ shall come in his glory, in the glory of his Father and in the glory of the holy angels – ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands upon thousands lovely and triumphant sons of God, possessing amazing beauty and glory will escort him in his way. Then he shall sit on the throne of his glory and all the nations shall be gathered before him. Then every eye shall see him and those who pierced him. Instead of the crown of thorns, he shall wear a crown of glory. Instead of the old purple mantle, he shall be dressed in a snow-white garment. On his garment and his thy shall be the name written: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”Those who scorned him and hit him with their fists shall be here. The priests and rulers shall look again at the scene in the judgment hall. Every circumstance will appear before them as if written in letters of fire. Then those who pleaded “His blood be on us, and on our children” shall receive an answer to their plea. Then all the world shall know and understand against whom and what have they fought – those poor, feeble, mortal beings. In terrible agony and fear they shall cry to the rocks and mountains: “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”