Jesus Before Pilate-The Man in a Pickle
Matthew 27:1-2, 11-26; John 18:28–19:22 [Read John 18:33-38]
In our last message in this series Jesus was accused of blasphemy before the Sanhedrin. This incurred the death penalty. But, because the Jews were under Roman law, they could not execute a criminal. So now the Jews bring Jesus to Pontius Pilate to be crucified. This put Pilate on the horns of a dilemma with eternal consequences:
Acts 3:13 says Pilate “was determined to let him go.”
John 19:12—“And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him.”
But Acts 4:26-28 says “the kings of the earth… were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ… both Herod, AND PONTIUS PILATE… to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.”
Pilate wanted to release Jesus. But, God determined before the world began that Jesus would be slain (Rev. 13:8). Pilate was “a man in a pickle,” caught “between a rock and a hard place.”
Pilate sought some way to be “politically correct” and remain neutral about Christ. But when it comes to Christ, neutrality is impossible.
THE PERPLEXITIES OF PILATE—Pilate asked TEN questions:
Six questions to Jesus:
- “Art thou the King of the Jews?” (Mt. 27:10; Mk. 15:2; John 18:33, 37).
- “Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?” (John 18:35).
- “Hearest thou not how many thing they witness against thee?” (Mt. 7:13; Mk. 15:4).
- “What is truth?” (John 18:38).
- “Whence art thou?” (John 19:9).
- “Speakest thou not unto me? knows thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?” (John 19:10).
One question to the priests: “What accusation bring ye against this man?” (John 18:29).
Three questions to the crowd:
- “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barbados, or Jesus which is called Christ?” (Mt. 27:17; Mk. 15:9; Luke 23:3; John 18:39). “Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you?” (Mt. 27:21)
- “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” (Mt. 27:22).
- “Why, what evil hath he done?” (Mt. 27:23; Mk. 15:14; Luke 23:22).
Four ways Pilate tried to evade making a decision regarding Christ:
I. He tried CARELESSNESS (John 18:29-31).
- Pilate ASKED, “What accusation bring ye against this man?” Priest’s ANSWER, “If he were not a malefactor, we should not have delivered him up unto you.”
- Jews ACCUSE Jesus of “Perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar” (Luke 23:1-2). This was a lie (Mt. 17:24-27; 22:21).
A. Pilate tries to give Jesus the “brush-off” — “Take ye him,and judge him according to your law” (v. 31). Pilate didn’t want to try Christ, so he told them, “You try Him.”
B. The Jews tossed Jesus right back to Pilate saying, “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.” Hypocrites! They had no qualms about stoning Stephen to death (Acts 7).
C. Pilate tries to “pass the buck” to Herod (Luke 23:6-11). Pilate probably sighed a breath of relief thinking, “I’m glad Herod was in town. Jesus is his problem now.”
1. People today try to use the same tactic by thinking Jesus is someone else’s problem. No, you must decide what you will do with Jesus. You cannot give Jesus the “brush-off.”
2. Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate. Jesus was like the proverbial “bad penny” that keeps showing up… Like a “hot potato,” Christ kept coming back to him.
II. He tried CLEVERNESS (Mt. 27:15-23).
A. The annual CUSTOM (v.15) — Being the politician he is, Pilate comes up with a plan that may get him off the hook—He would let the crowd decide Jesus’ fate using an annual custom to release a prisoner.
B. The people’s CHOICE (vs. 16-21).
Partial Sermon: CLICK HERE For Full PDF
