(1) Overview
The word, "king" was repeated in v.3, "Hail, king of the Jews"; the image of mocking Jesus as the king v.1-3, Caesar v.12, king v.12, at the formal judgment seat Pilate said to the Jewish leader, "Look, here is your king!" v.14, and finally the high priests represent the people to reply, " we have no king except Caesar!" v.15.
Jesus was mocked as the king of the Jews, but the Jews did not want Jesus to be their king. Instead they wanted to stay under the kingship of the Roman king, Caesar. They even gave up their hope of their Messiah king, and kept their current status.
Another repeated word is Passover v.14, 13:1 (the beginning of the final speech with the disciples), and 18:28, 18:39. Jesus was the Lamb of God who will take away the sin of man 1:29. Man did not receive Him, but He died for them. That is God's grace.
(2) Difficult passage
19:10 So Pilate said, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have the authority to release you, and to crucify you?”19:11 Jesus replied, “You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
[it was given to you from above]=(PNTC) what is given to Pilate is the entire turn of events, or, more precisely, the event of the betrayal itself...Pilate’s guilt is mitigated because he takes a relatively passive role. True, Pilate remains responsible for his spineless, politically-motivated judicial decision; but he did not initiate the trial or engineer the betrayal that brought Jesus into court... But Pilate would not have had judicial authority over Jesus unless the event of the betrayal itself had been given to him from above...Therefore the one who handed Jesus over to Pilate, the one who from the human vantage point took the initiative to bring Jesus down, is guilty of the greater sin.
[it was given to you from above]=(PNTC) what is given to Pilate is the entire turn of events, or, more precisely, the event of the betrayal itself...Pilate’s guilt is mitigated because he takes a relatively passive role. True, Pilate remains responsible for his spineless, politically-motivated judicial decision; but he did not initiate the trial or engineer the betrayal that brought Jesus into court... But Pilate would not have had judicial authority over Jesus unless the event of the betrayal itself had been given to him from above...Therefore the one who handed Jesus over to Pilate, the one who from the human vantage point took the initiative to bring Jesus down, is guilty of the greater sin.
(3) Reflection: Judas was guilty of the betrayal, Satan was certainly responsible for Judas's action, Annas and Caiphas were guilty of the injustice trail. Finally, it was Pilate's turn in chapter 19 and those around the judgment seat in "the Stone pavement," were the traitors of Israel, the kingdom of priests.
Where in this whole event of the betrayal that you see yourself? Do you betray Jesus for money like Judas? Do you love your own status and do not want to lose it like the Jewish leaders? Do you fear man more than you fear God like Pilate? Or do you forget about the matter about God and His kingdom and just want to pursue comfortable lives like the common people?
Audrey
Comments