Ironies:
(1) The Jewish leaders were concerned that contact with the Gentiles would ceremonially defile them and they could not eat the Passover meal v.28. They themselves were actually unclean and even immoral to pair up with Pilate to put Jesus to death. (see NET notes in 18:3) ...Roman soldiers must have been ordered to accompany the servants of the chief priests and Pharisees by Pilate...It is not difficult to understand why Pilate would have been willing to assist the Jewish authorities in such a way. With a huge crowd of pilgrims in Jerusalem for the Passover, the Romans would have been especially nervous about an uprising of some sort. No doubt the chief priests and Pharisees had informed Pilate that this man Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, or in the terms Pilate would understand, king of Israel.
Reflection: Are we self-righteous because we only focus on part of the Scriptures and purposely ignore the other? Are we so proud that we come to church on time, but ignore to confessing our sins before worship?
(2) Jesus' own people did not consider Him to be His own and hand Him over to the Gentiles to execute v.35. (NET) Many have seen in Pilate’s reply “I am not a Jew, am I?” the Roman contempt for the Jewish people... all Pilate affirms is that he, as a Roman, has no firsthand knowledge of Jewish custom or belief. What he knows of Jesus must have come from the Jewish authorities. They are the ones (your own people and your chief priests) who have handed Jesus over to Pilate.
Reflection: 1:11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. We are all supposed to be His own, we are God's creature. Do we receive Jesus as our Creator and Savior? On the other hand, are we kind to our own people?
(3) In the court of Pilate justice was not served and as the judge, Pilate did not know and did not care what is the truth. v.38
Reflection: Jesus came to testify the truth and His believers are the ones who cared about this truth. Do we care about the truth/the Gospel/God's words? Are we diligent to read/learn/obey God's word?
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