John 18:28-19:16 

Introduction 

READ JOHN 18:28-40 

In John 18 we read of two trials, each with three parts as it were –

  1. The Jewish trial
    1. Annas questioning
    2. Caiphas Interrogation
    3. Sanhedrin trial
  2. The Roman trial
    1. Pilates first questioning
    2. Herod’s examination
    3. Pilates second questioning.

The first determined Jesus guilty before being examined and charged. The second found Jesus  guiltless of all the charges against him.

We will move through the section tracking questions posed by Pontius Pilate. We will see that  Jesus answers seeking to ensure that Pilate has the correct version of things -

  • Q 1 - What is the Accusation? (The Hypocrisy of Men (Vs 28)) –
    • Read Luke 23 vs2 – Luke records that the accusations against Christ were –
      • Subverting the Nation (inciting them to rebellion Luke 23:14)
      • Opposing Roman taxes
      • Claiming to be Messiah, a king
    • John in V30 rightly records the real condition of the accusers heart i.e. He is  guilty because we Want him to be – so who needs charges?
    • If we back up a little and consider, it is quite likely that Pilate having heard of  Christ’s miracles, his teachings and he’d heard about the Triumphant entry into  Jerusalem , would have been eager to meet him.
    • Based on the circumstances the Jewish leaders probably pumped up the risk  that Jesus was to stability and that he with his followers might cause riots (Riots  were common during the Passover when Nationalistic pride ran high amongst  the Jews). They themselves feared causing a riot.
    • It would explain why a whole cohort of Roman soldiers was sent to assist in  arresting Jesus.
    • Having heard that Jesus handed himself over, Pilate obviously thought that this  was no threat to him so he loses interest in Jesus, other than maybe some  curiosity related to the stories he has heard and doesn’t want to get caught up  in this internal politics of the Jew during this period of heightened tension.
    • Roman law required that a clear accusation or charge was entered before a trial  could proceed. This would have been especially true for Pilate given that Christ  effectively handed himself over which is often an indication of innocence.
    • Based on the response we read in Luke and their response here in John 19:30,  Pilate is definitely not wishing to get involved and refers them back to their own  laws.
    • The Jewish leaders did not wish to enter into a gentile space, to lie about and  tacitly murder a man, in order to avoid becoming unclean to partake in the  Passover meal. This was not an OT law but one of the many regulations the  Pharisees had put in place. This meant that we see Pilate moving from his seat  of judgement where Jesus was and then to the outside where the Jewish  leaders were.
    • These Jewish leaders were prepared to be very scrupulous about their own  regulations, to ensure they could partake in the Passover lamb meal, but were  so callous and blind that they did not see their need to partake of the real  Passover lamb, in Christ. (Looks forward to the words from the Cross “ forgive  them for they did not know what they are doing”. – Christ care for all, even his  enemies, is demonstrated again).
    • Their response to Pilate is telling – “But we do not have a right to execute  anyone”. They had determined the outcome even without a trial.
    • V32 – Jesus needed to be “lifted up” as repeatedly stated in the OT and he  himself (John3:14) said so. The Jews would cast a man down either throw him  off a cliff or into a hollow and stone him. Only the Romans crucified. To lift  someone up for death was shameful (Deut 21:22) to the Jews so they did not do  it. The Romans needed to do the job for them.
    • It does not take much effort to consider men applying double standards. From  the Crusades, to slavery to apartheid to the way we treat people that are  different from us, whether in physical or ideas. 
  1. We don’t always get it right, and we have an Accuser (Rev 2:10) who is continually seeking to take as down, by bringing before us our failings, but in Christ, all accusations have been absorbed and accounted for through his death on the Cross, if we accept his free gift, by seeing ourselves as dead to the world and alive in him.
  • Q2 - Are you the king of the Jews? (V33) - What is it you have done? (V35)  (The Honesty and Humility of Christ)
    • In John 18:1-27 we read statements like
      • V 5 I am he, v 8 I told you, I am he, v20 I have spoken openly to the world. o At various places in the narrative going forward we see that Christ did not  appear to answer or was silent. I am reminded of Prov 26:4,5 Do not answer a  fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
    • Vs 34 Jesus answers the question with a question to Pilate and challenges him  on his statement about Jesus being a king.
      • Jesus was ensuring that Pilate had the TRUTH and that he was not being  misled and manipulated by others. Jesus wants to correct the misconception that Pilate may have held due to the lies being propagated  by the Jewish leaders.
    • Vs 36 – “My kingdom is not of this world…” – this does not mean that Christ’s  kingdom will never be on the earth as some claim. Christ will return to establish  and earthly kingdom where he will rule – but he provides the rationale and logic  why it is evident that he is not trying to set himself up some form of king for Israel, thereby opposing Rome.
    • Vs 37 – “You are a king, then!” – Pilate was probably relieved. Another religious  fanatic. The Romans (Pilate especially) and the Jews had no love lost between  them. There was a constant tension. I can imagine that Pilate picks up on how to  take a dig at the Jews – Ah! The King from some other place – Never, Never land. Truth! Hah!
    • Jesus in true humility ignores the jibe and responds with the plain truth Vs 37.
    • Humility is not about denying who we are. Christ certainly did not. It is to not  glory and lord it in our achievements, in who we are either. All that we are is  from without – Christ in us sustains and works. Notice V37 continuing - “For this  reason I was born (humanity) and for this I came into the world (Deity) WHY?  to testify to the truth” – Paul picks this up in Phil 2:5-8 “Your attitude should  be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God did not  consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing  taking on the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness. And being  found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to  death – even death on a cross”
    • V 38 - “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” _ They did not listen to him,  Certainly not the Jewish leaders who were deaf to anything except that which  progressed having him crucified by the Romans and Pilate only heard “truth” – something he was familiar with in that it was a much debated concept on that  day (AND EVEN MAYBE MORE SO TODAY – “post truth” – Oxford –denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential (important) in  shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.
    • To round off – Jesus does not respond to the question – What have you done?  Silly question, really – they had accused him and it was for them to bring the  witnesses that would testify to his actions that deserved death penalty – not his  testimony. Jesus had already stated his defence (John 18:20-23) in the fact that  he stated that what he had done was out in the open for all to see. He remained  silent in fulfilment of prophecy, since this was not a trial but a premediated  murder – except Jesus was the one always in control.
    • Juxtaposed to Jesus’ honesty was the Jewish leaders plain dishonesty and  Pilates disregard for truth. 
  1. We are easily deceived by those who tickle our ears, and we often listen AND ONLY hear  what tickles our ears. Plain hard truth and honesty, we regard as too simple or too  unrealistic. What does Pilate hear? Pilate only hears “truth” and then feels justified in  denigrating the idea with sarcasm based on his cultural presuppositions received from  others.
  2. We, like Christ must stand for truth. We have increasing number of opportunities to do so  in our culture with truth itself being question as well as declining moral and ethical  standards. Sometimes it may be to our detriment of our comfort and wellbeing. We can  trust in him that irrespective of the consequence he is still sovereign and “has our back”. But its tough!
  • Q3 – (Vs39) Shall I release the King of the Jews? (The Blindness/Hardness  of Men)
    • V40 – Give us Barabbas- (Bar Abba or Bar Abban = son of the father or Son of  the teacher – vague indication that his father may have been a Jewish leader.  Interesting thought – I wonder when we get to heaven whether we will find out  that one of the Jewish leaders had a hidden agenda?
    • The irony of releasing Barabbas versus the TRUE BAR- ABBA (Son of God)  cannot be lost here. Swop the one who was due to die for his sins (murder,  robbery, rebellion) for the one who was to die for his - Barabba’s -/(our) sins. – Echos of Joseph – what you intended for evil God used for good.
    • The thief/murderer who DID go to the cross and DID NOT replace Jesus for  crucifixion, was truly given freedom and released.
    • We see later on that when Pilate tries to appease the crowd by having Jesus  beaten and flogged that they might see a pitiful man they merely shout out  “Crucify him”.
    • The people would rather release a violent murderer and trouble maker than  Jesus. How blind can you get? We will see how even this reflects on the warped  leadership that led the nation and ruled the region. 
  1. Through this whole account we see over and over again the blindness and  hardness of man. If the Spirit does not regenerate our hearts, we will remain blind to even that which is apparent. We should be on our knees asking the Lord to open  our eyes that we might see.
  • Q4 – (19:9) “Where do you come from?” (John 19:10) “Don’t you realise I  have power either to free you or to crucify you? (The Blight of Poor  leadership)
  • The Vacillating Leader 
    • Verse – 19:1 – 6 – Pilate tries to appease the crowd by having Jesus flogged – attempting to degrade him that they would feel pity for him.
    • V2- Crown of thorns – Interesting study to see the symbolism of thorns to  represent sin (from Genesis).
    • V3 – several times John records that Jesus was struck in the face. Started with  the high priest’s official in John 18:22 and now by the soldiers. Isa 52:14 “His  appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form  beyond human likeness “John wants us to see the Christ as prophesied that we  might believe.
    • Vs 4-5 – Pilate tries to get the crowd to agree for him to release Jesus –
      1. He was the one in authority or so he claimed, why was he canvassing the  crowd? “I find no basis for a charge against him”- This admittance and the  next act were in conflict and transgressed even the Roman law processes.
      2. If someone is innocent, why have him flogged, especially the type of  flogging reserved for those sentenced to death. Flogging often killed the  person.
      3. Pilate if refers to him as “the Man!” no longer as the King of the Jews as  he did earlier.
    • V6 – When they refused his offer - “You take him and crucify him…” Pilate  taunting the Jewish leaders as he knows they do not have that authority and  didn’t even support crucifixion.
    • V7,8 – “he claimed to be the Son of God” – Pilate became even more afraid – this added to his wife’s message about a dream which she had “to have nothing  to do with that innocent man..” Matt 27:19
    • Must have had his mind in a spin given the accounts he must have heard about  Jesus and his power over the elements and even death.
    • V 9 (Where are you from?) – Pilate lived with a mixture of religious beliefs in  various gods that came to the earth from their realms. Jesus did not answer. He  had already told Pilate that he was not of this world and where he had come from.
  • Pilate allowed himself to be tossed about by the waves of the storms of life. As leaders one is called to lead i.e. give direction, have authority, make decisions, trust the Lord, take responsibility.
  • The Captured Leader 
    • V 10 Claimed authority but exhibited none – Luke 23:14 – Both he and Herod had  found no validity in the accusation against Christ and Pilate stated “Therefore I  will punish him and release him”. He did not.
    • He was a “captured leader” to use our present day terminology. He was not driven by his own thinking and the rules he was to uphold but acted based on what protected his position. The crowd were his master. He did not lead. They did.
    • V12 – Pilate knew he should set Jesus free but the crowd dissuaded him by targeting his position and possible aspirations with the Roman leaders. “You’re no friend of Ceasar”.
    • Matt 27:24 – He washes his hands and tries to abdicate from his responsibility as  the leader.
    • Pilate was ambivalent and cynical about Truth. He stood for himself. He was  slave to the voice of others to dictate what he would do irrespective of its  veracity, based on how he saw it affecting his position. He was clearly blind to  the Truth before him, in Christ. He does not show consistency or fairness with  his actions in that even though there was no truth to the accusations - the only  truth Pilate saw was the crowd threatening him, and his position. He feared they  might report him to the authorities in Rome that he had released a person who  was a threat to Rome – if he released Jesus.
    • What should a good leader strive to do -
      • Luke 4 (Isa 61/Ps 72) – Preach good news to the poor, freedom for  prisoners, sight for the blind, release the oppressed, Proclaim the year of  the Lord’s favour.
      • Prov 29:14 – “If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will  always be secure”.
      • Titus and Timothy give us a good handle on attributes for Leadership.
    • Jesus in his ministry was always very severe on the Jewish leaders as they were (whitewashed sepulchres) the ones leading the flock and doing so in ungodly ways.
    • The disciples were living, along with all of Israel in trying times. Apart from living  under the hard, callous boot of Roman rule they had to content with poor  leadership –
      • Pharisees – Annas, Caiphas – corrupt – deceiving and misleading
      • The high Priests even declared they had no king but Ceasar.
      • Pontius Pilate – weak – could not do what was right even in his own eyes.
      • Herod – a fool – just wanted to have some fun.
  1. We see here a good example of God's will standing (Isa 46:10 "I know the end from the beginning… I say: My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please")- and being done in the face of evil men seeking to thwart it. It reminds that even in when there is pain and loss, God is in control – the POWER and AUTHORITY is His - and we need not despair because we CAN trust Him.
  2. Do not let the forces of this world, the decay of society strike fear into your heart. I'll close with Eph 6:13 "Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that WHEN the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."