Author: drthomasclothier

²⁷ Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. ²⁸ And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, ²⁹ and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ³⁰ And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.” (Matthew 27:27–30 ESV)

¹⁶ And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. ¹⁷ And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. ¹⁸ And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ¹⁹ And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him.” (Mark 15:16–19 (ESV)

“Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. ² And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. ³ They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. ⁴ Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” ⁵ So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” (John 19:1–5 ESV)

In our study of the Gospel of Matthew’s record of the Passion Week of the Lord Jesus Christ, it has been necessary, and insightful, to examine all four Gospel accounts. This discipline provides us understanding of all the events and encounters which took place during those hours and days.

Pontius Pilate was a man caught between a rock and a hard place. He faced two equally dangerous or difficult choices or circumstances. On the one hand, he found no guilt in Jesus to warrant Pilate to execute Him (John 18:38). On the other hand, he faced the increasingly hostile Jewish leaders and the riotous crowd.

Pilate sought to satisfy the blood lust of the Jewish religious leaders and the crowd. Therefore, he had Jesus flogged. To be flogged (μαστιγόω; mastigoo) means to be scourged and beaten with a whip. If he could present Jesus as a helpless figure, perhaps the Jews would relent and no longer seek His death.

“Pilate appears to have flogged Jesus as a strategy to set him free (see vv. 4–6). He was hoping that the Jews would be appeased by this action and that sympathy for Jesus’ suffering would result in their desire he be released (see Luke 23:13–16). Scourging was a horribly cruel act in which the victim was stripped, tied to a post, and beaten by several torturers, i.e., soldiers who alternated when exhausted. For victims who were not Roman citizens, the preferred instrument was a short wooden handle to which several leather thongs were attached. Each leather thong had pieces of bones or metal on the end. The beatings were so savage that sometimes victims died. The body could be torn or lacerated to such an extent that muscles, veins, or bones were exposed. Such flogging often preceded execution in order to weaken and dehumanize the victim (Isa. 53:5). Apparently, however, Pilate intended this to create sympathy for Jesus,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

Additionally, the soldiers mocked and ridiculed Jesus. They placed a makeshift crown of thorns and placed it on His head. They put a reed in His right hand symbolizing a scepter, placed a scarlet or purple robe on Him befitting a king, knelt before Him and mockingly exclaimed, ““Hail, King of the Jews!” They then spit on Him and beat His head.

“This “crown” was made from the long spikes (up to 12 inches) of a date palm formed into an imitation of the radiating crowns that oriental kings wore. The long thorns would have cut deeply into Jesus’ head, adding to the pain and bleeding. purple robe. The color represented royalty. The robe probably was a military cloak flung around Jesus’ shoulders, intended to mock his claim to be King of the Jews,” states Dr. MacArthur.

Following this brutal treatment, Pilate brought Jesus before the crowd and said, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” “Behold the man!

Ecce Homo! (Behold the Man) is an 1871 painting of Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate by Antonio Ciseri. It is the artist’s depiction, one author describes, “of a moment woven into the fabric of salvation history, and into our very souls.”

See Him there, the great I Am
A crown of thorns upon His head.
The Father’s heart displayed for us
Oh God, we thank You for the cross.
Lifted up on Calvary’s hill
We cursed Your name and even still.
You bore our shame and paid the cost
Oh God, we thank You for the cross.

Behold the Lamb
The story of redemption written on His hands.
Jesus, You will reign forevermore
The victory is Yours.
We sing Your praise
Endless hallelujahs to Your holy name.
Jesus, You will reign forevermore
The victory is Yours.

Offer up this sacrifice
For every sin, our Savior died
The Lord of Life can’t be contained
Our God has risen from the grave
Our God has risen from the grave.

When the age of death is done
We’ll see Your face, bright as the sun
We’ll bow before the King of Kings
Oh God, forever we will sing.

WRITTEN BY KRISTIAN STANFILL, MELODIE MALONE, & PHIL WICKHAM

Soli deo Gloria!

³³ So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ³⁷ Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” ³⁸ Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” (John 18:33-38a ESV).

In our study of the Gospel of Matthew’s record of the Passion Week of the Lord Jesus Christ, it has been necessary, and insightful, to examine all four Gospel accounts. This discipline provides us understanding of all the events and encounters which took place during those hours and days.

With this in mind, the Apostle John’s narrative of Pontius Pilate’s second encounter with Jesus is important to examine. Therefore, we deviate from Matthew’s Gospel at this time to exclusively focus on John’s.

Pontius Pilate’s second interrogation of Jesus regarded crimes the Sanhedrin accused the Lord of conducting against Rome (Luke 23:1-2). It also included Jesus’ statement to the Roman governor about Jesus’ kingdom not being of this world. Upon hearing Jesus claim to have a kingdom not of this world, Pilate asked, “So you are a king?” Remember, Pilate was a secular man with no concept of the eternal and spiritual nature of Christ’s kingdom. Pilate wanted to know if Jesus was a king. However, his perspective of kings and kingdoms belonged to this world’s existence.

“Although the charge against Jesus, representing him as a seditionist, had not arisen in the heart of Pilate, nevertheless he cannot understand how a man can talk about his kingship, if he be not an earthly king. Pilate, therefore, wishes to know whether this prisoner is really a king,” poses Dr. William Hendriksen.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  

By answering Pilate, “You say that I am a king,” Jesus was not being evasive or noncommittal in acknowledging His kingship.

“The words, ‘You say it (namely, that I am a king),’ should not sound strange to people who so often use the very similar expression, ‘You said it!’ This, of course, means, ‘Yes, indeed; it is even as you have just now affirmed,’ ” explains Dr. Hendriksen.

Jesus also affirmed He was born a king (Matt. 2:1-2; Luke 1:30-33). Additionally, He revealed His purpose in being a king was not solely to wield authority, but also to bear witness to objective and biblical truth. This truth regarded the existence and nature of God, the existence and nature of sin, the existence and nature of deliverance from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin, and the existence and nature of the sole Savior who would provide such deliverance by grace alone through faith alone.

“He (Jesus) came, moreover, in order to give competent testimony concerning that which he had himself heard from the Father respecting man’s salvation. For the idea that Jesus came to testify to the things which he had seen and heard while in the Father’s presence see John 3:11, 32; 8:28, 38; 12:49; 14:10; 17:8. He had come, therefore, to testify to the truth with respect to man’s salvation unto the glory of God,” states Dr. Hendriksen.

Echoing His earlier statements in John 10 that those who belong to Him hear, listen and understand His voice (John 10:14-16), Jesus said, “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

“This was, of course, an implied invitation that Pilate, too, might listen! Now, everyone, whether Jew or Gentile does not matter at all—see John 1:29; 3:16, 17; 4:42; 6:33, 51; 8:12; 9:5; 10:16; 11:52; 12:32—who owes his spiritual origin to him who is the truth, is eager to listen to this voice of the truth,” explains Dr. Hendriksen.

Tragically, Pilate rejected Jesus’ invitation. He cynically responded, “What is truth?”

“When Pilate hears this remark about the truth, he shrugs his shoulders. Skeptic that he is, this subject no longer holds any interest for him. It must be borne in mind, in this connection, that many leading Romans had by this time given up all the traditional pagan beliefs with respect to the gods. O surely, the gods might exist after all, and might take revenge if one should offend them. Hence, many of these people, including those of the family of Pilate (Matt. 19:7–9; 27:19), were filled with superstitious fears; but as to any settled conviction or deeply rooted faith with respect to God or basic realities it just did not exist for them. It is in that spirit of extreme skepticism and cynicism that Pilate blurts out: “What is truth,” not realizing that the answer was standing in front of him (John 14:6),” concludes Dr. Hendriksen.

The question of truth remains crucial today. The truth of the Gospel remains true today.

Soli deo Gloria!

³³ So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ³⁷ Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” ³⁸ Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” (John 18:33-38 ESV).

In our study of the Gospel of Matthew’s record of the Passion Week of the Lord Jesus Christ, it has been necessary, and insightful, to examine all four Gospel accounts. This discipline provides us understanding of all the events and encounters which took place during those hours and days.

With this in mind, the Apostle John’s narrative of Pontius Pilate’s second encounter with Jesus is important to examine. Therefore, we deviate from Matthew’s Gospel at this time to exclusively focus on John’s.

When Herod Antipas sent Jesus back to Pilate, he reentered his headquarters and began his second interrogation of the Lord. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

It was not a simple yes or no question by Pilate. Neither would it require a simple yes or no answer by Jesus. At issue was whether Jesus was a political, earthly king or someone greater. Pilate, and Rome, would view an earthly political rival as a threat to their empire, authority and power. If Jesus was not a political king, then what kind of King was He? This is what Pilate wanted to know. The Lord’s initial response, and the dialogue which followed, revealed two significantly different worldviews. These two worldviews continue today. One’s allegiance to one or the other determines whether an individual is a believer in Jesus Christ, or not.

³⁴ Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Pilate wanted to know what practical and political crime Jesus committed warranting the Jews desire for the Roman government to execute Him.

Pilate’s response revealed his earthly perspective of Jesus’ supposed kingship. The Roman governor was a secular man with a secular mindset and thought process. Secular is defined as “attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis.” It is a worldview focused exclusively on the temporal present and not upon any spiritual or future afterlife. Secularism denies transcendent reality and intrinsic meaning. For the secularist, ultimate reality exists in what can be experienced with the physical senses. 

However, Jesus was not a secularist. How could He be? He was and is the eternal, transcendent and immanent God. He not only created the world, but sustains it by the word of His Power (Hebrews 1:1-3). With this mindset and worldview, Jesus answered, ““My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

Jesus stated His kingdom, or His rule and reign, was not a secular one of the temporal world and earthly kingdoms which come and go (Dan. 2:20-22). Three times He used the phrase “my kingdom.” If His kingdom was of this world, Jesus reasoned His disciples would fight like others who follow their earthly kings in battle. Rather, He ruled an eternal kingdom not of this temporal world or existence. He also stated this three times.

“We are dealing, therefore, with a spiritual-dominion concept. John 18:36 does not have reference to God’s dominion (hence, also the dominion of the second person of the Trinity) over all his creatures, but distinctly to Christ’s spiritual kingship in the hearts and lives of his followers,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.

“Secondly, then, the kingship of Jesus is not like an earthly kingship. It does not spring from the earth: it was not given to him by any earthly power, and it is totally different in character. Thus, for example, it does not employ earthly means. If Christ’s kingship had been earthly in origin and character, he would have had officers (“underlings”)—just like the Sanhedrin, for instance, which had its police-force, and just like Pilate, who had his Roman guards—, and these would have been fighting, so that he would not have been handed over to … here we probably expect “the Romans,” but Jesus says, “the Jews!”

“Far from trying to lead the Jews in a revolt against the Romans, Jesus considers these Jews his opponents. Have they not delivered him up to Pilate? Had Christ’s kingship been of an earthly kind, his attendants would have been fighting, under his own command, so that in Gethsemane he would not have been handed over to the Jews and their wicked Sanhedrin! But instead of ordering them to fight in his defense, he had done the exact opposite,” concludes Dr. Hendriksen.

Jesus’ biblical worldview confused the secular Roman governor. It confuses secularists today (I Cor. 1:18-25). However, it is the power of God to whom God justifies, redeems and reconciles (Rom. 1:16-17; 3:21-26).

Soli deo Gloria!   

³³ So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ³⁷ Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” ³⁸ Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” (John 18:33-38 ESV).

In our study of the Gospel of Matthew’s record of the Passion Week of the Lord Jesus Christ, it has been necessary, and insightful, to examine all four Gospel accounts. This discipline provides us understanding of all the events and encounters which took place during those hours and days.

With this in mind, the Apostle John’s narrative of Pontius Pilate’s second encounter with Jesus is important to examine. Therefore, we deviate from Matthew’s Gospel today to exclusively focus on John’s.

When Herod Antipas sent Jesus back to Pilate, he reentered his headquarters and began his second interrogation of the Lord. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

Luke 23:1-2 records the three charges the Sanhedrin brought against Jesus and before Pilate. They were (1) He perverts our nation; (2) He forbids us to pay tribute to the emperor; and (3) He says that he himself is Christ, a king. It was this regarding this third charge Pilate was most concerned. However, Pilate was no one’s fool. He knew the real reason for Jesus’ arrest; the Jewish religious leaders envy of the Lord (Matt. 27:18).

“But, of course, the governor simply could not afford to ignore such charges, not with suspicious Tiberius in the saddle at Rome! So, re-entering the residence (that is, going back to the place from which he had come when the soldiers on guard had reported to him the arrival of the Jews and of their prisoner), he now summoned Jesus—ordering his soldiers to take him out of the hands of the Jewish officers and to bring him inside—, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews” (with all the emphasis on the pronoun),” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.

“There may have been a touch of ridicule in this question, ridicule not directed at Jesus but at those who had brought such charges against such a prisoner. It is as if Pilate is saying, as he looks intently upon this prisoner: “Are you the king of the Jews? How utterly ridiculous such a charge!” But at the same time, he asked the question, and it required an answer. However, before it could be answered, it would have to be explained.”

It was not a simple yes or no question by Pilate. Neither would it require a simple yes or no answer by Jesus. At issue was whether Jesus was a political, earthly king or someone greater. Pilate, and Rome, would view an earthly political rival as a threat to their empire, authority and power. If Jesus was not a political king, then what kind of King was He? This is what Pilate wanted to know.

The Lord’s initial response, and the dialogue which followed, reveal two significantly different worldviews. These two worldviews continue today. One’s allegiance to one or the other determines whether an individual is a believer in Jesus Christ, or not.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁵ Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. ¹⁹ Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” (Matthew 27:15-19).

The historical and culture context looms large in today’s text. Unless we understand these two contexts, we will not appreciate why the Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to record this setting and scene. Ultimately, the contexts reveal a true historical event which occurred in space and time. It is fact and not fiction.

First, there was the custom of releasing a prisoner at the Feast of the Passover and Unleavened Bread. The text says, “The governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”

“Customs like this release of a prisoner varied locally. Roman law recognized two kinds of amnesty: acquittal before the trial and pardon of the condemned; this is the latter. Pilate was not required by law to cooperate, but he had severely irritated the priestly aristocracy and Jerusalemites at the beginning of his tenure and may have wished to avoid further problems,” explains commentator Craig Keener.

“Whether the reference here is to any of the great religious festivals or exclusively to the Passover is not clear, though the idea of setting a prisoner free would seem to be most appropriate in connection with Passover, the commemoration of the deliverance of the Israelites from the house of bondage. One thing is clear: Pilate at this particular moment is most willing to grant the request of the people (Mark 15:8) that, according to custom, a prisoner be released; for, as he sees it, this may be the way he can get Jesus off his hands,” states Dr. William Hendriksen.

Second, there was the Roman governor’s judgment seat. What is the significance of Pilate sitting on this seat? “Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him.”

The judgment seat (βῆμα; bema) was a judicial bench on a raised platform mounted by steps and furnished with a seat. It was used by officials in addressing a crowd.

“The association of a βῆμα with judicial procedures means that there is almost always an important component of judicial function associated with this term. Therefore in translating βῆμα, it is often best to use a phrase such as ‘a place where a judge decides’ or ‘a place where decisions are made’ or ‘a judge’s seat.’ The focus upon judgment is particularly important in those passages which refer to the judgment seat of God (Rom. 14:10) and of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10),” comments Keener.

Thirdly, there is incident of Pilate’s wife and her nightmare. She said to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”

She did not want Pilate to have anything to do with Jesus. She identified Jesus as a righteous man. She also suffered (πάσχω; pascho) or underwent an experience of a dream. Whether this dream was a vision from God, or something else entirely, is hard to determine. However, it was within the providence, or purposeful sovereignty, of God.

“Pilate was sitting on his official chair on the platform, reached by steps, in front of the praetorium. His wife Claudia Procula, or simply Procla—was that her real name?—has had a dream, a kind of nightmare. That she dreamt about Jesus is not strange. Did not everybody in Jerusalem know about Jesus, and is it not even possible that she had been awakened by the procession which, so early in the morning, had brought a prisoner to the praetorium? Besides, though neither she nor her husband were regularly living in Jerusalem, nevertheless it seems rather natural that the procurator, who already knew certain facts about the attitude of the Jewish leaders toward Jesus (see verse 18), had conveyed some of this information to her. Perhaps after the early morning disturbance she had fallen asleep again (note “this very day,” states Dr. Hendriksen.

“Was she really giving good advice to her husband? In a certain sense she certainly was doing exactly that, for by means of her message she was urging her husband not to condemn Jesus, whom she called “that righteous man.” The inclusion of this story in the Gospel of Matthew is therefore one more piece of evidence attesting the righteousness of our Lord, which makes it possible for him to be the Savior. As far as this woman’s advice was good, it can also be considered a divinely directed warning addressed to Pilate.”

Historical tradition says Pilate’s wife became a believer in Christ. The Coptic Church honors her memory. The Greek Orthodox Church includes her name in the calendar of saints. But such honors and traditions are not substantial evidence of her conversion.

All three observations reveal a historical event. The trials and subsequent crucifixion of Jesus Christ was/is not fiction.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁵ Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. ¹⁹ Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” ²⁰ Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. ²¹ The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” ²³ And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” (Matthew 27:15–23 (ESV)

⁶ Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. ⁷ And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. ⁸ And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. ⁹ And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” ¹⁰ For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. ¹² And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” ¹³ And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” ¹⁴ And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” Mark 15:6–14 (ESV)

¹⁸ But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— ¹⁹ a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. ²⁰ Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, ²¹ but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” ²² A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” ²³ But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. ²⁵ He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.” (Luke 23:18–25 (ESV)

³⁹ But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰ They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.” (John 18:39–40 (ESV)

“You stand before God as if you were Christ, because Christ stood before God as if He were you.” Charles H. Spurgeon

All four Gospels relate the exchange and release of Barabbas, a notorious criminal against Rome instead of Jesus. Pontius Pilate knew Jesus was innocent of the charges the chief priests, the elders and the people brought against Him. He knew they did so out of envy towards the Lord (Mark 15:10). He also knew Barabbas was guilty of crimes against the state. Yet, because of the pressure of the people, and political expediency, Pilate released Barabbas and condemned Jesus to death.

Barabbas experienced unexpected release and freedom, when he deserved condemnation. The Lord Jesus Christ, a sinless Savior, experienced undeserved condemnation in order to bring sinners unexpected release and freedom. The release of Barabbas illustrates the sinner’s salvation by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Theologians refer to this as the Great Exchange.

• Romans 4:24-25: “It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, ²⁵ who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
• Galatians 3:13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—
• Hebrews 9:24-28: “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. ²⁵ Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, ²⁶ for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, ²⁸ so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
• I Peter 3:18: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,”

Much like Barabbas, sinners are guilty, vile and helpless in their sins. Jesus Christ alone provides an imputed righteousness on behalf of sinners because on the cross He received an imputed sinfulness on behalf of sinners. What a Great Exchange.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹³ Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. ¹⁵ Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. ¹⁶ I will therefore punish and release him.” (Luke 23:13–16 (ESV)

As in our previous blog, our study of Jesus’ last week, culminating in His death, burial and resurrection, from the Gospel of Matthew chronologically takes us to Luke’s Gospel account. Today’s text from the beloved physician (Col. 4:14) places Jesus back before Pontius Pilate, after the Lord faced Herod Antipas (Luke 23:6-12).

After Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate (Luke 23:12), the Roman governor called to himself the chief priests, the rulers of the Jewish people and an untold number of Jewish citizens. He said, ““You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him.” The false charges the Jewish leaders leveled against Jesus are found in Luke 23:1-2.  

Pilate then said, “Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. ¹⁶ I will therefore punish and release him.” Pilate thus far displayed political savvy by not giving into the demands of the Sanhedrin to execute Jesus. However, he offered an expedient compromise. He proposed to punish Jesus, but then release Him. Presumably, Pilate hoped this would satisfy the blood lust of the Jewish leaders and the people.

“Ultimately, Pontius Pilate does not believe that Jesus wants to supplant the Caesar and destroy the Roman Empire as an Israelite king. Several factors explain why he finds no fault in Jesus (Matt. 27:11–23),” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“First, whether through outside sources or his own intuition, Pilate sees that Caiaphas and the other leaders seek Jesus’ death out of envy, not the truth (v. 18). Secondly, his wife has had a nightmare about the events transpiring (v. 19) and sees involvement in the death of Jesus as disastrous for Pilate. Finally, the response of Jesus Himself to His accusers strongly refutes their accusations. John’s gospel tells us that at one point in the trial our Savior assures Pilate that His kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36) and therefore not interested in the violent overthrow of the Caesar. Coupled with this is Jesus’ appearance before Pilate bound and beaten, which likely convinces him that the Nazarene is no real threat to the Empire.”

“When Jesus had been returned to Pilate, the latter summoned not only the members of the Sanhedrin but also the people in general, for he wished to make a public announcement. The suggestion that “he included the people because he thought that in their presence the Sanhedrin would not have the courage to insist on crucifixion” is hard to prove or disprove,” states Dr. William Hendriksen.

“In connection with the charge that Jesus was a revolutionary, Pilate declares, “I have examined him in your presence.” This would indicate that Luke has been giving us only a summary of what had taken place, for in his account we read little (at the most verse 3) about such a public examination. Even Matt. 27:11–14; Mark 15:2–5 are probably mere summaries of that which had already occurred.”

However, the Jews would not be dissuaded. They wanted Jesus executed. This led to a unique exchange. It would be one particularly parallel to our own.

Soli deo Gloria!  

⁶ When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. ⁷ And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. ⁸ When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. ⁹ So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. ¹⁰ The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. ¹¹ And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. ¹² And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.” (Luke 23:6–12 (ESV)

Our study of Jesus’ life and ministry from the Gospel of Matthew shifts today to the Gospel of Luke. This is because only Luke recorded Jesus’ appearance before Herod Antipas during the hours preceding the Lord’s crucifixion. Pontius Pilate sent Jesus to Herod to perhaps free himself of the responsibility of sentencing Jesus to death.

Who was Herod Antipas? He was one of the sons of Herod the Great; who was Rome’s appointed king over Israel at the birth of Jesus (Matt. 2:1-18). Upon Herod’s death (Matt.  1:19), Antipas was one of his successors. He became the ruler of Galilee and Perea (Luke 3:1-2). These were the northern territories where Jesus and John the Baptist carried out most of their ministries. Antipas was this ruler who beheaded John the Baptist (Matt. 14:1-12; Mark 6:17-29; Luke 3:19-20).

There are three specific times when Antipas and Jesus are mentioned together in the Gospels.

• Early in Jesus’ ministry Antipas heard of him and commented, perhaps with irony, that Jesus was John the Baptist resurrected (Mt 14:1–2; Mk 6:14–16; Lk 9:7–9). It was obvious to Antipas that Jesus’ ministry was even more remarkable than John’s, but he was reluctant to use force to bring about the meeting for fear of once more arousing the people against him. Eventually, Jesus withdrew from Antipas’s territories without the two meeting.
• Later, as Jesus became more popular, Antipas saw a potential threat to his own power and threatened to kill Jesus. Thus it was that on Jesus’ final trip to Jerusalem he was warned by some of the Pharisees that he should leave Antipas’s territories for his own safety (Lk 13:31–33). Jesus sent as answer to “that fox” that he would continue his ministry of healing and casting out demons for a little longer, and when he had finished, he would then go to Jerusalem to die. The lion and fox were often contrasted in ancient literature. The Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ, was not going to be coerced by the crafty coward, Antipas.
• The final encounter between the two occurred when Jesus was tried by Antipas in ad 33 (Lk 23:6–12). Since this event is mentioned only by Luke, some scholars consider it legendary. It must be remembered, however, that Luke’s addressee was Theophilus, probably a Roman officer, who would be especially interested in the reconciliation between Pilate and Antipas mentioned in this passage.

In spite of Herod’s efforts to interrogate Jesus, the Lord gave no answer to the king’s questions (Luke 23:9). Therefore, Herod and his soldiers mocked Jesus treating Him with contempt. They placed “splendid clothing” on the Lord and sent Him back to Pilate (Luke 23:11). The splendid clothing refers to a bright and shining apparel. Perhaps this was one of Herod’s garments, but not the robe the Roman soldiers placed on Jesus (Matt. 27:27-28). Ironically, following this incident Herod and Pilate became friends, when before they were enemies (Luke 23:12).

“Herod was probably too scared to condemn Jesus to death. His conscience had not allowed him to forget what he had done to another innocent person, John the Baptist. He was filled with haunting superstition. But also, he was probably too angry with Jesus to acquit him, for his curiosity had not been gratified,” states Dr. William Hendriksen.

“Jesus had refused to perform a miracle or even to answer any of his questions. So he and his bodyguard started to treat the manacled prisoner with contempt and ridicule. They dressed him in a brilliant robe, as if he were already an earthly king, and sent him thus arrayed back to Pilate. From the Hasmonean Palace, where Herod was probably staying, the procession returned to Pilate and the Praetorium.”

Soli deo Gloria!