Trial John 18:28-40
Jesus is almost at his crucifixion, and he is now undergoing he last legal necessity for the Pharisees to make it happen. As with almost everything else in scripture, the Bible gives us the details of the physical event, who said what, who was there. Also, as with everything else in scripture, there are spiritual undertones and lessons being taught by these events. The readings first sentence tells us a theme we’ve seen many times, verse 28, “Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early in the morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness, they did not enter the palace…”
We again see the religious elite, those who claim to know God, those who should know what God expects, once again missing what God is doing right in front of them. These religious men didn’t understand what scripture was saying, and it’s an unfortunate picture of our modern world.
You’ve heard me say this many times; how Christians say you’re going to hell, you’re an abomination, I can’t associate with you. I’m not denying the Bible gives us what God says is wrong, but too many don’t look to Jesus words and actions, don’t study what Jesus says and does. Matthew 5:44, “I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 7:1, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Mark 7:15, “Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them.” What someone else does or thinks cannot change your standing with God. And because of this absolute truth, we are not to pass judgement on others, we are to pray for them, and we are to engage with them.
Too many people I come across are like the Pharisees, entrapped by following the rules. And too many rules of religions today are like they were in Jesus’ day, designed two-fold. One, they’re meant to make religion legalistic rather than a heart-felt life. I went to a confirmation and the parents told me all the things their daughter had to do, including memorizing all the books of the Bible in order. What does that have to do with belief and acceptance in her heart? The requirements the church imposed seemed to be man-made rules to make the church leaders feel they had something to do with her faith. They should have been looking at what the Holy Spirit was doing in her life.
The second thing religious rules are designed to do is to keep a fellowship separate from others. You’ve heard me talk of churches that say you can’t belong, you don’t really believe if you don’t do what we say, if you don’t follow our rules. I was involved in a church that demanded adult baptism before someone could join their fellowship. Why? The Bible says we should be baptized as a way to emulate Jesus’ example, to show the world the truth of our inner turn to faith and Christ. It doesn’t say it’s necessary to be baptized to belong to a fellowship, or to be saved.
The Bible says a lot of things, it also doesn’t say a lot of things. Nowhere does it record the disciples being baptized in water. If they didn’t get baptized and yet started Christ’s church, who am I to say you aren’t a Christian, you aren’t welcome if you’re not baptized. We need to really understand that religion and Christianity can be two very different things.
Something sort of related to this can be seen in Pilate. Pilate was the Roman ruling governor of Israel. He was not bound by Jewish law nor tradition. Pilate was the ultimate authority, if he said Jesus was to go free, that would have been the end. Why didn’t he? Verse 40, “They shouted back, ‘No, not him! Give us Barabbas!’” Pilate gave in to the crowd. Was he afraid? No, not afraid, perhaps a little apprehensive over an uprising by the people that would have caused him trouble in Israel as well as at home. The thing to remember is he had free choice, he was not forced, he chose against Jesus.
Pilate shows humanity that each one of us has the truth standing right in front of us. Pilate shows humanity that no one is forcing any of us to pick God or pick against God. Each person has free will. Each person is the ultimate authority over their own life. Do we choose to embrace God, or do we choose to crucify Jesus and hide him in a tomb; out of sight, out of mind?
In verse 40 we see the crowd calling for Barabbas, and it says, “Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.” Another picture of our modern world. The people saw Barabbas as someone who agreed with their pre-conceived notions. They saw him as someone who could gain them what they wanted, and they didn’t have to think about what he did and who he did it to. The people saw Jesus as someone telling them their reward was in the future, someone telling them God was aware of what they did and said, and they didn’t like it.
In today’s world people hear Christians say God is watching and judging, and they don’t like it. They don’t like it because they don’t want to admit there is something bigger than they are. They don’t like the idea of having to look at their actions. They don’t want to think about what they say, how they say it, or how they interact with others. They don’t want to admit that their life has consequences.
Many people see the newest thing online and want it now. People don’t want to believe they need God’s grace. Too many people today hear a soundbite and think “Oh that’s right.” They don’t want Jesus telling them to rethink their prejudices and fears. We are not so different from those 2000 years ago.
As I read through these verses, I found something interesting about Pilate during this trial. Verse 1, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” Verse 5, “What is it you have done?” Verse 38, “I have found no basis for a charge against him.”
Three times during Jesus’ trial before Pilate, Pilate tried to find a way out. First, by trying to have Jesus tried by the Jewish leaders because he did nothing against Rome that would require his participation. Second, trying to get Jesus to admit something therefore removing the responsibility from himself yet allowing him to appease the Jewish leaders. And third, by telling the Jewish leaders Jesus had done nothing wrong, therefore, he didn’t deserve punishment.
Three, the trinity. This is all about God and his plan. Three times Pilate tried to avoid executing Jesus, three times finding him innocent, and yet the crowd called for his crucifixion. This final trial with Pilate perfectly shows us our Lord, free from all fault, going to the cross for us. An impeccable demonstration of God’s perfect and holy plan for you and me.
Jesus is only before Pilate for a short time, but these physical moments give us spiritual truths. Included among these is the truth that many people will always look for the reward now. They will look to faith systems that allow them to act as they please with little thought about it. They will look to “religions” that encourage and reward their prejudices, and those that sanction their fears to continue, instead of looking to scriptures to alleviate their fears and evaporate their prejudices.
We are shown by these verses, how scripture exposes false teaching and illustrates for us God in all his glory, but it is us who are ultimately responsible for our own decision about accepting Christ.
This trial discloses that religion and faith, religion and Christianity are not always the same thing.
This trial gives us a living example of the warning Jesus gives us in Mark 7:8, where he talks about those who claim to be extremely religious, “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” Let’s not hold on to human traditions, let’s hold to God instead.
Last, remember God loves you so much Jesus went to the cross to complete God’s perfect plan for you. You are his beloved.
Amen