SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/27/2024 7:45 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-2 “The
Animosity of the Crowd”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew
27:15-23
Message of the verses: “15 Now at the
feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one
prisoner whom they wanted. 16 At that time they were holding a notorious
prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 So when the people gathered together, 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 because of envy they had handed Him
over. 19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a
message, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last
night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him." 20 But the chief
priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put
Jesus to death. 21 But the governor 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, "Crucify Him!" 23 And he said,
"Why, what evil has He done?" But they kept shouting all the more, saying,
"Crucify Him!"
I went back and searched out a Spiritual Diary that
came from 02-05-2013 where I had quoted something from John MacArthur’s sermon,
as at that time he had not written his commentary on the gospel of Mark, and I
wanted to find out what he said about Pilate and so as I begin this SD will
quote from that earlier SD as I find it very interesting.
“Some legends grew up about the end of his life.
Really interesting ones. A little research reveals them. We know he committed
suicide, that’s history. But legend says that after he committed suicide, his
body was taken and thrown into the Tiber River, the main river that runs
through Rome. At which moment when the body hit the water, the water became so
disturbed by evil spirits, that the body was removed, taken to Vienna and
thrown into the Rhone River where there is a monument there today titled
“Pilate’s Tomb.” It’s a legend, but it’s not the end of the legend. The Rhone
apparently, according to another legend, rejected Pilate’s corpse so it was
again removed and it was thrown in the Lake in Luzon Switzerland. It was taken
out of that place because they didn’t want it and it was removed to a mountain
near Lucerne Switzerland. Some say it is in another lake called Lagodepilato in
the Sibylline Mountains in Italy. You could guess from the name of the lake,
Lagodepilato that somebody believes it was put there in that little lake, and
legend says that every Good Friday, Pilate’ body emerges from the waters and he
washes his hands.”
I
have no idea if these legends are true, but I have to say that they are
interesting to read about, showing that Pilate was probably tormented from what
he had allowed to happen to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now
back to today’s section and I will begin with a quote from John MacArthur’s
commentary to get us started looking at these verses from Matthew’s gospel.
“The
third element in this narrative that demonstrates Jesus’ perfection and
innocence was also the third phase of His political trial. The first two ended in acquittal, one by
specific declaration and the other by default.
“Had
he had the courage to do it, Pilate could have ended the trial after Jesus’
first appearance before him, and he could have ended it now. But with his own career and perhaps his life
in jeopardy, he could not directly defy the Jewish establishment without
risking a riot during the most tumultuous week of the year in Jerusalem.”
So
what we see her is that Christ is therefore standing once again before the
governor, who at this time “summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the
people, and said to them ‘You brought this man to me as one who incites the
people to rebellion and behold, having examined Him before you, I found no
guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him. No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to
us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him.’” (Luke
23:13-15).
Pilate thought that he could get out of any
responsibility of sentencing Jesus and that is why he had sent Jesus to Herod,
but now Jesus is back where Pilate must make a decision. Pilate is not convincing the Jewish leaders
to let Jesus be released because he knows in his heart that Jesus is innocence
of any charge that the Jewish leaders are bringing against Him. When “the multitude went up and began asking
[Pilate] to do as he had been accustomed to do for them” (Mark 15:8), he
remembered that at the feast of the Passover the governor was accustomed to
release for the multitude any one prisoner who they wanted.
I don’t know if anyone knows when this custom of
releasing a prisoner during the Passover celebration in Jerusalem began, but it
was in place when this sham trial for Jesus was going on and that custom was
like an act of diplomacy to reduce tension and bitterness in the subjected
nation of Israel. MacArthur states that
this custom probably began before Pilate took office, that is of releasing any
one prisoner during the Passover celebration.
Now because they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas, the
governor probably had in his mind that the common people, the ones who knew the
crimes against Barabbas would not want him released. Well as seen this did not
work out for Pilate ad the multitude demanded Jesus’ death.
In
the next SD I will begin by quoting what MacArthur has written about Barabbas.
7/27/2024 10:51 AM
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