The Revealing of Who Sentenced Jesus to Death
Bible Study Guide
(Verses 1-3) Before we reveal who sentenced Jesus to death, let’s take a look at the events that led up to His sentencing. Let’s see if the events preceding Christ’ sentence give us any clues.
The Roman soldiers who persecuted Jesus had no idea of the powers that were in play in these events. They didn’t understand what they were doing.
Every whip that tore through the skin of Jesus, the lashes that broke through muscle and hit bone, the thorns that pierced Jesus’ scalp, every spat that hit him in the face and each ridicule was what you and I deserved. We deserved nothing less than the flogging that Jesus accepted on our behalf for our sins.
But it was not God’s will. In order for the covenant of salvation to be complete, Jesus had to suffer for us so that He could do what we couldn’t. Otherwise, we could never be saved.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
(Verses 4-5) Pontius Pilate was the Governor of Judea at the time of Jesus’ sentencing and death. On this particular day, Pilate was deeply troubled. He had a man who he found no guilt in. There was also an unruly and angry crowd outside in the streets. Torn between satisfying an furious mob and sentencing an innocent man to death, Pilate was concerned.
He was hoping that the physical beating of Jesus would be enough to satisfy this blood thirsty crowd. Pilate shows the public the battered and bruised Jesus, but to no avail. The crowd was hungry for the death of Jesus. Anything short of that would not satisfy them.
The Allegorical View of the Suffering Servant
(Verses 6-7) Pilate’s attempt to calm the irate crowd failed. The chief priests encouraged the people who were gathered there to respond by calling for Jesus to be crucified.
So, who was about to sentence Jesus to death? Was it Pilate who wanted nothing to do with Jesus. Or was it the crowds of people calling for Jesus to be crucified even though they didn’t want to do it themselves?
One has to stand back and ask themselves, how could the Jewish leaders of that day call on the death of a man for which the scriptures had foretold of? The same scriptures (Old Testament) that the chief priests were not only intimately knowledgeable of but many also had memorized.
The Foretelling of the Suffering and Death of Jesus Christ
The Jewish leaders were also very familiar with the book of Isaiah. In particular, chapter 53 that spoke of this very day of Jesus’ suffering. If you have not read Isaiah 53, I highly encourage you to stop here for a moment and read it. It’s the passage about the suffering Servant. That Servant is Jesus Christ.
It was God, who foretold of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ through this passage in Isaiah’s book.
The religious Jewish leaders did what the world often does with scripture. They took an allegorical position to interpret this passage. Unfortunately for them, Isaiah, speaking from God, was describing Israel’s actual Messiah who would suffer for the sins of mankind.
Many of the Jews in that day were forbidden to even read or accept that passage for it’s literal meaning.
Just as they rejected this literal passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah, so have they on this day rejected their Messiah. They even upped the ante by calling for His death.
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—“ (John 1:11-12)
Pilate Becomes More Troubled About Sentencing Jesus to Death
(Verses 7-11) Unfortunately for Pilate, his plan didn’t work. His mind races with trying to come up with an idea to keep the crowd happy. He does not want to be the one to sentence Christ to death. So, he goes back to speak with Jesus. But Jesus is silent.
“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” (John 19:10)
Just like the Roman soldiers who had beaten Jesus, Pilate didn’t understand what he was saying. In reality, Pilate had no power except that which was given to him by God. He was no different from all the rulers and kings that God had used to accomplish His desires and achieve the purpose of His will.
It’s often times like these when the world around us appears to be spiraling out of control that we need to remind ourselves of an important truth. God is always in control. We might not always know His plan. But He’s always working His plan. The plan according to His will and for the good of those who love Him.
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?” (Romans 11:34)
Pilate Refuses to Sentence Jesus to Death
(Verses 12-13) Pilate makes one last attempt to free himself from the sentencing and death of Jesus Christ, the Messiah to the Jews.
But the crowds said something that struck a deep nerve in Pilate. It was something that would leave him no choice but to do that which he so desperately tried to avoid.
“From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” (John 19:12)
The Dragon (Satan) had finally found the words to help the crowd incite Pilate to sentence Jesus to death. The very last thing Pilate wanted to hear from the crowd was that he wasn’t a friend of Caesar. Even more so, he most certainly didn’t want people to think that he was a Roman Governor who opposed Caesar.
This would not go well for Pilate if this got out to the Roman leadership. Pilate was left with only one choice. He had to satisfy the crowd even while he knew it was wrong. He had to sentence Jesus to death on the cross.
Even the Jews understood well that they too had to recognize Caesar as the king of the land. This was part of the special arrangement with the Romans that allowed the Jews to function as they did under their religious laws.
As Pilate sets up court to bring down a sentence of death upon Christ, something unusual occurs which is only recorded in Matthew’s gospel.
“While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” (Matthew 27:19)
Did the Sentence of Jesus to Death Fulfill an Appointed Feast?
Despite the warning from his wife, Pilate knew his only choice was to satisfy the blood thirsty crowd that refused to back down. The chief priests kept prompting the crowd to intensify their protest.
(Verse 14) It was the preparation day for Passover. Why does John mention this particular detail. It’s because it aligns with and supports John’s continuing theme of Jesus’ divinity and that He is God made flesh. Only God could do what was about to be done.
Christ was sent to do what we cannot do. He came to fulfill the law given to mankind. In the law, are seven festivals (Feasts) appointed by God. These Christ would also fulfill, as they are part of God’s law.
On this particular day, Jesus is about to fulfill the Feast of Passover. Except the perfect and unblemished lamb that would be sacrificed for the sins of the world would be Jesus Christ Himself.
Thus the ultimate fulfillment of the Jewish Festival of Passover would be accomplished through Christ. But instead of sin being covered which required the sacrifice to be repeated over and over again, just as they did in the Old Testament, Christ did it once.
He did it once and for all, not to cover our sins but to cast our sins away as far as the east is to the west. There is nothing that we can do to achieve salvation that Christ has not already accomplished.
If you belong to a church that performs a weekly sacrifice for sin, one that Christ already finished once and for all, I’d recommend finding another church.
Who Really Sentenced Jesus to Death?
(Verses 15-16) When Pilate exclaimed to the Jews, “shall I crucify your king?” This presented a dilemma for the Jews. Just as Pilate didn’t want to be recognized as an opposer to Caesar, so also did the Jews not want to be recognized as someone who had a king other then Caesar.
This would be considered treason to the Romans. This would most certainly disrupt the agreement that the Jews and the Romans had between them. This forced the crowds to reply in protest, “we have no king but Caesar.”
This brings us to the beginning and the question, who sentenced Jesus to death? Was it Pilate or was it the crowds calling for Him to be crucified.
To find the answer we need not look any further than into a mirror.
We Have All Fallen Short of the Glory of God
I sentenced Jesus to death. You sentenced Jesus to death. We sentenced Jesus to death. Everyone of us going back to Adam and Eve have sentenced our Lord and Savior to His death. The wages of sin are death. Through the death of our Messiah, He carried our sins to the cross. We deserved what He got.
Pilate and the crowds were mere pawns in God’s purpose of playing out His will for mankind.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23)
Not one is without sin. We have all fallen short. Only Christ and His work on the cross can bring us back into God’s glory. So that one day we might be presented to Him by Christ, holy and righteous, washed in the shed blood of Christ. Reunited with our Creator.
I want to say this with loving kindness. Some of you may think that you’re a good person and because of that, you believe you have good standing with Christ and it’s going to be all well with you. But, you’re not a good person. You’re a broken and sinful vessel of what God meant for you.
Even Christ said the only One that is good is God. This is why we must come before Christ and humble ourselves and recognize our sinful nature and our need for Him and His redemptive covenant of salvation.
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