JOHN LESSON 50
We will begin this lesson in John 19:1.
V-1, "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him."
Scourge means to flog or whip. Even though Pilate knew in his
heart Jesus was innocent of any crime, he still punished Him to please
the people. This innocent man was being punished to please an angry
crowd.
V-2, "And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on
his head, and they put on him a purple robe,"
V-3, "And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with
their hands."
This crown of thorns would be pushed down on His head to drive
the thorns deep into his forehead. Blood would be pouring from these
wounds. Garlands or wreaths were many times put on Roman soldiers to
honor them, but this crown of thorns was a crown of scorn. Little did
they know, that this crown of thorns crowned the king of all the ages.
These Roman soldiers were cruel and heartless, striking Jesus to drive
the hurt deeper. This purple robe truly was a robe of royalty, even
though they thought it to be worthless. It was the garment of the
King of all kings.
V-4, "Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them,
Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no
fault in him."
Why is Pilate allowing all of this cruel punishment, if he
believes Jesus to be innocent? Pilate even tries to wash the guilt
from his hands.
V-5, "Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the
purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!"
Pilate is saying in this, have you no pity for this innocent man?
To look upon Him would be torture at this moment for anyone who loved
Him. The blood was streaming down His face. This Jesus who stood
before them would one day be the Judge of each of them.
V-6, "When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they
cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them,
Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him."
Notice who the loud cries came from: the chief priests and
officers of the temple. They were not satisfied with just punishment;
they were afraid of Him taking their power. They wanted Him killed.
Pilate knew they couldn't kill Jesus, but he sarc astically tells them
to do it themselves. He declared Jesus innocent of any crime.
V-7, "The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he
ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God."
These Jews would have been correct, if He had not been the Son of
God. He proved at least by a 100 ways that He was, in fact, the Son
of God. The miracles should have been enough, especially the raising
of the dead.
V-8, "When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more
afraid;"
Pilate knew Jesus was more than man. What if He is the Son of
God? Pilate down deep believes He is the Son of God.
V-9, "And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto
Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer."
Pilate, at this point, is searching for anything he can find so
that he might release Jesus. Jesus will not answer.
V-10, "Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me?
knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to
release thee?"
Pilate, I believe, truly wants to hear from Jesus' own lips who
He is. When Jesus doesn't answer, it leaves Pilate questioning
himself what to do. Then he almost pleadingly says, don't you know
that I can help you, if you would tell me of yourself? Pilate's power
is of this world. He truly can speak death or life to his subjects.
I can sense that Pilate, even here, seems to know that this Jesus who
stands before him is no mere man. If He was just a man, He would be
begging Pilate to help Him.
V-11, "Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against
me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered
me unto thee hath the greater sin."
Notice that Jesus does not back down from Pilate. Jesus reminds
Pilate that God was actually the one who arranged for Pilate to be the
ruler here at this time. Jesus adds to this that these religious
people (who should know better from the Scriptures) have committed a
greater sin. I personally believe these priests knew that this was
Messiah, but they did not want to give up their authority in the
church. At any rate, they should be more quilty, because they are
sinning in full knowledge. Pilate was not a religious man and did not
have the books of the law.
V-12, "And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but
the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not
Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against
Caesar."
Pilate was thoroughly convinced that Jesus was telling the truth.
Pilate wanted to release Him, especially since his wife had dreamed
that Jesus was, indeed, who He said He was. These Jews were clever
and knew where Pilate's weakness was. Pilate w as afraid that Caesar
might hear of this and kill him. At the best, Caesar would probably
have demoted him. He was like so many today who are more afraid what
the world will do than what God will do. Many people miss being
saved, because they are afraid how they might look to their friends.
Pilate did not want to be thought of as against Caesar.
V-13, "When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus
forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the
Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha."
Here we see, Pilate choosing the world over God. Gabbatha is the
Roman tribunal. Pilate will try just one more time to get these Jews
to accept Jesus as their king.
V-14, "And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the
sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!"
Notice here, this does not say it was the sixth hour, it says
about, which could have been even an hour earlier. Jesus was the
Passover Lamb. Pilate tells them once more, this is your King.
V-15, "But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify
him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief
priests answered, We have no king but Caesar."
One more time I want to remind you: the ones pushing for Jesus
to be crucified were the priests of the church. They were supposed to
know the Scriptures which clearly told of the coming of Messiah.
Jesus fulfilled these Scriptures. Had they really known the
Scriptures they would have known this was Christ (the Messiah). All
of Pilate's pleading went unheeded. They (the priests) will settle
for no less than to crucify Jesus.
V-16, "Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified.
And they took Jesus, and led him away."
Not only do these priests want Jesus crucified, but they want Him
killed by a heathen ruler to make Jesus look as shameful as they could
in the eyes of the Jews. The mob has ruled again. By this time
Pilate has washed his hands of the matter, and t he Jewish leaders
have said they will take the blame. The actual crucifixion would be
done by Roman soldiers. Even though Pilate believed Jesus innocent,
he let this mob cause him to crucify the King of all the world.
V-17, "And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called
the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:"
This hill of Golgatha, or Calvary as many call it, is outside the
city wall of Jerusalem to, also, fulfill prophecy. This most cruel of
deaths was suffered for each of us individually by our precious Lord
and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The first time I saw this place of a
skull, or Golgatha, I almost could not breathe for the overwhelming
impact it had on me. A few years earlier the Lord had given me a song
about His crucifixion. I will quote it here to give the full impact
of what Jesus the Christ did for each of us.
Thank you Jesus for dying for me.
Thank you Jesus for hanging on that tree.
I know dear Jesus that it should have been me.
Thank you Jesus for dying for me.
You came from your home up in heaven above.
You came to show God's undying love.
You shed your blood to set me free.
Thank you Jesus for dying for me.
When the cares of this world seem too heavy to bear.
Just look up and see Jesus and know that He cares.
He has built us a home for eternity.
Thank you Jesus for dying for me.
When the trump of the Lord shall sound from on high,
I will go to meet my Lord in the sky.
And I will reign with Him eternally.
Thank you Jesus for dying for me.
Notes
John 50 Questions
1. When Pilate took Jesus in verse 1, what did he do to Him?
2. What does the word above mean?
3. Why did Pilate do this to Jesus?
4. What did the soldiers make the crown of?
5. What color was the robe they put on Jesus?
6. What did the soldiers call Jesus?
7. In verse 4, what judgement did Pilate make of Jesus?
8. In verse 5, what does Pilate call Jesus?
9. What is Pilate saying in this name?
10. What did the chief priests and officers cry out that they wanted
done to Jesus?
11. Why did the Jews claim that they wanted Jesus killed?
12. What effect did this have on Pilate? Verse 8
13. What question did Pilate ask Jesus that Jesus did not answer?
14. What power did Pilate tell Jesus he had?
15. In reply, Jesus tells Pilate his power comes from where?
16. Pilate wants to release Jesus, but is swayed when the Jews tell
Pilate, if he releases Jesus he is not _________________________
friend.
17. Who was Pilate more afraid of than God?
18. What is another name for the Pavement?
19. What were the Jews preparing for?
20. Who did the chief priests say was their only king?
21. What was another name for the place of a skull?
22. Where was this located?
23. Did Jesus die for us as individuals or collectively?
Notes
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