Daily Devotional Sunday 5th April 2020
by William Moody
John 19:1–9
Jesus Delivered to Be Crucified
19:1 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!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” 7 The Jews1 answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.
Footnotes
[1] 19:7
Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verses 12, 14, 31, 38 (ESV)
As we approach Easter we will consider Jesus’ death and resurrection. In this passage, Jesus’ physical suffering now begins with terrible intensity. He is flogged, which in itself could kill someone (v1). A crown of thorns is made and placed on His head along with a purple robe to mock Him (v2-3). He also then receives a beating with their fists.
Pilate hopes this will be enough to appease the religious leaders (v4-5). But all they want is death as they cry “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate hopes to pass this responsibility off to the religious leaders again (v6b), but they want nothing less than death which only the Romans lawfully could deliver (v7).
But even the accusations of the Jews were making Pilate more convinced of the truth of Christ (v7b-8). Pilate is beginning to grasp more and more the greatness of Christ. He is looking for answers but Jesus will not speak (v9).
When we are serious about the truth Jesus will be serious with us, but when we chose to play with the truth then Jesus will not play our game. Jesus is gracious to the sincere seeker but rejecting of the scornful.
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.