2024_08_26 Insight Post- Kim Feld
This week’s reading- 1 Timothy 6:13, Luke 13:1, Matthew 27:15-26, Luke 23:1-25, John 18:33-40, John 19:1-22
Pilate and his wife give us an interesting view of Jesus and His crucifixion. Pilate clearly believes Jesus is innocent, and his wife also feels He’s innocent based on tormenting dreams she had (I would love to know specifics about those dreams!). And yet, Jesus is crucified. Pilate had a decision to make but chose to keep the peace by going with the crowd’s wishes versus doing what he knew was right. We know that Jesus’ crucifixion was God’s plan and was necessary for Him to take all of our sins upon Himself to make a way for us to be right with God. But does that remove the choice that Pilate had?
Have you ever had an opportunity to stand up for what you knew was right but went along with the crowd out of fear? Or maybe you went along with others to keep your relational standing or, perhaps, even your job. What was the motivation to go along?
Pilate feared an uprising from the people if he stood his ground and refused to have Jesus crucified. I wonder what the conversation was like between him and his wife afterward. Did her dreams continue? Did she continue to feel tormented? Did Pilate feel any ramifications from his decision?
Make no mistake, Pilate would have had no power over Jesus if God had not given it to him. Take a look at these verses in John 19:
10 “Why don’t you talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?”
11 Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”
Matthew 27 tells us that Pilate had a bowl of water brought out and symbolically washed his hands before the people, indicating that he was not guilty of killing Jesus. Sadly, the people responded that they and their children would take responsibility, which extends to you and me. Jesus was killed as a sacrifice for our sins.
Pilate and his wife are intriguing characters. They knew Jesus was innocent, yet Pilate followed the crowd’s will. It takes courage to go against the crowd. Is there something that God is asking you to step into courageously today?
Kim Feld
Executive Director of Education and Outreach