Jesus delivered to be crucified

Pilate

Pilates knew deep down Jesus was an innocent man. The questioning and the back and forth between the crowd was an attempt to have Him freed.

Pilates dilemma was that He was trying to find a way to appease the crowd and his conscience. Some look at Pilate a good man for attempting to free Christ, but this is just what happens with evil minded people. The answer to Pilate was scourge a man for the sake of easing His own conscience and and in turn please an evil mob. Luke 23:16 “I will therefore punish and release him.””

These scourgings were so cruel that a lot of times people would die from them.

The stripes

This scourging is so important to our salvation

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

The healing here isn’t speaking of a physical but a spiritual healing, from sickness that infects us called sin

This scourging is the stripes you and I were meant to receive. Christ received the punishment for our sake. This not only is a physical pain but also the mental anguish He received from the father.

The crown

These soldiers twist up a crown of thorns and force it on his head. The men were even more evil than Pilate. When given on command they often took it farther.

This crown was made of thorns and briars which are as we remember from Genesis is a curse of the earth. We also see that the ram that took the sacrificial place of Isaac, just as Christ took ours had his head caught in the thicket.

This was placed on His head to ridicule and mock Him. To insinuate how ridiculous of the idea of Him being a King.

Leviticus 16:21 “And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.”

But regardless of their actions what we see is He, the innocent sin-bearer, wore the crown of thorns, that we, the guilty, might wear a crown of glory.

The robe

This robe was purple a color usually worn by kings and emperors.

Its thought this robe was on placed of Jesus by Herod and mocked.

Luke 23:11 “And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.”

Our Lord was clothed with a robe of shame and contempt, that we might be clothed with a spotless garment of righteousness, and stand in white robes before the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The shouts of “ Hail king of the Jews” , the crown, and robe where all to simply shame Him. The beating and killing wasn’t enough for them. They had to discredit Jesus and do their best to discourage anyone from even thinking of following or doing what He did.

The irony in this is, the soldiers were mocking Jesus and the Jews idea of their messiah. They were awaiting a messiah who would free them from Rome and here Roman soldiers mock them.

As humans there isn’t much worse on earth than being mocked, laughed at or ridiculed . Much less in a time of suffering and when we’re innocent. Some bear pain way easier. Here we see our example in these situations, as our Lord endures these things for our sake.

Pilate finds no fault in Him

Notice three times he finds no fault in Jesus. I have questioned Him, and found He is a harmless, weak man, who claims no kingdom of this world, not guilty of causing disturbances and is in no way deserving of death. I can see no harm in Him

Pilate had hoped that the punishment inflicted on Jesus and his questioning of Him would be enough to satisfy the Jews.

Lets note that three times “i find no fault in Him”. He who had the chief hand in crucifying Him said i find no blemish or spot in Him

Behold the Man

Behold the Man standing there. Thorns pressed in His skull, scourged beyond recognition, robe of purple, covered in blood. To a blood thirsty crowd this should have been a wonderful sight. Maybe this would please them. Maybe this is enough that they will drop it

To his comment they cried crucify Him

The chief priest led this cry and their officers followed suit. Let it be noted that the biggest persecutors of the church through out the ages has always been the ministers of religion. Bloody Mary being a prime example

We have a law. Since you will not find him guilty of breaking your laws. Hes has to die for breaking religious laws. They stated his claims but didnt tell of his works and miracles he had done

Pilates fear and power to free Jesus

Fear struck Pilates heart and caused him sin against his consceince

Pilate is use to seeing prisoners cringe before him and beg for mercy. He cannot understand Jesus silence and why he isn’t trying to argue His case.

Though he boasted of his ability to free Christ informed him, he had no authority. He was only a tool in the Fathers hand.

The Jews have a greater sin. To them was given the oracles, they’ve heard the law of God and enforce it. Pilate was acting ignorantly and under the influence of the Jews motivated by fear. The Jews delivered Jesus into His hands.

Scariest part of this verse is it points to the greatest sin being to those who have the most knowledge

The servant who knew his master’s will and did it not, was more guilty than he who knew it not.