Trusting In The God Who Suffers (John 18:28-40)

Introduction

A. Preliminaries

Welcome back to our sermon series on The Apostles’ Creed, where we are going line-by-line through one of the earliest Christian Confessions of Faith, and understanding why each line is so important for our understanding of Christianity itself and the work of the Lord Jesus in our own lives.

So this morning, we will look at the phrase: He suffered under Pontius Pilate.

As I think I have already said, Luther divided the creed into three parts which he called articles. The first article is I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth

The second article is I believe in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord. And then the second article, the second chunk of our creed goes onto detail about the work and ministry and victory of our Lord Jesus.

So far we have heard about the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God’s Son, who is our Lord, who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary.

In this next clause of the Creed, we are introduced to another character in this story. A governor in Judea named Pontius Pilate. He is mentioned by name in all four Gospel accounts, and his activity in those accounts reveals him to be cowardly and easily swayed.

And so I wish to direct your attention to John 18:28-40

John 18:28–40 (ESV)

Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Let’s Pray:

Holy Spirit, come and illuminate the very words of God. Keep all your Words ever brightly shining before our eyes. Show us the wealth of glory that lies beneath the old, familiar stories. Teach us the meaning hidden in the songs of Zion. Raise us to the heights of aspiration reached by the wings of the prophet. Lift us to the summit of faith that is trod by the feet of the apostle. Open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of your law, and Amen.

(Based on a prayer by George Matheson)

B. Transition to Sermon

There is a question that looms over this moment in our creed. And that is

Why does Pilate get named in the Apostles’ Creed?

I mean, when we confess this Creed together, we could just say that our Lord suffered. Even that he suffered the scourging. But instead, we confess he suffered under Pontius Pilate. Why?

That’s actually the question I’m going to spend the rest of this sermon answering. Because it’s not obvious right away why this man should get a name-drop in one of the most fundamental confessions of the Christian faith, is it? I mean if you think about it for a moment, it is really odd that Pontius Pilate gets his name immortalized for the rest of of this age because we remember him every time we confess the Apostles’ Creed. He had a rather unremarkable political career, except for this matter involving the crucifixion of the Son of God.

So I want to explore in this sermon a few things this morning

I. Pilate the Man

II. Pilate, the Coward

III. Pilate, the Judge

I. Pilate the Man

Pilate was the Roman Governor given charge over Judea. He was also a Roman prefect, which means he was given charge over 500 to 1,000 Roman soldiers. And he had quite the reputation of being no friend of the Jews of Jesus’s day. In fact immediately when he arrived in Jerusalem in 26AD, he brought with him images of the emperor to put up in Jerusalem. The Jews complained, saying that putting up images of the emperor within the holy city was a violation of the second commandment, that it was idolatry. So a delegation was sent to negotiate with Pilate on the matter, and he had made arrangements on the sixth day of their negotiations to send soldiers into the midst of the Jewish delegation and kill them. Now there was no contest here. You’re talking about Roman soldiers against likely unarmed men. And when the soldiers came out, the members of the delegation responded by taking a knee and bearing their necks. Saying they would rather die than break God’s law. And Pilate relented because he didn’t want to have a revolution on his hands.

And Pilate was not especially good at his job, it would seem, from the historical accounts. He made some blunders early in his time in Judea which might explain why he was trying to handle the matter of Jesus of Nazareth so carefully, he was likely one bad decision away from getting removed from office. He did in fact eventually get removed a few years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. He was likely exiled to France and Eusebius reports that he committed suicide.

But the first reason why he gets name dropped is that the mention of Pilate’s name roots our faith in history. You don’t need a Bible to find out who Pontius Pilate is. There are a handful of Roman history accounts that mention him along with his wickedness. But whenever we confess in our creed, he suffered under Pontius Pilate, we are proclaiming that our Lord Jesus Christ was a real man who lived at a real time in a real place that was under the jurisdiction of a real governor named Pontius Pilate. This roots our faith, historically.

And the second reason why he gets mentioned in our creed is that in terms of earthly power and earthly authority, Pilate was the one who made the decision for Jesus to be crucified.

Matthew 27:21–23 (ESV)

The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

True enough, it was the decision of the Jewish crowd yelling “Crucify Him!”, but they were only shouting that because Pilate had delegated that decision to them. It was Pilate’s call to make, but he let someone else make it.

Indeed, the Gospels consistently cast Pilate as weak and easily swayed. Which is interesting. The Gospels focus on Pilate’s cowardice. Whereas the other historical accounts outside of the Bible tend to focus on his cruelty.

Which is a good lesson, I think for all of us. There is nothing so cruel as a coward with power. I recall once a political philosopher observing “If you think it’s bad when strong and even brutish men get power, just wait until you see what happens when a weak coward gets put in charge.”

Which brings us to the next point

II. Pilate, the Coward

The really chilling thing about Pilate in the Gospel accounts is that he knew he was dealing with an innocent man. Pilate didn’t have the greatest political career, but that’s not because he wasn’t shrewd. The Gospel accounts tell us that

Mark 15:9–10 (ESV)

...he answered [the crowds], saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.

Pilate had enough political sense to know what was going on. He even asks Jesus the all-important question:

Matthew 27:11 (ESV)

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.”

I love that answer from Jesus. Because the way the Pilate’s sentence is constructed in Greek, it could be a question and it could be a statement. It could be “Are you the King of the Jews?” And it could also be translated “You are the King of the Jews?”

And in reply Jesus says “Amen.” You just said it yourself, didn’t you?

This is a brilliant answer because if Jesus had simply said “Yes” that might have been enough to warrant death—claiming to be a King when there was, after all, a Caesar to be mindful of. And instead of just an outright “Yes” Jesus says “Ah well, there you go, you’ve just said so yourself, haven’t you?” In other words, “If I’m a King, I guess I’ve just found a subject in you.”

In that moment, Jesus was not allowing Pilate to do the very thing he wanted to do—to avoid any guilt or blame or trouble in this whole mess. In one triumphant reply, Jesus had made Pilate a co-conspirator in his own trial.

But John’s account also gives us a bit more of the details, making clear to us that Pilate is not a Jew, but was trying to give a judgement concerning matters of Jewish law

John 18:35–36 (ESV)

Pilate answered [Jesus], “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

And I am very pleased with the way the ESV handles the translation of that sentence, because they really got it right. I am sure you have heard this quoted as “My Kingdom if not of this world” which almost sounds like Jesus was saying his Kingdom has nothing to do with this world or that his Kingdom is not being extended over this world or taking ground in this world.

In actuality, Jesus is speaking of his kingdom’s origin, not its destination. Jesus was saying “My Kingdom did not originate here. It didn’t start with worldly ambition or come about by worldly means.” In fact this is why we pray every Sunday, and all of us should pray every day “Let your Kingdom Come, let your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus’s kingdom is not from this world, that’s why we pray for it to come, and to keep on coming, and to take over this world.

But Pilate had enough data to make the right call. In fact, we read

John 18:37–38 (ESV)

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.”

Pilate asks the question what is truth—sounding very much like our postmodern world—and with Truth staring him in the face, he retreats and does not stay for an answer.

This is a good reminder to us that often our own perceived cleverness keeps us from Christ. I do think we are meant to read a kind of comical jesting in this moment. You’re meant to hear an eye-roll when Pilate asks that question. You’re mean to hear a scoffing. “Oh, you’re going to tell me about truth are you? And just what is that exactly?”

And Pilate has barely finished his jesting, before he declare the truth--”I find no guilt in him” and still in the end sees him crucified.

What is truth? Apparently, truth is what we ignore when it is most convenient for us to do so. Truth that would expose our sin is hard to acknowledge. Everything in our flesh rages against it. When God speaks, we want to say Amen, but if we are honest, we know that when God speaks, we (like our Father Adam) want to run and hide.

We are living in times that will call us not to joke about truth, but to know truth, to speak it, to sing it, to confess it, and to gladly endure whatever consequences that confession brings.

Pilate’s example forever confronts us with this question—Do you know the truth and choose to ignore it? Are you face to face with the Truth, still dreaming up pointless and pathetic questions so you can keep hiding? This is the cause of so much unbelief in our world. We will not bow the knee to Christ because we simply have about three more pathetic questions we are trying to hide behind.

But this is not limited to the unbeliever. Many Christians are tempted to flee from answering hard questions about their life, about their idols, about their addictions, about their sin. Well what is loving my wife, really? I mean who can know, right? What does it really mean to lead my family, they don’t need me to speak up or take initiative or confront sin in the house.

What is respecting my husband, really? I bet that Greek word means something other than respect or submit. Our marriage has ascended to high and exalted place where that command really isn’t for me.

What is honoring my parents really mean? I’m sure I can still obey that command, but can ignore them or cut them out of my life.

What does it really mean to rejoice and be glad? I mean, Jesus apparently doesn’t watch the news and he doesn’t understand how bad it is out there.

We ask “What is truth?” right after Truth finishes talking. And the consequences of unbelief can be vast. Your unbelief can ruin your family. It can compromise your church. It has real consequences according to the work and influence God has given you. Which bring us to the final point.

III. Pilate, the Judge

With the eyes of Jerusalem watching, I think Pilate imagines himself king of the political chessboard as he figures out this one last move

Matthew 27:24 (ESV)

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”

Pilate’s final political chess move was to excuse himself from the game. His final move was to pretend he did not bear responsibility. His master stroke was to reveal himself to be disqualified for his office because he refused to carry out the duties of his office.

Humanly speaking, the Son of God died because a coward refused to do his job. And, according to the accounts we have, his foolishness would eventually cost him his job and indeed his life.

Now it is not lost on me that I find myself preaching on things political just two days before election day. And so if you will pardon me (and even if you won’t) I would like to offer a few thoughts concerning how Pilate’s cowardice instructs us as we act politically in our own day.

First, you must know the truth. You must confess the truth. You must live not by lies. You must not allow anyone to put lies on your lips and be made to say thing you know are not true. And when confronted with the truth, be not like Pilate who pretended not to know. Hear the Word. Receive the correction of your brothers and sisters. Have the courage to ask “Am I in sin here? Am I off base here? Have I gotten this wrong?”

And finally, know what Pilate failed to know. Know what is your job, and to it faithfully. Know the work and duty that God has given you.

So what is your duty? What is your primary duty today? Your primary duty today has nothing to do with DC or a swing state or a foreign nation. Your primary duty has to do with what’s inside your front door and outside your front door. You have relationships. Siblings. Friends. Neighbors. And you’re supposed to treat all those people a certain way, putting the work of the Lord Jesus in you on display and the Good Word and Good News of his work of cross and resurrection into those relationships. Those relationships are your bread and butter. They are what keep you grounded.

Pilate had an immediate relationship with his wife, who tried to warn him!

Matthew 27:19 (ESV)

Besides, while [Pilate] was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”

Husbands let Pilate’s example instruct you that your wife will see your big mistake before you will, and she will try to respectfully warn you. Sometimes it comes out as nagging, but sometimes not, and be not so foolish as to shrug off all he words under that banner. Pilate’s wife was ignored because he had other voices to hear and be steered around by. She has one wise word that gets ignored. It was the nagging crowds that got Pilate to do their sinful will.

And in this political season especially, I have observed inside and outside of the church something that I want to share with you. First I want to say that is that political commentary is fun. We live in an absolutely clownish world, and sometimes it is just way too much fun to point and the big stupid red clown noses and the comically gigantic clown shoes and just laugh. And there’s a time for that.

But we also need to be honest and acknowledge that you have no business drowning yourself in the work and the terror of the political, if your own household is a mess. I see so many men who want to cry all day real loudly, to everyone who will listen about how the country is on fire, and meanwhile their own house is own fire and they won’t lift a finger to put it out. It’s fun to roll your eyes and sneer when someone on the left says the latest dumb thing, but brother, does your wife roll her eyes and sneer when you say anything at all? You’ve got work to do, man. And ladies, if you do that, you need to repent of that, too. No excuses, just really earnest repentance.

But while we’re on the subject, how you talk about what’s going on in the world affects your household. Men, if you are overcome by worry and fear and stress when you watch the news, you are pouring all that worry and fear and stress onto your wife. And your kids. You’re drunk on fear and anxiety, and you’re telling all your family to drink up until they stagger, too. You are catechizing them with your anxiety and fear, and teaching them to put all their trust in princes.

I am not saying that you are called to exist on some sort of higher plain where you are unaffected by the political. That’s not reasonable. And I dare say we could all use some relief from our current inflationary insanity. I mean, I would like groceries to be cheaper. I would like to live in a place where my neighbor’s children cannot be mutilated. I would like to live in a place where the wanton murder of the unborn is not celebrated, as we stack more bloodguilt on our land. I would like the needs of citizens put first in their own country. That is not an insane proposition.

But I am saying your words disciple your people. Your cynicism disciples. Your sneering disciples. Your bitterness disciples. Your fear and terror and anxiety disciple. Men can do this, and women can do this, too. Both are capable of being the engine of fear and anxiety in the home. So what kind of story are you telling? Be mindful of it.

And frankly, if your own household is crumbling, if your marriage is crumbling, if your kids are a mess, you have no business trying to suddenly be the fatherly voice of discipline in your nation. Tend to your own responsibilities first.

Men in the military understand this. Let’s say you’re a soldier in a military regiment. Not the commanding officer, but just a regular, salt of the earth, ordinary G.I. Joe, and the alarm is sounded, and the enemy is coming, what do you do? Do you run up to the war room where all the officers are and start telling them what to do? No. You report to your duty station. You show up to your responsibility. You don’t zoom out to 40,000 feet above everything to become the self-appointed general and start barking out orders. You show up to your duty station. This what is expected of every soldier. And it’s the only way that victory happens, is if we all show up to our appointed duty stations.

Well, apparently the alarm is sounding. So what’s your job? What has God told you to do? Not what job does your heart want to give you, what job has God given you? What vocation has he appointed for you? Do your job. Report to your station.

Pilate showed up for work, failed to do his job, and his name is on the lips of Christians around the world every Sunday, forever memorializing the cost of cowardice and unfaithfulness.

You cannot wash your hands of the work God has given you to do.

Conclusion: Do Not Fear

So as I wrap this up, I want us to keep in mind, that Pilate is not mentioned in the Creed for Pilate's sake. The verb in the clause is suffered. Our Lord didn’t just talk to Pontius Pilate, he suffered under Pontius Pilate.

And in this and every generation, we can have the courage to stay at our post because we worship the God who suffered for us.

The fact that our Lord suffered at the hands of wicked men, enduring all the shame even as he despised it, forever assures us that his death on the cross has not only removed our sin. It has removed our shame.

This is so important. Satan loves to keep Christians covered in their shame. He is fine with you feeling forgiven so long as you still feel ashamed. Because shame neutralizes you. All hell knows you are hardly a threat if you are buried under 2 tons of shame.

Because men covered in shame cannot fight the good fight. They will not stand up for the Truth because they are too focused on their own failure. They have a God strong enough to forgive them, but not strong enough to clean them.

Christian, your God has not only forgiven you, he has called you clean and has stood you up straight on two feet, and said to you “There is no shame left for you. I have already taken all of that too.” I not only died for you, I was humiliated. I was crushed. I endured all the suffering. I took on the mockery. I bore the anxiety and the fear in Gethsemane. You are not just forgiven. You are clean.

So stand up straight. Confess your sins. Refuse to drag your shame around. He has called you clean. So dare to live that way.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.