John 19:1-16

Intro

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In our text we see three different groups reach three different verdicts in the trial of Jesus.

The Roman, and the Jewish verdict which are simultaneously wrong and right.

Wrong as it concerns biblical justice; but entirely right when it comes to Jesus‘ fulfillment of scripture.

But John also weaves into this trial narrative the real verdict too.

Despite the humiliation and injustice of his trial, Jesus is revealed as the true King and the sacrificial Lamb of God, fulfilling God’s plan for salvation.

What is the verdict of Jesus’ Trial?

Summarize trial so far.

There is an inner and outer/public private aspect to this trial.

Mostly Pilate has already made his conclusions about Jesus, but he has yet to declare the verdict.

The Roman Verdict

as we saw last week, Pilate does not find Jesus guilty primarily because he does not see him as a king.

But then he flogs Jesus.

In our Christian influenced jurisprudence we don’t punish someone before the verdict has been declared.

but Flogging was allowed by Roman Law, especially if the person disturbed the peace, even if they are found innocent and set free.

Flogging was a way to humiliate the offender, in this case it was to show Jesus was not a king.

This was followed by a theatrical parody of a coronation (robe and crown) and bowing down in worship.

The irony of their mocking of Jesus as king by clothing him in the garb of a king and crowning him, is lost on them, but should not be lost on us. The humiliation and suffering of the cross are one of Jesus’ greatest acts as king.

The flogging was done as an attempt to appease the Jews so that they might desist in their charges against him.

When he discovers that the Jews want to kill him because he claimed to be the Son of God Pilate grows fearful.

But upon questioning him Jesus is silent.

Pilate does not deserve an answer.

Tried to use his authority to force a response.

But Jesus is in control. “You would have no authority...” v. 11

All authority is derived.

Romans 13:1 ESV

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Pilate will go down in history as the man who killed and innocent man, who turned out to be the Christ (king), and Son of God.

Cowardice and Roman Bias gives Pilate Judicial blindness so that he renders a verdict that is false, just to keep the peace.

But this will not assuage his conscience.

Pilate goes against his own conscience to convict Jesus by suppressing the truth in unrighteousness.

Because Pilate does not believe that Jesus is the Christ (king), and Son of God, he is not able to render a proper verdict.

You see faith enables one to judge rightly.

Proverbs 28:5 ESV

Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.

What can be known about God is plain (Rom. 1) but the ungodly suppress the truth.

The fear of men vs the fear of God

The Jewish Verdict

They are not satisfied with flogging they want death.

He is Guilty, and they do not believe that He is the Christ the Son of God.

But because he claims to be, he has blasphemed and so deserves death.

What makes them render a false judgment?

Aren’t their bias shaped by a biblical worldview?

They have seen the evidence in favor of Jesus in the signs, yet they still don’t believe.

And why do Jews continue, despite mountains of evidence, to reject Jesus as the messiah?

Judicial blindness has hardened them to keep them from seeing the truth and rendering a just judgment.

Proverbs 29:1 ESV

He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.

Their verdict he deserves death

Irony here too, for in forcing Pilate to chose between Jesus or Caesar, they too show they would rather have Caesar as king then Jesus. They would rather have Roman rule than Jewish.

Sin makes you irrational. But there is a certain fittingness to this confession: “We have no king but Caesar” now they finally speak the truth.

They are of the world despite the sabbaths, feasts, and sacrifices.

God is not their king Caesar is.

Not cowardice but hatred and envy clouds their judgment keeping them from seeing the truth.

Don‘t think this can’t happen to the church.

2 Thessalonians 2:11–12 ESV

Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Expository Thoughts on John, Vol. 3 Notes. John 19:1–16

“Hypocrites within the pale of the visible Church may be guilty of such monstrous acts of wickedness, as even the consciences of heathens without the Church may boggle at and protest against.”

By opposing Jesus the Jews align themselves with the world.

The Real Verdict

More then the verdict of Rome or the Jews which as we have seen is roughly equivalent linked by their common unbelief. They are the world.

John is keen for us to take away from this trial of Jesus the real verdict that Jesus is the true king, Son of Adam, and sacrificial lamb.

True King

In their parody of a coronation they show something of the depths of the Gospel.

Gods love is expressed through the suffering and death of His Son.

Isaiah 53:5 ESV

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.

Jesus as true king suffers and dies for the sake of His people.

Son of Adam

Pilate’s statement in v. 5 “Behold, the man!”

Allusion to Gen 3:22-24

Genesis 3:22–24 ESV

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Jesus is son of Adam

“On the surface Jesus was presented to “the world” as a broken individual, weakened and unable to avoid his impending death. But in reality Jesus was standing before God as the representative of the world, broken by the world’s sinful condition that he embraced willingly and without sinning himself so as to take in his body their impending death.”(Klink, Pg. 1369 )

Jesus who is innocent, receives the judgment–guilty–since “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Co 5:21).

Sacrificial Lamb

Events take place parallel to Passover.

v. 14 Jesus is delivered over to be crucified at the time when everyone is preparing the sacrifices.

John 1:29 ESV

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Ex 12 —explain Passover

The Real Verdict is Jesus is revealed to be the true king, son of Adam, and Sacrificial lamb.

Despite the humiliation and injustice of this trial Jesus reveals himself to be the fulfillment scripture.

Application

you need faith to render the right verdict concerning Jesus.

Dangerous to sin against conscience (Pilate)

Expository Thoughts on John, Vol. 3 John 19:1–16: Portrait of Christ,—Portrait of the Jews,—Portrait of Pilate

To have one conscience in private and another in public,—one rule of duty for our own souls, and another for our public actions,—to see clearly what is right before God, and yet for the sake of popularity to do wrong,—this may seem to some both right, and politic, and statesmanlike, and wise. But it is a character which no Christian man can ever regard with respect.

The fear of men can drive you to deny Christ.

Sadly when confronted with holiness, the natural man recoils in hatred.

John 3:19–21 ESV

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

The Atheist says “there is no God and I hate Him.”

The Puritan Stephen Charnock said,

The Complete Works of Stephen Charnock, Volume 1–5 Part III: Enmity against the Attributes of God in General

all apostasy begins in a neglect, yet it quickly ripens into a hatred.

How did these Jews go from loving God to killing an innocent man?

Also, we should expect the same kind of treatment, for as Jesus warned His disciples before the trial “if they hated me, they will hate you”

The truth is, based on your verdict of Jesus here, you will one day stand before Jesus and he will render a verdict concerning your eternal destiny.

He will separate those who judged falsely and saw a only man and blasphemer.

From those who looked and saw the spotless lamb of God, Son of God and Son o Man who takes away the sin of the world through his sacrificial death.

On the basis of your verdict of Jesus, Jesus will render his verdict of you.

May you be those who look at this trial and see the real verdict; may you be of those who see Jesus revealed to be the true king and the sacrificial lamb of God, fulfilling God’s plan for salvation.

Charge

Despite the humiliation and injustice of his trial, Jesus is revealed as the true King and the sacrificial Lamb of God, fulfilling God’s plan for salvation.