Jesus, thank you for suffering to save us.

Warren Brosi

April 13, 2025 (Palm Sunday)

Dominant Thought: Jesus, thank you for suffering to save us.

Objectives:

I want my listeners to understand how Pilate, the Jewish leaders, and the soldiers responded to Jesus.

I want my listeners to feel gratitude to Jesus for suffering to save us.

I want my listeners to choose to respond to Jesus as King.

“Behold, the man!” Pilate said as he presented Jesus to crowd of chief priests and officers. “Behold, the man!” or in Pilate native tongue, “Ecce homo.” “Behold, the man!” What did Pilate see in Jesus that Good Friday morning and into the afternoon? What did the accusers of Jesus, the chief priests see when the saw Jesus. What about the soldiers? Were they just following orders or did they notice anything different about Jesus that Friday afternoon.

Today, is Palm Sunday, the day we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey amid shouts of “Hosanna—Lord, save us.” Those shouts of “Honsanna!” on Sunday turned to “Crucify! Crucify!” on Friday. How? Some suggest the cries of Hosanna was from those who followed Jesus from Galilee for the Passover. And those who shouted, “Crucify!” were from the Jewish leaders who were on a mission to kill Jesus.

As we move through the first half of John 19, today, I want us to behold Jesus from three different viewpoints. I want us to look at Jesus through the eyes of Pilate, the Roman governor. Then, let’s look at Jesus through the eyes of the Jewish leaders, those who brought Jesus to Pilate. And finally, let’s look at Jesus through the eyes of the Roman soldiers, the ones who drove the nails into the hands and feet of Jesus.

First, Pilate, the Roman Governor. We can go back to the second half of John 18 where the Jewish leaders took Jesus to the palace of Pilate (John 18.28). Pilate inquires, “What charges are your bringing against this man?” (John 18.29). The Jewish leaders reply, “If he were not a criminal we would not have brought him to you” (John 18.30). Pilate wants them to take Jesus back and judge Him by their own law. But the Jewish leaders are moving for a death sentence.

Pilate then asks Jesus a series of questions: “Are you the king of the Jews?” (John 18.33). “Am I a Jew?” (John 18.35). “What is it you have done?” (John 18.35). “What is truth?” (John 18.38). Pilate seems curious about Jesus. Jesus seems to capture Pilate’s attention.

After this brief question and answer session with Jesus, Pilate comes back to the Jewish leaders, “I find no basis for a charge against him.” (John 18.38). Pilate then honors a Jewish custom of releasing one prisoner at the time of the Passover. He asks them, “Do you want me to release, ‘the king of the Jews?’” (John 18.39). The Jewish leaders shout back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Barabbas whose name means, “Son of the father,” was a bandit, robber, or a rebel. He was a bad dude.

As we move to the start of John 19, Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. We’ll come back to that part of the story, when we look at these events from the eyes of the soldiers.

Pilate tries a second time to release Jesus. In John 19.4, Pilate says, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.” Then, he brings Jesus out bloody and beaten wearing a crown of thorns and a purple robe—the color of royalty. Then, Pilate says, “Behold, the man! Ecce homo!”

What did Pilate see? What did the Jewish leaders see? What did the soldiers see?

Pilate still wants to release Jesus, but the Jewish leaders will not have it. This instills fear in Pilate. The Roman governor who was willing to shed blood. In Luke 13.1, we read about “the Galileans whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifices.” Pilate also paraded images of Caesar through the holy city of Jerusalem to remind the Jewish leaders who was in charge. And now, Pilate is afraid.

So, Pilate continues to ask Jesus another question, “Where do you come from?” (John 19.9). But now, Jesus remains quiet. So, Pilate peppers Jesus with more questions, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t your realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” (John 19.10).

This final deserved a response to Jesus. He replies, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19.11). Jesus reminds Pilate who has the ultimate power. So, friends, in days of political arguing and tensions. Remember your primary allegiance is not the the earthly rulers, but to the one who rules all the earth, God Almighty, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Then, Jesus tells Pilate, “the one who handed me over to you is guilty of the greater sin” (John 19.11).

From then on, Pilate tried to release Jesus, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting. They sought to persuade Pilate that if he let Jesus go, he would not be a friend of Caesar. Pilate may have already been on Caesar’s bad side.

The shouts of the Jewish leaders prevailed and Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified. Twice now we’ve seen the phrase “handed over”” (John 19.11, 16). It is the same word used at times to describe Judas Isacariot “betraying” Jesus.

Pilate has the last word against the Jews. He had a notice prepared for the cross of Christ that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (John 19.19). He had it written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. James S. Stewart writes, “For these were the three great world languages, each of them the servant of one dominant idea. Greek was the language of culture and knowledge; in that realm, said the inscription, Jesus was king! Latin was the language of law and government; Jesus was king there! Hebrew was the language of religion; Jesus was king there! Hence even as he hung dying, it was true that “on his head were many crowns” (Revelation 19.12)” (The Life and Teaching of Jesus Christ, p. 168).

The leaders challenged Pilate sign by saying he should have written that this man “claimed” to be the king of the Jews. Pilate finally stiffens his backbone against the leaders and says, “What I have written, I have written” (John 19.22).

As we look at Pilate, he’s an outsider, a Roman. He has earthly power given to him by the heavenly power of God Almighty. He seems curious. He has questions. He recognizes Jesus’ innocence, but not enough to let him go. And yet, he still plays a vital role in God’s plan to save the world through His one and only Son, Jesus. Can you relate to Pilate?

Second, the Jewish leaders. Sometimes they are called chief priests and officials. Other times, “the Jews.” Generally, speaking there’s a good chance the refer to the powerful Jewish leaders of the day. The Jewish leaders who were jealous and at odds with Jesus. At the end of the John 19, we’ll meet two Jewish leaders who did not consent with the group’s decision to kill Jesus. But at this time, we see this group focused on killing the son of God.

They don’t clarify the charges against Jesus when they bring Him to Pilate. They simply say, “If he were not a criminal we would not have handed him over to you” (John 18.30). They choose a violent rebel, Barabbas, to be released instead of Jesus.

When Pilate brings Jesus out to them with the words, “Behold the man!” They shout back, “Crucify! Crucify!” (John 19.6). Pilate tries to push Jesus back on them, “You take him and crucify Him. I find no basis for a charge against him” (John 19.6). The Jewish leaders answer back, “We have a law, and according to the law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God” (John 19.7).

Okay, so we need to spend some time on this charge because this charge is real. What is the law the are connecting to this charge? it could be Leviticus 24.16.

Leviticus 24:16 NIV

anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to death. The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.

In their eyes, Jesus was speaking against God by claiming to be the son of God and with the great I am statements. We can go back to John 10.33, where the Jews were ready to stone Jesus because “being a main, make yourself God.”

It’s a real charge. However, what if it is true that Jesus is the Son of God. After all, He performed miracles and fulfilled prophecies. And remember that the earliest followers of Jesus were Jews. They would have known their Old Testaments well enough to discern truth from error.

Pilate and the Jewish leaders have another exchange in John 19.12-15. Pilate tries to release Jesus. The Jewish leaders kept shouting. Think about this concept. There are good reasons for shouting. But generally, the ones shouting a court of law are escorted out. It is a breach of order and respect to be shouting. Pilate later asks, “Shall I crucify your king?” (John 19.15). The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19.15). This is a bold claim by the highest leaders of God’s people. They appear to be claiming allegiance to Caesar, alone. Christians remember who your true king is.

Isaiah 26:13 NIV

Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honor.

John wants his audience to see how Jesus is portrayed as the King of the Jews and how Jesus own people didn’t recognize or accept Him.

John 1:11 NIV

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

We saw already how the Jewish leaders challenged Pilate’s sign declaring Jesus, the King of the Jews.

Pilate, the curious seeker with questions. The Jewish leaders, the hardened antagonists with false motives.

Third, the soldiers. The soldiers almost bookend this portion of the story we are studying today. They show up in John 19.2-3 and again in John 19.16-18. They show up a little later, but we will focus on these two snapshots.

Pilate sentence Jesus to be flogged. Maybe it is a beating intended to evoke pity for Jesus. Regardless, it was painful and to teach a lesson not to mess with Rome. The soldiers then mock Jesus by twisting a crown of thorns and putting it on Jesus’ head. They clothe Jesus in a purple robe and repeated, “Hail, king of the Jews.” Then, they slapped Jesus in the face. The English Standard Version says they “struck Him with their hands” (John 19.3). In ignorance and foolishness, they mocked the Messiah, God’s Son.

Then, they took charge of Jesus in John 19.16 and crucified Jesus. Notice Jesus carried his cross. They went to the place of the skull or Golgotha.

“There they crucified Jesus” (John 19.18). The Roman statesman and orator Cicero (106 B.C-43 B.C) said about crucifixion, “Let the very mention of the cross be far removed not only from a Roman citizen’s body, but from his mind, his eyes, his ears.”

“Behold, the man.” What did the Roman soldiers see when they beat, mocked, and killed Jesus? Did they see another threat to Rome put down? Was Jesus just another would be freedom fighter? Was Jesus just another of hundreds they had nailed to crosses?

Did they see Jesus for who He was or did they ignorantly pass Him by like everyone else they had crucified?

[The following is adapated from James S. Stewart’s The Life and Teaching of Jesus, p. 162.]

Jesus as Judge. So the trail, which was no trial, ended. Pilate, the Jewish leaders, and the soldiers. Who was really on trial? Was it Jesus or those whom Jesus met that day. It is not He who has been judged by them; it is they who have been judge by Him. Face to face each of them—Pilate, the leaders, and the soldiers—stood with the the Son of man for a brief hour; and his searchlight played upon their souls, revealing their inmost nature and showing them up for all the world to see. On that dark, crowded night the real judge was Christ. And where Pilate, the Jewish leaders, and the soldiers stood that day, every soul at some stage of its life journey must stand—face to face with Jesus in the place of decision—and each soul’s verdict on the Lord of all good life is in a deep and solemn sense Christ’s verdict on itself.

So, what do you see when you behold the man? Simply a curious seeker unable to make a decision for Jesus like Pilate? Heart hardened by years of jealousy and misinformed views of who Jesus really is? Or maybe like the soldiers, you just didn’t even know who Jesus really is?

Jesus came to save people from their sins. In this story, John gives us several hints at God’s saving love. It’s in three images: thorns, skull, and middle.

Thorns. The soldiers mockingly twisted a crown of thorns to crown Jesus king of the Jews. A good Hebrew would remember the first time God talked about thorns. It’s in the curse of the ground after Adam ate the fruit.

Genesis 3:17–18 ESV

And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.

Thorns remind us of the curse and consequences of sin. In that moment of soldiers mocking, they draw our attention of Jesus, the King of the Jews wearing the curse of mankind.

Skull. Jesus was crucified at a place called, “Skull hill” or “Golgotha.” Again, John’s listeners may have thought back to that same scene in the garden when God curses the serpent.

Genesis 3:15–16 NIV

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

As Jesus hung between heaven and earth, the foot of Jesus nailed to the tree was on top of a skull or head of the serpent. Jesus was defeated his ancient enemy, the devil.

Middle. Jesus was hung on a cross or a tree in the middle of two other people. Tim Mackie drew my attention to the tree in the middle back to the garden of Eden.

Genesis 2:9 NIV

The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Could John’s readers have connected this image of Jesus, their king, dying on a tree in the middle of the garden to open back up the way to life.

Will you pray with us this week, “Jesus, thank you for suffering to save us.”

C.S. Lewis wrote an essay in 1950 entitled, "What are we to make of Jesus,” where he said, “We may note in passing that He was never regarded as a mere moral teacher. He did not produce that effect on any of the people who actually met him. He produced mainly three effects — Hatred — Terror — Adoration. There was no trace of people expressing mild approval” (quoted by Justin Taylor’s article, “Is C.S. Lewis’s liar, lord, lunatic arguement unsound,” https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/is-c-s-lewiss-liar-lord-or-lunatic-argument-unsound/).