Lesson 72L Pilate Delivers Jesus to be Crucified Luke 23:13- 25

I Find No Fault in Him 23:13- 16

English Standard Version Chapter 23

13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.”

Pilate is still dealing with the small army of chief priests, rulers of the synagogue and people hanging around the area where Jesus was held. Herod Antipas has sent Jesus back to Pilate because neither ruler could find any fault in the sinless Son of God. Pilate proclaims to the group that Jesus has been presented as a sham or scam artist who is misleading the people. Pilate further says that this is not true. He could not find any of the evidence against Jesus to be something that would make Him guilty.

Pilate knows they want the death of Jesus. He is unable to find any of the charges to stick. The charges are hearsay: meaning they are rumors, unsubstantiated, and disallowed even in a Roman court. A further sticking point in the process for the readers of the 21st century is the fact that Jesus or another person to represent Him, were allowed to cross-examine those making the charges. A good attorney could have picked them apart and made them sit down.

The One who stands beside us and makes intercession for us, pleads our case, and vocally represents us in heavens court is on trial in a kangaroo-style environment on trumped up charges. There is no voice for Him and He utters not a word. The silence evidently makes the accusers seem guilty rather than the Galilean. He was not deserving of death. Pilate was willing to punish Jesus and release Him. The punishment would probably have been flogging or whipping to teach Jesus a lesson, not to upset the religious folk or they will want your head. The pressure for Pilate to do something must have been intense as these local clergy were a tough crowd: willing to kill an innocent man because they were envious of Jesus’s popularity.

Jesus is Delivered to the Crowd’s Demand 23:17- 25

King James Version Chapter 23

17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) 18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: 19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spoke again to them. 21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. 22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. 23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. 24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. 25 And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Verse 17 is not in all versions. It is like a footnote of information that let’s us know that Pilate had to do something or else. If He didn’t do a thing the whole city might come apart and his job would be in danger. The people knew this and requested(shouted him down) that Pilate release Barabbas unto them. Barabbas was a known, murderer and leader of rioting, rebellion, and insurrection. He was a terrorist. He was a bad dude. Here these people are calling for the release of a dangerous man into the custody of the crowd. It is almost unthinkable today, but it is happening. The crowd is calling for Pilate to crucify Jesus. Things are going downhill real fast. Soon the Savior will be going up the hill.

The word crucify/ crucifixion is unmistakably about no other thing than killing. It is killing a person by putting them to death on a stake. The method of putting them there changed. In the human creativity to the subject of torture, the Romans nailed people to a very large trunk of wood and left them there to die in agony over several days. Nailing a person there to bleed out was truly cruel and uncivilized but that is what happened. Some times, they would dose the people with oil or tar and set fire to the offender to use as nightlight on the roadway. When we see the word “stauron” in the Greek manuscript, we know that it means “to crucify.” In the middle ages, people were tied to stakes on top of firewood and burnt. In other words, if you go to the stake, you die.

The Pressure is On 23:23-25

Verse 23 says they were instant or urgent in their pleas for Pilate to require that he might crucify Jesus. The word used here in the Greek gives us a picture of almost harassment as they pressed against his words of finding no fault in Him. They pressed against this. They pushed. They kept up the pressure. They yelled louder and louder. All of this made him see that things could get out of control. Why are they in such a hurry to crucify Jesus? It was because they prevailed. The chief priests had gotten such a crowd on their side that they won over Pilate’s opinion. They did because they could. Then on the spot, Pilate gave the sentence as they had pressured. He delivered Jesus to their will. He released Barabbas to do whatever he wanted. Pilate did not release Barabbas to the chief priests, he was just set free.

Jesus goes Directly to the Cross 23:26- 32

King James Version Chapter 23

“26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. 28 But Jesus turning unto them said,

It is at this point another crowd factor emerges and they prevail in their support of Jesus. The soldiers grabbed Simon, a Cyrenian who was passing by. The cross was laid on Simon’s back also and in so doing, he carried the cross behind Jesus. The available crowd is now mourning and lamenting what is happening! They are weeping and grief-stricken as Jesus moves under the burden of the cross. Here Jesus turns and speaks to the multitude around them. He does single out the large presence of women; “Daughters of Jerusalem.” He is saying do not weep for Him but for yourselves and for your children! Times are going to be rough. Barren women and the lack of children will be a time to come that nobody wants. When people want the mountains and hills to kill them, we get a picture of a mess of the world.

When a person prays to be buried alive, there has to be a fear factor going on that we are not aware of. The atmosphere is changing as we read and the people are not sensing it either. Jesus gives them a prophetic warning that if this can happen when in times of green trees bearing fruit, then what will it be like when things turn dry? These are daughters are city women and not country girls who would understand this to the full, but they get the picture because they are also capable of bearing children. Some present that day are barren or their breasts have never nursed. This is a day of events being run backwards.

Jesus does not want weeping for himself but for them.

The time will come in future days that they will be blessed to be childless,

People will cry out to be buried alive by the mountains and hills.

Jerusalem is going to fall again in another 40 some years and it will take many more for it to return to its glory. Much of the action of this day is just now being excavated from the rubble of time, war, and prophecy. Now, the hill of Calvary is steps away. No matter how many steps, a person today could count them on their watch. It is close. You can almost hear the hammer ring as the Savior drags the cross with his new found helper, Simon. Everything is changing. The Word of God is on the move. God is about to do something never before accomplished. Jesus is going to die on a cross in a place that He created. The air is also changing as people breathe in the winds of grief and suffering. Jesus is about to die for you and for me, not just for the daughters of Jerusalem. This is an air of sweet sadness. sadness for the death of Jesus, but also the sweetness of a soon victorious Lord. He is the Savior. He will win the victory over those who sent Him to the cross and also He wins the day over sin, death, the grave, and the tomb.

Let us consider ourselves blessed to be reading this from our place and perspective. We have read the final chapter of what God has to say about all of it. We win. We get to live with Jesus forever. Trouble will have no place where we are going. I am good with that!