Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.14UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.12UNLIKELY
Fear
0.68LIKELY
Joy
0.57LIKELY
Sadness
0.55LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.75LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.38UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.92LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.64LIKELY
Extraversion
0.23UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.39UNLIKELY
Emotional Range
0.64LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Introduction/Seeing the Need
The distance between the world’s wealthiest and the world’s poorest citizens remains wide.
More people are concluding that, despite all our technological advances and modern conveniences, we are not much closer to global peace and human harmony than at other times in history.
It is becoming clear that human beings may not be able to solve all of these problems, no matter how bright, intelligent, and dedicated we are.
We need a power beyond ourselves.
In short, we need God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
The Roman Empire was one of a series of powerful empires that the Bible cites as having dominated Israel.
It followed Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and Persia in that regard.
Roman rule was not simply a political problem for Israel; it was a religious difficulty.
The Romans claimed absolute authority for Rome, not for Israels God.
Many of Jesus’ contemporaries hoped for a mighty military leader who, with God’s power, would rally Israel to overthrow their Roman oppressors.
This leader was expected to establish God’s rule over the entire world, beginning with Jerusalem.
Revolt always seemed to be in the air.
One way Rome demonstrated its determination to squelch such movements was crucifixion.
This style of execution involved hanging or nailing a victim on a wooden frame and allowing the victim to die slowly from shock, exposure, dehydration, and loss of blood.
Crucifixion was reserved for those whom Rome wanted to make a public example.
At the point where today’s text begins, Jesus has repeatedly told his disciples of his forthcoming death and resurrection.
Knowing full well that he could avoid that death, Jesus submitted to the Father’s will nonetheless.
He felt all the fear that any person would have when facing execution.
He knew his death was to be a sacrifice for many.
Exchanged for a Rebel -
Having appeared before “the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law”, Jesus has been convicted of blasphemy.
This ruling council - which many commentators refer to by the transliteration “the Sanhedrin” - need the Roman governor to authorize Jesus’ execution.
In verse 6, Rome wants peace in its provinces.
To that end, Roman governors such as Pilate have established a practice at Passover of granting a pardon to one prisoner who awaits capital punishment for crimes against Rome.
The practice is intended to establish goodwill between Rome and the Jewish people during their most sacred annual festival.
In verse 7, we violent movements to overthrow Roman power occurred repeatedly in Judea of the first century AD.
Barabbas has participated murderously in one such insurrection, though he is unknown outside of Gospel accounts.
The contrast with Jesus could hardly be greater.
For guilty Barabbas to be executed is understandable.
In verse 8, Jesus is appearing before Pilate in or near a place called “the Praetorium”.
There are two theories regarding its location.
The first puts it at Herod’s palace, where Pilate resides when in Jerusalem.
The second is the Fortress of Antonia, a Roman military building next to the temple.
Both locations have courtyards where a crowd can gather.
Many people hostile to Jesus do indeed gather.
To call on Pilate to do for them what he usually did is to request him to act on the custom of releasing a prisoner for Passover.
At this point, Pilate has already declared Jesus to be innocent.
Perhaps knowing that Jesus is popular with many who are visiting Jersualem, Pilate offers to release Jesus according to custom.
The governor’s sarcasm in referring to Jesus as king of the Jews reflects Pilate’s own questions of , ; Jesus’ response affirmed his role as king but also affirmed that his “kingdom is not of this world.”
Pilate ignores that part and sticks with king of the Jews.
Pilate’s use of that title for the abused man standing before him seems designed to tweak the noses of those who have brought Jesus to him.
The council clearly despises Jesus, so calling him their king is a way for Pilate to show his disregard for their nationalistic concerns.
Pilate was interested in justice earlier.
But now his aim is to one-up the chief priests.
Neither is their aim justice; rather, they’re trying to protect vested interests of the Jewish people.
Jesus is a pawn in a sordid power play.
What do you learn from today’s text that will help you deal with unfair accusations?
Biblically speaking, the line between good and evil runs right down the middle of every human being, and none of us are immune to becoming complicit in evil acts through our action or inaction.
God’s words to Cain illuminate the danger sin poses to each one of us and how important it is that each of us guard our hearts and minds from evil: “Why are you angry, and why do you look so resentful?
If you do the right thing, won’t you be accepted?
But if you don’t do the right thing, sin will be waiting at the door ready to strike!
It will entice you, but you must rule over it” ().
Here, at the beginning of the Passion story, there is plenty of sin “crouching at the door.”
Look at the religious leaders.
Amazingly enough, it seems that is was only Pilate who overtly wrestled with is conscious the most, but who also succumbed to outside pressure despite his initial misgivings and moral uncertainty.
In verse 12, we see Pilate is reluctant to do what the people ask.
Perhaps hoping to put them in a dilemma about the fate of another of their countrymen, Pilate asks what the people want done with the king of the Jews.
The air is supercharged with a mixture of mockery, challenges to conscience, and high emotion.
In verse 13, the response is not what Pilate expects.
But it is just what the religious leaders have urged.
To be crucified is to be marked as an enemy of the Roman Empire.
Challenging the people to name Jesus’ crime is an attempt to thwart the council’s wishes and uphold the rule of law that characterizes Rome’s government.
But Pilate’s reasonable and logical question is met with the raw emotion of hatred: and intensified call for Jesus’ crucifixion.
Pilate now believes that he has no choice.
Should he fail to keep the peace, he can at minimum lose his position.
Worse yet, the people’s unrest may spread through the city, overwhelming the Roman forces stationed therein.
Pilate seeks to maintain power over the Jewish council, but his greater interest is keeping the peace.
So he hands Jesus over to a detachment of soldiers for crucifixion.
Barabbas, on the other hand is set free.
In what ways do you sometimes allow temptation and sin to go unnamed and unaddressed in your life?
Can you think of times when seemingly small acts of apathy and indifference have led to suffering and injustice?
Enthroned on a Cross - & 26
Jesus is severely abused in the intervening verses that are not part of our lesson text.
Though there is no standard procedure for Roman crucifixion, it is not out of the ordinary that Jesus is severely beaten and stripped before being nailed to his cross.
Eventually, Jesus is brought to the place of crucifixion, which is outside the city walls.
Jesus’ crucifixion likely takes place where roads converge just to the north of Jersualem.
The Romans make crucifixion as visible as possible to serve as a deterrent to insurrection; thus a crossroads is a logical place.
Nine in the morning indicates Jesus’ crucifixion begins at midmorning.
The same mocking words that Pilate used at Jesus’ trial are affixed over Jesus’ head.
shows the full import of Pilate’s action in this regard: it’s one further snipe at the religious authorities whom Pilate believes have forced his hand.
But this pettiness obscures the fact that Pilate speaks and writes better than he knows: Jesus is indeed the king of Jews.
But he is even more than that: he is the world’s king.
Jesus’ crucifiers are involved in something far greater than they realize.
He is enthroned as king in his crucifixion.
What are some “everyday” ways to emulate Jesus’ sacrifice in putting others’ interests ahead of our own?
What limits, if any, are there to doing so?
Why?
Suffering in Affirmation -
Our next segment of lesson text takes us forward in time by three hours.
During that period the dying Jesus is mocked by the religious authorities, various onlookers, and by two criminals also suffering crucifixion.
Mark’s Gospel offers clues that something was going on here that was more than meets the eye.
Something cosmic and universal was taking place on a hill near Jerusalem as the sun disappeared for hours and “the whole earth was dark”.
This cannot be a solar eclipse for two reasons.
First, solar eclipses do not last anywhere close to three hours, which is the length of the time of the darkness.
Second, the crucifixion takes place in conjunction with Passover, which occurs at the time of a full moon; by contrast, a solar eclipse requires the opposite - a new moon.
Darkness is sometimes an image of God’s judgment.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9