Most years, in the season of Lent we focus on scripture readings that explore temptation and the journey of faith. The scriptures are typically designed to remind us to resist temptation and deepen our personal relationship with Jesus.
But, this year, we are exploring the events that occurred just before Jesus’ crucifixion. These are the stories we usually read on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday – the last supper, the arrest, Jesus’ trials. But, if you fail to attend the Maundy Thursday or Good Friday worship services, you may fail to hear these stories–you may jump from the high of Palm Sunday to the high of Easter Sunday without spending time reflecting on the horror of the cross.
This year, each week in Lent we inch closer to the cross by hearing the scriptures that describe what took place just before the crucifixion. On the first Sunday of Lent, we remembered the occasion when Jesus invited Lazarus to rise from the dead….this probably happened on the Friday before the Last Supper. Two weeks ago, we focused on Jesus washing the disciples’ feet at the last supper; he invited them (and us) to serve each other and to live lives of service towards other people. Last Sunday, we focused on Jesus’ arrest and his being questioned in the middle of the night by Annas, the former high priest. While Jesus was questioned, Simon Peter was in the courtyard denying his connection to Jesus.
Apparently, after Jesus was questioned by Annas, he was taken to Caiaphas to be questioned by the high priest. In the book of John, it says he was taken to Caiaphas, and then taken from Caiaphas’ home, but there is no description of what occurred when Caiaphas questioned Jesus. Instead, the author of John says that Jesus was next taken to the palace of the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate. Pilate did not usually stay in Jerusalem, but was in the city because the Romans needed to oversee the potentially rowdy crowds who came to the city for the High Holy Days and festivals.
So, let us pick up the story in the Gospel of John, chapter 18, verses 28 through 40:
Our Scripture Reading John 18:28-40
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.
29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected.
32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
…….
Amen.
Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Let us pray….
The Message Jesus and Pilate
Next Sunday, we will pick up the story right where we left off….”Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.” Instead of allowing Pilate to release Jesus, the crowd outside of Pilate’s home told him to release Barabbas instead. Barabbas was an insurrectionist against Roman power and a murderer. He was probably not who Pilate would have preferred to release – especially since Pilate was in charge of law and order and keeping insurrectionists at bay… But, Barabbas was released instead of Jesus.
Ugh.
There are so many nuances in the story of Jesus’ death that are both unfortunate and necessary. Jesus was the greatest person who ever lived ... .Jesus was God incarnate in the body of a man…Jesus came to each to draw us into relationship with God, to know God loves and forgives us, and to encourage us to love God and each other…. Yet, Jesus also came to earth to take on the sins of the people of the world…. He had to give himself over to die so that not only will our failures die with him, but so his resurrection will teach us that nothing we can do is more powerful than what God can do.
The conversation Jesus had with Pilate had to happen. The Sanhedrin, the Council who ruled over the Temple and the Jewish believers, did not have the power to arrest and execute prisoners. When Jesus was arrested, he was arrested by Roman Soldiers, not native Jewish police officers. Several prominent members of the Sanhedrin wanted to get rid of Jesus – they thought that if Jesus was “eliminated,” he would no longer threaten their power. And, Jesus also knew that his death was inevitable. He would have to die in order to fulfill his mission on earth.
Pilate was the Roman authority who had the power to sentence Jesus to death. After Jesus was brought to him, Pilate questioned Jesus. He asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jewish people. And, Jesus responded that his kingdom was not of this world.
Pilate told the people who brought Jesus to him that he couldn’t find anything to condemn Jesus to death. But, Pilate sounded tired and exasperated. His job was to protect the Roman interests in Judah and to keep the people in line. The people of Judah never accepted Roman rule, never fully accepted Roman authority, and would never abandon their religion and culture to conform to Rome. PIlate’s job keeping the people in line was endless.
Pilate sentenced Jesus to death to humor the crowds – to keep the peace. And, although Pilate didn’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah, his sentencing Jesus to death led to our salvation.
Pilate asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jewish people. Pilate knew about kings – the Emperor he served was the most powerful person alive in 33 AD (the most powerful person who wasn’t Jesus.) Emperor Tiberius was the ruler of the Roman empire – an empire that in 33 AD encompassed the Mediterranean world and was extending its boundaries further and further into Europe and the Middle East. Emperor TIberius was known to be brutal in his decrees and was also moody and depressive. He was a tyrant. The kings Pilate knew about had absolute power and authority. They were brutal and wanted their subjects to conform to their rule.
Jesus was the Messiah. He was a king of sorts, but he wasn’t the kind of king Pilate recognized. He wasn’t the kind of king the people of Rome were used to ruling over them. He wasn’t even the kind of ruler we are used to ruling over us. But, Jesus was the “king” we need.
Instead of using force to get what he wanted, Jesus used love. Instead of expecting others to serve him, Jesus served. Instead of caring about expanding his kingdom’s borders and conquering land, Jesus cared about our hearts and the truth.
Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world, but we are called to work to make our world a reflection of Jesus’ kingdom. We are called to live our lives as citizens of the kingdom of God. So, we are called to model our lives on how Jesus lived his life. Our mandate is to love and serve God. We are also called to love our neighbors. We are called to humbly serve other people. We are called to care deeply about people who are suffering, to take actions to lift the burdens others face, to support people who are ill or struggling with depression or grief, and to care for God’s creation. We are called to faithfully serve God by living lives in service to building God’s kingdom on earth.
Jesus may have not been the kind of King Pilate was used to, but he was the kind of king we need.
Let us work to live lives modeled on Jesus’ actions and teachings. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment