Show Notes
John 18:38-40: “Pilate said to [Jesus], ‘What is truth?’ After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, ‘I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ They cried out again, ‘Not this man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a robber [lestes: a taker].”
The other Gospels reveal that Barabbas was also an insurrectionist and a murderer. And certain ancient manuscripts of Matthew reveal that his first name was also “Jesus.” So repeatedly, Pilate asks the crowd something like this: “Who would you have me release to you? What kind of savior do you want? Jesus Barjoseph (son of Joseph) or Jesus Barabbas (son of abba, rabbas, or rabbi)?”
John 19:1-7: “Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, ‘See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.’ So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, ‘Behold the man!’...’Behold the man!’ When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, ‘Crucify him, crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.’ The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.’”
That’s ironic: He is not making Himself the Son of God; He is the Son of God making all of us Himself.
John 19:8-15: “When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid... From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, ‘If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.’ So, when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat [or “sat him down on the judgment seat”]... It was about the sixth hour [sixth hour of the sixth day of the week on the sixth Day of Creation]. He said to the Jews, ‘Behold your King!’ They cried out, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’”
• Why would they all vote for Barabbas, the Robber? • Why would the chief priests (the pastors of Jesus’ church), vote for Caesar? • Why would God let them? • What is it that John and Pilate want us to behold?
Pilate doesn’t say, “Behold this man’s policy statement and economic policy,” or “Behold this man is a capitalist or socialist, radical right or lunatic left.” He says, “Behold the Man.” On one level, I would imagine that he’s saying, “Just look at him; he’s harmless. For God’s sake, he looks just like a slaughtered lamb.” On another level, I think he’s saying, “Look at him, he’s terrifying me. He has the courage of a lion; he might be a son of God.” I’m sure that John is saying, “Behold the man.” In his native tongue that would be “behold ha adam (The Adam).” In the words of Paul, “As in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive... The first adam became a living soul; the last Adam (eschatos adam) became a life-giving Spirit.” Behold the Super Man.
Can you imagine the fear that Pilate could instill in a man? But Pilate is terrified of this man, for something is different about this man. You don’t have to be a theologian to see it. What is it? No words are adequate, but here are a few ideas:
1.) He is the Truth. He’s honest. He’s not divided. Pilate can’t break Him; He’s breaking Pilate.
2.) He is Love, Unconditional Love in flesh. He loves God by loving His neighbor, and Pilate is His neighbor. And so, He looks Pilate in the eye and asks, “Who do you say that I am? You say I am King, don’t you, Pilate?” He is faith in Love — Love, who is “Our Father in Heaven.”
3.) He
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