Thoughts for the Day

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and striking him on the face. Pilate went out again and said to them, ‘Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.’ So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, ‘Here is the man!’ When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.’ The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.’

Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, ‘Where are you from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, 'Do you know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?' Jesus answered him, 'You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; .... From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, ‘If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.’

When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement. Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, ‘Here is your King!’ They cried out, ‘Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but the emperor.’ Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Let us remind ourselves about some events of the first Good Friday:

Chief priests and Jesus' opponents: By Roman law they are unable to kill Jesus, only the Roman Procurator, Pilate, has that power. They know if they complain that Jesus claims to be the Son of God, Pilate will say it is a religious matter and has nothing to do with him. And if they could kill Jesus it would be by stoning (Leviticus 24.16). So, they manipulate Pilate - by arguing that Jesus says he is a king, and unless Pilate crucifies him, he will be seen as opposing the Emperor.

Pilate: Scholars estimate there were anything from 200,000 to a million people in Jerusalem for the three-day Passover festival, so Pilate is concerned with keeping order. He tries three things, none of which work. He sends Jesus to Herod who is in control of Galilee, and as a Jew can also deal with a religious matter. He scourges Jesus, a much lesser punishment than death. Thirdly, he offers to set Jesus free in place of Barabbas who is a notorious brigand. In the end getting no satisfaction he washes his hands over the affair and Jesus is sentenced to be crucified.

Jesus: Standing before Herod Jesus remains silent, and before Pilate he says little. He is a still centre amid the chaos all around him. We should notice his bravery. A simple answer to Pilate, would have freed him. However, he will not back down, he chooses that his life will be sacrificed for the sins of all.

Soldiers: They parade the King of kings with a crown, of thorns. They parade the King of kings in a 'royal' purple robe. The irony is only obvious to us, as Christians!

Lord Jesus,
on that Friday - 'Good Friday',
with thousands of people
crammed into the city of Jerusalem
most seeking to prepare
for the Passover festival,
You alone seemed a still centre.
You knew where You were going
and that the Father had called You home.
Your work was about to be accomplished,
perfect love had almost done its work
to rescue us from sin and corruption.
May we continue daily to thank You
for this the greatest of all gifts.
Amen.