The Gospel Of John Chapter 19 Pt. 1 Pilate Finds Jesus Innocent But The Mob Wants Him Dead.

We now move into the gospel of John, chapter 19. This chapter is John's record of the trial and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We begin picking up where the previous chapter ended, with Pilate interrogating Jesus, and finding Him innocent. 

It helps to remember that this is a first hand eyewitness account of these things. It is historical narrative, rather than a section of doctrine followed by our duties to God.

John 19:1  Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. 

Isaiah 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

The cruel scourging, when administered by Roman soldiers, was a much more severe punishment than the Jewish beating with rods, and often ended in death. 

This physical torture was inflicted on a silent, unresisting Christ. It was a literal fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy about the suffering of Messiah, given about 800 years prior to the birth of Jesus Christ. 

John 19:2-3  And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 3)  And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

Roman soldiers were hardened and had little compassion for those whom they inflicted punishment. They mocked Jesus the King of the Jews, by putting a purple robe on His body, and a rude crown of thorns, that made a mockery of the King of kings. 

John 19:4  Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. 

For the second time, Pilate officially declared Jesus to be innocent of all charges brought against Him by the Jews. The words "I find no fault in him" demonstrates that Pilate concluded Jesus was innocent after his rigorous investigation. 

In doing this, Pilate condemned himself. 

He knew that Jesus was innocent, yet he allowed Him to be abused by his soldiers, when according to Roman law, Jesus should have received protection.

God's plan overruled the plans and schemes of men and governments. Jesus was condemned in our place, so that we could be set free by repentant faith in Him.

John 19:5  Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! 

"Behold the man!" Pilate wanted the Jews to note Jesus Christ, the man whom they alleged threatened to take away the empire from the Romans. They brought Jesus before Pilate as an enemy to Caesar, and one who sowed the seeds of sedition.

Pilate found no fault in Jesus, and perceived that Jesus posed no threat to Rome or the Jews.

John 19:6  When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. 

As soon as the religious leaders of the Jews saw Jesus, they cried out "Crucify him." Pilate declared for the third time that he found no fault in Jesus. 

John 19:7-9  The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 8)  When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 9)  And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. 

At this juncture, the Jews stated their reason for wanting Jesus crucified: He made Himself the Son of God. John's gospel recorded several instances where the Jews clearly understood the deity of Jesus Christ, but were unwilling to believe Him.

John 5:18  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 

John 10:30-33  I and my Father are one. 31) Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32)  Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33)  The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 

These texts illustrate what the Jew's religious leaders just said to Pilate. They knew Jesus claimed to be one with His Father, making Himself one with God. This is the very point where a person believes and turns to Christ for salvation, or responds with unbelief and is hardened to the gospel. 

John 19:8-9  When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 9)  And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. 

After Pilate heard the Jews say this, he was "the more afraid." His posture reveals a mind filled with doubt and uncertainty about the whole legal proceeding. 

Matthew 27:19  When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 

Matthew recorded the reason why doubt began gnawing in Pilate's mind. Pilate's wife sent a message to him about the time they demanded the release of Barabbas. 

She told her husband about troubled dreams she had concerning Jesus. She said He was a "just" man, meaning He was innocent and God fearing. 

Pilate asked Jesus "Whence art thou?"  which is like asking Jesus "Who is you father?" or "Where did you come from?" Jesus is like Isaiah prophesied, a lamb being led to the slaughter. 

John 19:10-11  Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11)  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. 

Pilate seems to fall back upon the pride of his office, which tended to blunt the work of his conscience. 

Jesus' answer reminds Pilate, that if God had not placed him in this position at that moment in history, he would have no power. 

Jesus' words pricked the conscience of Pilate by showing him that God is at work in this situation, and no man can stop His purposes from advancing. 

Jesus also put a greater burden of sin upon the Jew's religious leaders, because they had the scriptures and should have known who Jesus Christ was. Yet, they were blinded with hatred of the things of God and rejected their own Messiah. 

John 19:12  And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. 

Pilate's conscience convicted him of guilt concerning Jesus and he sought to release Him. However, when he sought to set Jesus free, the Jews said they would tell Caesar that Pilate freed an insurrectionist who wanted to be king. 

John 19:13-15  When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14)  And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 15)  But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. 

The Jews response was to threaten Pilate by bringing charges that could result in his removal from office. He took his place in the official seat of judgment and told the Jews to look upon their king. 

They erupted with cries that they had no king but Caesar. This cry demonstrated the evil that was in their hearts, for the Jews longed to be free from the yoke of Rome. Yet, they chose a pagan ruler instead of the sinless Son of God. 

Psalm 22:6  But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 

Psalm 38:13-15  But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. 14)  Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. 15)  For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. 

Psalm 129:3  The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

Isaiah 50:6  I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 

Isaiah 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

Ezekiel 21:26-27  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. 27)  I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him. 

This is a partial list of scriptures that were literally fulfilled, in the account we read from John's gospel.

Thoughts to Ponder...

John's record reminds us of some important truths. 

First, Jesus put the love of God on full display. His hour had come, and He was obedient even to the death on the cross. 

John 3:16 -18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17)  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18)  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus loved us enough to suffer all these things, and then to lay His life down as a perfect sacrifice offered to His Father, for the sins of all humanity, for all time. Pilate exonerated Jesus by saying He was innocent 3 times. The Jews vehemently rejected their savior, and their unbelief condemned them before God. 

Second, we should remember the two beautiful words "For us." Jesus suffered "for us." He died "for us" that we might live through faith in Him. He was made sin "for us, that we might be made righteous before God, in Him. 

When we consider all the aspects of Jesus passion and His death on the cross, we must always remember that Jesus died "for us, and He took away our sins "for us." 

Third, because these things are true, each believer in Jesus Christ should determine to live "for Him." Jesus paid for our sins and He owns all those who placed repentant faith in His finished work on the cross. 

We are bought with a price and Jesus' apostles tell us to glorify God with our body and spirit because they belong to God. 

I pray that we will ask the Spirit of God to help us understand these vital truths, and that He will grant us the will and the strength to live by faith, and to glorify God.

Bob