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Author: Stephen Weller
619 words, 3 minutes read time

The Verdict Is?

Scripture: John 19:12-15

In the previous lesson we saw pressure against Pilate grow as the Jews and the people insist that Jesus be crucified. Soon they will have Pilate backed into a corner and he will grant them their wish and will turn Jesus over to be crucified.

^{Jn 19:12} 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.”

After questioning Jesus about his claim of being the Son of God and Jesus explaining to him about who has ultimate authority, the stress in Pilate’s life continues to grow and he sought to release Jesus without causing a riot. When Pilate faced the crowd again the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” Jesus is truly the King of kings, but he has no plans to challenge Caesar and so the charge by the Jews is false, but it is sufficient to keep the crowd near riot level.

^{Jn 19:13} So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. ¹⁴ Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” ¹⁵ 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.”

Pilate decides to grant the Jews and the crowd their wish and have Jesus crucified. He brings Jesus out and sat him down on the judgment seat, which was a raised area used for official judgments. According to verse 14 this occurred on the day of Preparation of the Passover. The footnote for verse 14 in the ESV Study Bible states that “this may refer to the day preceding the Sabbath of Passover week.” This would place the time of this event, according to tradition, at about noon on Friday, but according to Matthew 27:45 Jesus was already on the cross. According to Mark 15:25, it was the third hour, or 9 AM, when they crucified Jesus. This leads some to say that Jesus was on the cross from 9 AM to 3 PM. The ESV footnote states that the judgment time was around 9:30-10:00 AM. It is not clear whether the times mentioned in the gospels are exact times or approximate times and as a result there is much confusion about when things actually happened.

It is my opinion that this judgment took place at around 9:30 – 10:00 AM but on Thursday morning not on Friday for reasons developed in lessons H635 through H638 (the lessons are linked).

It was about the sixth hour (noon) or more likely around 9:30 – 10:00 AM when Pilate said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” As expected the crowd cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” To the Jews, Pilate said, “Shall I crucify your King?” to which they answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

Conclusion

In the next lesson we will hear Pilate pass judgment to satisfy the Jews and the people and take Jesus to be crucified. Based on false evidence and evil desires, Jesus who has lived a perfect life under the law finds himself on the judgment seat about to be handed over to be crucified. This same thing is happening on a regular basis among Christians today living under persecution.