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Author: Stephen Weller
574 words, 3 minutes read time

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

Scripture: John 18:28-30

With the previous lesson we finished the section covering the suicide of Judas and the purchase of the potter’s field with money given to Judas to betray Jesus. With this lesson we will begin the section that covers the hearing before Pilate.

^{Jn 18:28} Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. ²⁹ So Pilate went outside to them. 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.”

Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and taken before Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and was questioned but no incriminating evidence could be found. Jesus was then taken to Caiaphas, the high priest, and before him and the council, he was questioned and witnesses were called, but again no incriminating evidence could be found, but when asked if he was the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus said that he was and then added “from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Based on this confession, Jesus was found guilty of death.

When day came the whole council gathered together and Jesus was brought before them and they asked him if he was the Christ. Indirectly he said he was but then added, “From now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” Based on this testimony, Jesus was declared guilty of blasphemy and deserved to die.

It was early morning, probably just after sunrise, and Jesus was then taken from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters, but the Jews could not go inside and stayed outside in the open courtyard so that would not be defiled. They believed that to go into a Gentile building or home with a roof on it would make them ceremonially unclean and unable to eat the Passover. Pilate understanding this about them went outside to them and asked them what their accusation was against Jesus.

(The emperor Tiberius appointed Pilate to serve as governor of Judea. He served in that capacity from A.D. 26 – 36. Since it was Passover, Pilate was in Jerusalem to prevent rebellious activities. Normally he would be in Caesarea, the seat of the Roman government.)

The response the Jews made to his inquiry indicated the weakness of their case. They said, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” Their accusation of doing evil did not seem to be a serious charge to Pilate, at least not worthy of death, as we will see in the next lesson.

Conclusion

Jesus must go to the cross and die to purchase our salvation, but to convict Jesus, who had lived a perfect life, is turning out to be a difficult task. However, God is going to allow sin to run its course and allow these evil men to do what they see as right in their own eyes and under the power and influence of the devil will manage to accomplish their agenda and, without knowing it, fulfill the will of God.