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Urantia Book Paper 185 The Trial Before Pilate
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Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem ... The Trial Before
Pilate
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Paper 185 The Trial Before Pilate
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Introduction
SHORTLY after six o'clock on this Friday morning, April 7, A.D. 30, Jesus was
brought before Pilate, the Roman procurator who governed Judea, Samaria, and
Idumea under the immediate supervision of the legatus of Syria. The Master was
taken into the presence of the Roman governor by the temple guards, bound, and
was accompanied by about fifty of his accusers, including the Sanhedrist court
(principally Sadduceans), Judas Iscariot, and the high priest, Caiaphas, and by
the Apostle John. Annas did not appear before Pilate.
Pilate was up and ready to receive this group of early morning callers, having
been informed by those who had secured his consent, the previous evening, to
employ the Roman soldiers in arresting the Son of Man, that Jesus would be
early brought before him. This trial was arranged to take place in front of the
praetorium, an addition to the fortress of Antonia, where Pilate and his wife
made their headquarters when stopping in Jerusalem.
Though Pilate conducted much of Jesus' examination within the praetorium halls,
the public trial was held outside on the steps leading up to the main entrance.
This was a concession to the Jews, who refused to enter any gentile building
where leaven might be used on this day of preparation for the Passover. Such
conduct would not only render them ceremonially unclean and thereby debar them
from partaking of the afternoon feast of thanksgiving but would also
necessitate their subjection to purification ceremonies after sundown, before
they would be eligible to partake of the Passover supper.
Although these Jews were not at all bothered in conscience as they intrigued to
effect the judicial murder of Jesus, they were nonetheless scrupulous regarding
all these matters of ceremonial cleanness and traditional regularity. And these
Jews have not been the only ones to fail in the recognition of high and holy
obligations of a divine nature while giving meticulous attention to things of
trifling importance to human welfare in both time and eternity.
1. PONTIUS PILATE
If Pontius Pilate had not been a reasonably good governor of the minor
provinces, Tiberius would hardly have suffered him to remain as procurator of
Judea for ten years. Although he was a fairly good administrator, he was a
moral coward. He was not a big enough man to comprehend the nature of his task
as governor of the Jews. He failed to grasp the fact that these Hebrews had a
real religion, a faith for which they were willing to die, and that millions
upon millions of them, scattered here and there throughout the empire, looked
to Jerusalem as the shrine of their faith and held the Sanhedrin in respect as
the highest tribunal on earth.
top of page - 1988
Pilate did not love the Jews, and this deep-seated hatred early began to
manifest itself. Of all the Roman provinces, none was more difficult to govern
than Judea. Pilate never really understood the problems involved in the
management of the Jews and, therefore, very early in his experience as
governor, made a series of almost fatal and well-nigh suicidal blunders. And it
was these blunders that gave the Jews such power over him. When they wanted to
influence his decisions, all they had to do was to threaten an uprising, and
Pilate would speedily capitulate. And this apparent vacillation, or lack of
moral courage, of the procurator was chiefly due to the memory of a number of
controversies he had had with the Jews and because in each instance they had
worsted him. The Jews knew that Pilate was afraid of them, that he feared for
his position before Tiberius, and they employed this knowledge to the great
disadvantage of the governor on numerous occasions.
Pilate's disfavor with the Jews came about as a result of a number of
unfortunate encounters. First, he failed to take seriously their deep-seated
prejudice against all images as symbols of idol worship. Therefore he permitted
his soldiers to enter Jerusalem without removing the images of Caesar from
their banners, as had been the practice of the Roman soldiers under his
predecessor. A large deputation of Jews waited upon Pilate for five days,
imploring him to have these images removed from the military standards. He
flatly refused to grant their petition and threatened them with instant death.
Pilate, himself being a skeptic, did not understand that men of strong
religious feelings will not hesitate to die for their religious convictions;
and therefore was he dismayed when these Jews drew themselves up defiantly
before his palace, bowed their faces to the ground, and sent word that they
were ready to die. Pilate then realized that he had made a threat which he was
unwilling to carry out. He surrendered, ordered the images removed from the
standards of his soldiers in Jerusalem, and found himself from that day on to a
large extent subject to the whims of the Jewish leaders, who had in this way
discovered his weakness in making threats which he feared to execute.
Pilate subsequently determined to regain this lost prestige and accordingly had
the shields of the emperor, such as were commonly used in Caesar worship, put
up on the walls of Herod's palace in Jerusalem. When the Jews protested, he was
adamant. When he refused to listen to their protests, they promptly appealed to
Rome, and the emperor as promptly ordered the offending shields removed. And
then was Pilate held in even lower esteem than before.
Another thing which brought him into great disfavor with the Jews was that he
dared to take money from the temple treasury to pay for the construction of a
new aqueduct to provide increased water supply for the millions of visitors to
Jerusalem at the times of the great religious feasts. The Jews held that only
the Sanhedrin could disburse the temple funds, and they never ceased to inveigh
against Pilate for this presumptuous ruling. No less than a score of riots and
much bloodshed resulted from this decision. The last of these serious outbreaks
had to do with the slaughter of a large company of Galileans even as they
worshiped at the altar.
It is significant that, while this vacillating Roman ruler sacrificed Jesus to
his fear of the Jews and to safeguard his personal position, he finally was
deposed as a result of the needless slaughter of Samaritans in connection with
the preten-
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sions of a false Messiah who led troops to Mount Gerizim, where he claimed the
temple vessels were buried; and fierce riots broke out when he failed to reveal
the hiding place of the sacred vessels, as he had promised. As a result of this
episode, the legatus of Syria ordered Pilate to Rome. Tiberius died while
Pilate was on the way to Rome, and he was not reappointed as procurator of
Judea. He never fully recovered from the regretful condemnation of having
consented to the crucifixion of Jesus. Finding no favor in the eyes of the new
emperor, he retired to the province of Lausanne, where he subsequently
committed suicide.
Claudia Procula, Pilate's wife, had heard much of Jesus through the word of her
maid-in-waiting, who was a Phoenician believer in the gospel of the kingdom.
After the death of Pilate, Claudia became prominently identified with the
spread of the good news.
And all this explains much that transpired on this tragic Friday forenoon. It
is easy to understand why the Jews presumed to dictate to Pilate--to get him up
at six o'clock to try Jesus--and also why they did not hesitate to threaten to
charge him with treason before the emperor if he dared to refuse their demands
for Jesus' death.
A worthy Roman governor who had not become disadvantageously involved with the
rulers of the Jews would never have permitted these bloodthirsty religious
fanatics to bring about the death of a man whom he himself had declared to be
innocent of their false charges and without fault. Rome made a great blunder, a
far-reaching error in earthly affairs, when she sent the second-rate Pilate to
govern Palestine. Tiberius had better have sent to the Jews the best provincial
administrator in the empire.
2. JESUS APPEARS BEFORE PILATE
When Jesus and his accusers had gathered in front of Pilate's judgment hall,
the Roman governor came out and, addressing the company assembled, asked, "What
accusation do you bring against this fellow?" The Sadducees and councilors who
had taken it upon themselves to put Jesus out of the way had determined to go
before Pilate and ask for confirmation of the death sentence pronounced upon
Jesus, without volunteering any definite charge. Therefore did the spokesman
for the Sanhedrist court answer Pilate: "If this man were not an evildoer, we
should not have delivered him up to you."
When Pilate observed that they were reluctant to state their charges against
Jesus, although he knew they had been all night engaged in deliberations
regarding his guilt, he answered them: "Since you have not agreed on any
definite charges, why do you not take this man and pass judgment on him in
accordance with your own laws?"
Then spoke the clerk of the Sanhedrin court to Pilate: "It is not lawful for us
to put any man to death, and this disturber of our nation is worthy to die for
the things which he has said and done. Therefore have we come before you for
confirmation of this decree."
To come before the Roman governor with this attempt at evasion discloses both
the ill-will and the ill-humor of the Sanhedrists toward Jesus as well as their
lack of respect for the fairness, honor, and dignity of Pilate. What effrontery
for these subject citizens to appear before their provincial governor
top of page - 1990
asking for a decree of execution against a man before affording him a fair
trial and without even preferring definite criminal charges against him!
Pilate knew something of Jesus' work among the Jews, and he surmised that the
charges which might be brought against him had to do with infringements of the
Jewish ecclesiastical laws; therefore he sought to refer the case back to their
own tribunal. Again, Pilate took delight in making them publicly confess that
they were powerless to pronounce and execute the death sentence upon even one
of their own race whom they had come to despise with a bitter and envious
hatred.
It was a few hours previously, shortly before midnight and after he had granted
permission to use Roman soldiers in effecting the secret arrest of Jesus, that
Pilate had heard further concerning Jesus and his teaching from his wife,
Claudia, who was a partial convert to Judaism, and who later on became a
full-fledged believer in Jesus' gospel.
Pilate would have liked to postpone this hearing, but he saw the Jewish leaders
were determined to proceed with the case. He knew that this was not only the
forenoon of preparation for the Passover, but that this day, being Friday, was
also the preparation day for the Jewish Sabbath of rest and worship.
Pilate, being keenly sensitive to the disrespectful manner of the approach of
these Jews, was not willing to comply with their demands that Jesus be
sentenced to death without a trial. When, therefore, he had waited a few
moments for them to present their charges against the prisoner, he turned to
them and said: "I will not sentence this man to death without a trial; neither
will I consent to examine him until you have presented your charges against him
in writing."
When the high priest and the others heard Pilate say this, they signaled to the
clerk of the court, who then handed to Pilate the written charges against
Jesus. And these charges were:
"We find in the Sanhedrist tribunal that this man is an evildoer and a
disturber of our nation in that he is guilty of:
"1. Perverting our nation and stirring up our people to rebellion.
"2. Forbidding the people to pay tribute to Caesar.
"3. Calling himself the king of the Jews and teaching the founding of a new
kingdom."
Jesus had not been regularly tried nor legally convicted on any of these
charges. He did not even hear these charges when first stated, but Pilate had
him brought from the praetorium, where he was in the keeping of the guards, and
he insisted that these charges be repeated in Jesus' hearing.
When Jesus heard these accusations, he well knew that he had not been heard on
these matters before the Jewish court, and so did John Zebedee and his
accusers, but he made no reply to their false charges. Even when Pilate bade
him answer his accusers, he opened not his mouth. Pilate was so astonished at
the unfairness of the whole proceeding and so impressed by Jesus' silent and
masterly bearing that he decided to take the prisoner inside the hall and
examine him privately.
Pilate was confused in mind, fearful of the Jews in his heart, and mightily
stirred in his spirit by the spectacle of Jesus' standing there in majesty
before his bloodthirsty accusers and gazing down on them, not in silent
contempt, but with an expression of genuine pity and sorrowful affection.
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3. THE PRIVATE EXAMINATION BY PILATE
Pilate took Jesus and John Zebedee into a private chamber, leaving the guards
outside in the hall, and requesting the prisoner to sit down, he sat down by
his side and asked several questions. Pilate began his talk with Jesus by
assuring him that he did not believe the first count against him: that he was a
perverter of the nation and an inciter to rebellion. Then he asked, "Did you
ever teach that tribute should be refused Caesar?" Jesus, pointing to John,
said, "Ask him or any other man who has heard my teaching." Then Pilate
questioned John about this matter of tribute, and John testified concerning his
Master's teaching and explained that Jesus and his apostles paid taxes both to
Caesar and to the temple. When Pilate had questioned John, he said, "See that
you tell no man that I talked with you." And John never did reveal this matter.
Pilate then turned around to question Jesus further, saying: "And now about the
third accusation against you, are you the king of the Jews?" Since there was a
tone of possibly sincere inquiry in Pilate's voice, Jesus smiled on the
procurator and said: "Pilate, do you ask this for yourself, or do you take this
question from these others, my accusers?" Whereupon, in a tone of partial
indignation, the governor answered: "Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief
priests delivered you up and asked me to sentence you to death. I question the
validity of their charges and am only trying to find out for myself what you
have done. Tell me, have you said that you are the king of the Jews, and have
you sought to found a new kingdom?"
Then said Jesus to Pilate: "Do you not perceive that my kingdom is not of this
world? If my kingdom were of this world, surely would my disciples fight that I
should not be delivered into the hands of the Jews. My presence here before you
in these bonds is sufficient to show all men that my kingdom is a spiritual
dominion, even the brotherhood of men who, through faith and by love, have
become the sons of God. And this salvation is for the gentile as well as for
the Jew."
"Then you are a king after all?" said Pilate. And Jesus answered: "Yes, I am
such a king, and my kingdom is the family of the faith sons of my Father who is
in heaven. For this purpose was I born into this world, even that I should show
my Father to all men and bear witness to the truth of God. And even now do I
declare to you that every one who loves the truth hears my voice."
Then said Pilate, half in ridicule and half in sincerity, "Truth, what is
truth--who knows?"
Pilate was not able to fathom Jesus' words, nor was he able to understand the
nature of his spiritual kingdom, but he was now certain that the prisoner had
done nothing worthy of death. One look at Jesus, face to face, was enough to
convince even Pilate that this gentle and weary, but majestic and upright, man
was no wild and dangerous revolutionary who aspired to establish himself on the
temporal throne of Israel. Pilate thought he understood something of what Jesus
meant when he called himself a king, for he was familiar with the teachings of
the Stoics, who declared that "the wise man is king." Pilate was thoroughly
convinced that, instead of being a dangerous seditionmonger, Jesus was nothing
more or less than a harmless visionary, an innocent fanatic.
After questioning the Master, Pilate went back to the chief priests and the
accusers of Jesus and said: "I have examined this man, and I find no fault in
top of page - 1992
him. I do not think he is guilty of the charges you have made against him; I
think he ought to be set free." And when the Jews heard this, they were moved
with great anger, so much so that they wildly shouted that Jesus should die;
and one of the Sanhedrists boldly stepped up by the side of Pilate, saying:
"This man stirs up the people, beginning in Galilee and continuing throughout
all Judea. He is a mischief-maker and an evildoer. You will long regret it if
you let this wicked man go free."
Pilate was hard pressed to know what to do with Jesus; therefore, when he heard
them say that he began his work in Galilee, he thought to avoid the
responsibility of deciding the case, at least to gain time for thought, by
sending Jesus to appear before Herod, who was then in the city attending the
Passover. Pilate also thought that this gesture would help to antidote some of
the bitter feeling which had existed for some time between himself and Herod,
due to numerous misunderstandings over matters of jurisdiction.
Pilate, calling the guards, said: "This man is a Galilean. Take him forthwith
to Herod, and when he has examined him, report his findings to me." And they
took Jesus to Herod.
4. JESUS BEFORE HEROD
When Herod Antipas stopped in Jerusalem, he dwelt in the old Maccabean palace
of Herod the Great, and it was to this home of the former king that Jesus was
now taken by the temple guards, and he was followed by his accusers and an
increasing multitude. Herod had long heard of Jesus, and he was very curious
about him. When the Son of Man stood before him, on this Friday morning, the
wicked Idumean never for one moment recalled the lad of former years who had
appeared before him in Sepphoris pleading for a just decision regarding the
money due his father, who had been accidentally killed while at work on one of
the public buildings. As far as Herod knew, he had never seen Jesus, although
he had worried a great deal about him when his work had been centered in
Galilee. Now that he was in custody of Pilate and the Judeans, Herod was
desirous of seeing him, feeling secure against any trouble from him in the
future. Herod had heard much about the miracles wrought by Jesus, and he really
hoped to see him do some wonder.
When they brought Jesus before Herod, the tetrarch was startled by his stately
appearance and the calm composure of his countenance. For some fifteen minutes
Herod asked Jesus questions, but the Master would not answer. Herod taunted and
dared him to perform a miracle, but Jesus would not reply to his many inquiries
or respond to his taunts.
Then Herod turned to the chief priests and the Sadducees and, giving ear to
their accusations, heard all and more than Pilate had listened to regarding the
alleged evil doings of the Son of Man. Finally, being convinced that Jesus
would neither talk nor perform a wonder for him, Herod, after making fun of him
for a time, arrayed him in an old purple royal robe and sent him back to
Pilate. Herod knew he had no jurisdiction over Jesus in Judea. Though he was
glad to believe that he was finally to be rid of Jesus in Galilee, he was
thankful that it was Pilate who had the responsibility of putting him to death.
Herod never had fully recovered from the fear that cursed him as a result of
killing John the Baptist. Herod had at certain times even feared that Jesus was
John risen from the dead. Now he was relieved of that fear since he observed
that Jesus was a
top of page - 1993
very different sort of person from the outspoken and fiery prophet who dared to
expose and denounce his private life.
5. JESUS RETURNS TO PILATE
When the guards had brought Jesus back to Pilate, he went out on the front
steps of the praetorium, where his judgment seat had been placed, and calling
together the chief priests and Sanhedrists, said to them: "You brought this man
before me with charges that he perverts the people, forbids the payment of
taxes, and claims to be king of the Jews. I have examined him and fail to find
him guilty of these charges. In fact, I find no fault in him. Then I sent him
to Herod, and the tetrarch must have reached the same conclusion since he has
sent him back to us. Certainly, nothing worthy of death has been done by this
man. If you still think he needs to be disciplined, I am willing to chastise
him before I release him."
Just as the Jews were about to engage in shouting their protests against the
release of Jesus, a vast crowd came marching up to the praetorium for the
purpose of asking Pilate for the release of a prisoner in honor of the Passover
feast. For some time it had been the custom of the Roman governors to allow the
populace to choose some imprisoned or condemned man for pardon at the time of
the Passover. And now that this crowd had come before him to ask for the
release of a prisoner, and since Jesus had so recently been in great favor with
the multitudes, it occurred to Pilate that he might possibly extricate himself
from his predicament by proposing to this group that, since Jesus was now a
prisoner before his judgment seat, he release to them this man of Galilee as
the token of Passover good will.
As the crowd surged up on the steps of the building, Pilate heard them calling
out the name of one Barabbas. Barabbas was a noted political agitator and
murderous robber, the son of a priest, who had recently been apprehended in the
act of robbery and murder on the Jericho road. This man was under sentence to
die as soon as the Passover festivities were over.
Pilate stood up and explained to the crowd that Jesus had been brought to him
by the chief priests, who sought to have him put to death on certain charges,
and that he did not think the man was worthy of death. Said Pilate: "Which,
therefore, would you prefer that I release to you, this Barabbas, the murderer,
or this Jesus of Galilee?" And when Pilate had thus spoken, the chief priests
and the Sanhedrin councilors all shouted at the top of their voices, "Barabbas,
Barabbas! " And when the people saw that the chief priests were minded to have
Jesus put to death, they quickly joined in the clamor for his life while they
loudly shouted for the release of Barabbas.
A few days before this the multitude had stood in awe of Jesus, but the mob did
not look up to one who, having claimed to be the Son of God, now found himself
in the custody of the chief priests and the rulers and on trial before Pilate
for his life. Jesus could be a hero in the eyes of the populace when he was
driving the money-changers and the traders out of the temple, but not when he
was a nonresisting prisoner in the hands of his enemies and on trial for his
life.
Pilate was angered at the sight of the chief priests clamoring for the pardon
of a notorious murderer while they shouted for the blood of Jesus. He saw their
malice and hatred and perceived their prejudice and envy. Therefore he said to
them: "How could you choose the life of a murderer in preference to this man's
top of page - 1994
whose worst crime is that he figuratively calls himself the king of the Jews?"
But this was not a wise statement for Pilate to make. The Jews were a proud
people, now subject to the Roman political yoke but hoping for the coming of a
Messiah who would deliver them from gentile bondage with a great show of power
and glory. They resented, more than Pilate could know, the intimation that this
meek-mannered teacher of strange doctrines, now under arrest and charged with
crimes worthy of death, should be referred to as "the king of the Jews." They
looked upon such a remark as an insult to everything which they held sacred and
honorable in their national existence, and therefore did they all let loose
their mighty shouts for Barabbas's release and Jesus' death.
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent of the charges brought against him, and had he
been a just and courageous judge, he would have acquitted him and turned him
loose. But he was afraid to defy these angry Jews, and while he hesitated to do
his duty, a messenger came up and presented him with a sealed message from his
wife, Claudia.
Pilate indicated to those assembled before him that he wished to read the
communication which he had just received before he proceeded further with the
matter before him. When Pilate opened this letter from his wife, he read: "I
pray you have nothing to do with this innocent and just man whom they call
Jesus. I have suffered many things in a dream this night because of him." This
note from Claudia not only greatly upset Pilate and thereby delayed the
adjudication of this matter, but it unfortunately also provided considerable
time in which the Jewish rulers freely circulated among the crowd and urged the
people to call for the release of Barabbas and to clamor for the crucifixion of
Jesus.
Finally, Pilate addressed himself once more to the solution of the problem
which confronted him, by asking the mixed assembly of Jewish rulers and the
pardon-seeking crowd, "What shall I do with him who is called the king of the
Jews ? " And they all shouted with one accord, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" The
unanimity of this demand from the mixed multitude startled and alarmed Pilate,
the unjust and fear-ridden judge.
Then once more Pilate said: "Why would you crucify this man? What evil has he
done? Who will come forward to testify against him?" But when they heard Pilate
speak in defense of Jesus, they only cried out all the more, "Crucify him!
Crucify him!"
Then again Pilate appealed to them regarding the release of the Passover
prisoner, saying: "Once more I ask you, which of these prisoners shall I
release to you at this, your Passover time?" And again the crowd shouted, "Give
us Barabbas!"
Then said Pilate: "If I release the murderer, Barabbas, what shall I do with
Jesus?" And once more the multitude shouted in unison, "Crucify him! Crucify
him!"
Pilate was terrorized by the insistent clamor of the mob, acting under the
direct leadership of the chief priests and the councilors of the Sanhedrin;
nevertheless, he decided upon at least one more attempt to appease the crowd
and save Jesus.
6. PILATE'S LAST APPEAL
In all that is transpiring early this Friday morning before Pilate, only the
enemies of Jesus are participating. His many friends either do not yet know of
his night arrest and early morning trial or are in hiding lest they also be
apprehended
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and adjudged worthy of death because they believe Jesus' teachings. In the
multitude which now clamors for the Master's death are to be found only his
sworn enemies and the easily led and unthinking populace.
Pilate would make one last appeal to their pity. Being afraid to defy the
clamor of this misled mob who cried for the blood of Jesus, he ordered the
Jewish guards and the Roman soldiers to take Jesus and scourge him. This was in
itself an unjust and illegal procedure since the Roman law provided that only
those condemned to die by crucifixion should be thus subjected to scourging.
The guards took Jesus into the open courtyard of the praetorium for this
ordeal. Though his enemies did not witness this scourging, Pilate did, and
before they had finished this wicked abuse, he directed the scourgers to desist
and indicated that Jesus should be brought to him. Before the scourgers laid
their knotted whips upon Jesus as he was bound to the whipping post, they again
put upon him the purple robe, and plaiting a crown of thorns, they placed it
upon his brow. And when they had put a reed in his hand as a mock scepter, they
knelt before him and mocked him, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they
spit upon him and struck him in the face with their hands. And one of them,
before they returned him to Pilate, took the reed from his hand and struck him
upon the head.
Then Pilate led forth this bleeding and lacerated prisoner and, presenting him
before the mixed multitude, said: "Behold the man! Again I declare to you that
I find no crime in him, and having scourged him, I would release him."
There stood Jesus of Nazareth, clothed in an old purple royal robe with a crown
of thorns piercing his kindly brow. His face was bloodstained and his form
bowed down with suffering and grief. But nothing can appeal to the unfeeling
hearts of those who are victims of intense emotional hatred and slaves to
religious prejudice. This sight sent a mighty shudder through the realms of a
vast universe, but it did not touch the hearts of those who had set their minds
to effect the destruction of Jesus.
When they had recovered from the first shock of seeing the Master's plight,
they only shouted the louder and the longer, "Crucify him! Crucify him! Crucify
him!"
And now did Pilate comprehend that it was futile to appeal to their supposed
feelings of pity. He stepped forward and said: "I perceive that you are
determined this man shall die, but what has he done to deserve death? Who will
declare his crime?"
Then the high priest himself stepped forward and, going up to Pilate, angrily
declared: "We have a sacred law, and by that law this man ought to die because
he made himself out to be the Son of God." When Pilate heard this, he was all
the more afraid, not only of the Jews, but recalling his wife's note and the
Greek mythology of the gods coming down on earth, he now trembled at the
thought of Jesus possibly being a divine personage. He waved to the crowd to
hold its peace while he took Jesus by the arm and again led him inside the
building that he might further examine him. Pilate was now confused by fear,
bewildered by superstition, and harassed by the stubborn attitude of the mob.
7. PILATE'S LAST INTERVIEW
As Pilate, trembling with fearful emotion, sat down by the side of Jesus, he
inquired: "Where do you come from? Really, who are you? What is this they say,
that you are the Son of God?"
top of page - 1996
But Jesus could hardly answer such questions when asked by a man-fearing, weak,
and vacillating judge who was so unjust as to subject him to flogging even when
he had declared him innocent of all crime, and before he had been duly
sentenced to die. Jesus looked Pilate straight in the face, but he did not
answer him. Then said Pilate: "Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not realize
that I still have power to release you or to crucify you?" Then said Jesus:
"You could have no power over me except it were permitted from above. You could
exercise no authority over the Son of Man unless the Father in heaven allowed
it. But you are not so guilty since you are ignorant of the gospel. He who
betrayed me and he who delivered me to you, they have the greater sin."
This last talk with Jesus thoroughly frightened Pilate. This moral coward and
judicial weakling now labored under the double weight of the superstitious fear
of Jesus and mortal dread of the Jewish leaders.
Again Pilate appeared before the crowd, saying: "I am certain this man is only
a religious offender. You should take him and judge him by your law. Why should
you expect that I would consent to his death because he has clashed with your
traditions?"
Pilate was just about ready to release Jesus when Caiaphas, the high priest,
approached the cowardly Roman judge and, shaking an avenging finger in Pilate's
face, said with angry words which the entire multitude could hear: "If you
release this man, you are not Caesar's friend, and I will see that the emperor
knows all." This public threat was too much for Pilate. Fear for his personal
fortunes now eclipsed all other considerations, and the cowardly governor
ordered Jesus brought out before the judgment seat. As the Master stood there
before them, he pointed to him and tauntingly said, "Behold your king." And the
Jews answered, "Away with him. Crucify him!" And then Pilate said, with much
irony and sarcasm, "Shall I crucify your king?" And the Jews answered, "Yes,
crucify him! We have no king but Caesar." And then did Pilate realize that
there was no hope of saving Jesus since he was unwilling to defy the Jews.
8. PILATE'S TRAGIC SURRENDER
Here stood the Son of God incarnate as the Son of Man. He was arrested without
indictment; accused without evidence; adjudged without witnesses; punished
without a verdict; and now was soon to be condemned to die by an unjust judge
who confessed that he could find no fault in him. If Pilate had thought to
appeal to their patriotism by referring to Jesus as the "king of the Jews," he
utterly failed. The Jews were not expecting any such a king. The declaration of
the chief priests and the Sadducees, "We have no king but Caesar," was a shock
even to the unthinking populace, but it was too late now to save Jesus even had
the mob dared to espouse the Master's cause.
Pilate was afraid of a tumult or a riot. He dared not risk having such a
disturbance during Passover time in Jerusalem. He had recently received a
reprimand from Caesar, and he would not risk another. The mob cheered when he
ordered the release of Barabbas. Then he ordered a basin and some water, and
there before the multitude he washed his hands, saying: "I am innocent of the
blood of this man. You are determined that he shall die, but I have found no
guilt in him. See you to it. The soldiers will lead him forth." And then the
mob cheered and replied, "His blood be on us and on our children."
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Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem Tuesday Morning In The
Temple The Last Temple Discourse Tuesday Evening On Mount Olivet Wednesday, The
Rest Day Last Day At The Camp The Last Supper The Farewell Discourse Final
Admonitions And Warnings In Gethsemane The Betrayal And Arrest Of Jesus Before
The Sanhedrin Court The Trial Before Pilate Just Before The Crucifixion The
Crucifixion The Time Of The Tomb The Resurrection Morontia Appearances Of Jesus
Appearances To The Apostles And Other Leaders Appearances In Galilee Final
Appearances And Ascension Bestowal Of The Spirit Of Truth After Pentecost The
Faith Of Jesus
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