Jesus is Tried by Pilate

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Jesus is Tried by Pilate

Date: Jul. 8, 2022

Passage

Mark 15:1-15 (ESV)

1 And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 15:2

And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”

The Sanhedrin had condemned Jesus to death, but they had no authority to execute him. For that, they needed to involve the Roman governor, Pilate. The charge was that Jesus claimed to be a king. So, Pilate confronted Jesus, who was bound and bleeding, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus affirmed his kingship. Jesus is a spiritual king. He is the testimony of God who is sovereign over all things. He did not come to threaten the kings of the world, but to save his people from their sins. As before, Jesus did not reply to his accusers, to the amazement of Pilate.

Pilate did his best to find a way to release Jesus, for he knew that the Jewish leaders were only serving their own self-interest in bringing charges against Jesus. He tried using the custom of releasing a prisoner during the Passover festival. But the religious leaders provoked the crowd to request the insurrectionist, Barabbas. So, Pilate, though he knew Jesus to be innocent, handed him over to be crucified. This was the will of God for Jesus. In this way, even in being condemned, Jesus is revealed as our king.

Prayer: Prayer: Lord, thank you for sending Jesus to bear the condemnation of my sin. Bless me to worship him as king.

One Word: One Word: Jesus is my king

The End of Northern Israel

2 Kings 17:1-23

Key Verse: 17:15

They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them.

Today's Question

What does the tenth commandment require?

See answer and references