“So Pilate came outside to them and said, ‘What accusation do you bring against this man?’ They replied, ‘If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.’ Pilate told them, ‘Take him yourselves and pass judgement on him according to your own law!’ The Jewish leaders replied, ‘We have cannot legally put anyone to death. This happened to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated what kind of death he was going to die.’” —John 18:29–32
There was certainly no love lost between Pilate and these hypocritical Jews. Pilate was not the least bit fooled by their false pretense—he saw right through their charade. Matthew’s Gospel tells us Pilate was aware of the motives behind these Jewish leaders’ actions:
“For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.” —Matthew 27:18
Pilate was well aware of these leaders’ envy and fear over Jesus’ growing popularity and following. He had witnessed the love, acclaim, and wild enthusiasm the Jewish nation had for their King. Certainly, he had heard about—if not even seen—the crowds assembled together shouting “Hosanna,” and waving palm branches (symbols of victory) at Jesus’ triumphal entry, and shouting Messianic titles to Him.
John tells us earlier in his gospel:
“The next day the large crowd that had come for the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took palm branches of palm trees and went out to meet him. They began to shout, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!’” —John 12:12–13
However, in our verses for today, it was the Jewish leaders causing this annoyance for Pilate, not the masses. These leaders wanted Jesus dead, and if possible, they wanted the deed done by the hands of the Romans. They wanted to keep everything legal in their own eyes, they wanted to justify their evil behavior. Never mind that their hearts were hardened and dead.
Yet the Jewish leaders’ actions were merely the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophetic words—another confirmation that Jesus was exactly who He said He was!
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and said to them,
“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely and crucified. Yet on the third day he will be raised.” —Matthew 20:17–19
Become More
What the Jewish leaders failed to realize is that God values what is in the heart over the pretense of righteous actions. He always judges on the basis of why we do what we do.
“All a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, but the LORD evaluates the motives.” —Proverbs 16:2
Further Reflections
“Certainly the LORD watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.” —2 Chronicles 16:9
“I, the LORD, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.” —Jeremiah 17:10
“Our Lord does not care so much for the importance of our works as for the love with which they are done.” —Teresa of Avila