A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
Matthew 27:11-32
Lesson #70
JESUS’ SIXTH TRIAL BEFORE PIILATE
- Memory verse: 1Peter 2:24
- Read Mat 27:11-26 Trial #6 (Roman) Before Pilate
- Remember that the only charge against Jesus was blasphemy. However, the Romans would never give a death sentence for such a charge. The Jewish authorities needed a charge that would be offensive to the Romans; a political charge instead of a religious charge.
- Luke 23:2 tells us the false charge they presented to Pilate.
- Jesus was a revolutionary
- He taught the people not to pay their taxes
- He claimed to be a King
- What kind of man was Pilate?
- He was a procurator (Roman governor) who was directly responsible to the Roman Emperor. A man had to be at least 27 years old to be a procurator. To become a procurator, a man must have climbed the ladder of military commands. Pilate became the procurator in 26 AD and held the office for ten years when he was recalled.
- He was afraid of the Jews but more afraid of the Roman Emperor. He used every opportunity to his own advantage.
- Pilate did not understand the Jews nor like them. He thought they were irrational and fanatical. Previously Roman policy treated the Jews very carefully for fear of revolutions. However, Pilate dealt harshly with the Jews. For example:
- The Roman standard was not a flag but a pole with an eagle on the top. Because Jews hated images, every previous governor had removed the eagles before marching into Jerusalem.
- Pilate had not. Opposition to Pilate was so bitter that he finally yielded to the Jews.
- Pilate built a new water supply for Jerusalem using money from the temple treasury.
- Jesus was not the first man tried before Pilate and given a death sentence for no cause. There were many.
- Pilate’s end:
- He was finally recalled to Rome because of a savage incident in Samaria. A certain impostor summoned people to Mt. Gerizim to see sacred vessels that he said Moses had hidden there.
A large multitude came, unfortunately many with weapons. Pilate had them all slaughtered.
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- Pilate never came to trial in Rome for the incident because the emperor died before Pilate could reach Rome.
- Legend:
- Legend says Pilate committed suicide. The burial of his body was moved to several different locations because of a curse.
- There is also a legend that both Pilate and his wife became Christian later in life. His wife had been sympathetic to Jesus probably because she was a Jewish proselyte.
- The tragedy of Pilate’s position of responsibility:
- Pilate was clearly impressed with Jesus.
- Pilate looked for a way to escape making judgment on Jesus.
- The first time Pilate sent Jesus to Herod.
- The second time Pilate suggests taking advantage of the custom of releasing one prisoner at Passover.
- Who was Barabbas?
- He was a revolutionary leader of a group of terrorists who robbed the Romans to get money for their revolutionary activities.
- His name means, = son of the father, indicating that he was the son of a great rabbi in a distinguished family. Barabbas’ other name was “Jesus”. “Jesus” was a common name. It is the same name as Joshua in the Old Testament. The crowd shouted, “not Jesus Christ, but Jesus Barabbas”.
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- Pilate washed his hands of the responsibility. This was a Jewish custom (Deu 21:1-9)
- Pilate was warned not to make judgment on Jesus.
- He was warned by his sense of justice.
- His conscience warned him Jesus was innocent.
- His wife’s dreams warned him.
- The Jews acceptance of responsibility: (Mat 27:25)
- Because the Jews asked for the consequences of Jesus’ crucifixion, God has given it to them.
- A veil has been placed over their spiritual eyes so that nationally they may not understand and believe in Jesus Christ until the second coming of Christ. (2Cor 3:13-16)
- Since 70 AD dispersion and persecution have been a bitter consequence to their rejection of their Messiah.
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- Application:
- Many times through history leaders have attempted to wash their hands of their responsibility. It is an impossibility with men and with God.
- Society always holds those in authority responsible.
- The Nuremburg trials of Hitler’s officers is an example.
- God always holds those in authority responsible.
- Saul’s failure as a king is an example.
- Whether you are a parent, or a husband, an employer, a pastor, or a teacher, you have certain areas of responsibility for which God will hold you responsible.
- Society always holds those in authority responsible.
- Therefore, you can never wash your hands of your responsibility.
- Many times through history leaders have attempted to wash their hands of their responsibility. It is an impossibility with men and with God.
- Read Mat 27:27-32 Preparation for crucifixion
- Jesus was given over to the soldiers who scourged Him and mocked Him.
- Roman scourging:
- This was a terrible punishment from which many died even before crucifixion. Few men remained conscious at the end of it. The beating was done with a cat-o-nine tails. It was a whip made of leather strips. At the end of each piece of leather was a small piece of metal, bone, or glass. Legally a prisoner could be beaten with this whip forty times. However, to insure that the Roman law was not broken, they beat a prisoner only 39 times. Jesus endured the 39 lashes of this whip. The Bible calls them “stripes” because the whip made bloody stripes across the prisoner’s back.
- It is interesting that by the “stripes” of Jesus we are healed (1Pet 2:24).
- Medical science has accidentally divided all illnesses into 39 categories.
- The mocking:
- The soldiers made him a mock King. They did not know who Jesus was, nor did they know they were acting in the hands of God.
- They did not know He was truly a King and that they would prophetically give him that title on the cross.
- Simon of Cyrene, who carried the cross
- He was probably a black man conscripted by the soldiers from the crowd standing at the side of the road. Cyrene was in North Africa.
- Unlike many pictures we see of the crucifixion, a prisoner did not carry the whole cross. He only carried the cross beam because the vertical beam was already at the location of crucifixion. The charge against Him was written on a board and hung around his neck or carried by a soldier at the front of the procession. At Calvary, the board was nailed to the top of the cross. The procession to Calvary went the longest route so people could see the prisoner.
- This was a terrible punishment from which many died even before crucifixion. Few men remained conscious at the end of it. The beating was done with a cat-o-nine tails. It was a whip made of leather strips. At the end of each piece of leather was a small piece of metal, bone, or glass. Legally a prisoner could be beaten with this whip forty times. However, to insure that the Roman law was not broken, they beat a prisoner only 39 times. Jesus endured the 39 lashes of this whip. The Bible calls them “stripes” because the whip made bloody stripes across the prisoner’s back.
Homework
Matthew 27:33-56
- Application of Mat 27:11-32
- Make a list of your major responsibilities.
- Consider that these responsibilities are given to you by God.
- In what ways can you better fulfill your responsibilities so as to please God?
- Preparation for Mat 27:33-56 The crucifixion
- Read Mat 27:33-56
- Write any details you may never have noticed before.
- Make a list of verbal insults spoken to Jesus on the cross.
- Write your conclusions about each one.
- Why do you think Matthew included verse 55-56?
- Read Mat 27:33-56
- Memory verse: Gal 3:13
