Subject: The Interrogation of the Lord Jesus Christ III
INTRODUCTION
1. The 1st Interrogation was before Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas
2. The 2nd Interrogation was before Caiaphas, the presiding High Priest
3. The 3rd Interrogation was before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate
28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. 29 Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”
30 They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.”
31 Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.”
Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” 32 that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.
33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
34 Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”
35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world,that I should bearwitness to the truth. Everyone whois of the truthhears My voice.”
38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.
39 “But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
40 Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
THE PRAETORIUM
1. The word “Praetor”
a) It means “leader”
b) It was used to describe a magistrate or a governor
c) The rank is often that of a Tribune
2. The word “Praetorium”
a) It refers to a special tent that is erected for the Governor to convene official meetings
b) It is the place that Pilate used to see his officers
c) They would not even step into the Praetorium to see the governor lest they be defiled and not be allowed to celebrate the Passover
THE LORD JESUS BEFORE THE PRAETOR PONTIUS PILATE
1. Normal question of the Governor
Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” John 18:29
a) What was the charge?
b) What was accusation?
2. Unusual answer
They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.” John 18:30
a) To the Council Members the Lord Jesus was “an evildoer”
b) He was delivered to Pilate for sentencing and punishment
c) This was highly irregular!
3. The Jews demanded the death of the Lord Jesus
31 Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,”
32 that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die. John 18:31-32
a) Pilate did not want to judge the Lord Jesus over any religious problem
b) He urged the Jewish leaders to deal with the problem according to their laws
c) The Jewish leaders had no authority to execute anyone
d) Hence they wanted Pilate to execute the Lord Jesus
THE CHARGE THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE DEATH PENALTY
1. If the Lord Jesus claimed that He was a Ruler (A King)
2. Hence this line of questioning
33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
34 Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”
35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
John 18:33-36
3. The Kingdom of the Lord Jesus
a) It is not an earthly kingdom
b) It is a spiritual and eternal kingdom
THE FINDINGS OF PONTIUS PILATE
38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.
39 “But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
40 Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
John 18:38-40
1. He declared the Lord Jesus “Not guilty!”
“I find no fault in Him at all” John 18:38
2. He should have released the Lord Jesus
3. Instead, he offered a choice to the Jewish rulers
a) They could choose to have someone pardoned at the Passover celebration
b) Pilate hoped that they would have the Lord Jesus pardoned
c) Instead, the Jewish leaders asked for the release of Barabbas was a notorious robber
LESSONS THAT WE ARE TO LEARN
1. The danger of miscarriage of justice
2. The amazing example of the Lord Jesus in the face of adversity