Hello, and thank you for joining us. This program is produced by Heralds of Hope, and we are honored to share this teaching with you. We believe the Word of God and are committed to teaching from it. The reason for this is because our experience has shown the Bible has the best answers to our big questions, and we have experienced its life-giving and life-changing truth. This is also why we count it a privilege each time we open the Bible and teach from it.
Today is no exception, and we will continue our study in the book of John. We just finished John 18, and now we will go with Jesus to His trial before Pilate in John 19. Today’s lesson is titled, Who is Guilty?
In every land, the government has some process by which to administer justice. There is surely in all countries a system of courts. They are not all the same, but there are processes to deal with lawbreakers. The tragedy is when innocent people are assumed to be guilty before evidence of guilt has been established.
In the trial of Jesus, we must raise the question, WHO IS GUILTY? His life was full of loving acts of kindness, healing the sick, and teaching the people. Yet, because He was misunderstood, He had to stand trial before the Roman court.
As John reports what happened during Jesus’ trial before the Roman ruler, we wonder really who was on trial. We will consider John 19:1-7 in this meditation.
1. Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him.
2. And the soldiers braided a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
3. And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they struck him with their hands.
4. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that you may know that I find no fault in him.
5. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
6. When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
7. The Jews answered him, we have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
Heavenly Father, these words of Scripture fill our hearts with a mixture of sorrow and joy. Sorrow to see how unjustly Jesus was treated; joy because of His willingness to secure our eternal salvation. These words remind us again of a very important truth. God uses the free choices of men to accomplish His purposes but holds men accountable for their choices. History has judged Pilate harshly. If there is no repentance, eternity will judge him even more harshly.
And so, as my friend and I examine this portion of Scripture, help us to consider our choices as they relate to Jesus the Christ. I ask this in His name, Amen.
Who is guilty? To answer this question, we must carefully weigh several OBSERVATIONS.
We turn our faces away as we observe He was Scourged by the Soldiers.
Yes, He was beaten. Perhaps they beat Him to force a confession of wrong. That is a method often used to bring a forced confession: whip him, torment him, hurt him and perhaps he will say something that will give an occasion to pass sentence agains...
