Guilty Without Evidence

Lesson #306

Jesus was brought to Pilot and Pilot comes out to hear what accusation they had brought against Jesus. “They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.”” (John 18:30 ESV). By their statement the Jews are implying that they have tried Jesus and had determined that he was guilty. They were hoping that Pilot would accept their veridic and give sentence that Jesus should be executed. This was the usual practice, but in this case Pilot knew about Jesus and his miracles and had a belief that Jesus was innocent and wanted the Jews to punish him according to his wrong doing.

“Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.”” (John 18:31 ESV). At this point Pilot didn’t see anything worthy of the death sentence, so he felt the Jews were able to punish according to the wrong doing on the part of Jesus. The Jews knew that Roman law would not allow them to execute Jesus so they point that out to Pilot. The Jews wanted Jesus dead and only Pilot could legally make that happen.

“This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die” (John 18:32 ESV). Those words were recorded in Matthew: “And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”” (Matthew 20:17 – 19 ESV).

Prayer

Father, you sent your Son, born of a virgin, to purchase our salvation by sacrificing his life on the cross. The Jews intend this for evil, but you intend his death for our good. For those who reject Jesus this seals their eternity under the wrath of God, but those who love and embrace Jesus it provides eternal life. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 3:28 NKJV). Father, I believe you have called certain Christians to sacrifice their lives as a testimony to those who are torturing them. This may be the only way they will experience your love and forgiveness and hear the gospel. What they plan for evil may be your plan to reach them with eternal life at the cost of a believer’s life. Jesus gave his life for us and we should be prepared to give our life for someone else, even the one who is about to take our life.