???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????JOHN 19:1-16 ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Lesson # 39

???????????????????????????????????? CAUGHT BETWEEN TRUTH AND CAREER

I.? Introduction:

???????????Q? How many of you know someone who tried to date two people at the same time and did not want either person to know?

???????????Q? Why did they do that?

Note:? Sometimes someone is not trying to hurt anyone, they just cannot make up their mind.? They want two things that conflict with one another.? If we move from the realm of relationships….

???????????Q? Have you ever been caught between two things that you really wanted?

???????????Q? Why did you do?

II.? Pilate’s Attempt to Save Jesus From Crucifixion:? Scourging.? John 19:1-8

???????????Note:? If you remember what we studied last time, we saw Pilate trying to keep Jesus alive.? He knows Jesus is innocent of the crimes leveled against Him.? Jesus is clearly not a threat to the State of Rome.? Rome stood for “justice”.? Pilate knows to be true to the best of Rome, he needs to let Jesus go free.? However, Pilate is being forced by political pressure to execute an innocent man.? Pilate wants two things, the honor of being just and keeping political peace.? Jesus poses a problem for Pilate who want to “eat his cake and keep it too”.

???????????So Pilate tries to thread the needle and decides to humiliate Jesus and show the Jewish leadership that Jesus is certainly not threat.? Pilate is also banking that when they see the brutalized Jesus they will be satisfied, and so Pilate has Jesus scourged.

>>>> Have someone read John 19:1-3.

???????????Q? Besides the brutal beating recorded in verse 1 what else does John emphasize in verses 2 and 3?

???????????Q? Have you ever seen someone deeply humiliated by other people?? Can you share such an example?

???????????Q? John leaves so much else out, why does he mention this?

>>>>? Have someone read John 19:4-5

???????????Q? Why does Pilate repeat again to the Jewish leadership that he finds Jesus innocent?

Note:? The statement:? “Behold, the man!”? is seen by many scholars as Pilate’s attempt to illicit pity and end the trial here.? Notice how well Pilate’s attempt works….

>>>> Have someone read John 19:6

???????????Q? Does Pilate’s effort succeed?

Note:? Notice Pilate is clearly getting irritated.? He does not want to kill an innocent man and so in frustration he tells the Jews to kill Jesus themselves.?

???????????This the Jewish leaders cannot not do.? Jesus is popular with the crowds, and they want the Romans to execute him.? So they push the ball back into Pilate’s court….

>>>> Have someone read John 19:7-8

???????????Q? What frightens Pilate?

????????????? An = It could be Pilate, though a “man of Rome”, was highly superstitious.? He does not want to kill a man with spiritual powers.

>>>> Have someone read John 19:9

???????????Q? What is Pilate after with his question?

???????????Q? Why did Jesus refuse to answer?

>>>> Have someone read John 19:10-11.

???????????Q? With what is Pilate threatening Jesus?

???????????Q? Does it work?? Is Jesus intimidated?

???????????Q? What does His answer mean (in verse 11)?

>>>>? Have someone read John 19:12

???????????Q? What trump card have the Jewish leaders played?

????????????? An = They threaten Pilate’s future, they could get him in trouble by reporting to Rome that Pilate let a man claiming to be a king go free.? Pilate could be seen as either incompetent or unwilling to look out for Rome’s interests by not stopping a man who tries to usurp Roman political authority.

???????????Notice what Pilate does next.

>>>> Have someone read John 19:13-14.

???????????Q? Since Pilate could not have it both ways, what has Pilate decided to opt for?

????????????? An = His career, instead of justice or truth.

Note:? Pilate is killing his own sense of integrity and he is bitter, so notice how he presents Jesus to the Jewish leaders this time.? He calls Jesus their king, in affect telling them that Rome is executing their king.? It is a jab at the Jewish leaders that have out maneuvered him.

>>>> Have someone read John 19:15-16.

???????????Q? What has Pilate got the Jews to admit in a last ditch effort to humiliate his rivals?

????????????? An = He has got them to swear allegiance to Rome.

Note:? Pilate’s last swing at them has left him bitter though.? He knows he has chosen his career over principle.? His irritation will show up in his dispute with the inscription placed on Jesus’ cross.

>>>>? Have someone read John 19:17-22.

???????????Q? Why will Pilate refuse to change the inscription?

????????????? An = Pilate wants a hallow victory.? Many will read that Rome has trounced the Israel king.? It is hallow, but it is all Pilate has left.

???????????RQ? Who cares that Pilate felt irritated, or was out manoeuvered and failed to live up to his creed of justice?

????????????? Note = What is interesting John cares!? It seems very important to him to tell us Pilate’s story.

???????????Q? So why is this story here?

???????????Q? Will you always get justice from those who are supposed to give it to you?

???????????Q? Will God understand how you feel??

???????????RQ? Does God only relate to the triumphant, the intelligent, the healthy, the strong, the handsome, the rich?

Note: ?We often feel like we need to look triumphant as Christians.? We must be great in music, in numbers, in strength, in intellectual matters, in politics, etc.? Such feelings are not wrong, but in the Gospels Jesus is presented here as weak, as cheated out of justice, as humiliated, as defeated….

???????????Q? Was Jesus defeated?

????????????? An = No, Bultmann (p. 669) reminds us that Pilate, like Caiaphas before him also plays the part of the prophet.? He caves into pressure, but his last sneering effort to irritate his rivals, his calling Jesus a king, is entirely true.? “Jesus is really the king;? the kingly rule, awaited in hope, is not as such destroyed, but established in a new sense;? the cross is the exaltation and the glorification of Jesus.”

???????????Note:? William Temple says is so well:? “His reign is inaugurated.? He is mounted on His throne of shame and power….? For so it was necessary that the Kingdom should be founded, since it must control the hearts and wills of men.? `The Son of Man must suffer’.? He reigns from the Tree.”

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