An apology. My emailings of these meditations have been erratic of late. I have been unwell with a virus. My computer caught one too!
Crumbs 147 Passing the Buck
Scripture Mark 15:1-15World English Bible 1Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, bound Jesus, carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate. 2 Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered, “So you say.” 3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they testify against you!” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled. 6 Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whom they asked of him. 7 There was one called Barabbas, bound with his fellow insurgents, men who in the insurrection had committed murder. 8 The multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do as he always did for them. 9 Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead. 12 Pilate again asked them, “What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13 They cried out again, “Crucify him!” 14 Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, “Crucify him!” 15 Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.
Pilate was in a fix. He had a decision to make and he did not want to make it. What to do about Jesus ? Sadly I have to confess that I recognise his thinking: any device to avoid the decision making or any excuse to find some one to blame if we get it wrong. Pilate used a human tradition and let others do the deciding. The earliest sermon I heard in an Anglican church was on this passage. The choice was between Barabbas, the son of a man or Jesus the son of God.
What a catalogue of foul motives is here revealed, a summary of human sin, the priests with their envy taking precedence over truth and Pilate putting popular favour before justice. Some think of our Lord’s suffering beginning when He was nailed to the cross. This sickening account shows that it began before that. Men were known to die under the flogging. This innocent man suffered punishment before verdict. The sins He bore upon the cross were the sins committed by Pilate, priests and people: in addition to our sins.
In the face of abuse Jesus remained silent and Pilate marvelled. Our natures would drive us in a different direction, retaliation and self justification. This was not the Jesus way, the divine way.
Questions
Which motives does this passage warn us about ?
In which situations should we keep silent ?.
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