Matthew:27, 15-26 NIV
15Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus[a] Barabbas. 17So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.
22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Introduction:
Are you familiar with the phenomenon known as “crowd mentality”? It is also called Herd Mentality or Mob Mentality. If you’re not familiar with it, let me explain it to you.
It describes how an individual can be influenced by his peers to adopt certain group behaviors without considering whether the groups’ behavior is right or wrong, whether it’s a good idea or not.. And so, because of the influence of the group, People end up making different decisions than they would make as individuals.
I came across a picture that humorously, but perfectly captures “crowd mentality.” In the picture you see a herd of animals running toward the edge of a cliff and then off the edge of the cliff. One of the animals towards the back of the crowd says:
“I don’t know where we are going, but from the look of this crowd, it’s gotta be good!”?
It’s clear that he’s no longer thinking for himself, but that the group’s mentality is now shaping his behavior.
In our lesson for today we hear about a Roman governor whose name is Pontius Pilate, and we’ll see that he was also influenced by the crowd’s Mentality.
Who is Pontius Pilate
And if you’re thinking to yourself, that name sounds familiar, Yes! You are right, we will talk about this Pontius Pilate who is always mentioned in the apostles’ creed, when we confess that Jesus “suffered under the Pontius Pilate.”
At the beginning of today’s lesson, we meet Pontius Pilate at a critical moment in his life, because he had to deal with the most challenging judgement in his life as the governor of Judea. He had to make a choice between two criminals, one was called Barabbas, and the other “criminal” was Jesus. Our lesson tells us:
15Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. 17So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
Now Barabbas was a notorious prisoner. Matthew doesn’t mention it here in his account, but from the other gospel books of Luke and Mark we can know that he had led a rebellion and had committed the sin of murder.
And the other “criminal” was called Jesus of Nazareth. When they handed him over to Pilate, the chief priests, teachers of law and elders brought the charge of “blasphemy” against him because he was proclaiming himself as the “King of Jews.” But Pilate as the Judge, can’t find any testimony against him according to the law. Matthew tells us in verse 18 that Pilate knew why they had handed Jesus over to him:
18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
Pilate knew that all the Jewish leaders handed Jesus of Nazareth over to him because they were jealous of him and his influential teachings.
First time to get rid of Jesus
But Pilate doesn’t want this “hot potato” in his hands. John tells us in his Gospel account that Pilate tried to hand Jesus back to them: 31 Pilate said,
“Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” (John 18:31)
So at first you could make the argument that he actually did stand up to the crowd. Luke tells us in his Gospel account that He announced to the chief priests and the crowd
“I find no basis for a charge against this man.” (Luke 23:4), But the crowd protested.
Luke also tells us: 5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.” (Luke 23:5)
Second time flipped Jesus
So it’s like they have flipped the hot potato back into Pilate’s hands. But then, after he learned Jesus was a Galilean, Pilate thought he had a way out of this mess. He flipped the hot potato out of his hands into Herod’s hands by sending Jesus to King Herod. And so while he had stood up to the crowd a couple of times, we see that he’s most concerned about self-preservation and wants to get the “hot potato” of Jesus out of his hands.
But King Herod didn’t make the final judgement for Jesus either. He sent him back to Pilate for the final Judgement, so that Pilate even called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people again to announce Jesus’ innocent a second time. Matthew doesn’t record this for us, but Luke does.
“You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” Luke 23:13-15.
We can tell that Pontius Pilate , the second time, was trying to getting rid of this hot potato “Jesus” as soon as possible , because he knew Jesus was innocent and even his wife knew this man was innocent and sent her husband a message about this innocent man:
19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” So even at this point, he was still thinking about releasing Jesus.
But when the crowd heard this message from Pilate, they realized Pilate wanted to release Jesus. And so the crowd was becoming more stirred up and their voices were becoming louder
Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
The Third Time
So the third time, Pilate spoke to them, and announced Jesus innocent. “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.” Luke 23:22
But the crowd shouted insistently demanded that Jesus be crucified and their shouts prevailed.
The final decision
So Pilate had to make his final decision this time. To appease the crowd, He released Barnabas, the real murder, the real criminal, and surrendered Jesus according to their will.
Washing his hands
Through all the details which we’re given in the bible, we know that Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and he knew what was the right thing to do. He could make a right and just decision for Jesus. But unfortunately he didn’t. He was trying to get rid of his responsibility for making the decision to crucify Jesus by washing his hands before all the crowd.
Matthew tells us: 24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”
Pilate washed his hands and announced to the crowd, that he had nothing to do with this man’s blood. But did he really wash away his sin by washing his hands?
Obviously not, he is remembered as one of the most negative figures in Christian history, and every time his name is mentioned again and again in the apostle creed for over 1600 years now among the churches all over the world, it’s because Jesus was “crucified under Pontius Pilate.” It doesn’t matter that he thought he had washed his hands of his guilt, his hands still are responsible for Jesus’ death. And through his wrong judgment, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of God was humiliated, and was crucified.
Why he did this?
Why did he make this huge mistake? What forced him to make such a foolish judgement on Jesus? Because he was only concerned about himself. The sin of self-preservation. He knew what was the right thing to do, but he didn’t do it.
· He knew what the right thing to do was, but didn’t do it because he was more concerned about his own position and power.,
· He knew what the right thing to do was and didn’t do it because he was trying to appease all the Jewish chief priests and elders, and the crowd. He knew that If he released Jesus, these Jewish leaders would lead a new rebellion against him and that could cost him his position as governor of Judea, maybe even his life.
So he chose self-preservation, He sacrificed Jesus. He handed Jesus over to the soldiers to do with him what they willed. He did this, even though he knew Jesus was innocent and this was not the right thing to do.
How about us
What can we learn from Pontius Pilate? It’s really not surprising that an unbeliever like Pilate acts like an unbeliever. This is what you should expect from an unbeliever – only concerned about himself (self-preservation).
But what about us? We are Christians, but do we always make the right choice when we know what is the right thing to do? Or do we follow the crowd mentality, adopting our thinking to the crowd? Do we get swept up in the crowd mentality when we are working in our workplace, living with our family, or engaging with our community? Do we give in to the crowd when we are facing the pressure and this pressure is pushing against our faith and our Lord? We could be the ones who denied Jesus, who avoid talking about gospel or who even twist our thoughts to make ourselves fit into the new environment, because we want to be safe and self-preserved in a gospel hostile world.
We can be the ones who deny Jesus to save our own skins. And that is exactly what our lord is warning us against in Mathew 10:33 when he says: “but whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”
What Jesus did
But what was Jesus Christ doing in this case? Let’s turn our eyes to him. When all the accusations from the chief priests, the teachers of law, the elders, and the crowd were spoken against him, when the crowd was shouting “We want Barabbas, We want Baraabbas! Crucify him! Crucify him!” What did Jesus do? Our Lord kept silent the whole time, so that Pilate was amazed at him and asked him “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” but Jesus made no replay, not even to a single charge!
You should amazed
Just as Pilate was amazed, aren’t you amazed that Jesus kept silent even at this crucial moment when they were deciding his fate? Aren’t you amazed that he kept silent as they brought all these accusations against him? Aren’t you amazed that as the son of God, who is able to call all the angels and heavenly troop to fight for him and save him from this dangerous judgement that he didn’t do that?
As the son of God, he allowed all these things that happened to him so that he could bear all the accusations and curses from this world for us. We as sinners tend to self-preservation and are only concerned about ourselves. But our Lord was not concerned about preserving himself here. What he was doing here, he was doing willing to provide salvation to all who would believe in him. He allowed himself to suffer under the unjust accusations, and he even allowed himself to be crucified on the cross, so that he could bear all the accusations and curses of sin and we could hear the Father announce that we are innocent now through him. He was willingly giving himself as the atoning sacrifice before God, to obey God the Father’s will, so that all the curses, accusations, humiliations we sinners deserve, Jesus instead was willing to bear for us through his suffering and crucifixion.
Jesus Christ, knew what was the right thing to do and he did it for us! Without hesitation, without complaints! So that all our sins are forgiven!
Conclusion:
No matter what he said or did, no matter how much water Pilate tried to use to wash the stain of guilt from his sin of self-preservation from his hands, It will never change the truth we confess every time we speak the Creed “he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.” because he knew what was the right thing to do, but he didn’t. In the end, he was only concerned about himself, only concerned about self-preservation.
But our Lord, Jesus Christ, as the son of God, knew what was the right things to do when he was on this earth. And he was working out God the Father’ will for the world perfectly, and even allowed himself as our atoning sacrifice to suffer under Pontius Pilate, even allowed all the accusations and curses that came upon him, even allowed them to crucify him on the cross, so that we could be called innocent and sinless ones in God’s sights.
And now his selfless love lives in you. Every time you hear or read the Word which tells you of his selfless love, he pours that selfless love into your heart and soul and mind. Every time you receive his gift of love in the Lord’s Supper, he pours that selfless love into your heart and soul and mind. And he who began this good work in you, will himself help you to know what is right and to do what is right – even when the crowds are trying to push you in the wrong direction.
In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! Amen!