WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2022 DEVOTION

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2022

TEXT: John 19:1-16

1. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped.

2. The soldiers made a crown out of thorny branches and put it on his head; then they put a purple robe on him

3. and came to him and said, “Long live the King of the Jews!” And they went up and slapped him.

4. Pilate went back out once more and said to the crowd, “Look, I will bring him out here to you to let you see that I cannot find any reason to condemn him.”

5. So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Look! Here is the man!”

6. When the chief priests and the Temple guards saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

Pilate said to them, “You take him, then, and crucify him. I find no reason to condemn him.”

7. The crowd answered back, “We have a law that says he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

8. When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid.

9. He went back into the palace and asked Jesus, “Where do you come from?”

Jesus did not answer.

10. Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Remember, I have the authority to set you free and also to have you crucified.”

11. Jesus answered, “You have authority over me only because it was given to you by God. So the man who handed me over to you is guilty of a worse sin.”

12. When Pilate heard this, he tried to find a way to set Jesus free. But the crowd shouted back, “If you set him free, that means that you are not the Emperor’s friend! Anyone who claims to be a king is a rebel against the Emperor!”

13. When Pilate heard these words, he took Jesus outside and sat down on the judge’s seat in the place called “The Stone Pavement.” (In Hebrews the name is “Gabbatha.”)

14. It was then almost noon of the day before the Passover. Pilate said to the people, “Here is your king!”

15. They shouted back, “Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!”

Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to crucify your king?”

The chief priests answered, “The only king we have is the Emperor!”

16. Then Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.

(Good News Translation Holy Bible)

TOPIC: I FIND NO BASIS OF A CHARGE AGAINST HIM

The judgment has become complicated that the process became out-of-focused. Have you cared to ask why the chief priests and the officials (the plaintiff) would choose to remain outside the palace leaving only Jesus (the defendant) with the judge?

It was almost Sabbath and entering the Roman palace would not celebrate the Sabbath (John 18:18). Notice the number of times that Pilate kept going into the palace and out to interrogate Jesus vs. 4-5, 8, 13.

With all the flogging, the wearing of the crown of thorns on His head, the struck on His face alongside the purple robe which was a sign of royalty, Pilate openly confront the plaintiff and said: “I find no basis of a charge against him.”

QUESTION: How has the sacrifice of Christ’s life challenging you to be firmed in your faith?

PRAYER: Father, it is clear that You went to the cross without your own guilt but mine. Help me not to take my faith in you for granted, Amen.

 

Remain Blessed                                 

ECWA Food For The Day, 2022.