GOSPEL MEDITATION
John 19:1–16
Jesus Delivered to be Crucified
Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
1. Now that Pilate has determined to have Jesus crucified, to satisfy the religious authorities, he orders Jesus flogged.
2. Soldiers, likely Romans soldiers who were used to inflicting pain, mock Jesus by placing a crown of thorns on His head and draping a purple robe over Him, thus intending to bloody Jesus and humiliate Him. All this in private.
3. Their mocking continues as they beat Him with their fists. Pilate then escorts Jesus out into the open for all to see, perhaps hoping this treatment would satisfy the crowd. In presenting Jesus he said, “Behold the man!”
4. This effort failed as the chief priests and officers yell out to crucify Him. Pilate says then for them to take Him away and do it themselves since he found no fault in Jesus.
5. The Jews had no authority to crucify a criminal, but Jesus was more, since He had stated He is the Son of God. For unknown reasons, Pilate was “even more afraid.”
6. Taking Jesus back inside his residence, Pilate began questioning Jesus about where He was from, but Jesus remained silent. This infuriated Pilate and he then retorts that he himself had the authority to release Jesus.
7. Jesus counters that Pilate had no authority except it had been given to him from above. Therefore, the “greater sin” belongs to those who turned Him over to Pilate.
8. Pilate tries hard to release Jesus, but the religious authorities shouted that if he did, Pilate was no friend of Caesar’s and actually opposed Caesar. So the crowd became political with the idea that a report would be made to Rome.
9. Pilate took Jesus to the location where judgements were pronounced. Whereupon he called out, “Behold your King!” The crowd yelled to take Him away and crucify Him.
10. Pilate continues taunting them saying, “Shall I crucify your King?” The crowds reply is one that would seemingly be impossible for a Jew to make, “We have no king but Caesar.”
11. Pilate then released Jesus to be crucified.