The PassionSample

As Jesus appears before Pilate, a courtroom scene unfolds. Jesus responds to Pilate truthfully and calmly, not seeking to defend Himself from the accusations being thrown at Him. Ironically, Pilate recognises that Jesus is “the king of the Jews” (Matthew 27:11, ESV), and even Pilate’s wife calls Jesus a “righteous man” (Matthew 27:19, ESV).

When given the option of either freeing Barabbas, a guilty criminal, or Jesus, the righteous king of the Jews, the crowds choose Jesus. Instead of protesting His innocence, Jesus maintains His silence, allowing the condemnation and guilt to fall on Him. The crowds mercilessly called for Him to be crucified, while unable to answer the question, “what evil has he done?” (Matthew 27:23, ESV)

Matthew paints for us a picture where a guilty man is freed while a righteous, innocent man takes upon himself the verdict and penalty of the guilty.

Although Jesus in this passage is being “judged”, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him, and He will return at a time of final reckoning to judge the living and the dead. This is the hope that we have, that all justice will be fulfilled at His return.

Take a moment to rest in Jesus’ mind-blowing goodness and mercy. Jesus took upon Himself the judgement and penalty that we deserve because of our sin and guilt. 800 years before Jesus arrived, the prophet Isaiah had already framed for us this very scene:

He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:3-6, ESV

Today, ponder this: In a world that continues to reject and despise Jesus, take on the same courage and sacrifice that Jesus showed, and proclaim His goodness, mercy, and love.