Pilate Tries Jesus

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
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Title: Pilate Tries Jesus
Keywords: “Pilate”
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Passage: Mark 15:1-14*

1. And early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes, and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away, and delivered Him up to Pilate.

2. And Pilate questioned Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" And answering He said to him, "[It is as] you say."

3. And the chief priests [began] to accuse Him harshly.

4. And Pilate was questioning Him again, saying, "Do You make no answer? See how many charges they bring against You!"

5. But Jesus made no further answer; so that Pilate was amazed.

6. Now at [the] feast he used to release for them [any] one prisoner whom they requested.

7. And the man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection.

8. And the multitude went up and began asking him [to do] as he had been accustomed to do for them.

9. And Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?"

10. For he was aware that the chief priests had delivered Him up because of envy.

11. But the chief priests stirred up the multitude [to ask] him to release Barabbas for them instead.

12. And answering again, Pilate was saying to them, "Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"

13. And they shouted back, "Crucify Him!"

14. But Pilate was saying to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify Him!"

Questions

1. In verse 2 above, Jesus answers Pilate and in verse 4 above Pilate asks Jesus why he doesn’t answer. Can you put together the context of what is happening here?

 

2. How many times did Pilate attempt to release Jesus?

 

Practical help

Expediency. Going the path of least resistance. Getting along. Putting up with others. Tolerance. Doing the best for the most people. All of these embody apparently justifiable reasons for crucifying an innocent man.

How does pornography fit with this? Doesn’t it seem expedient to click on a mouse rather than work at relationships — especially difficult ones where people don’t agree with you? Isn’t it going the path of least resistance to allow images that titillate to flood your brain rather than develop your will power and sound thinking? And isn’t it getting along with society since it seems more and more today that pornography is an acceptable practice (at least this is what the porn dealers want you to think for obvious reasons).

For Pilate to crucify Jesus simply took a single man in authority caving to the masses rather than standing for principle. Certainly for Pilate, his alternative would have been difficult. He would have faced an angry crowd. He might have had blood shed…but then again, he did have blood shed. He allowed the spilling of innocent blood.

Jesus died for our sins. He went to the cross as part of God’s plan. But at least part of the purpose was to empower His followers to be like Him, not like Pilate. Stand firm today and resist temptations to take the easy path of least resistance. Do it for Your Lord as a reasonable sacrifice of love (Romans 12:1-2).

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*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."