Pilate is kind of a mean guy. And when I say "kind of a mean guy," what I mean to say is this guy was a total meanie. To put it lightly. Like really lightly. He never blinked twice when sentencing someone to death (as I read in the book Zealot: Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth). However, in Luke 23, Pilate goes on about how he doesn't see how Jesus could be a bad guy. The author of Zealot argues that this probably didn't happen because of how used he was to sentencing "messiahs" to death. He wouldn't have gotten too torn up about it. And though I see where that can be true, I wonder if God's power is so strong that He can make a man who doesn't believe in any of this messiah business and sentences pretty much anyone to death that is brought forth, believe that this case is different.
All my life, I have been trying and trying and trying and trying to lose weight. I'll do a good thing for a couple of months, drop a few pounds, and go back to my old ways. Over the years, my parents have heard "I think I'm going to try losing weight," or "I think I need to change up my eating habits," or "I'm going to start exercising" probably a total of 80,000 times over my 22 years of existence. The kick I'm in now has been going strong for 165 days (and counting). So, what makes this one different? What made me really go through with this with as much consistency (even if it's not exactly totally consistent, but more than it was in the past)?
When God speaks loud enough, anyone can hear Him. When I was reaching my heaviest and unhealthiest me, God screamed from the Heavens for me. *Cut to God's face, Him yelling "Mary! Put down the chips! Watch the Apple Fitness Commercial and start exercising!" Quick take to me, looking out, dropping the handful of chips I was about to shove in my face, and finding a fitness app. And then randomly exercising in the toy room.*
When Jesus, God's perfect son, God's true gift to mankind, God in human form, was about to be put to death via crucifixion, I cannot imagine a God that was not angry/sad/frustrated, screaming from the Heavens. Yes, Jesus' death is prophesied, but in that moment between Pilate asking why Jesus deserved it and sentencing him to die on the cross, I can't help but think that Pilate's hesitation is that of a man questioning. A man who is so used to killing, questioning the right and wrong in this situation.
So, my question. Did Pilate hear God in those moments? However, being a man who does not stoop so low as to look at messiahs and believe what these citizens believe, not knowing what was happening? Was Pilate hearing God share the importance of this man's life?
Yes, Pilate was a man who killed many without remorse. And whether or not Jesus went without Pilate's remorse is not totally known. Yes, it makes sense that Pilate wouldn't think twice before sentencing Jesus. Still on the yes train, The Bible isn't to be taken as fact but truths. So, maybe Pilate didn't think twice. Or maybe even Pilate can hear the tiny pin-drop-in-the-gut feeling when God yells form the Heavens.
"Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”
3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
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.”
6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.
13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “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. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” [17] [a]
18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 For the third time he spoke to them: “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.”
23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will."
--Luke 23:1-25
- Mary Taylor
The important of silence and contemplation...
All my life, I have been trying and trying and trying and trying to lose weight. I'll do a good thing for a couple of months, drop a few pounds, and go back to my old ways. Over the years, my parents have heard "I think I'm going to try losing weight," or "I think I need to change up my eating habits," or "I'm going to start exercising" probably a total of 80,000 times over my 22 years of existence. The kick I'm in now has been going strong for 165 days (and counting). So, what makes this one different? What made me really go through with this with as much consistency (even if it's not exactly totally consistent, but more than it was in the past)?
When God speaks loud enough, anyone can hear Him. When I was reaching my heaviest and unhealthiest me, God screamed from the Heavens for me. *Cut to God's face, Him yelling "Mary! Put down the chips! Watch the Apple Fitness Commercial and start exercising!" Quick take to me, looking out, dropping the handful of chips I was about to shove in my face, and finding a fitness app. And then randomly exercising in the toy room.*
When Jesus, God's perfect son, God's true gift to mankind, God in human form, was about to be put to death via crucifixion, I cannot imagine a God that was not angry/sad/frustrated, screaming from the Heavens. Yes, Jesus' death is prophesied, but in that moment between Pilate asking why Jesus deserved it and sentencing him to die on the cross, I can't help but think that Pilate's hesitation is that of a man questioning. A man who is so used to killing, questioning the right and wrong in this situation.
So, my question. Did Pilate hear God in those moments? However, being a man who does not stoop so low as to look at messiahs and believe what these citizens believe, not knowing what was happening? Was Pilate hearing God share the importance of this man's life?
Yes, Pilate was a man who killed many without remorse. And whether or not Jesus went without Pilate's remorse is not totally known. Yes, it makes sense that Pilate wouldn't think twice before sentencing Jesus. Still on the yes train, The Bible isn't to be taken as fact but truths. So, maybe Pilate didn't think twice. Or maybe even Pilate can hear the tiny pin-drop-in-the-gut feeling when God yells form the Heavens.
"Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”
3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
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.”
6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.
13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “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. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” [17] [a]
18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 For the third time he spoke to them: “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.”
23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will."
--Luke 23:1-25
- Mary Taylor
The important of silence and contemplation...
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