Six Trials

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Six Trials

John 19:16

16 Then [tote] delivered he [paradidomi] him [autos] therefore [oun] unto them [autos] to [hina] be crucified [stauroo] . And [de] they took [paralambano] Jesus [Iesous] , and [kai] led him away [apago] . KJV-Interlinear

16 So he then delivered Him to them to be crucified. NASB

Matt. 27:24-26
24 And when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the multitude, saying, 'I am innocent of this Man's blood; see to that yourselves.' 25 And all the people answered and said, 'His blood be on us and on our children!' 26 Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he delivered Him to be crucified. NASB

Mark 15:15
15 And wishing to satisfy the multitude, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he delivered Him to be crucified. NASB

Luke 23:24-25
24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand should be granted. 25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will. NASB

I am going back briefly to yesterdays study to go over the following verse which we did not really touch on.

John 19:14
14 Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. NASB

The point of this verse is that this is a very important feast date. It points to the principles taught since the Exodus, namely the saving work of God when 'He' did all of the work which led to the freedom of the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt.

Bondage represents mankind's bondage to sin and death, and Egypt representing the land of sin and death. God came down on the nation of Egypt and required of them their first born of every house. That was the price for freedom and the punishment for their sin.

By the same token, God gives His first and only Son, Jesus Christ, in order to redeem mankind from its debt to sin and death. This is the single most important event in all of history. Without it, nothing would exist. So it is important - extremely important. But the hour of the rituals is fast approaching 'the sixth hour' or noon. It is the day of 'preparation' and what is everyone doing?

The point is, they are not doing what they are supposed to be doing.

And that can be applied to all of our lives. We are supposed to be growing up in our spiritual lives, but most people are not doing what they are supposed to be doing. Your spiritual life is the single most important item in your life. It has an impact not only on your present life here on earth, but there is an even greater impact on your life in eternity - that covers many billions and trillions and gazillions of years and beyond. Significantly more than our measly life of a few decades here on earth. And still most people just do not get with their Bible study program, from which comes spiritual growth. There is no other source of ones spiritual growth. It comes only from the daily study of Bible doctrine, residence in fellowship and application of the principles learned to ones life.

These chief priests, scribes, elders, and such, have an even greater obligation in getting themselves prepared, because they are given the responsibility to teach doctrine to the people. Instead they are deeply involved in the matter of getting rid of the only Son of God. They have utterly disregarded scripture and their responsibility in it. They are more concerned with retaining their life style which is the total rejection of God and His Word, and His Son, and His definition of the Messiah and the Messiah's mission and purpose.

What was their sin? Unbelief. That is the single and only unforgivable sin. That makes it the worst sin, for the repercussions of it are the Lake of Fire. Pilate on the other hand had a reputation of being a pretty despicable person. He was underhanded, and had a total disregard of those peoples who lived in the territory over which he was Governor. Yet for some unexplained reason he bent over backward in an effort to free Jesus. One, who in his mind (Pilate's mind) must certainly have been just another insignificant person. Why would he not have just given in and sent Jesus to be crucified just to get this all over with? Jesus meant nothing to Him. But then this whole series of events was so bizarre and out of the ordinary, that Pilate obviously had difficulty with it all.

We will see pretty soon, in our study, that Pilate will have a sign made up and placed on the Cross, 'Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.' Not only does he (Pilate) state His name (Jesus), not only does he state His title, but he names His home. Now Jesus had not been to Nazareth for a long time and that little tidbit was never mentioned during the trial. One might think that Pilate became a believer at some point either now or soon thereafter. Implied by Jesus that Pilate's sin is lessor than those who brought Jesus before him. A lessor sin is forgivable. The sin of unbelief is the worst possible, and not forgivable.

Pilate is now fed up with all of this. He washes his hands symbolically, to make publicly known that it is not he who is condemning Jesus, but those who have brought Him to his court.

The answer he received from the crowd, 'His blood be on us and on our children!' The chief priests are on the brink of getting what they wanted, the crucifixion of Jesus. If all that is necessary is to accept the responsibility, of executing Jesus, on themselves, then they are perfectly willing to do that, just to get Pilate's go ahead. 'Yes, Pilate, anything. Whatever you say. We'll take responsibility for His death. Just take him out and execute Him.' Or something to that effect. 'Just get on with it.' Is their attitude.

Barabbas is released and Jesus is turned over for his execution. The trial is now over, and the sentence it to be carried out immediately. It is almost 9 a.m.