Seeds for 03/01/2024 - Matthew 27:15-18
Scripture: Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
Observation: Pilate could have released Jesus if he had wanted to.
Instead, he passed the buck. Pilate wanted to hand the responsibility to someone else. He didn’t want to takes sides about the question of Jesus. Give Pilate credit for this: He knew the self-interested motivations of the religious leaders. So he took advantage of the festival custom to put the question to the crowd rather than make the call himself.
Still, Pilate was responsible for what happened on his watch and under his charge. He was there. He had to make a decision. Passing the decision on to others was making a decision. The Apostles’ Creed (probably originating in the AD 400s) attests to Pilate’s participation, agency, and responsibility: “suffered under Pontius Pilate.”
Pilate’s actions were cowardly, no doubt. He buckled to the demands of the crowd rather than stand firm on the demands of conscience and character.
It is helpful throughout the Bible, and in the Gospels and Acts in particular, to imagine ourselves in the figures and scenes we encounter along the way. We delight to envision ourselves as some biblical characters and resist picturing ourselves as others. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on our perspective), those whom we resist may be as instructive as any we’ll find.
Pilate is an excellent example. Regrettably, like Pilate I too often prefer for others to make the hard decision. To make the bold choice. To draw on bravery and integrity and character. But the calling is to grow more like Christ, who yielded His will to the Father, not to the crowds.
Application:
When have you wished you could pass a hard decision on to others instead of making it yourself?
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, bring me to surrender before you, that I may live with courage before the crowd. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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