Jesus was bound and pushed along the narrow streets of Jerusalem, again. It was early Friday morning, after a long sleepless night of interrogation. A crowd followed along behind them. They made their way toward the palace where Pilate was staying. The Jewish leaders had no love, nor respect, for the Roman governor. His dealings often angered the Jewish leaders. And the feelings were mutual. Pilate had complete control over the non-Roman people in his jurisdiction and he never let them forget it.
On this day, the Jews needed Pilate. They wanted to put Jesus to death, but they couldn’t. The Roman governor must render the death sentence.
When they arrived, the Jewish leaders would not enter Pilate’s judgement hall. If they went inside the Gentile’s house, they would be unclean for Passover.
Pilate was forced to go outside to deal with the Jews.
“What accusation do you bring against the man?” asked Pilate.
“If this man were not an evildoer we would not have delivered him up to you,” they answered.
Pilate had no patience for them or their laws.
“Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law,” said Pilate.
“We are not permitted to put anyone to death,” they answered.
So that is why the Jews had interrupted his morning. They wanted him to have the man killed. Pilate went back inside the judgement hall and had Jesus brought to him.
Pilate looked over Jesus, the man who had caused such a stir among the Jews. Pilate had heard things about the man. But the one standing before him looked no different than any of the other men in Israel.
“Are you the King of the Jews?” smirked Pilate.
“Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about me?” countered Jesus.
“I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you up to me; what have you done?” asked Pilate.
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting, that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, My Kingdom is not of this realm,” Jesus stated.
“So you are a king?” said Pilate.
“You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice,” declared Jesus.
“What is truth?” asked Pilate.
Pilate asked the same question that people throughout the ages have asked, the same question people still ask today: What is truth?
The answer that day, and every day is the same.
Jesus is THE TRUTH. Jesus is THE WAY. Jesus is THE LIFE.
Carla Killough McClafferty