John 18:38-39

Cold, searing sarcasm spurts from Pilate’s mouth as he thrusts his skeptical interjection regarding truth in the face of Truth Himself. In our verses for today, this earthly leader demonstrated his true colors showing himself to be a man of the world who had determined in his own mind that there was no such thing as absolute truth – all religions and creeds being equally untrue. This worldly minded Roman speaks like a man both sick of and saturated with the philosophical speculations of his day. He stood persuaded that this life was all he had to care for and that no sensible person could think otherwise. Sadly, it is precisely this state of mind we find many men of every age living and dying with.

"Truth and love are the characteristics which build up the church, especially in association with each other. Yet this combination is rare in the contemporary church. Some leaders are great champions of the truth and anxious to fight for it, but display little love. Others are great advocates of love, but have no equal commitment to truth...Truth is hard if it is not softened by love and love is soft if it is not strengthened by the truth." John Stott

Pilate was not asking our Lord as a real inquirer - genuinely desirous of an honest answer to his question. This was clearly demonstrated by his abrupt breaking from the conversation before Jesus would have had a chance to respond - too bad for Pilate. If he had waited he might have learned.

Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and proclaimed Him so. How fitting for one of the chief agents in our Lord’s death to publically declare our Lord’s innocence. Remember, Jesus came as the spotless Lamb to take away the sins of the world. He was a lamb without blemish prescribed in Exodus for the Passover lamb – there was “no fault in Him”:

5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Ex 12:5 (NIV)

Indeed, Luke records the fact of our Lord’s innocence no less than four times in the 23rd chapter his gospel – three times by Pilate and once by the thief on the cross:

4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man." Luke 23:4 (NIV)

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. Luke 23:14 (NIV)

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." Luke 23:22 (NIV)

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Luke 23:40-41 (NIV)

Surely, Pilate ought to have let Jesus go free. This cowardly unjust judge knew what he should do yet he does not do it. His double minded character comes out in our verses for today. In an effort to keep from offending the Jews yet still appease his conscience he devises a plan whereby the Jews might be satisfied and Jesus might go free. Aware that our Lord was the darling of the multitudes (triumphal entry) as well as the envy of the Jewish leaders, he suggests Jesus’ release as their one prisoner set free according to their custom during Passover. Surely, Pilate craftily assumed Jesus’ popularity with the masses would allow Him to be freed. He seems to say: “I am willing to condemn Him, and declare Him a criminal worthy of death, and a malefactor, in order to please you. But having pronounced Him a guilty criminal, what say you to my letting Him go free according to the Passover custom.” Weak men stand for nothing. Unfortunately for Pilate, he had no idea the influence the priests held over the fickle multitudes.

"If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything and at any time, and you would achieve nothing." Margaret Thatcher