10 "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?"
11 Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."
Pompous Pilate here proclaims a pristine example of a high minded claim to absolute power which many ungodly men are so fond of making. They often magnify themselves - boasting of their authority - gratifying and humoring their own pride – humanism at its highest. Remember King Nebuchadnezzar’s boast of power in Daniel and God’s immediate reaction to it?
28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" 31 The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes." Dan 4:28-32 (NIV)
“The essence of sin is pride. The heart of sin is independence and the core of sin is demanding my own way instead of God's.” Pat Singleterry
“Pride not only withdraws the heart from God, but lifts it up against God.” Thomas Manton
There is only One Sovereign over the kingdoms of men and it is neither Nebuchadnezzar nor Pilate nor any other jar of clay – surprise, surprise. God is the only true God – totally other – set apart – unique in His knowledge and control of the future – unique in his power and salvation. I am reminded of God’s Words recorded by the prophet Isaiah:
5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, 6 so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. Isaiah 45:5-7 (NIV)
8 "Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. 9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. Isaiah 46:8-10 (NIV)
Jesus’ silence had incensed Pilate and he responds with a haughty check. Puffed up with power and indignant over our Lord’s sealed lips, he smugly tramples on our Savior with his pompous words. Yet, even though men like Nebuchadnezzar and Pilate boast of their mighty power, they are often mere slaves – weak and afraid of something as simple as resisting popular opinion. While Pilate talked of our Lord’s release, he was obviously afraid to let Him go free.
Jesus’ response to Pilate’s puffed up words was remarkably dignified and calm. He states two Truths – the only power Pilate had over Him was given to him from above (God’s Sovereignty) and the one who had handed Him over to Pilate was guilty of the greater sin (we are held accountable for the knowledge we have received). Pilate sinned out of ignorance while the Jews out of knowledge yet both were tools in the hand of the Highest One. Pilate knew very little of what Jesus was about compared to the Jews. The implication of this verse being the possession of superior knowledge increases the sinfulness of a sinner’s sin – we are judged by the light we have received. It was more sinful for the Jews, therefore, with all their knowledge of the law and of the prophets to hand our Lord over to be crucified than for Pilate – an ignorant pagan - to condemn Him to death. There are degrees to sin – they are not all equally sinful. The servant who knew His Master’s will and did not do it is guiltier than the one who knew it not.
Interestingly, man’s culpability and God’s Sovereignty both come to light together in one verse in Acts on the day of Pentecost where Peter declares:
23 This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. Acts 2:23 (NIV)