Jesus Before Pilate MEMORY VERSE: “Pilate saith unto [Jesus], What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all” (John 18:38).
Suggested Reading:
The Desire of Ages, pp. 723–740.
“Pilate looked at the men who had Jesus in charge, and then his gaze rested searchingly on Jesus. . . . He saw a man of calm and dignified bearing, whose countenance bore not the marks of a criminal, but the signature of heaven.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 724.
1. FROM ONE TO ANOTHER Sun, Oct 12
a. Where did the Jews take Jesus next? Mark 15:1; John 18:28 (first part).“In the judgment hall of Pilate, the Roman governor, Christ stands bound as a prisoner. About Him are the guard of soldiers, and the hall is fast filling with spectators. Just outside the entrance are the judges of the Sanhedrin, priests, rulers, elders, and the mob.“After condemning Jesus, the council of the Sanhedrin had come to Pilate to have the sentence confirmed and executed.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 723.b. Explain the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders. John 18:28 (second half).“These Jewish officials would not enter the Roman judgment hall. According to their ceremonial law they would be defiled thereby, and thus prevented from taking part in the feast of the Passover. In their blindness they did not see that murderous hatred had defiled their hearts. They did not see that Christ was the real Passover lamb, and that, since they had rejected Him, the great feast had for them lost its significance.”—Ibid.
2. IN THE ROMAN TRIBUNAL Mon, Oct 13
a. What embarrassing question did Pilate ask the Jewish leaders? John 18:29.“Christ’s appearance made a favorable impression upon Pilate. His better nature was roused. He had heard of Jesus and His works. His wife had told him something of the wonderful deeds performed by the Galilean prophet, who cured the sick and raised the dead. Now this revived as a dream in Pilate’s mind. He recalled rumors that he had heard from several sources. He resolved to demand of the Jews their charges against the prisoner.“Who is this Man, and wherefore have ye brought Him? he said. What accusation bring ye against Him? The Jews were disconcerted. Knowing that they could not substantiate their charges against Christ, they did not desire a public examination.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 724.b. What arrogantly evasive answer did the Jewish leaders give to Pilate? John 18:30.“[The members of the Sanhedrin] hoped to impress Pilate with a sense of their importance, and thus lead him to accede to their request without going through many preliminaries. They were eager to have their sentence ratified; for they knew that the people who had witnessed Christ’s marvelous works could tell a story very different from the fabrication they themselves were now rehearsing.”—Ibid.c. What declaration of Pilate made the situation of the priests even more difficult? John 18:31.“[The priests] asked Pilate to take their word as to Christ’s guilt, and enforce their sentence. They would take the responsibility of the result.“Pilate was not a just or a conscientious judge; but weak though he was in moral power, he refused to grant this request. He would not condemn Jesus until a charge had been brought against Him.”—Ibid., p. 725.
3. PRESSURE ON PILATE Tue, Oct 14
a. Returning to the judgment hall, what question did Pilate ask Jesus—and why? John 18:33.“The priests were in a dilemma. They saw that they must cloak their hypocrisy under the thickest concealment. They must not allow it to appear that Christ had been arrested on religious grounds. Were this put forward as a reason, their proceedings would have no weight with Pilate. They must make it appear that Jesus was working against the common law; then He could be punished as a political offender. Tumults and insurrection against the Roman government were constantly arising among the Jews. With these revolts the Romans had dealt very rigorously, and they were constantly on the watch to repress everything that could lead to an outbreak. . . .“[Pilate] did not believe that the prisoner had plotted against the government. His meek and humble appearance was altogether out of harmony with the charge. Pilate was convinced that a deep plot had been laid to destroy an innocent man who stood in the way of the Jewish dignitaries.“Pilate was astonished at His bearing. Does this Man disregard the proceedings because He does not care to save His life? he asked himself. As he looked at Jesus, bearing insult and mockery without retaliation, he felt that He could not be as unrighteous and unjust as were the clamoring priests.”—The Desire of Ages, pp. 725, 726.b. How did Jesus respond to Pilate’s question, and with what reaction? John 18:34, 35.“Hoping to gain the truth from Him and to escape the tumult of the crowd, Pilate took Jesus aside with him, and again questioned, ‘Art Thou the King of the Jews?’“Jesus did not directly answer this question. He knew that the Holy Spirit was striving with Pilate, and He gave him opportunity to acknowledge his conviction. ‘Sayest thou this thing of thyself,’ He asked, ‘or did others tell it thee of Me?’ That is, was it the accusations of the priests, or a desire to receive light from Christ, that prompted Pilate’s question? Pilate understood Christ’s meaning; but pride arose in his heart. He would not acknowledge the conviction that pressed upon him.”—Ibid., p. 726.
4. THE NATURE OF CHRIST’S KINGDOM Wed, Oct 15
a. How did Jesus clearly explain the nature of His kingdom—to be understood by all through the close of earth’s history? John 18:36.“Today in the religious world there are multitudes who, as they believe, are working for the establishment of the kingdom of Christ as an earthly and temporal dominion. They desire to make our Lord the ruler of the kingdoms of this world, the ruler in its courts and camps, its legislative halls, its palaces and market places. They expect Him to rule through legal enactments, enforced by human authority. Since Christ is not now here in person, they themselves will undertake to act in His stead, to execute the laws of His kingdom. The establishment of such a kingdom is what the Jews desired in the days of Christ. They would have received Jesus, had He been willing to establish a temporal dominion, to enforce what they regarded as the laws of God, and to make them the expositors of His will and the agents of His authority. But He said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’ John 18:36. He would not accept the earthly throne.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 509.b. Of what does Christ remind us here on earth? Mark 12:17.“The government under which Jesus lived was corrupt and oppressive; on every hand were crying abuses—extortion, intolerance, and grinding cruelty. Yet the Saviour attempted no civil reforms. He attacked no national abuses, nor condemned the national enemies. He did not interfere with the authority or administration of those in power. He who was our example kept aloof from earthly governments. Not because He was indifferent to the woes of men, but because the remedy did not lie in merely human and external measures. To be efficient, the cure must reach men individually, and must regenerate the heart.“Not by the decisions of courts or councils or legislative assemblies, not by the patronage of worldly great men, is the kingdom of Christ established, but by the implanting of Christ’s nature in humanity through the work of the Holy Spirit.”—Ibid.“The union of the church with the state, be the degree never so slight, while it may appear to bring the world nearer to the church, does in reality but bring the church nearer to the world.”—The Great Controversy, p. 297.
5. MISSING A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY Thu, Oct 16
a. How did Jesus gently appeal to the conscience of Pilate? John 18:37.“Jesus did not leave [Pilate] without further light. While He did not directly answer Pilate’s question, He plainly stated His own mission. He gave Pilate to understand that He was not seeking an earthly throne. . . .“Christ affirmed that His word was in itself a key which would unlock the mystery to those who were prepared to receive it. It had a self-commending power, and this was the secret of the spread of His kingdom of truth. He desired Pilate to understand that only by receiving and appropriating truth could his ruined nature be reconstructed.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 727.b. What deeper question did Pilate ask Jesus—yet what also shows he had no real interest in the answer? John 18:38.“Pilate had a desire to know the truth. His mind was confused. He eagerly grasped the words of the Saviour, and his heart was stirred with a great longing to know what it really was, and how he could obtain it. ‘What is truth?’ he inquired. But he did not wait for an answer. The tumult outside recalled him to the interests of the hour; for the priests were clamorous for immediate action. Going out to the Jews, he declared emphatically, ‘I find in Him no fault at all.’“These words from a heathen judge were a scathing rebuke to the perfidy and falsehood of the rulers of Israel who were accusing the Saviour.”—Ibid.
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS Fri, Oct 17
1. Like the Jews, how may I be in danger of twisting the idea of “defilement”?2. Like Pilate, in what situations might I be resisting the voice of conscience?3. Under what pressures might I be in danger of avoiding to face truth?4. What did the Jews expect of Pilate?5. Relate the conversation between Pilate and Jesus.