“Oh, I just can’t wait to be king!” declares the lion cub, Simba, in the 1994 movie, The Lion King. Simba struts as he sings of all the power and advantages he will enjoy when he inherits his father’s throne. The royal cub’s swagger is short-lived, though, as tragedy and trials arise. No spoiler alert needed—it’s obvious that young Simba is clueless about what it really means to be king.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus was surrounded by others’ confusion about what it means to be King. Many people were drawn to His teaching and were convinced by His miracles that He was the long-awaited Messiah who would rule as King in Jerusalem and restore the Jewish nation. Just days before His arrest and crucifixion, jubilant crowds waved palm branches and proclaimed: “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:13)
But not everyone wanted to crown Him King. The Jewish leaders were suspicious of Jesus’s growing influence, threatened by His miracles, and outraged by His claims of being united with God. All of this could disrupt their religious power dynamic. How would it affect their status if this man from Nazareth gained power?
The chief priests wanted to eliminate this threat by executing Jesus, but they knew that only Roman authorities could implement the death penalty (John 18:31–32). So, they arrested Him and charged Him with claiming to be “King of the Jews.” They hoped this would force the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, to declare Jesus a political rebel and sentence Him to death. The stakes were high. Some crowds wanted Jesus to be king. Others, riled up by the Jewish leaders, wanted Him killed. As governor, Pilate was tasked with keeping the peace between his territory’s people and the rule of Rome.
Pilate knew the leaders wanted Jesus executed, but he couldn’t reconcile the calm, quiet man before him with such fierce allegations of rebellion. Three times Pilate insisted that he saw no basis for a criminal charge, but the unrelenting crowds threatened, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!” (John 19:12). Seeing the crowd’s mounting frenzy and fearing Roman backlash, Pilate buckled under the pressure and condemned Jesus to a torturous death on a cross.
The sign that Pilate fastened to Jesus’s cross stated, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (John 19:19). This was no ordinary notice of a criminal’s name and offense. It should stop us in our tracks because it was, and forever will be, a revelation of who Jesus really is. Jesus is the King who secures restoration and redemption for His people. He is the King who deflates status-seeking and disrupts self-centered living.
Pilate had this sign written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek so that all could read it (John 19:20). Jesus died and rose again so that we, too, could have the eyes of our hearts opened. We don’t have to wait for Jesus to be an earthly king. We see and recognize that our King has come. Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel!
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32 thoughts on "Pilate"
Jesus, help me to keep my eyes fixed on you and disrupt my self-centered living, help me to keep my eyes open to the revelation of who you truly are
I know I’m late to the game. But something I found very interesting that I’d never noticed before was in regards to the religious leaders. The very men that were awaiting their Lord are the ones that sent him to death. I think that can relate to today’s world a lot. Some of the very people that are meant to lead the church and bring people to Christ are masking their corrupt sin with religious status. You always hear about religious leaders being exposed for what they’ve done or just out right false teaching. I believe this is one of satans greatest tools. I hear all the time about people who hate “Christians” for how corrupt they really are and it turns them away from salvation. It’s so sad and so wrong but we saw it in Jesus’s time just as we saw it today. We need to be the light and outshine the ones that are lost and corrupt and show the world who Jesus really is.
I felt sad for Pilate when he said “What is truth?” after Jesus said “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (Jn 18:37-38). But Pilate didn’t stay to hear Jesus’ answer! He didn’t want to know the truth, unlike Thomas who also asked questions but with a heart that wanted to know. I wonder if when Pilate walked away, Jesus remembered answering Thomas in John 14:6 with “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…” Pilate was so blinded by fear that he didn’t see the truth standing in front of him. I wonder if he wasn’t so afraid of what the Jews and Rome would do to him, then he might have seen that choosing to follow Jesus was worth it all. May we be women with hearts ruled by the peace of Christ, fearing God rather than man. May we be women “of the truth” and listen to Jesus’ voice (Jn 18:37).
His disciples were expecting him to take over Jerusalem politically, but that wasn’t his plan. His plan was much bigger and better than they could have imagined. Let us remember that God’s ways aren’t our ways, his plans are bigger than ours.
I’m so glad that Jesus is our ultimate king. He is ultimately the one in power. I do have to remember though that he doesn’t always act in the way we expect him to. His disciples were expecting him to take over
Anna mentioned this earlier, but I felt so struck by what I read in this devotion that I just had to share! I never noticed how in John 19:22 Pilate was insistent that they not change the sign he had made to be placed above Jesus stating that He was the King of the Jews. Even though the chief priests were very insistent on him changing it he wouldn’t. While I can’t say what actually happened after that, I pray that Pilate came to know the Lord through his short interaction with him.
First, thank each of you who joined me in celebrating the mercy of the Lord in the dark night of the soul I shared with you yesterday. I’m encouraged by each of your comments!
In today’s reading, like some of you stated, I see how relatable it is to the reality of mob mentality so frequent in our world. I suppose “getting on the bandwagon” may be another way to say it. In light of the racial tensions of our day, I’m pondering Jesus’ words “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews…”
I do believe we are called to racial reconciliation, but I wonder if most Christians understand and live by the reality that our fight is not of flesh and blood but against the rules and authorities and cosmic powers over the present darkness and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Are we using spiritual weapons or earthly ones?
These are questions and pleas that keep me up at night praying to be fully equipped as I put on the armor of God and intend to engage this battle with the power of spiritual weapons. I pray more and more the church will come to a more single-minded focus in the way of the Lord so we may fight the darkness with the only power that can truly save and transform us!
Wholeheartedly agree that the change cannot be forced externally, though of course we can require that everyone be treated equally with integrity by the systems we have established in society. But, for real change that will be sustaining, God needs to do the work in men and women’s and children’s hearts. I have just realized how vital our prayers for “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done” are.
I’ve been feeling the same way, Diana. Thank you for articulating what I’m feeling so well!! Many nights I’ve laid awake saddened/angered/etc. by all going on in our world. I’ve had the thought that while I wish racism and tension would be fully eradicated I truly believe it will not—at least in this world. We won’t see a full reconciliation of these tensions until Jesus comes back and a new Heaven and earth is created. But, that does not mean we remain complacent. We see change when we, ourselves, do our best to treat everyone with love and care. It’s not always easy, but it’s what we are called to do.
I enjoy rereading the various gospel verses about the same event. It reminds me that we all filter things slightly differently. God uses our life and others lives, together. God works so individually and corporately at the same time. The closer we draw to Him…the more we understand and the more we need to learn.
I’ve always wondered what would have happened if Pilate stood up to the Jewish officials and said “No I won’t crucify Jesus.” After all, Pilate’s wife warned him (Matthew 27:19) not to have anything to do with Christ due to a terrible dream she had. Of course, this was not God’s plan and I am thankful it wasn’t God’s plan. Patti writes, “Jesus died and rose again so that we, too, could have the eyes of our hearts opened. We don’t have to wait for Jesus to be an earthly king. We see and recognize that our King has come. Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel!” I praise the Lord that He sent His one and Only Son to die for my and everyone’s sins. Sisters let us rejoice and shout Hallelujah!!!!
Pilate, not being a Jew, was emotionally removed from the situation. He could logically see that Jesus committed no crime. The chief priests, meanwhile, were blinded by their pride, arrogance, and desire to be the most important and powerful religious leaders of the day. How often am I blinded by my own sin so much so that I cannot see the Truth?
Pilate also did not have the conviction to stand up for the truth, and instead gave in to the persuasion of others. How often am I weak in my conviction and unwilling to stand up for the Truth?
Ironically, Jesus will one day come back as the powerful King they all wanted, one who dominates not only Rome, but the entire world. He is coming back to break and shatter Satan’s reign on earth. Glory be to God, come Lord Jesus.
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Thank you for including Psalm 2, it reminded me of Revelation 6, esp v 15 & 16, “Then the kings of earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone slave or free, hid themselves… calling to the mountains & the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the LAMB…” The LAMB, the one who was slain. Surely, he is coming soon.
Re-reading this passage today made me aware of how frenzied mobs usually make terrible choices with tragic consequences. Case in point: Jesus, the perfect Son of God, sentenced to die a cruel death by those who disregarded all the signs of His divinity and chose instead to silence the One who was sent to save them.
I’m asking myself this morning would I be one of those shouting Crucify Him? Deep in my heart I would hope not. I have to admit I’m glad that I’m living in the time that I do now. The word of God written. We know the truth. Jesus is the king of us all. It was a brutal death. One that none of us as a mom would ever want to see our son go through. Yet, Jesus was obedient to The Father giving us hope and salvation. I long for the day but I will meet my Jesus face-to-face.
How much like the “church” today is Pilate? He knows the truth, doesn’t he? Yet he succumbs to the loud opposition of the crowd. How often do we, do I, as Christians let the loud, worldly voices over-shadow my own? This world need us all to stand proudly and proclaim: JESUS of Nazareth, is my King!
I love how the chief priests of the Jews said: No, don’t write that he IS the King of the Jews, but that he CLAIMED to be the King of the Jews, and Pilate (I imagine him squinting up at Jesus and slowly shaking his head at the chief priests here) replied: What I have written, I have written.
I think he definitely made a statement by saying this.
Interesting! Thank you for pointing that out I’d never seen that before!
I love starting my days with SRT and then going back in the evening to read the new comments-I learn so much from you all and pray for the requests too.
I had to look up why the captors could not enter the governors home- my Bible notes say entering a Gentile open air courtyard would not make one unclean but entering a Gentile building or home with a roof would. So many rules and laws- another reminder of why I am so thankful for freedom in Christ!
Kirstyn I have been praying for you and your family as you continue to grieve the loss of your son.
Thank you all for your raw honesty in your struggles…I so wish we could all meet in person and put a face to a name but for now I look forward to meeting all of you in the new creation :-)
Using the study guide, and one of the questions each day is how was this person’s life changed by Jesus. Pilate has to be one of the most conflicted people of all time. I think he knew who Jesus really was and yet he still succumbed to the crowd’s pressure. We’re appalled by this when we read it, but don’t we do the same thing when we sin? Don’t I do the same thing when I sin? I feel so humbled by that thought. Back to the original question, I don’t know how Pilate would have ever reconciled himself to his decision but it is possible he was saved. With so many of these stories I long to know what happened later and perhaps one day we will know.
Even the soldiers gave him lip service of “King of the Jews” as they beat him and mocked him with a crown of thorns-
Oh Jesus May our heart of hearts truly bow at your Lordship. You are worth not just of my words, but all my life. Help me to worship you in spirit and truth as the one true King and the most beautiful treasure
This makes me think of the church today. Sometimes we have our own preconceived ideas of what Jesus looks like, or what it looks like to have Him “show up”. If things don’t seem to go the way we thought they should or look how we think they should look, we tend to reject what is happening as something negative and can miss out on what Jesus is trying to do or to teach us. He is the King, and He knows how to rule. We need to lay down our own ideas of what His Kingship should look like and just trust and follow Him, knowing He has all authority and all wisdom. His ways can seem counterintuitive to us, but He is the King of kings and is well able to rule!
Peer pressure can be a strong and ugly thing. It makes us do things we know aren’t right. I like where Patti says that Pilate couldn’t reconcile the calm, quiet man before him with the fierce allegations of rebellion. Can you imagine Jesus standing before you and knowing that you must decide whether he lives or dies? As with the other characters, I like to think that I would stand up to the mob and let Him go, but would I? Do I stand up for what I believe, even when it isn’t popular? These days there is a lot of pressure to say what is expected and sometimes not to say what is in your heart. I pray for God’s wisdom and strength to stand up for what is right. To stand up for my Lord, even when it is scary.
Amen!
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Yes and amen!
Plate had two revolutionaries on his hands. It’s interesting that the one he set free, Barabbas, never succeeded. Yet the One he sentenced to death, in His death, did. The Jesus revolution continues to this day through us, His followers. Pilate tried to wash his hands of his complicity but he will always remain on the wrong side of history. Barabbas is but a footnote. But Jesus… He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess just that.
Here is a teaching by Tim Keller called With a Politician: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/timothy-keller-sermons-podcast-by-gospel-in-life/id352660924?i=1000470262810
Thought I would share since we are reading about Jesus in front of Pilate.
Thank you for sharing this! I usually learn something new or think of things in a different way when listening or reading Tim Keller’s work. I look forward to listening to this.