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Message Notes
“God the Son left heaven, a place of perfect peace and justice, to endure our struggle with us. He loves us so much that He voluntarily became the most innocent victim who ever lived and endured the greatest injustice ever committed.“ —Chuck Swindoll
“And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate.” —Mark 15:1
Three Phases of Jesus’ Trial Before Pilate
- Phase #1 – Accusations and Amazement
Trial number four begins here…
“And Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ And he answered him, ‘You have said so.’ And the chief priests accused him of many things. And Pilate again asked him, ‘Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.’ But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.” —Mark 15:2-5
“And they began to accuse him, saying, ‘We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.’” —Luke 23:2
“But they were urgent, saying, ‘He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.’” —Luke 23:5
- Phase #2 – Injustice and Rejection
“Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, ‘Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, ‘Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?’ And they cried out again, ‘Crucify him.’ And Pilate said to them, ‘Why? What evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify him.’ So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas,” —Mark 15:6-15
“’Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.” —Mark 15:9
“Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.” —Matthew 27:19
“Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” —Mark 15:12
“Why? What evil has he done?” —Mark 15:14
“So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ And all the people answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’” —Matthew 27:24-25
Truth: Jesus never attempted to be freed instead of Barabbas because He came to secure Barabbas’s freedom.
“Without knowing it, the religious leaders, Pilate and Barabbas, were all part of a tapestry of grace that God was weaving for sinners. Their actions spoke louder than words, louder than the cries of the crowds for Jesus’ blood. Jesus was not dying for his own crimes, but for the crimes of others; not for his own sins, but the sins of others. He did not die for Himself; He died for us.” —Sinclair Ferguson
- Phase #3 – Pain and Humiliation
“And having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.” —Mark 15:15-20
What Do We Learn from The Son of Suffering?
- God cares so deeply about the injustices and suffering we experience that He became one of us and made the problem of injustice and suffering His own.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin.” —Hebrews 4:15
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” —Romans 8:28
- If you ever feel like giving up on Jesus, consider what He went through for you.
“For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.” —Hebrews 12:3
- Because He entrusted all that He endured into the Father’s hands, we can too.