In this series we’re considering the statements made by Pilate, the judge at the trial of the Lord Jesus. Pilate probably didn’t intend his words to be profound, but they are!

We hope you find them interesting and thought-provoking.

Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” [They] all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” (Matthew 27:22)

Reading the terse biblical narrative of the trial of the Lord Jesus it becomes increasingly evident that Pilate, the official Roman Governor of the troublesome province of Judaea, was trying to wriggle out of making a judicial decision about this disturbing prisoner. No fool, he knew that the charges against Him were wholly trumped up by religious men envious of His spotless character (Matt 27:18). His wife had pleaded with him to have ‘nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him’ (Matt 27:19). As he interrogated Christ, he must have begun uneasily to feel that the roles of judge and prisoner had unaccountably been reversed, and that this quiet, dignified Man was assessing him. Custom permitted him to release one criminal in honour of the Jewish Passover feast and Pilate gladly grasped the opportunity of letting the people decide in favour of an obviously innocent Man. However, to his astonishment, the crowd opted for a notorious terrorist and murderer called Barabbas. Try as he might, Pilate could not shuffle off his personal responsibility in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. And neither can we. There is no point asking others what we should do with Jesus: the life-changing decision to trust Him as Saviour and surrender to Him as Lord rests with us alone. The world of Jews and Gentiles rejected Him, nailing Him to a cross; but God has raised Him from the dead and exalted Him to the highest throne in the universe. It makes sense to side with God about the Lord Jesus Christ!