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Understanding The Bible |
Who is Jesus
Part 15
By Joan A Deering
Before we go any further it’s important to realize the leaders only reason they
wanted Jesus dead. The Jewish leaders wanted Him dead because Jesus was a threat
to their leadership. They no legitimate reason to put Him to death. They took
Jesus and brought Him to Pilate.
Jesus was led before Pilate and
Pilate had much to say about the whole situation. He had many questions for
those bringing Jesus to him and he had problems regarding what they were trying
to do to Him.
He asked why they were bringing Jesus to him.
They said:
"If this Man were not a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you" [John 18:30].
Pilate told them to take Jesus and judge Him according to the laws they had.
They said:
"We are not permitted to put anyone
to death" [John 18:31].
The whole plot for the Jewish leaders
was just revealed to Pilate. They wanted
Him dead and gone. They didn’t want anyone taking their place as the leader
of the people.
So, Pilate began questioning Jesus.
1.
"Are you the King
of the Jews?" [John 18:33].
2.
"Why have the chief priests handed You over to me: what have you done?"
[John 18:35].
Basically, Jesus answered
indirectly. "I am a King but not of this world," [John 18:36].
3.
"So, you are a
King?"
[John 18:37].
Jesus said He is
and that He came to bear witness to the truth.
Jesus was then brought before Herod Antipas because Pilate found that
Jesus was a Galilean and He was under Herod’s jurisdiction. Then He was brought
back to Pilate because Herod didn’t find
any reason for Jesus to be put to death either [Luke 23:13-15].
Pilate
went back to the Jews and told them:
"I find no fault
with Him;
I find no grounds at all for charges in
His case!”
Then he went on to mention that because it was the Passover, he was allowed to
release a prisoner and asked if they
wanted him to release Jesus the King of the Jews? [John 18:38, 39]
The Jewish leaders and the people there screamed: “Not Him but Barabbas,” a prisoner who was a robber [John
18:40].