seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 18:28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
These guys, the Jewish leaders, were so full of themselves... they would twist the law to say what they needed it to say whatever their purposes. No one was supposed to do business at night. There were no night courts. There were not "open all night" signs over the local convenience stores. There weren't even any convenience stores. The roads were vacant at night. No one traveled at night.... let alone hold court in the Temple. It just wasn't done.
The Pharisees and the Sadducees, however, had to hold these hearings at night because they needed to get geared up for the Passover Feast.... which required that they had to hold these hearings so that they could get on Pilate's schedule first thing in the morning.... get Jesus on the Cross and in the Tomb by sundown..... all so they could stay ceremonially clean for the Passover Feast.
It's what their rules, regulations, policies, and procedures required. They were on a strict timeline with strict rules, regulation, polices, and procedures of the Temple at stake.
It wasn't their fault they had to bend a couple of the rules. This Jesus of Nazareth was healing people on the Sabbath.... and when the pushed back at Him for breaking their rules, regulations, policies and procedures.... He basically said "who cares..... I'm being kind..... is that against your rules?"
They could not allow this. They would loose control of the Temple if they allowed anyone to break one of their rules.... and who knew what kind of golden calf might jump out of that cauldron.
They were in charge... how dare Jesus pull a man out of the tomb.... stinky dead... after four days..... If they let Him get away with that... there would be dead people walking all over Jerusalem.
They were in charge.... but Jesus was innocent. Jesus needed to lead a "sinless" life and then be crucified.... then His coming back would mean something. He had to do something no human could ever do....lead a "sinless" life. Being unkind would be a "sin" so Jesus made sure He was kind to everyone. He didn't consider breaking their rules, regulations, policies and procedures a big deal, or "sin", when the rules got in the way of healing someone who needs help.
They could not allow Him to go around doing things on the Sabbath. That was their biggest rule... no work on Sabbath.... except those who had to watch others to make sure they didn't work.... right?
Pilate tried to reason with them. He told them he couldn't find any fault with Jesus. In the last verse of this chapter.... they choose the rebel Barabbas instead of Jesus. Pilate was willing to "pardon" one person at Passover. They were so jealous of Jesus... they chose Barabbas instead.... and Barabbas would bring on an uprising... the very thing they were accusing Jesus of planning. They didn't care... they just needed that crowd gathering, Sabbath healing, "peacemaker" out of their sight....
Pilate gave in to their rage.... they didn't even have to personally witness the hearing.... Jesus went before Pilate.... they danced around the "king of the jews" logo... and then Pilate put Jesus in line for the Cross instead of Barabbas.... all while they waited outside.... ceremonially clean.
