PILATE’S PRESSURE
Mark 15: 12-15 NKJV
12 Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
13 So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
14 Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”
15 So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.
Pilate was in a tough spot. He knew that Jesus was an innocent man. He had been amazed at the strength and composure of Jesus. He marveled at the fact that Jesus refused to answer His accusers. Jesus could have easily answered the lies of the Jewish leaders who assailed Him with their words. But Jesus was strong and stayed quiet.
Pilate was discerning enough to determine that Jesus was handed over to him because of envy. Pilate knew the motives for wanting Jesus out of the way were wrong. And he knew that Jesus was not evil, that He was an innocent man falsely accused by the petty scheming religious authorities. Pilate knew all of this. Plus, Matthew tells us Pilate’s wife sent him a message to have nothing to do with the death of Jesus. She had a dream about Jesus that plagued her. She also knew Jesus was a righteous man. When Pilate interviewed Jesus, he was amazed at how Jesus was unmoved and in no way intimidated by Pilate’s authority. So why would Pilate have Jesus scourged and delivered over to be crucified?
Pilate was under pressure. People pressure. The people were clamoring for Pilate to release a prisoner to them at Passover. This was Pilate’s tradition. He would show his generosity to the Jewish people and, in effect, toss them a bone from Rome by releasing a prisoner. When the people asked for the prisoner release, Pilate hoped that he could release Jesus. He even questioned the crowd as to why not release Jesus, who had done no evil. But the people had been prompted by the Jewish leaders to ask for Barabbas. Barabbas had been part of a Jewish rebellion against Rome and had committed murder. The release of a convicted murderer had to trouble Pilate to a greater degree. But the key phrase is found in verse 15. Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them and then delivered Jesus to be crucified.
Pilate was under pressure from the people. He knew Jesus was innocent. Pilate even took a bowl of water and washed his hands in front of the crowd and declared that he was innocent of the blood of Jesus. But John’s gospel gives even more detail of the pressure the people put on Pilate. The people cried out that Jesus had called Himself a king, and anyone who did that was opposing Caesar. Pilate was feeling the heat. And so he did what he knew in his heart was wrong. Yes, this was the fulfillment of Scripture, but Pilate gave in to the pressure from the people.
APPLICATION
People pressure or peer pressure is a powerful motivator. All of us have been exposed to the pressure of wanting to gratify people. The main problem with giving in to this pressure is that the people are often wrong. Too often, wanting to gratify people puts us in the position of doing something that we know in our hearts is the wrong decision. All of us have been there. But we don’t have to stay there.
Learning to give in to the leading of the Lord is the answer to not giving in to people. We can be courteous and stay with what we know in our hearts is the right thing to do. And let me add another word: courageous. It takes a level of courage to not answer the accusations of those who wrongly accuse us. To not give in to people pressuring us to do things that oppose God and His word. Take heart. We are all growing in this area. And know that growth in yielding to God, not people, is becoming more like our Lord and Savior. And more like Him is a much better motivator!
PRAYER
Dear Lord, help me to become more and more like You. You are my strength and shield. Pleasing people does not move me in the right direction, but pleasing You is always the right call. I can do all things through You as You strengthen me.