John 19:1-11
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.
4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” [1]
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Today on Thanksgiving day it isn’t hard to be thankful in reading this passage. I’m thankful for my Savior who endured this awful suffering, torture and humiliation for me.
But what also struck me in this passage and where it ends is another case of irony. Here is Jesus utterly helpless, being beaten, and flogged and mocked with a fake crown and robe. He appears utterly helpless, being argued about by Pilate and the people. To all appearances, He is defeated and helpless, completely at the mercy of the Romans and the chief priests. They are decided His fate, and all He can do is stand there.
But this is not the case. In verse 11 Jesus calmly points out that Pilate is in fact not in charge. The chief priests are not in charge. The Father is in charge. And we are reminded that Jesus is not really a victim here. He is doing this willingly in order to fulfill His father’s will.
So I am thankful again for my Savior’s willingness to go to the cross for me, to endure all that He suffered, to offer up Himself and lay down His life. To Him be all my thanks and all my praise!
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Jn 19:1–11). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
