Mt. 27:15-31 (Mk. 15:6-15; Lk. 23:13-25; Jn. 18:39-40)

Three times the Gospel writers tell us that Pilate stated he could find no fault, no aiton (Greek), no legitimate cause of death, in this Man (Lk. 23:4,14,22; Jn. 18:38; 19:4,6).  This is the problem.  Pilate didn’t fall for the ploy of the high priest to say that Jesus was challenging the Roman Empire claiming to be a king.  Neither did Herod (Lk. 23:15).  Pilate is fully aware that the Jews are not motivated by any love for Caesar but by envy (Mt. 27:18).  

Pilate is further beset by the fact that his wife had trouble sleeping, having nightmares because of Jesus.  Her assessment, have nothing to do with that just Man, rings true with Pilate’s assessment.  And then there is the issue of peace:  it is Passover and if he disses the Jewish leaders with the additional tens or even hundreds of thousands of people in town he could be in real trouble with the Emperor.  What can he do?

One possibility came to Pilate’s mind.  It was traditional for him to release a prisoner at Passover time, an act of good will towards the Jews.  They could make the choice.  If he presented Jesus and Barabbas surely they would have enough sense of morality to choose the rabbi over the murderer.  But such was not the case.  Being persuaded by the chief priests, the crowd asked for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be destroyed by crucifixion.  When Pilate saw that … a tumult was rising (Mt. 27:24), wanting to gratify the crowd (Mk. 15:15), washed his hands before the multitude (Mt. 27:24), proclaiming his innocence.  

Barabbas became a free man.  He just had to get up and walk out of his prison.  Someone Else died in his place, Someone Else who was without fault.  This exchange became a most powerful picture.  Someone Else who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).  Through Someone Else God justifies the ungodly and when we believe in Him, our faith is accounted for righteousness (Ro. 4:5).  That just Man, as Pilate’s wife called Him, was numbered with the transgressors (Isa. 53:12).  

So Pilate delivered Jesus to their will (Lk. 23:25).  That word delivered is used of Judas who betrayed (delivered up) Jesus to the leaders (Mt. 26:15), of the leaders who delivered up Jesus to Pilate (Mt. 27:2), and of Pilate who delivered Jesus up to the soldiers to be crucified (Mt. 27:26).  But know this as well: God did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all (Rom.8:32).  

There is no denying the culpability of the Jews and the Romans and you and me in this; Pilate gave Jesus up to the evil will of men.  But there is no denying this was the will of our gracious, loving Father.  To go back to where we started today: Pilate could find no fault, no criminal cause of death, in Jesus.  But Heb. 5:9 uses the same Greek word to tell us that Jesus, by His death, became the author (same Greek word, the cause of death) of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.  He calls us today to the obedience of faith!