Luke 23:1-5,13-25: The Jews and Pilate Did not Understand

In our previous post we were asking about Elihu: did he have it all together?  He did not because he could not draw into his “opinion” Job 1-2.  God had not revealed that to him, or to Job or the friends.  God hid this information.

Now consider the following:

Deut. 29:29: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Prov. 25:2: It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

God concealed His work from Job.  Job’s need was to patiently wait upon the Lord, day by day, for strength to live in his trial.  He did not need to know what God did not tell him.  The same can be said of the children of Israel, that the “mystery of God” was hidden from them before it was revealed in the NT (Eph. 3:1-7).  They were not responsible for what God hid but were for what He revealed. 

Solomon tells us that God is intentional about this.  It is His glory to conceal, not because He gets the last laugh on us ignorant fools, but because He becomes for us the focus of trust.  What we don’t know about the future we put in his hands.

But then Solomon adds: the honor of kings is to search out a matter.  He is not saying the king is searching out the thing that God concealed.  Rather, the king has authority to investigate, to determine truth for the sake of justice, and so forth. 

This all came together for me (perhaps I gained some understanding) in my reading today, in Job, Proverbs and then Luke.  Pilate did what is honorable for a “king” (governor) to do: he searched out the matter of the charges against Jesus.  He was accused of “perverting the nation,” “stirring up the people,” and “misleading the people.”  These are accusations that would alarm Pilate.  But he did due diligence and searched out the matter, and again and again said, “I find no fault in this Man.”  And yet, in the end, he condemned Jesus to crucifixion. 

We can put it together, because what God hid from Pilate He has revealed to us. 

⁶ However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

God kept His plan a mystery until the right time.  This did not hinder anyone’s coming to saving faith. We are responsible for what God revealed, and by the Holy Spirit He has revealed the things that have been freely given to us by God (1 Cor. 2:12).  Having been revealed, we are now responsible for the receiving and acting on this grace extended to us in life.  For through Him (Christ) we both have access by one Spirit to the Father (Eph. 2:18).

Job 36:1-12, Did Elihu Understand Job’s Situation?

Recently (July 29-31, 2026) in our blog we studied the NT words for “understanding,” the idea that someone who is able to pull together all relevant truths is able to understand a situation.  I want to give an illustration of this from the story of Job.  Job 1-2 tells us what God was doing in the situation with Job.  This information is not known by Job, his three “friends,” and Elihu, the young man who speaks later in the story (Ch. 32-37). 

Often I have heard fellow believers say they liked the words of Elihu, and that he was as close to sounding like the Lord in Ch. 38-41.  A careful reading, however, shows that Elihu had the same thought that Job and the friends had, that Job’s suffering was connected to sin in Job’s life.  Elihu, in his wrath (32:2), does reprove Job for questioning God’s righteousness. 

But there is a problem, and we can see it in Elihu’s 6 uses of the Hebrew dea.  It comes from the root yada which is the basic term for knowledge in the OT.  Here are those uses, as taken from the NKJV.

·       32:6: Elihu did not declare his opinion until the elders had spoken.

·       32:10: Now he calls Job to Listen to me, I also will declare my opinion.

·       32:17: Again, I also will answer my part, I too will declare my opinion.

·       36:3: Here he declares that his knowledge is from afar, and in the process will ascribe righteousness to his Maker.  In other words, unlike the elders, he will indict Job without indicting God at the same time.

·       36:4: In this, Elihu claims to be perfect in knowledge.  As in the NT, “perfect” has the idea of maturity, completeness.  This phrase describes one who has “understanding,” who has it all together. 

·       37:16: Here he speaks of God, who is perfect in knowledge. 

The question is, did Elihu have it all together.  He did not because he was not able to include in his knowledge God’s conversations with Satan and the test that was applied to Job, a man whom God referred to as “blameless.”  What 36:4 and 37:16 are saying is that you can have knowledge without understanding.  Elihu had sound doctrine: a grand picture of God and a reproving picture of Job.  But in the end, like the others, he could only tell Job to repent and God would restore him.

In the Lord’s words (Ch. 38-41), we see One who truly understands, who is perfect in knowledge.  He paints the grandest description of Himself, and leaves it with Job to just trust Him.  That was Job’s sin.  He needed to wait, and rest, and wait, for God’s time.  That is why James (Jas. 5:11) spoke of the perseverance of Job, meaning patience in a time of suffering.  (Our posts July 3-7, 2025 dealt with the two “perseverance” words in the NT.)  Only the LORD had perfect judgments about Job’s situation.  We have a follow-up tomorrow on this tomorrow.

Rev. 3:14-22, No Place for the Poor or Beggarly Elements

Here is another simple term.  But I am going to pull out two references and save them for the end.  The word is pronounced ptōchos.  It refers to the poor, miserable, beggarly or impotent.  Along the way you will learn some things about our attitude towards and relationship with those who are “weak” in society.  Jesus cared about the poor, so this is an important matter.

·       Mt 5:3: blessed the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Lk 6:20).

·       Mt 11:5: blind/lame/lepers/deaf/dead were healed/raised, and the poor had the gospel preached to them. (Lk 7:22)

·       Mt 19:21: rich ruler told to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and come follow Christ. (Mk 10:21; Lk 18:22)

·       Mt 26:9,11: The perfume could have been sold, the money given to the poor; Jesus said, the poor you will always have with you. (Mk 14:5,7)(Jn 12:5,6,8; v6: Judas didn't really care about the poor.)

·       Mk 12:42,43: The poor widow put in 2 coins; Jesus said, the poor widow put in more than others. (Lk 21:2,3)

·       Lk 4:18: Jesus quotes the prophecy of His call ... to preach gospel to the poor.

·       Lk 14:13,21: when giving a banquet Jesus says to invite the poor, etc. After being refused the man had his servants invite poor, lame, etc.

·       Lk 16:20,22: parable of a beggar names Lazarus; the beggar died.

·       Lk 19:8: Zaccheus gave half his possessions to the poor.

·       Jn 13:29: the disciples thought Judas was going to give something to poor.

·       Ro 15:26: churches made contributions to the poor saints in Jerusalem.

·       2Co 6:10: Paul was poor, yet making many rich

·       Gal 2:10: Paul was only asked to remember the poor, the very thing he did.

·       Jas 2:2f,5f: a poor man comes into church and biased people tell the poor man to sit at their feet; God chose poor to be rich in faith, but you insult the poor.

·       Rev 13:16: beast forced all, rich & poor, etc, to receive mark.

Now, with this background, here are two situations involving spiritual poverty.

·       Gal 4:9: how can you turn back to weak, miserable principles?  This is the description of someone who has come to Christ, solely by the grace of God, but who now thinks that they are to live the Christian life by the law and the fleshly effort that was involved in keeping the law.  They have ignorant of the riches of our inheritance in Christ (Eph. 1:18), the unsearchable riches of Christ (3:8), the riches of His glory (3:16). 

·       Rv 3:17: the Laodicean Church was wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, etc.  It is because they have counted themselves rich in material things while being poverty-stricken spiritually.  They are not drawing on their riches in Christ.

Psalm 114

Here is another Psalm that glorifies God in the history of Israel, or more specifically, in His choice of Israel.  Remember that this is in the group of “hillel” Psalms (113-118) read at feast times.  They are calls to praise that are beneficial for the people of Israel to review frequently.  But, to be sure, this is a call to praise for all the earth.

·         114:1-2: We are transported to the very beginning of the national existence of the descendents of Jacob.  They were a family until God took them out of Egypt.  Judah, the tribe in which both the palace and the temple would rest, became holy to the Lord (His sanctuary or holy place).  Israel became His dominion, the place on earth where God would exercise His kingly authority.  Remember how significant this is to the people of Israel.  They entered Egypt 70 members of a family; they endured great affliction; and by God’s grace and power, they exited Egypt a nation of millions.

·         114:3-6: What rejoicing this elicited from the parts of creation through which Israel travelled on their way to Canaan.  Both the Red Sea and the Jordan River were parted for Israel to pass through.  The great mountains of the wilderness and the little hills were like playful sheep as God brought His people into the Promised Land.

·         114:7-8: Why did these potential obstacles act in such a way?  Because they recognized the presence of the Lord in this event.  All the earth is called to tremble at His presence.  In the Exodus the Presence of God was especially evident when God provided water from the rock (Exodus 17:1-7).  When you read that story you will see God not only promised to meet the need for water; He promised to appear before the people.  God did His work through Moses, speaking to the people in Egypt and leading them out.  But at Rephidim He manifested Himself in a way that was evident to the people.  There is a Jewish tradition that the rock from which water came actually stayed with Israel throughout their years in the wilderness.  That may or may not be the case (Scripture is not clear).  But remember that the Apostle Paul put it this way: they all drank the same spiritual drink.  For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ (1 Cor. 10:4).  God manifested Himself in that rock and manifestations of God always are connected to the second member of the Trinity, the Son of God.

Today the message is the same.  Israel was to be His sanctuary and dominion.  He is present with those today who drink of the spiritual Rock, to dwell with them and to rule over them.  What worship that should elicit from each of us!  Jesus Himself said, whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.  But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14).

Acts 20:36-21:6, The Fellowship of Ministry

Today we have a special Greek word, easy to define and describe, yet critical to our calling as Christians. The word is “propempō,” joining the verb “to send” with the prefix indicating “before, forward, ahead.”  Thus, we have “to accompany, escort; to help on one’s journey.”  It is used 9x in the NT, all with the same context.

·       Acts 15:3: the Antioch church sent Paul and Barnabas on their way to Jerusalem.  Probably they paid their expenses, but certainly they sent them with the authority to speak for their church.

·       Acts 20:38: the Ephesian elders "accompanied" Paul to the ship.  There is no mention of financial assistance, but these men accompanied Paul as a form of encouragement.  They were aware Paul thought it might be the last time they would see each other, and the reason would have to do with Paul’s upcoming ministry in Jerusalem.  Money does not meet all needs.  We need to exercise the gift of giving, but we also need to use the gift of encouragement/ comfort.

·       Acts 21:5: the disciples of Tyre accompanied Paul and his group out of town and prayed on the beach before he boarded his ship.  Again, this is not a time of financial need but a time when what is needed must come from the Lord.  So they prayed, right there on the beach.

·       Rom 15:24: Paul planned for them to assist him on his journey to Spain.  While you might assume “money” you need to understand Paul’s attitude on these things.  Yes, he accepted gifts.  But in Phil. 1:5 he noted how the church had helped him from the beginning of their relationship with him.  They were “partakers” of the grace of God along with him (1:7).  He could get along with a little or a lot, but mainly he wanted fellow-believers to be blessed and for God to be blessed by the sweet aroma of their sacrifices (4:14-18).

·       1 Cor 16:6,11: Paul might stop in Corinth so they can help him on his way; in the meantime Paul wanted them to help Timothy on his way.

·       2 Cor 1:16: Paul had wanted to stop there in Corinth so they could help him on his way.  Some in Corinth struggled with this.  They wanted Paul to come personally to visit them and felt snubbed when he went other place but not to Corinth.  These are attitudes that work against “propempō.”

·       Titus 3:13: Titus told to help Zenas and Apollos on their way.

·       3Jn 6: Gaius needs to help itinerate ministers on their way.  This epistle highlights this idea.  Gaius was willing to help travelling servants of Christ.  Diotrephes (1:9) did not do this and apparently prevented the church from doing this important ministry.  Diotrephes wanted to be the “big man” in the church.  John warned that he would come and call attention to this.

What is your attitude toward “missions giving?”  Do you see it as just a “church” thing or do you seek opportunities to encourage them in your own life?

Deut. 29:2-4; Jeremiah 31:31-34, “Get It Together” (3)

In this listing of passages keep in mind that the “mind” it is talking about is this “mind” that perceives, that by the Spirit under the New Covenant is enabling us to see how things fit together in our walk with Christ.  But also keep in mind, that the natural man has a “mind” like this, but it is a “good sense” mind that is created by the wisdom of the world.

·       Luke 24:46: Jesus opened the understanding of the disciples so they could understand the Scriptures.  We need this.  As believers in Christ we have this in the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:10).

·       Rom.1:28: God gave them over to reprobate minds.  Because man suppressed the truth, his “good sense mind” is actually rejected, worthless.

·       Rom.7:23,25: Paul sees another law (law of sin) working against the “law of my mind” (his desire to do right).  He serves God with the law of his mind.

·       Rom.11:34: who has known the mind of the Lord.  Ultimately, God’s understanding is above all others.

·       Rom.12:2: be transformed by the renewal of your mind (a change in our perspective or perception).

·       Rom.14:5: We need to be persuaded in our own mind if something is right.

·       1Cor.1:10: Christians should be joined in the same mind.

·       1 Cor.2:16ab: who knows the mind of the Lord; but we have mind of Christ.  In the New Covenant time believers are able by the Holy Spirit to know things that were a mystery in OT times. 

·       1 Cor 14:14,15,19: Concerning speaking in tongues Paul says, if I pray in a tongue my understanding is unfruitful; therefore I'll pray and sing with my mind; he would rather speak 5 words with his understanding. 

·       Eph.4:17: Gentiles walk in vanity of their mind.

·       Eph.4:23: As in Rom. 12:2, be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

·       Phil.4:7: the peace of God passes all understanding.

·       Col.2:18: The Gnostics were vainly puffed up in their fleshly mind.

·       2 Th.2:2: don't be shaken in mind (worried), Paul says, about false claim that the day of Christ had already come.

·       2 Tim.3:8: Jannes & Jambres were men of corrupt minds.

·       Tit 1:15: the mind and conscience of the unpure person is defiled.

·       Rev.13:18: let him with understanding count number of beast.

·       Rev 17:9: here is the mind with wisdom (the one who understands the nature of the harlot Babylon).

Not all who say they have it together do, in fact, have it together.  The Christian has an advantage because of the indwelling Spirit.

Luke 2:41-50, “Get It Together” (2)

The adjective means “intelligent, wise, with good sense.”  The NKJV translates this “prudent” to differentiate it from wisdom.  As for the difference in English, prudence involves caution and careful planning while wisdom is the more general term dealing with a sound approach to life. 

·       Mt 11:25: God had hidden things from the wise and prudent (Lk 10:21). 

·       Ac 13:7: Sergius Paulus was a prudent man.

·       1Co 1:19: A quote from Isa. 29:14, where God says He will bring to nothing the understanding (noun form) of the prudent.

The noun refers to the “faculty of comprehension, intelligence, acuteness.”  We’re not talking about the brain but an ability to see things in a right perspective.

·       Mk 12:33: The scribe responded to Jesus, saying “to love God with all your u.”  Jesus had said, as recorded in all three gospels (Mt. 22:37; Mk. 12:30; Lk. 10:27), to love God “with all your mind,” using the term dianous which is part of this family of words.  The “nous” (mind) is the faculty by which we “understand.”  To put a “dia” in front of it is to add a sense of thoroughness to our understanding.  One thing we conclude is that Jesus did not say to simply love God with your brain, a grasping of the facts.

·       Lk 2:47: all who heard Jesus (12 yrs old) were amazed at his u & answers.  And remember from the previous post, Mary and Joseph “did not understand” what Jesus meant about “His Father’s business.”

·       1Co 1:19: I will bring to nothing the u of the prudent.

·       Eph 3:4: if they read his 1st letter they'll u Paul's knowledge of Christ.

·       Col 1:9: be filled w/knowledge of his will in all ... spiritual u.  Again, Paul is clear.  The Bible knowledge that fills us needs to be the kind of knowledge that is wise and perceptive.

·       Col 2:2: Paul labors that their hearts would be knit together in love and to all riches of full assurance of u.  This tells us that part of gaining “understanding” has to do with the Word of God and the teacher of the Word of God.

·       2Ti 2:7: Prayer: the Lord give them u in all things.  We pray that people will have understanding because the Lord must do the work.

The negative adjective, means a person is “without understanding, discernment.”

·       Mt 15:16: to Peter Jesus said, Are you also without u? (Mk 7:18)

·       Rom 1:21: their foolish hearts were darkened.

·       Rom 1:31: the list of sins includes being without understanding.

·       Rom 10:19: a quote of Moses (Dt. 32:21, the Song of Moses) concerning Israel, "By a foolish nation I will anger you.”

There is more to come!  Much more that we need to “put together.”