Pliable Pilate

We all know that Jesus was crucified at the command of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Yet how many of us realize that there is a lesson for everyone in this man's decision? Yes, a lesson for you and me.

In the morning, the chief priests and the elders took Jesus to Pilate and falsely accused Him before the governor, saying that Jesus had said to not give tribute to Caesar. Pilate was amazed that Jesus had nothing to say for Himself when it came to the charges laid against Him. After Pilate examined Jesus in the judgment hall, he returned to the people and said, "I find in Him no fault [at all.]" (Matthew 27:1; Luke 23:2; Matthew 27:12-14; John 18:38).

Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent, and that the people had brought Him there, not for any just reason, but because they envied Him (Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10). After declaring that he believed Jesus to be guiltless and then finding out that He was a Galilean, Pilate sent Him to Herod, who had jurisdiction of Galilee. Herod couldn't find anything by which to convict Jesus as a criminal either, and had Him returned to Pilate (Luke 23:6-11).


"And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, Said unto them, Ye have brought this Man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined [Him] before you, have found no fault in this Man touching those things whereof ye accuse Him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto Him" (Luke 23:13-15).

Once again, Pilate asserts that Jesus has done no wrong; but then, the fateful words: "I will therefore chastise him, and release [Him]" (v. 16). "Here Pilate showed his weakness. He had acknowledged that Christ was innocent; then why should he punish Him? It was a compromise with wrong. The Jews never forgot this through all the trial. They had intimidated the Roman governor, and now pressed their advantage until they secured the condemnation of Jesus." Ellen White, The Story of Jesus, pg. 133.

So it was. From then on, the more Pilate sought to release Christ, the more adamant the Jews became in seeking His crucifixion. Eventually they cried, "If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar" (John 19:12). "This was touching Pilate in a weak place. He was already under suspicion by the Roman government, and he knew that a report of this kind would be his ruin." Ibid., pg. 137.

The governor tried to escape from sentencing the Saviour by literally washing his hands of the matter (Matthew 27:24). "In vain Pilate tried to free himself from the guilt of condemning Jesus. Had he acted promptly and firmly at the first, carrying out his convictions of right, his will would not have been overborne by the mob; they would not have presumed to dictate to him. His wavering and indecision proved his ruin. He saw that he could not release Jesus, and yet retain his own position and honor." Ibid., pg. 137.

Pilate was pliable, and a lover of his rank and reputation more than a lover of right. He could not hold on to both; he must choose, and sadly he decided to surrender the latter in favor of the former. "But in spite of his precautions, the very thing he dreaded afterward came upon him. His honors were stripped from him, he was cast down from his high office, and, stung by remorse and wounded pride, not long after the crucifixion he ended his own life." Ibid., pg. 137.

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 6:24; 16:25).

We have seen what happens when one allows himself to be swayed this way and that by those around him, when he tries to have the best of both worlds; he meets with total loss--temporally and spiritually. May we learn from the life of Pilate, and choose, not to be pliable or pleasure-loving as he was, but completely unyielding where the truth is concerned--even willing to give up all that the world has to offer for its sake! In so doing, we will gain what can never be lost.

Blessings,
Jean