It’s fair to say that we feel the need to justify ourselves on a regular basis. This is not a recent phenomenon. The Bible is rife with examples of our ancestors experiencing the same indignation. One example in particular struck me this morning.
“Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.” Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” (John 18:29-31)
The Jews brought Jesus before Pilate in search of a death sentence. Pilate asks for an accusation and the Jews give an interesting reply. Rather than charging him first with blasphemy or inciting rebellion, the Jews defend their own character.
This is a moment of perceived victory for the Jewish leaders. Jesus has been stirring up the whole region for a few years now, and, at last, the leaders have managed to have him captured. They stand at the threshold of success and are met with resistance. Their pride inhibits their credibility. Pilate is unimpressed. Rather than agreeing with the Jewish leaders and their arrogance, he shuns them. It is as if Pilate says, “Well, then. If you’re so great at justice, hand it out yourself.”
There is a profound admission in the last statement of this section. “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death” is a statement of powerlessness. Despite their victory and their pride, the Jewish leaders are bound by the law. There is a layer of acquiescence and, even deeper, a layer of resentment. I picture the leaders saying this line with a quietly seething servility. They wish to exact judgment and cannot. They do not say that their laws prevent putting anyone to death. Instead, they come before a symbol of Rome itself and ask for justice from their people’s oppressors. It is because of foreign rule that they can apprehend but not carry out punishment.
Why wouldn’t the Jewish leaders have Jesus killed? They had him at swordpoint in the garden and could have ended it there. That same arrogance is at the root of this decision as well. Caiaphas says earlier that it is expedient that one should die for many. He means that Jesus should be put to death rather than the nation be punished for one man’s blasphemy. He also believes that killing Jesus will extinguish his entire movement. The Jewish leaders follow this line of thinking and seek out crucifixion, a public and humiliating execution that requires government support.
With proud hearts, the Jewish leaders bring forth their captive. They attempt to sell Jesus’ guilt as evidenced by their own credibility. Pilate rebukes them and it ends up taking a mob protest for the leaders to get what they want. The end is the most humbling of all. The Jewish leaders get the punishment they seek, but it is a bittersweet victory. Jesus is crucified but is raised again. His followers increase exponentially and the movement spreads to an even greater extent than before.
The humility of Jesus wins out. He did not exalt himself and yet becomes exalted above all else. The Jewish leaders, seeking to exalt themselves, are brought low by Pilate and brought even lower by the Resurrection. Even in the face of trials, Jesus remained humble. For all the expectations that the Jewish leaders had, they did not enjoy their reward when they finally received what they were seeking.
The same principles hold true today.
