Innocent and yet Accepting.
| Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate. "Are You the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate. "You have said so," Jesus replied. The chief priests accused Him of many things. So again Pilate asked Him, "Aren't You going to answer? See how many things they are accusing You of." But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. (Mark15:1-5) |
John tells the Pilate story in full detail.
Mark keeps it very brief.
In our last devotion we saw Jesus give a full answer to the question: "Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?"
Jesus' answer is clear, affirmative an unequivocal:
"I am (the Messiah and Son of God) and you'll see me return in glory. (And He quotes Scripture to back His claim.)"
In today's reading Pilate gets a much shorter and more cryptic answer.
"You have said it."
(In Greek it's just two words: "You" (emphatic) and "say" (present indicative))
What's going on here?
The difference is in the question...
Pilate's question is different: "Are You the king of the Jews?"
There's a vast difference between the two questions.
The High Priest's question is a religious one - a spiritual question.
"Are You the one sent by God to bring God's Kingdom here to earth?"
Pilate's question is based on the insinuations made by Jesus' enemies.
Mark lists them: the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin.
They've implied that Jesus is guilty of treason against Caesar.
They suggest that Jesus is trying to be "King of the Jews".
This is a political question and a positive answer would have been punishable by death.
But Jesus' kingdom is not an earthly kingdom - it's a Kingdom that is "not of this world" (as Jesus affirms in John's Gospel.)
So Jesus won't admit to a trumped up political framing of His mission and charge of treason.
He makes it clear that these are Pilate's words - informed by the chief priests and their cohorts.
When it comes to all the other accusations, Jesus simply remains silent.
His silence is eloquent - It indicates the baselessness of the claims but also recognises the hardness of their hearts. Nothing will change their narrative. It also indicates His submission to the Father's will and acceptance of His mission.
Mark tells us that Pilate is amazed by Jesus' demeanour.
From the other gospels we know that Pilate actually tries to intervene on Jesus' behalf.
And he attached a sign to Jesus' cross - "King of the Jews"
It is clear from all the gospel accounts that Jesus had a profound impact on Pilate.
We know that Pilate's wife even had a dream about Jesus and that Pilate actively defended Jesus at one point.
Jesus could have leveraged His influence on Pilate and turned the tables on the "religious mafia."
But He doesn't - He has a higher mission - A mission of love and sacrifice.
And so He asserts and establishes His innocence and lets them use their fabricated charges to have Him crucified.
