Here in chapter 15 Jesus is brought before Pilate (by the chief priests) early in the morning. One of the accusations against Him by the elders was, His claim of being a king. So Pilate asked Him directly, “Are You the King of the Jews?” His answer to Pilate was, “It is as you say.”
Admitting this before the very man that could have saved Him, brought a respect for Jesus. Pilate marveled, the Bible tells us, at Jesus for His honesty and for His silence before His earlier accusers who had mocked Him, beat Him and spoke blasphemously against Him (Luke 22:63-65).
Pilate, the Bible tells us, believed Jesus to be an innocent man, who upon examination of Jesus said, “I find no fault in Him worthy of death. He has done no evil (Luke 23:14-15). Then turning to the crowd three times Pilate asked, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” (Matthew 27:22) Upon hearing the crowd Pilate, wanting to gratify them more than doing the right thing, delivered Jesus to His accusers to be crucified as they requested.
How many times have you given into peer pressure, allowing the crowd to dictate your actions, even though you knew in your heart, “this is wrong.” Actions have consequences. Even though Pilate believed Jesus to be innocent and literally washed his hands of the blood, still delivered Him to death. Therefore, Pilate is just as guilty of murder as were the chief priests who planned it and the Romans who carried it out.
Our lesson here is to stand for the truth, not with the crowd. Do what is right, not what may earn you favor in the eyes of others - to satisfy God, and not man.
The Truth: “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” (James 3:16)
