18 April 2014 - friday called good

18 April 2014 - friday called good

Pilate is on the fence about Jesus.  His wife suffers on account of him in a dream.  He has the sense that there is something wrong with the way in which the people seek to have him crucified.  He says "I find no guilt in him" and yet he hears shouts of "Crucify him, crucify him!"  Why would they want to crucify this one?  Why does his wife suffer on his account?  Something is amiss.  And Jesus tries to help him realize what it is when Pilate tries to ask.

“Are you the King of the Jews?”

But Jesus is not concerned now with what others say about him.  He is concerned with what Pilate says about him.  He is concerned with what you and I say about him. 

“Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?”
Pilate answered,
“I am not a Jew, am I?

Jesus is actually pleased with this response.  Pilate moves from on from what the Jews say about him.  He continues to try to figure out just what this one has done to be handed over to him.  Jesus gives him a hint, a kingdom is involved, but it is not a kingdom in the way Pilate or the Jews imagine it.

“My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”

And Pilate begins to understand a little more.

“Then you are a king?”

But the problem for Pilate is that Jesus demands faith.  Faith is the "the evidence of things not seen" (cf. Heb. 11:1).  The kingdom which does not belong to this world can only be apprehended by faith.  Pilate isn't ready to take that leap.  Sure, it is odd that Jesus creates such a strong reaction in the Jews who bring him to Pilate.  Sure, his wife has a weirdly prophetic dream suffering on his account.  Even Pilate himself no doubt has the sense that something is different about this one.

Jesus explains the leap that must be made, the leap of faith:

For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Jesus calls Pilate to trust in his voice more than what Pilate's own eyes can behold.  Pilate is a practical man.  He doesn't want to punish an innocent unnecessarily.  But he is concerned about order in the area he governs.  He is concerned about his obligations to Caesar.  Worldly powers and circumstances all suggest that the truth which Jesus speaks be ignored.  If he trusts this voice what will happen to his kingdom, to the areas of the world he governs, and even to his governance of his own heart?  Riots?  Will anything be left?  Practically, there is much to worry about.  But if he can just listen to the voice of Jesus he will hear him "speak of peace to his people and to his faithful" (cf. Psa. 85:9).  But Pilate isn't ready for this leap.

Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

Even so, it is the leap we are all called to make.  We are called to believe that the death of this one who lived so long ago is the most important fact of every moment even though nothing our eyes behold will prove this to us.  This is why this story is told at all.  It is not told to stir up pious feelings of love and devotion, though those may be good.  We behold the lamb led to the slaughter, who bears our infirmities, who endures our sufferings, who is pierced for our offenses and crushed for our sins that we may believe in him, first and foremost.  This is vital, because only when we believe can we receive all the blessings it entails.  Only when we believe can we have life in his name (cf. Joh. 20:31).

An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;
has testified, and his testimony is true;
he knows that he is speaking the truth,
so that you also may come to believe.

We struggle with this, but we "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses".  So even when we struggle and doubt let us turn to him.

So let us confidently approach the throne of grace
to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

He enables us to have the belief he requires.  We cannot even believe on our own.  But he is happy to have us depend on him for strength and salvation.  This has always been his plan for us.

Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
Take courage and be stouthearted,
all you who hope in the LORD.