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to the trial before Pontius Pilate, 
part one. We'll look at the next section, 
God willing, next month. But I'll read Matthew 27, beginning 
in verse one. When morning came, all the chief 
priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put 
him to death. And when they had bound him, 
they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 
Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that he had been condemned, was 
remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the 
chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent 
blood. And they said, What is that to 
us? You see to it. Then he threw down the pieces 
of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself. 
But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, it is 
not lawful to put them into the treasury because they are the 
price of blood. And they consulted together and 
bought with them the potter's field to bury strangers in. Therefore, 
that field has been called the field of blood to this day. Then 
was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 
And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of him who 
was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and 
gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me. Now 
Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, 
Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus said to him, It is as you 
say. And while he was being accused 
by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then Pilate 
said to him, Do you not hear how many things they testify 
against you? But he answered him not one word, 
so that the governor marveled greatly. Now at the feast, the 
governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner 
whom they wished, and at that time they had a notorious prisoner 
called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered 
together, Pilate said to them, whom do you want me to release 
to you, Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ? For he knew 
that they had handed him over because of envy. While he was 
sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, 
Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered 
many things today in a dream because of him. But the chief 
priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should 
ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered 
and said to them, Which of the two do you want me to release 
to you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate said to them, What then 
shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? They all said 
to him, Let him be crucified. Then the governor said, Why? 
What evil has he done? But they cried out all the more, 
saying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could 
not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he 
took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, 
I am innocent of the blood of this just man. You see to it. And all the people answered and 
said, His blood be on us and on our children. Then he released 
Barabbas to them. And when he had scourged Jesus, 
he delivered him to be crucified. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
thank you for the written Word of the living and true God. We 
call upon you now to send forth the Holy Spirit who gave us the 
Word, cause Him to illuminate our hearts and minds, cause us 
to reflect upon our Lord Jesus Christ and the great love that 
He exhibits in His life. the fact that He went to that 
cross on behalf of His people, the fact that He suffered under 
this shame, under this kind of treatment, all for us men and 
for our salvation, certainly should draw from us worship and 
praise and adoration. Help us, Lord God Almighty, to 
appreciate once again that finished work of the Redeemer on behalf 
of His people. Forgive us now for all sin and 
everything that darkens our understanding, and we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. Well, as we have had cause to 
reflect, the Jews did not possess the authority to engage in capital 
punishment, and so they had to send Jesus to Pilate so that 
Pilate would give the execution order. They had already made 
up their minds a long time ago that they despised him and that 
they wanted to destroy him. But as I said, they didn't have 
that lawful authority, so they need Pilate. And so what we have 
is the trial before Pilate, and it begins in verse 11 and concludes 
at verse 26. This morning we'll look at the 
interrogation of Jesus in verses 11 to 14, and then next time 
the condemnation of Jesus in verses 15 to 26. And one thing 
that is intriguing is the similarity between Jesus before the Sanhedrin 
and Jesus before the Romans. In both instances, at the very 
end of these trials, you have a condemnation of death. And 
as well, on the heels of that, you have mockery given over to 
the Son of Man. So after the Sanhedrin consigns 
Him to die for His crime of blasphemy, they then mock Him, they spit 
on Him, they slap Him. After Pilate delivers him up 
to be crucified, the next scene is the soldiers mocking him and 
treating him with scorn and with that sort of miserable treatment. 
So lots of similarities between the two accounts. And I think 
the interest of the apostle is to demonstrate that whether it's 
the Jewish Sanhedrin or whether it's the Roman Empire, Jesus 
is not going to get a fair shake. He has come to fulfill what the 
Father had laid upon him. all that the prophet Isaiah says 
in chapter 53, and he's not going to shrink back from that. He's 
going to go to the cross, and he's going to do that for us 
men and for our salvation. So as we look at this passage, 
I want to look first at the first question and response in verse 
11. Secondly, the accusation by the religious leaders in verse 
12, and then the second question and response in verses 13 and 
14. So that's how Pilate interacts 
with Jesus. He asks a question, and then 
Jesus responds, or Jesus doesn't respond. Again, reflecting Isaiah 
53, verse 7, he was led as a lamb to its slaughter, and he kept 
his mouth shut. And that's precisely what we 
see here. So in terms of the connection, look back for just 
a moment to chapter 26. Chapter 26, Jesus is before the 
Sanhedrin, and in verse 36, it says, He is deserving of death. 
Then they spat in His face and beat Him, and others struck Him 
with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy to us, Christ, 
who is the one who struck you? Now, there is this interlude 
with reference to the denial of Jesus by Peter. This is a 
theological concern for Matthew to include that here. And then 
in chapter 27 at verses 1 and 2. When morning came, all the 
chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus 
to put him to death. And when they had bound him, 
they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. When we go to verse 11 in chapter 
27, now Jesus stood before the governor. He stood before the 
governor. Calvin makes the observation. 
So then the son of man stood as a criminal before a mortal 
man and there permitted himself to be accused and condemned that 
we may stand boldly before God. It's a great observation. Christ 
stood before this pagan so that one day we can stand before God 
clothed in his righteousness, having been forgiven, successfully 
redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Now, the governor is Pontius 
Pilate, who served as the prefect of Judea in A.D. 26 to 36. Now, this is conspicuously 
his courtroom. This is conspicuously his courtroom. He's called governor in verses 
11, 14, 15, 21, and 23. He's referred to as Pilate in verses 
13, 17, 22, and 24. He is the subject of most of 
the sentences. He asks six questions, and he makes one declaration. So Christ is in enemy territory. He is with Pontius Pilate. As 
well, we understand from the parallel passage that Pilate 
is not sovereign. Pilate is a man under authority, 
not just from the Roman emperor, but with reference to God Almighty. in the parallel account, Jesus 
before Pilate, in John's Gospel. Christ makes this statement in 
John 19, 11a. You could have no power at all 
against me unless it had been given you from above. This is 
a very valuable lesson, and one that, no doubt, Christ, according 
to his humanity, comforted his soul with. It is one of those 
passages that we are mindful of doctrinally, but practically 
it escapes us from time to time. Take the current situation. It 
is easy to conclude that the government is the final authority. 
No, God Most High is the final authority. Our God is in the 
heavens. He does whatever He pleases. 
The COVID-19 pandemic is not some renegade event. It is not 
some stray. It is not some consequence of 
wicked man that happens to arise on earth. The Lord Most High 
is over all things. As the prophets say, God kills 
and God makes alive. As the prophet Isaiah says, God 
creates calamity, adversity. The Hebrew is actually evil as 
well as good. And so we need to calm our own 
hearts and minds with this recognition of this reality that Jesus demonstrates 
when he is in this straight with reference to this man. You could 
have no power at all against me unless it had been given you 
from above. So, though it's conspicuously 
His courtroom, though it's conspicuously His jurisdiction, though it's 
conspicuously under His authority, it is not ultimately. God Most 
High is over all things, and in that the people of God find 
great comfort. Now, notice the question that 
Pilate poses. Now, we're going to go a bit 
slowly through here because it is very important that we understand 
the nuances involved in this. We've seen something of Roman 
jurisprudence when we've moved through the book of Acts. Well, 
you see a similar sort of reflection here in the gospel narrative. 
What happens to the apostle Paul before the civil government had 
happened previously to the Lord Jesus Christ with reference to 
that same civil government. So the question, are you the 
king of the Jews, presupposes previous discussion by the Sanhedrin 
and Pilate. In other words, the Sanhedrin 
wants to get Pilate to give the sentence of death upon Jesus. 
They can't come to Pilate and say, well, he's a blasphemer. 
He has different theology than we do. He actually thinks he's 
the Messiah. That's not what they do when 
they present the case to Pilate. In Luke's gospel, they depict 
Jesus as one who forbids people to pay taxes. That will always 
arouse the ire of civil government if somebody would deign, refuse, 
or reject the idea of taxation. But it was patently false. Jesus 
says, give to Caesar what is Caesar, and give to God what 
is God's. As well, they tried to picture 
him as a king. Now, Messiah, Christ, certainly 
includes the concept of kingship. But in terms of them saying, 
he calls himself the king of the Jews, that's what would get 
Pilate to act. That's what would arouse Pilate. 
If Jesus was perceived as a competitor or as a contender to the Caesar 
at the time, or even to the prefect of Judea, well then the civil 
government must act. In other words, if it's blasphemy, 
if it's a theological dispute, if it's a theological debate, 
Pilate's not going to involve himself. Again, just like Felix 
and Fastus and Agrippa in the book of Acts when Paul goes up 
against them. But when there is a matter of 
sedition or revolution or what would appear to be treason, well, 
then the civil government will take aim and engage in capital 
punishment. So the question indicates that 
they had successfully shaped the charges to ensure Pilate's 
verdict, and the question reflects the formal charge. Notice in 
27, 37, and they put over his head the accusation written against 
him, this is Jesus, the king of the Jews. and not, this is 
the Messiah, this is the one promised by the prophets, but 
this being the king, he sets himself in antithesis to the 
kings of his own generation. And so they would have no truck 
with that. Davies and Allison explain, the title, always spoken 
by Gentiles as king of the Jews, who use king and Jews instead 
of Christ and Israel, reappears in verses 29 and 37, and so marks 
the theme of the chapter. Jesus dies with the king of the 
Jews over his head. Here the words convey that Jesus 
claimed to be the Christ involved kingship and so means political 
sedition. There can be no king but Caesar. So they framed it and they have 
shaped it in such a way as to ensure the desired outcome. And 
after we back off for just a moment, we can see there's nothing new 
under the sun. The same sort of corruption that 
we witness in the politicians today isn't new. Solomon wasn't 
kidding when he said there is nothing new under the sun. Now, 
how do we deal with that? We seek, by grace, to function 
in a manner that is consistent with our Lord's example. Now, 
we're not our Lord, so sometimes we're going to have difficulties, 
sometimes we're going to struggle, and sometimes we're going to 
have hardship. But the reality is, is that Jesus understands 
this, and Jesus complies with it for the bigger cause of saving 
His people. RT France says, King of the Jews 
is thus an appropriate translation of Jesus' messianic claim into 
language a Roman governor could say or could understand and must 
take seriously. So the nature of the complaint 
lodged against Jesus shows him as a rival to the Roman Empire's 
political power. It is based on that reality that 
Pilate now acts in order to deal with Jesus as a real threat. Not just blasphemy, not just 
theology, not just a question of Messiahship, but rather he 
is a contender for the crown and as such he'll rise up against 
the Empire. Now notice Jesus' response in 
verse 11. Jesus said to him, it is as you 
say. It's similar to what he says 
in 2664. You can go back there for a moment. 63, Jesus kept 
silent and the high priest answered and said to him, I put you under 
oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the 
son of God. Jesus said to him, it is as you said. Now this is 
a way, an affirmation, the response is affirmative, but there's also 
this kind of an underlying thought, yes, but not quite as you understand 
it. Now turn to John's gospel, John 
18, because I think it fleshes it out a little bit more fully. 
John chapter 18. Jesus before Pilate, and Jesus 
spells out the qualification there. It is as you said, but 
not really as you understand it. Christ's kingship is not 
designed to overthrow the Roman empire. Christ's kingship is 
designed to overthrow the hearts of rebel sinners. Christ's kingship 
is designed to soften those rebel hearts, to save those rebels, 
to bring them into alliance and federation, to put them as subjects 
in his gracious kingdom. That's the reason for the coming 
of the son of man in his first advent. He shall save his people 
from their sins. So in John 18, we see this qualification 
given. Notice in verse 34, Jesus answered, 
are you speaking for yourself about this? Or did others tell 
you this concerning me? Pilate answered, am I a Jew? 
Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you to 
me. What have you done? Jesus answered, my kingdom is 
not of this world. Now, when we look at that as 
God's people, we get this idea that Jesus' kingdom does not 
include the world. But that's not what he says. 
Jesus' kingdom certainly includes the world. Matthew 28, all authority 
in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Revelation 1.5, 
John greets the people of God in the churches in Asia Minor 
under the rubric of Christ Jesus, the firstborn from the dead. 
the faithful witness and the ruler over the kings of the earth. 
Christ kingship certainly includes this world, brethren. That's 
what's very perplexing about churches today capitulating to 
Caesar. No, we bow the knee to Jesus. He has crown rights in the civil 
sphere and in the ecclesiastical sphere. There may be overlap 
between those two spheres, but there's also distinction. and 
the one doesn't have authority over the other. We would all 
recoil in terror if a pastor rose up and said, let's engage 
in execution in the civil state. That's not your jurisdiction. 
Exactly. Neither is it king, president, 
or prime minister to tell us what goes on in the house of 
God Almighty. It's not their right. His kingdom 
includes the world, but it's not of the world. He wasn't voted 
in through democratic process. He wasn't voted in because he 
was a good Republican. He wasn't voted in or receives 
this authority or power as a result of what men said. My kingdom 
is not of this world. And then notice what else he 
goes on to say. If my kingdom were of this world, 
my servants would fight. You know what Christ is doing 
there? He's sanctioning the use of the civil sword. Romans 13 
is no joke. The people of government ought 
to get out of the business of viral control and into the business 
of criminal punishment and sanctions against rapists and murderers 
and child molesters. instead of sanctioning that all 
the while penalizing and punishing people because we actually dare 
to walk outside of our house to go to the church of the living 
God. There is fear sovereignty and Christ underscores the necessity 
at times for kingdoms to take up swords against others. That's 
what he says. If my kingdom were of this world, 
my servants would fight and they would win by the way. Now notice 
what else he goes on to say. He says, so that I should not 
be delivered to the Jews, but now my kingdom is not from here. 
Again, in terms of origin, it certainly comprehensively includes 
it. The kingdom of Christ is over 
every square inch. It's not that there's one part 
or Adam in this universe where Christ doesn't have reign or 
rule. Now notice in verse 37, Pilate therefore said to him, 
are you king then? Jesus answered, you say rightly 
that I am a king. For this cause I was born. It's 
a beautiful statement, isn't it? Matthew and Mark and Luke 
give us the birth narratives. Well, Matthew and Luke specifically. 
John begins with what we call the Johannine Prologue. He begins 
in the beginning, not the beginning in terms of the life and ministry 
of Jesus according to his humanity, but our beginning, Genesis 1, 
in the beginning God created. So John starts there and John 
never indicates anything about the earthly birth. He doesn't 
give us a nativity account. But in this instance, look at 
what Jesus says, "...for this cause I was born." Brethren, 
Christ is head, Christ is king, Christ has universal empire and 
absolute authority over all things. But again, it's not of this world. 
It's not that he's posturing himself as a contender against 
Pilate or against Caesar. And notice what he goes on to 
say. You say rightly that I am a king for this cause I was born, 
and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should 
bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth 
hears my voice. How do kings in the earthly realm 
advance their kingdom? Typically through bloodshed. 
I don't know that the irony has been seen by some of the people 
in our own situation. They're enforcing health orders 
with loaded guns. Brethren, they're going to jackboot 
us and tell us it's for our good. Typically, the way that earthly 
kings advance their kingdoms is by the use of the sword, by 
the use of the bullet, by the use of the tank, by the use of 
the B-2 bomber, whatever their options may be. But not the kingdom 
of Christ. It's advanced by truth. It's 
advanced by the proclamation of the Word. See, we don't advance 
the kingdom of God on earth with military might. We advance the 
kingdom of God on earth by preaching, by praying, and by engaging in 
the things that God has called us to. So if we renege on that, 
then we are, humanly speaking, stopping the progress of the 
kingdom. At a time of national pandemic, 
wouldn't it be the best thing for more churches to be going? 
Wouldn't it be the best thing for more truth to be preached? 
Wouldn't it be the best thing for more persons out there that 
are distressed, that are dying, that are being marginalized, 
to hear the gospel of free and sovereign grace? You say, well, 
brother, that didn't happen prior because people weren't thinking 
about their mortality. As my beloved has properly pointed 
out, this is a time where people are stricken with fear. Well, 
let's preach the gospel to those who are stricken with fear and 
tell them there's a way to know the peace of Christ, which surpasses 
all understanding. So Christ advances his kingdom 
by the truth. Revelation 19, it's the sword 
that proceeds from what? From His mouth! You see, brethren, 
this is the offensive weapon that Christ's Church has. It 
is the proclamation of the truth of God's Holy Word. We cut that 
off and we stifle the progress of the Kingdom of Jesus here 
on this earth. So go back now to Matthew 27 
to look at, secondly, the accusation by the religious leaders. So 
you've got this first question and this response by Jesus and 
Pilate. And now you have the accusation 
by the religious leaders in verse 12. And while he was being accused 
by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Now, this 
word translated accused is a technical term that is always a legal technical 
term, which means bring charges in court before a human judge. So this is part and parcel of 
the proceedings. This is witness testimony. I 
mean, even back then, well, especially back then, Roman jurisprudence 
was really good. And you couldn't just allege, 
make an allegation against somebody with no evidence. You couldn't 
just say, hey, this guy's a horrible monster and he wants to take 
down your kingdom. Okay, well, let's just execute 
him. This wasn't the Soviet Union, brethren. They actually operated 
according to jurisprudence. They actually were foundational 
in many ways for what we are supposed to be the inheritors 
of nowadays. When we see the relinquishment 
of due process, that ought to horrify not just Christians, 
it ought to horrify everybody. Every man has a presumption of 
innocence until proven guilty. The moment we jettison that, 
we might as well take our place with the cows and the horses 
and the rest of the beasts, because we have thrown off something 
indicative of man, something that reflects the God who created 
and who governs and the God who regulates life for His creatures. 
But anyway, Sherwin White, this fellow that has the classic study 
on Roman society and Roman law in the New Testament, he says, 
accusations are duly made by deletores. This was Latin for 
accuser or informer. The chief priests and elders 
of the people acting as such. The account of this is generalized. 
In practice, there must have been not more than two or three 
spokesmen. The charge is clearly indicated, 
not as a charge against a particular Roman law, but as a charge of 
particular undesirable actions on which Pilate is asked to adjudicate. Mark and Matthew merely hint 
at the nature of the charge by giving Pilate the question, are 
you the king of the Jews? That this means a leader of the 
resistance is shown by a parallel from Josephus. So when we look 
at this, what is happening? It's formal. So we've gone from 
the Sanhedrin, which was formal but limited based on the fact 
that the Roman government was over the Jews. Now they've taken 
it to the next level. This is increased enforcement. 
This is when the threats are being realized. This is when 
it's going to come to pass and Christ is at the crucible at 
this very moment. Now notice again, It says, while 
he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered 
nothing. It's a beautiful statement concerning 
his response. Go back again to chapter 26, 
verses 62 and 63. 62 and 63. And the high priest arose and 
said to him, Do you answer nothing? What is it these men testify 
against you? But Jesus kept silent. See, again, 
this reflects the prophet Isaiah, the servant of Isaiah 53, the 
servant of Yahweh, whom Yahweh is pleased to crush or bruise, 
is the Lord Jesus. Each of those four songs in the 
prophet Isaiah concerns Messiah, and each gives us various facets 
of his work when he comes to save his people from their sins. 
And as we read at the outset, the idea or concept of substitutionary 
atonement is prevalent in Isaiah 53. This idea that Jesus just 
came to set a good example for men. Jesus could set the best 
example, and he did, but wretched, wicked, vile men don't follow 
the example. He came to save his people from 
their sins. And that meant standing silent 
before a wretch like Pilate, standing silent before wretches 
like the Sanhedrin, going along with all of this so that he could 
stand in our place, take the wrath and fury and punishment 
of God the Father upon himself and exhaust it fully such that 
when we die, clothed in his righteousness, having been forgiven by his blood, 
We don't have to go to hell to make atonement. We go to heaven 
because Christ has paid the debt. But Christ stands there silent 
in accordance with the prophet. Now you say, but Butler, he answers. 
Yeah, the high priest puts him under oath by the living God. 
Notice what Jesus doesn't say. Jesus doesn't say in verse 64, 
well, the whole concept of oath is not right. You know, I've 
come to suspend that whole month. No, he answers the question, 
but for the most part, he is silent in accordance with the 
prophet. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, 
yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, 
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his 
mouth. Brethren, that takes great grace, 
doesn't it? I mean, remember, everything 
that makes man, man, Jesus hath. Jesus was true man, but Jesus 
was a godly man, obviously, because everything in us does not want 
to be silent in the face of this opposition. Perhaps you saw that 
Polish pastor in Alberta let the RCMP have it as he chased 
them out of the sanctuary. Isn't that what we all want to 
do? Isn't that what we all want to say? Isn't that how we all 
want to engage? I'm not suggesting that he was 
wrong. I'm just simply suggesting it takes grace for the Lord Jesus 
to stand silently before a kangaroo court. Notice how John Gill responds. I think he's right on. The chief 
reason of all of his silence was He had the sins of his people 
to answer for, and the time of his dying for them was now come, 
and for which he was ready, and therefore would say nothing to 
remove these false charges and retard his death." See, Gil's 
right. There was a righteousness that 
had to be accomplished. There was a death that had to 
be undergone. There was a resurrection that needed to obtain, all in 
accordance with the Scriptures, all in tune with the covenant 
of redemption, where the father gives a miserable lot of sinners 
to his son, and the son covenants and purposes to come and save 
them. Well, it was according to plan. 
If Christ is not holy, harmless, and undefiled, we all die in 
our sins. If Christ does not fulfill all 
righteousness, then we suffer in hell. It's not just His blood 
that is crucial, but it's His life of obedience that is crucial. What is justification? Justification 
is an act of God's free grace, wherein He pardons all of our 
sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness 
of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. So if Christ 
sidetracks, if Christ engages in tit-for-tat, if Christ goes 
off, and if Christ sins, then we are all dead and in hell forever. So Christ does what was purposed 
for Him to do. Now let's look thirdly and finally 
at the second question and the response. Notice the question 
of Pilate, verse 27. I'm sorry, not verse 27, verse 
13, then Pilate said to him, do you not hear how many things 
they testify against you? But he answered him not one word 
so that the governor marveled greatly. Now in the first place, 
the question is probably like, don't you hear what's happening? 
Are you immune to this? These fellows are asking me to 
render a capital sentence. These Jewish leaders, they despise 
you, they hate you, but the charges they've laid against you are 
very serious. So, I think there's a bit of 
incredulity on the part of Pilate. Do you not hear how many things 
they testify against you? In other words, you're not in 
a great place here. This isn't a good showing for 
you here. This isn't helping your case 
or your cause at all. And then the gravity of the situation 
is underscored by the many things. See, the gospel narratives, the 
entirety of the Bible, don't give us every single word in 
an interchange. They're summaries. They don't 
give us every jot and dill. In fact, if you look at this 
in verse 12, and while he was being accused by the chief priests 
and elders, They didn't just make their one statement. They 
probably were loaded for bear. They wanted him to be executed. 
They're going to make their case as best as they can. They're 
going to engage in rhetoric. They're going to engage in everything 
they can to make their case good so that Pilate renders the judgment. And so Pilate says, don't you 
hear how many things they're laying against you? And then 
in terms of, again, the incredulity involved in the question, one 
man says, no one is wont to be silent when his life is at stake. In other words, you're not going 
to offer up a defense. This is ultimately why Pilate 
gives the sentence, at least under the rubric of having some 
degree of compliance with jurisprudence. There was no counter evidence, 
there was no rejection, there was no statement on behalf of 
Jesus. Certainly the qualification of 
John 18, but that wasn't enough to turn the mind of Pilate away 
from the mob of Jews and unbelievers. And then in terms of the legal 
procedure, Sherwin-White again says, Roman judges disliked sentencing 
an undefended man as much as an inadequately accused man. We saw that in Acts 25.16, Festus' 
words to Agrippa II. To them I answer, it is not the 
custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before 
the accused meets the accusers face to face and has opportunity 
to answer for himself concerning the charge against him. So we 
have this situation now where they've laid out these accusations, 
they've presented the case, and now Pilate needs to make a ruling. 
Pilate needs to render a verdict. Again, it's a capital offense. 
And the fact that we see Pilate conflicted in the narrative, 
the fact that Pilate's wife tells him, have no dealings with this 
man, the fact that Pilate, on three occasions in both Luke 
and John, testifies to the innocence of Jesus, shows us something 
of the perplexity going on in his own heart. So he's at least 
got some sort of a connection to jurisprudence, some sort of 
a desire to at least look like he's rendering in accordance 
with Roman law. But again, notice the response 
of our Lord. Verse 14, but he answered him, 
not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. Spurgeon nails 
this. He says, Jesus answered nothing. for he was there as his people's 
representative. And though he had not sinned, 
they were guilty of all that was falsely laid to his charge. 
He might have cleared himself of every accusation that was 
brought against him, but that would have left the load of guilt 
upon those whose place he came to take. So he answered never 
a word. Such silence was sublime. So brethren, as we move through 
passages like these, we reflect upon our King, we reflect upon 
our Redeemer, we reflect upon our Savior, and we reflect upon 
the salvation wrought out by Him. As I've hoped, or I hope 
I've explained many times, and just by citing Westminster Shorter 
Catechism in terms of justification, it's not just forgiveness that 
we need, it's righteousness. It's not just cleansing in the 
precious blood, because if we're cleansed in the precious blood, 
we're brought back to the tree of the knowledge of good and 
evil. Then it's up to us to secure a righteousness by which we enter 
into heaven. This is the heresy of Roman Catholicism. This is the heresy of new perspective 
on Paul. This is the heresy of federal 
vision, or those adherents to it that engage in this. It's 
not just forgiveness, but there is a positive imputation of the 
righteousness of Christ received by faith. If we are not clothed 
in the righteousness of another, then we better be clothed in 
the righteousness of ourselves, or else we're going to go to 
hell. But in the gospel, our blessed Savior answers for everything. We get both forgiveness and a 
righteousness that avails with God, such that we are clothed 
in that righteousness and will enter into the presence of God 
Most High. He doesn't put us back in a position 
of probation, but rather He secures us. And as Paul is able to rehearse 
in Ephesians chapter 1, blessed be the God and Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing 
in the heavenly places in Christ. Roman Catholics can't say, there 
is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 
but we can. It's the reality that Christ 
paid it all, and Christ performed it all, and that we in the gospel 
receive not only forgiveness, but that righteousness that avails 
with God. And before we close and move 
to some practical observations, look at the amazement indicated 
here. But he answered him not one word, 
so that the governor marveled greatly. There's a possible allusion 
here to the prophet Isaiah. In that fourth servant song we 
read, so he shall sprinkle, the new King James margin has, startle 
many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths 
at him, for what had not been told them they shall see, and 
what they had not heard they shall consider. The reality is 
that the prophet Isaiah is being fulfilled, not just in terms 
of the silence of the Savior, but in terms of the amazement 
or the startlement of the nations who are confronted by Israel's 
God. It is most glorious to see the 
way that the New Testament authors weave the Old Testament narrative 
into their gospel narratives to show us, in fact, that Christ 
is the man that the prophets wrote of. Now, in terms of the 
human element, why do you think he was amazed? The amazement 
was most likely due to the fact that he had never witnessed such 
a thing before. You know how many people stood 
in Pilate's court and said, well, it wasn't me. I wasn't there. 
I got an alibi. I was with my wife. There's always 
something that we'll say, right? There's always something we'll 
pony up. There's always something we'll do in order to defend ourselves. So Pilate actually gets a holy, 
harmless, undefiled man in his courtroom, and Pilate is amazed 
that that man says nothing in terms of his own defense. Whatever 
he does or doesn't say, Pilate nevertheless, on three occasions, 
again recorded in Luke and recorded in John, and I'll show you how 
it's recorded here in Matthew as well, confesses the innocence 
of the Lord Jesus. The amazement gave way to his 
decision to condemn Christ. Again, Sherwin White says the 
accusers allege facts and the judge decides what to make of 
them. Since there was no defense, Pilate had no option but to convict. That was the essence of the system. 
Now, before he convicts and before he sends him away to be crucified, 
he engages in what I call the Barabbas bargain. We'll see that, 
God willing, next time we gather together for the Lord's Supper. 
It was customary at the time of the Passover to release a 
prisoner. And so Pilate says, do you want Barabbas released 
or do you want Jesus released? Why would he do that? Again, 
he's got a pang of conscience. I mean, he's not the devil. He's 
certainly devil-ish, but he's not the devil. He's weak-kneed. He's a coward. He's afraid. He's 
governed by mob mentality instead of by what is right. But nevertheless, 
even himself, he says, do you want me to release this Jesus? 
Oh, no, we want Barabbas. Talk about the wickedness of 
man. If you ever doubt total depravity, just read the Passion 
Narratives. I mean, if you ever doubt the 
reality of sin, just read the Passion Narratives. This man 
was holy, harmless, and undefiled. He didn't do anything wrong. 
See, brethren, if you and I end up in a courtroom and we're innocent 
of a particular offense, we're guilty of a whole lot of other 
things. You can never say that about Christ. He was like a lamb 
led before the shearers. He kept his mouth silent as they're 
about to engage in this lawlessness. Now, in terms of some final thoughts, 
in the first place, the complicity of Pilate. The complicity of 
Pilate, Davies and Allison comment, while we agree with all commentators 
that Matthew enhanced the guilt of the Jewish authorities, we 
are, against many, persuaded that the text excuses the Romans. In other words, we are unpersuaded 
that the text excuses the Romans. In other words, some say, well, 
it's Jewish guilt that's highlighted by Matthew. They say that Jewish 
guilt is highlighted by John. Such that John and Matthew, and 
I know this is bizarre, but this is the world in which we live, 
they are accused of being anti-Semites. Brethren, they were Jews. You 
just don't know how weird it can get. I mean, you know, in 
a topsy-turvy, sinful world, anything goes. And we are witnessing 
that in spades in our own generation. I mean, lies are promoted and 
deception is told, and it's just like unquestioned. We have a 
whole media designed to carry water for that sort of thing. 
It's very frustrating. It's very distressing. But again, 
nothing new under the sun. But in terms of this reality, 
the reference in John 19 11 to the greater sin of the Jews indicates 
that Pilate did in fact sin. The ones who delivered me up 
to you have the greater sin. Well, just because Pilate's isn't 
the greater sin doesn't mean he's not sinful. As well, the 
absence of Pilate's threefold confession of Jesus' innocence 
is not altogether lacking in Matthew's account. In the first 
place, he attempts to grant amnesty to Jesus, the Barabbas' bargain, 
in the following section. Secondly, he knew the Jews handed 
Jesus over due to envy. Look at that in verse 18. He 
knew that they had handed him over because of envy. There was 
a rivalry. They didn't like this, that Jesus 
went about teaching and everybody listened to him. And he oftentimes 
indicted the religious leaders. Do you think they just were neutral 
in that? No, they were incensed by that. 
It enraged them. And that's what's driving and 
motivating them. And even Pilate sees this. I 
mean, it's not hard to sort of figure it out when you just look 
at the text. He heard his wife's testimony 
concerning Jesus' innocence in verse 19. While he was sitting 
on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him saying, have nothing 
to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things today 
in a dream because of him. Now, brethren, behind every not 
even good man, somewhat decent man, there's a good woman. So 
I don't think he just listened to this and forgot it. It probably 
made an impact on him. His wife comes to him and says, 
you don't want to go down this road. It's not a good thing for 
you to attach yourself to. And I don't think it means it 
in terms of political suicide. He obviously chooses the political 
expediency. But with reference to this fear, 
I doubt it's because, well, if you go down this road, it's going 
to hurt your career. No, you're going to be going against the 
living and true God. Whatever's happening in terms of this particular 
scenario, there are greater implications and ramifications than what you 
are currently aware of. And then as well, he seeks to 
absolve himself of responsibility for Jesus' death. Notice in verse 
24, when Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather 
that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands 
before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of 
this just person. You see to it. And he refers 
to Jesus as a just person or as a just man. If you're using 
a non-King James tradition, that is a textual variant, but I think 
it's to be there and read and understood. Pilate knows the 
score, and yet Pilate capitulates. You see, brethren, it's not just 
a present modern situation. The reality is that politicians 
politicize. And instead of governing or ruling 
or leading based on the simple question, what is right? They 
oftentimes do it based on the more complex question, what is 
politically expedient? That is very unfortunate and 
it should affect the people of God who live in body politics. It should cause us to reflect 
very seriously on who we vote for. It should cause us to reflect 
very seriously on the reality that integrity and loyalty and 
being men of your word is absolutely crucial. Flip-flopping, deceiving 
liars that are seeking to court the favor of mobs Aren't men 
to be trusted in high positions of authority? I wouldn't trust 
them handing out carts at Walmart, let alone giving them the prerogative 
to govern a body politic. What have we done to ourselves? Why are we in this place? Because 
we've accepted the maxim, oh, they're just politicians and 
that's all they do is lie. Then fire them! Get rid of them! Put men in that have integrity, 
whose yes is yes and whose no, no. Why does he capitulate to 
the mob? Because they're a mob and they're 
going to riot if he doesn't. He's understanding this reality. If he says, I'm going to let 
Jesus go, then all these people are going to start burning cars. 
They're going to start looting businesses. They're going to 
start trashing the city. And Pilate doesn't want that. 
So political expedience says, we'll go ahead and deliver Jesus 
Christ over to be crucified. Now again, this is under the 
authority, the plan, the purpose, the decree, and covenant of God 
Most High. And we rejoice in that in a most 
blessed way because this is what He did for us and for our salvation. But in terms of the humanity 
of it, let us never forget, brethren, and this is something that really 
bugs me. If I could just share my heart, 
oh, you're too tied to this world. You think too much about this, 
that, and the other. Did not our Lord teach us to pray that 
God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven? Does God's will 
for earth include abortion clinics and euthanizing elderly, euthanizing 
mental illness? I mean, that's as ghoulish as 
one can imagine. Again, that's why it rings so 
hollow when they want me to wash my hands and they want me to 
stay inside and they don't want me to go to church because I 
might murder people. Oh, you don't want any competitors? 
You don't want any rivals? You want the monopoly on murder? 
That's what you're about? Brethren, it is hollow and that 
the people of God are not awakened to this or awakening up to this 
is distressing. It is distressing to the core. 
Jesus taught us to pray that God's will be done on earth as 
it is in heaven. When I read Revelation 21 and 
22, I don't see people prevented from going to the house of God 
to worship God. I don't see people sanctioned 
or terminated because they're inconvenient. I don't see that 
in the New Jerusalem, and our blessed Savior tells us to pray, 
not in some idealistic, utopian way that it's always going to 
obtain on earth, but the people of God hunger and thirst for 
righteousness. The people of God desire the 
health of image-bearers, not just redeemed people. There is 
a creational aspect. We are all in this together. 
Creatures under God. Some shouldn't enslave others. 
Some shouldn't murder others. Some shouldn't target others. 
That's the will of God, brethren, and that's what the people of 
God need to be concerned about. And then the governor nevertheless 
gives this order that Jesus be crucified. In this, he's similar 
with Judas Iscariot. Judas tries to rid himself of 
guilt by saying that he sinned by betraying innocent blood. 
Pilate tries by saying, I am innocent of the blood of this 
Josh person. You see similarity between Judas 
and Pilate. Both the chief priest to Judas 
and Pilate to the people say, you see to it. Let's pass the 
buck. You deal with it. And then as 
well, Judas throws the money away to get rid of the guilt. 
Pilate washes his hands. Pilate, you're getting a lot 
more than the washing of hands. You're going to eat the blood 
of the one that you sent to that cross. That's the only thing, 
the only way whereby guilty sinners lose their stains. It is through 
precious blood, not the hand-washing ceremony that Pilate engages 
in here. And then Judas involves the religious 
leaders in blood guilt. Pilate involves all the people 
in blood guilt. Look at verse 25. And all the 
people answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children." 
So Judas is dealing with the leaders. Their blood guilt is 
evident in their truck with Judas. And now Pilate, before all the 
people, has involved every single one of Israel under that blood 
guilt. And I believe, brethren, this 
is why, in that sermon, in Acts 2, when Peter is standing on 
the day of Pentecost to preach the gospel to Jerusalem's sinners, 
he says, the promise is for you and your children and all those 
who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call. 
I don't want to offend, I don't want to trigger, I don't want 
to hurt you, but that's not a paedo-baptism text. It is a Jerusalem sinner 
text. Jerusalem sinners, guilty of 
the blood of Jesus Christ, can find mercy and forgiveness through 
the blood of Jesus Christ. That's Peter's point when he 
says, repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name 
of Jesus Christ. For what? For the remission of 
sins. It is most blessed what we have 
in the Christian gospel, and it's most blessed when we preach 
it and promote it. Secondly, the wickedness of the 
religious leaders. I'll just run through the list. 
They conspire to commit murder. They bargain with the betrayer. 
They condemn the Lord in the trial before the Sanhedrin. They 
reject the claim that Christ's innocent. They deliver Jesus 
to the Roman governor so he will carry out capital punishment. 
They persistently urge the multitudes to side with their decision. 
They manipulate Pilate in order to carry out their design. In 
John 19, 12, from then on Pilate sought to release him, but the 
Jews cried out saying, if you let this man go, you are not 
Caesar's friend. Whoever makes himself a king 
speaks against Caesar. Brethren, I don't doubt it's 
a tough position. to engage in a particular path 
that people hate, that people oppose, that people reject, or 
people despise. But because something is tough 
doesn't mean you back down. It doesn't mean you stop. It 
doesn't mean you say, oh yeah, I'm going to give up this this 
innocent man to suffer Roman execution or Roman crucifixion 
for crimes he didn't commit, so I can capitulate to this mob 
who's whiny and crying and emotional and trying to dictate the terms 
upon which a government functions? Brethren, that is not to be the 
case. Pilot, kowtow to this mob. And then as well, their wickedness 
is compounded by the Pilate's various attempts to not crucify 
Jesus. You can't read the narrative, 
Jesus before Pilate, and come away saying, oh, Pilate's right 
on board. He can't wait to execute Jesus. That's not the case at 
all. Persons, commentators, theologians 
have questioned, in John's account, when Pilate says, what is truth? See what exegesis can't do? It 
can't give us inflection. It can't give us tone. It's like 
when you text people, sometimes you don't know their tone. They 
might say something that's a joke, and unless they put a happy face, 
you think they're mad at you or something. I mean, we have 
a whole new way to communicate now with thumbs up and happy 
face is an old spiel. But tone, right? A lot of people 
see it as, you know, Pilate was dismissive. Well, what is truth? 
I'm not always convinced of that. It might have been, well, what 
is truth? I mean, here's a Roman prefect governing Judea at the 
time of the Roman Empire. There's lots of philosophies. 
There's lots of truth systems, as it were. There's lots of things. 
And here's Jesus standing before him. And on three occasions, 
Pilate sees he's done nothing wrong. He's done nothing wrong. He's done nothing wrong. So when 
Jesus speaks of truth and Pilate says, what is truth? Again, it 
could be dismissive. What is truth? Doesn't matter. 
Or it could have been, what is truth? The reality is, or the 
irony is, is that truth is standing right before him. The way the 
truth and the life is standing right there, that close, and 
yet Pilate rejects him, Pilate dismisses him, and Pilate ultimately 
gives him up to be crucified. What a horrible thing to be a 
coward. Thirdly, we see the glory of Christ. His royalty is on 
display. His royalty is on display. He 
is described as the King of the Jews. It is as you said. He is the Messiah promised in 
the Old Testament. He is the Christ of God. He is 
the one with universal reign and empire and authority. He's 
the Danielic Son of Man, that 713-14 man that comes into the 
very presence of the Ancient of Days. And the Ancient of Days 
confers upon Him a kingdom and dominion and universal authority 
and reign. He is the royal one of Israel, 
and he is standing before Pontius Pilate, but it's not just his 
royal position, but it's also his resolve. His silence showed 
the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, and his silence showed his resolve 
to accomplish the mission given to him by his father. Brethren, 
the active obedience of Christ is crucial. If you've ever heard 
the name J. Gresham Machen, he was a great 
theologian in the early part of the 20th century. He lived 
in America. That's not why he was great. Just happens to be 
the instance or happens to be the case. But according to historians, 
according to his biographer, the last thing that man said 
as he was about to breathe his last was, well, he sent a telegraph 
to a friend, and he said, I'm so thankful for the active obedience 
of Christ. No hope without it. I'd like 
that to be my last words. If anybody happens to be there 
and I'm on my choking gasp, tell me to recite that, right? The 
forgiveness of sins and the righteousness that avails with God. That's 
what Christ is doing. Christ does what he does for 
the glory of the Father and for the good of us. Christ is going 
through this mockery, this content, this ignominy, not because He 
deserves it, but because you and I deserve it. But He goes 
in our place, takes the wrath and curse and fury of God, and 
saves His people from their sins. John Calvin said, Christ, therefore, 
was at that time silent, that He may now be our advocate, and 
by His intercession may deliver us from condemnation. He was 
silent that we may boast that by his grace we are righteous. 
And Ryle said, to those silent sufferings, believers owe all 
their peace and hope. Through them, they will have 
boldness in the day of judgment, who in themselves would have 
nothing to say. Amen. Well, let's close in a 
word of prayer. Our Father, we thank you for 
the Son of Man. We thank you for the Lord Jesus 
Christ and what he went through on our behalf. It truly is amazing, 
God. We sing amazing grace, and yet 
at times it seems so not amazing to us. We don't celebrate as 
we ought. We don't rejoice as we ought. We don't pray and preach 
and proclaim and worship as we ought in light of these great 
redemptive truths. God, help us to be those who 
respond in a way that is appropriate. We see that pattern in the catechism 
of guilt, grace, gratitude. Help us to express that gratitude 
in the public worship, in private worship, in family worship, in 
the way that we conduct ourselves on a daily basis in light of 
this salvation. And God, help us to reflect upon 
this in each and every moment of the day, When we're downcast, 
when we're distressed, help us to remember that blessed stanza 
of the hymn that Jesus paid it all. And we ask in His most blessed 
name. Amen.