The Centrality of Scripture

John 19:6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!”  Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I  find no guilt in him.” It is a rare church today that reads Scripture during the service. ...

BEHOLD THE MAN

John 19:4-5 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.”  So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.  Pilate said to them, “Behold the man.” There’s an ominous...

AUTHORITY

John 19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him.   A fascinating thing about the Bible is that it teaches a doctrine of responsibility and authority that we’re ignorant of in contemporary America.   Pilate didn’t personally flog our Lord – tearing His flesh...

Jesus or Barabbas

John 18:39 “But you have a custom…” This very custom of pardoning a criminal signifies God’s pardoning of Israel.  The guilty party is spared the penalty of the crime.  In offering this to the Jews, Pilate twists the knife of irony.  That these many...