Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate. Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
He answered, “So you say.”
The chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they testify against you!”
But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled. (15:1-5)
Pilate was amazed at the fact that I did not even try to defend myself. My kingdom was not from this world, yet he could perceive that I had an authority he had never seen in the persons he judged. I did not try to impress him, but he clearly felt my authority and royalty. You can read more about this in the dialogue noted in the gospel of John (John 18:28-19:16). I knew what the Father had told me, that I was going to be crucified. He asked me not to argue in this specific case, which is what I did. I was like a lamb brought to be slaughtered, and I was supposed not to speak much, which is what I did.
Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whom they asked of him. There was one called Barabbas, bound with his fellow insurgents, men who in the insurrection had committed murder. The multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do as he always did for them. Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead. (15:6-11)
Pilate clearly understood that the chief priests were envious and that there was not a real reason for me to be condemned, so he tried to appeal to the people, according to the custom he had, for me to be released. Since the chief priests knew about this custom, they had prepared people to shout to release Barabbas instead of me.
Pilate again asked them, “What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
They cried out again, “Crucify him!”
Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?”
But they cried out exceedingly, “Crucify him!”
Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified. (15:12-15)
What was painful for me was to see a crowd ready to shout that I should be crucified. Some of the persons there had seen the miracles I did, some had heard the teachings I gave. I was then handed over to be flogged and crucified.
Pilate tried what he could to release me, but facing the opposition of the chief priests and the crowd, he decided to hand me over to be killed. You can meditate on Pilate, who did try to stand on my side, but who ultimately decided to please the multitude. In your world, there are many Pilates, who are ready to stand with me up to a certain point, but when pressure increases, they let threats or the desire to please many lead their decisions.
I did not try to please people, and I knew that this had a cost. For my disciples also, there is a cross to bear, when they stand with me and choose to let my love guide their life, at the cost sometimes of disapproval, threats or violence. What is important is to have not only a superficial relationship with me, like Pilate had, but a real intimacy in which you can hear me speak to you, in which you can hear the Holy Spirit give you words of faith to testify about me. If, like Pilate, you are not used to dialogue with me and to follow me, to meet with me when you read Scriptures, to hear the Holy Spirit teach you through the events of your days, then it will be difficult for you to face the pressure of the crowd.
If you want an easy path, then you cannot be my disciple. My path of love involves the cross that you have to learn to bear, it involves the learning not to please people first but God first. It involves that you learn to accept not to be popular or praised by men, in order to do what is right, to listen and to obey my love and to embody truth.
Learn with me to be rooted in our love, in the peace that comes from me. Learn to not only follow my commandments, but to dialogue with me like a friend. Learn to stand calmly with me in front of people who disagree with me. Learn to let the Holy Spirit give you strength and guidance even when you are under pressure. In this way, you will not only be able to have the initial good intentions of Pilate, but you will stand with me whatever the cost, and you will receive the crown of life. Whoever is ashamed of me and my words before men, I will also be ashamed of him when I come in the glory of my Father with the holy angels. Whoever honors me in this world, I will also honor before the Father and the angels.
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