The Humiliation Of Humanity
Then Jesus came outside, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe; and Pilate said to them:
“Here is the man!”
When the Chief Priests and the police-officers saw him, they shouted:
“Crucify him! Crucify him!”
“Take him yourselves and crucify him,” said Pilate. “For my part, I find nothing with which he can be charged.”
“But we,” replied the Jews, “have a Law, under which be deserves death for making himself out to be the Son of God.”
When Pilate heard what they said, he became stall more alarmed; and, going into the Government House again, he said to Jesus:
“Where do you come from?”
But Jesus made no reply. So Pilate said to him:
“Do you refuse to speak to me? Do not you know that I have power to release you, and have power to crucify you?”
“You would have no power over me at all,” answered Jesus, “if it had not been given you from above; and, therefore, the man who betrayed me to you is guilty of the greater sin.”
This made Pilate anxious to release him; but the Jews shouted:
“If you release that man, you are no friend of the Emperor! Any one who makes himself out to be a king is setting himself against the Emperor!”
On bearing what they said, Pilate brought Jesus out, and took his seat upon the Bench at a place called The Stone Pavement—in Hebrew Gabbatha. It was the Passover Preparation Day, and about noon. Then be said to the Jews:
“Here is your King!”
At that the people shouted:
“Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!”
“What! shall I crucify your King?” exclaimed Pilate.
“We have no king but the Emperor,” replied the Chief Priests; whereupon Pilate gave Jesus up to them to be crucified.
—John.
Family Fellowship
Heavenly Father, may the atmosphere of the unseen heaven make the atmosphere of our home! Bind our family life into a strong and enduring fellowship. Drive out everything that makes for division and strife.
—J. H. Jowett.