Sermon Notes + 3.17.2024
SERMON NOTES
Behold the Man
John 19:1-16
Dr. Tony Chute, Lead PastorOverview: The decision to crucify Jesus rests with Pilate, yet he is reluctant to carry out the punishment due to his inability to verify the charges against Jesus. He attempts to appease the Jewish leaders by using half-measures, having Jesus flogged and allowing the soldiers to beat and mock Him. The Jewish leaders are not willing to accept half-measures for One who has claimed to be the Son of God, so they demand nothing less than crucifixion. When Pilate returns to question Jesus, he finds that Jesus is unwilling to defend Himself against the charges. He reminds Jesus that he holds the power to release or crucify Jesus, to which Jesus instructs Pilate that the power he holds has been given to him from above. Pilate will, therefore, answer for his decision, as will the one who handed him over and those who instigated the crucifixion. Once again, Pilate claims to find no fault in Jesus, but his half-hearted attempt to persuade the crowd results in his acquiescence to their demands. The fact that evil seems to triumph over justice is but one layer of this account, as John reminds us that God is in complete control even when the Son of God is delivered over to be crucified.
John 19:1-16
Dr. Tony Chute, Lead PastorOverview: The decision to crucify Jesus rests with Pilate, yet he is reluctant to carry out the punishment due to his inability to verify the charges against Jesus. He attempts to appease the Jewish leaders by using half-measures, having Jesus flogged and allowing the soldiers to beat and mock Him. The Jewish leaders are not willing to accept half-measures for One who has claimed to be the Son of God, so they demand nothing less than crucifixion. When Pilate returns to question Jesus, he finds that Jesus is unwilling to defend Himself against the charges. He reminds Jesus that he holds the power to release or crucify Jesus, to which Jesus instructs Pilate that the power he holds has been given to him from above. Pilate will, therefore, answer for his decision, as will the one who handed him over and those who instigated the crucifixion. Once again, Pilate claims to find no fault in Jesus, but his half-hearted attempt to persuade the crowd results in his acquiescence to their demands. The fact that evil seems to triumph over justice is but one layer of this account, as John reminds us that God is in complete control even when the Son of God is delivered over to be crucified.
01. There is no difference between actively or passively resisting the claims of Jesus, as both result in the same conclusion. Let us be clear about our own confession in light of Jesus’ crucifixion.
02. There is no power on earth that compares to the power of heaven though both work together. Let us be careful about our own allegiances in light of Jesus’ crucifixion.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY
1. What was Pilate’s initial conclusion about Jesus in John 18:38? How is this conclusion confirmed in John 19:6? Given these conclusions, what is the purpose of having Jesus flogged and beaten by soldiers? What do Pilate’s actions suggest about his character? What does this episode suggest about the need for character among people in power?
2. What accounts for the mob mentality on display in John 19:6? In what ways do people get caught up in popular opinion today to the extent that they demand justice without proper use of the facts? How does the crowd ultimately persuade Pilate to crucify Jesus?
3. Why does Jesus decline to defend Himself before Pilate? What could Jesus have said in order to convince Pilate to set Himself free? Consider this passage in light of 1 Peter 2:13-25. What example has Jesus set for believers? How willing are you to entrust yourself to Him who judges justly?
4. Consider the words of Pilate in verse 6, “I find no guilt in him.” In what ways is this statement true of the entirety of Jesus’ life? See 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, and 1 Peter 2:22 for further insight. How was Jesus fully human and yet without sin? In what way is the sinlessness of Jesus essential for our salvation?
5. Who is really in control in this text—Pilate, the soldiers, the Jewish leaders, the crowds, or Jesus? Consider the words of Jesus—“You would have no authority over me at all unless it were given to you from above.” How do these words give us confidence in today’s world?
For Further Reading: John Piper, Providence (Crossway, 2020).