Chapter 3 - Jesus is Brought Before Pilate

....After the council’s verdict, Jesus is taken to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, for a death sentence. "What accusation do you bring against this Man?" he asks the priests; but their answer is evasive: "If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you." 1
....Yet Pilate has heard from God Himself, and he pursues his appre- hension privately: "Are you the King of the Jews?" he asks Jesus -- who, in turn, points out the singularity of this question: "Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this about Me?" 2.

.... "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."

(Isaiah 52:15)

....Pilate finds no fault in Jesus, but the chief priests and elders keep accusing Him. He marvels as Jesus remains silent to their words. 3
....In an attempted compromise, Pilate has Jesus interrogated under scourging. Even now, Jesus bears the sins of this world, and its marks begin to show on Him. 4

..... "I gave My back to those who struck Me; and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard. I did not hide My face from shame and spitting."

(Isaiah 50:6)

.... Next He is beaten by soldiers, who set a crown of thorns on His head and mock Him, while striking Him on the cheek with a heavy reed: 5

.... "Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; he has laid siege against us; they will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek."

(Micah 5:1)

.... Finally the governor brings Him forth to show that he finds no fault in Him. "Behold the Man!" he cries – yet His life is demanded still. 6
....Pilate tries to dissuade Jesus privately, but the events are beyond his power. From that hour He seeks to release Him, but the chief priests and elders accuse him of disloyalty: "Anyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!" 7
....In a final attempt to see Jesus released, Pilate appeals to the people themselves. Either Jesus or Barabbas, a convicted rebel, will be released to them this day, according to the governor’s custom at the Passover. 8

(see the scriptural references by clicking on the associated hyperlinks)

(**important**: please read the special notes on the sinless nature of Christ)

Jesus Taken Before Pilate

.
....1. a The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His anointed, saying,
....2. a "Let us break Their bonds in pieces, and cast away Their cords from us."

.
....3. a My soul is among lions;

....I lie among the sons of men who

........are set on fire,
....Whose teeth are spears and

........arrows,
....And their tongue a sharp sword.

.
....4. a Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; b for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider.

.
Accused by the Chief Priests
and Elders

.
....5. a The mouth of the wicked and
........the mouth of the deceitful
........have opened against Me;

....b They have spoken against Me
........with a lying tongue.
....6. a They have also surrounded

........Me with words of hatred,
....b And fought against Me without
........a cause.
....7. a In return for My love they
........are My accusers,
....b But I give Myself to prayer.

.
Silent Before His Accusers

.
....8. a He was oppressed and He was afflicted, b 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.
.

....9. Those also who seek My life
........lay snares for Me;
....a Those who seek My hurt speak
........of destruction,
....And plan deception all the day
........long.
....10. a But I, like a deaf man, do
........not hear;
....and I am like a mute who does

........not open his mouth.
....11. Thus I am like a man who

........does not hear,
....a And in whose mouth is no
........response.
....12. a For in You, O LORD,
........I hope;
....You will hear, O Lord My God.
.

Jesus is Scourged

.
....13. a He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

.
....14. a I gave My back to those

........who struck Me;
....b And My cheeks to those who
........plucked out the beard.

.
....15. a All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all:

.
....16. The reproaches of those

........who reproach You
....a Have fallen on Me.

....17. a There is no soundness in

........My flesh because of Your

.........anger,
....Nor any health in My bones

........b because of My sin.
....18. a For My iniquities have gone

........over My head;
....Like a heavy burden they are too

........heavy for Me.
....19. My wounds are foul and

........festering because of My

........foolishness.
....20. I am troubled, I am bowed

........down greatly;
....I go mourning all the day long.
....21. For My loins are full of
........inflammation,
....22. I am feeble and severely
........a broken;
....b I groan because of the turmoil
........of My heart.
....23. Lord, all My desire is before
........You;
....and My sighing is not hidden
........from You.
....24. a My heart pants, b My
........strength fails Me;
....As for the light of My eyes, it
........also has gone from Me.
.

Beaten by Soldiers
.

....25. a Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; He has laid siege against us; b they will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

.
....26. a They gape at Me with their
........mouth,
....They strike Me reproachfully on

........the cheek,
....b they gather together against

........Me.

....27. a Weeds were wrapped
........around My head.
....28. a God has delivered Me to

........the ungodly,
....And turned Me over to the hands

........of the wicked.
.

Verging Upon Ruin

.
....29. a Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.
....30. He has no form or comeliness; a and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.

.
....31. Remove Your plague from
........Me,
....a I am consumed by the blow of

........Your hand;
....32. For I am ready to halt,

....And My sorrow is continually
........before Me.
....33. a When with rebukes You
........correct man for iniquity,
....You make b his beauty melt away
........like a moth;
....Surely every man is vapor.

........Selah.
.

Jesus Admonished By Pilate

.
....34. a "Where the word of a king

........is, there is power;
....And who may say to him, ‘What
........are you doing?’"
.

....35. a God has spoken once, twice

........I have heard this:
....That power belongs to God.

....36. a Now therefore, be wise, O
........kings;

....Be instructed, you judges of the

........earth.
....37. a There is a time in which

........one man rules over another
........to his own hurt.
.

Pilate Offers to Release Jesus

.
....38. a It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, or to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

.
....39. a The wicked shall be a
........ransom for the righteous,
....And the unfaithful for the

........upright.

....40. a The righteous is delivered
........from trouble,
....And it comes to the wicked
........instead.
.

No King But Caesar

.
....41. a "Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame?
....42. "As long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom! a Now therefore, send and bring Him to me, for He shall surely die!"

.

(see the Scriptural references by clicking on the associated hyperlinks)

To view Chapter 4, Condemned by His Own, please scroll down or click HERE.