Dear Christian friends:

I'm sure that almost everyone agrees that Jesus was the best Man that ever lived. Even those people who do not believe that He is the Son of God agree that He was a very good man. He always showed love and kindness to people in need, even to His enemies.

So we ask, "How could anyone hate Him and condemn Him to death as we read here in our text? This story is very common and familiar to us. We have heard it many times, so perhaps we do not anymore think it strange or unusual that such a good man is made to suffer as we see Jesus here suffer before Pontius Pilate. So I wanted you to think about that a little. It is very strange.

But there is a good reason why such a good person suffered so much. It was no accident. There is a reason, and a purpose very important for you and me. So tonight let us go with Jesus to the Palace of Pontius Pilate and watch Him suffer and see if we can find reasons why He suffers so much.


Jesus suffers here because man is very sinful. We see this in Pontius Pilate. In the Creed we say, "I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate." Because the Jews could not condemn Jesus to death they bring Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, and ask him to condemn Jesus to death.

Now Pontius Pilate knew that Jesus had done nothing worthy of death. In verse 18 we read that he knew the Jews had brought Jesus to him because they were jealous. When the Jews demanded that Christ must be crucified, Pilate asked, "Why, what wrong has He done?" Pilate knew very well that Jesus had done nothing wrong. Even his own wife sent him a note while he was sitting on the judgement seat. The note said, "Let the righteous Man alone. I suffered much in a dream last night because of Him."

Even when he finally gave up to the demands of the Jews he washed his hands in a basin of water and said, "I am innocent of this Man's blood." He really meant to say, "It's wrong to condemn this man."

Why did he do it? He was greedy and a coward. His clear duty was to judge righteously to free the innocent and condemn the guilty. But He was afraid of the Jews. If he did not do what they wanted him to do, they could make lots of trouble for him and cause him to lose his job. Pontius Pilate wanted his job, the power, honor and riches joined with it. He wanted that more than he wanted to do righteously. So, because of greed and because he was afraid Pontius Pilate condemned the best Man that ever lived, even the Son of God. Is our heart any better than than Pontius Pilate.

Another reason why Jesus suffers is because of the jealousy of the Jews. They too, knew very well that Jesus had done nothing worthy of death. But they were jealous of His name. All the people were following Him also hated Him because He had preached to them and shown to them their many sins and evils. They were too proud and didn't want to be honest and confess their sins. So they bring false charges against Him.

Jealousy and hatred also lives in our hearts, and often we say and do mean things to one another because of that. We even tell lies about another person because we are jealous of him and hate him.

Finally Jesus suffers in the palace of Pontius Pilate because of the soldiers. After Pontius Pilate had given up and condemned Jesus to die we read how the soldiers gathered around Jesus and mocked Him. They had no right to do that. They were doing what the crowd wanted. They were now a wild mob, blindly and ignorantly following a few evil leaders. They show how cruel man can be, worse than a wild animal. If you have seen a race riot, you will know what I mean.

We have such meanness in our hearts, too. And if we ignorantly, and blindly follow evil leaders we will do the same. Remember what the Germans did to the Jews during World War II. They ignorantly and blindly followed Hitler and the Nazi's and let 6,000,000 Jews die a terrible death.

In church each Sunday we confess: "Almighty God, our Maker and Redeemer, we poor sinners confess unto Thee that we are by nature, sinful and unclean, and that we have sinned against Thee by thought, word and deed." This is very true. Jesus' suffering here in the Palace of Pontius Pilate shows that very plainly.

But thank God Jesus' suffering here shows more than that. There is another reason why the good Jesus suffers here. Because of God's great love for sinners. If we look into Jesus' face as He stands before Pontius Pilate and the Jews we see no anger or fear. Jesus is brave, and calm and silent. He looks into Pilate's eyes and Pilate is the one who feels ashamed and guilty, not Jesus.

Also, Jesus said not one word of anger or revenge against Pontius Pilate or the Jews. He does not hate them, although they truly deserve His anger and punishment.

We know from other parts of the Bible what Jesus felt during this trial. On Palm Sunday before He rode on the donkey into Jerusalem Jesus wept for the city and said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matthew 23:37)

He feels love and pity for Pontius Pilate and all those who make Him suffer here. Jesus has come here to the palace of Pontius Pilate not to get revenge, but to win men to faith in His name.

God the Father asked Him to come here and suffer the world's sin and the eternal punishment of sin, and Jesus agreed with His heavenly Father. Paul says, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 18-19)

The love and patience which Jesus here shows to those who sin against Him He still shows to us today. He does not want to give up on us, although we often give up on Him. He continues to bless us with food and clothes and many good things for our body. He also continues to send men to preach the good news to us, that we may believe and live forever.

As far as we know Pontius Pilate and the Jews did not repent and believe. His love was wasted on them. I hope His love will not be wasted on you.

Dear Lord, Jesus Christ, we thank you because you suffered under Pontius Pilate. Help us to see our own sins in Pontius Pilate and the others who made all the trouble for you. Help us to feel ashamed and sorry for our evil deeds and thoughts. But let us not lose hope. Help us to see Your great love and patience for sinners that we may believe that You have come from heaven to be our Savior and our King. Give us a new heart to love You and serve you.

Amen.