Jesus had a horrible day. We’ve already read how he was taken from his prayer time by an army. He was questioned, beaten, and heard the chants to “crucify him!” Jesus may have known what was coming. Scripture even foretold some of the details, but to have it happen had to be dreadful.
As a follower of Jesus, it’s hard to read, much less try to visualize, these final hours of Jesus’ life. All of this was happening to the Son of God! I can barely wrap my head around that. The divine plan was playing out as if it had been scripted.
The religious leaders were the ones who surprised me the most. Their anger seemed so disproportionate to the situation. How could they have misunderstood what seemed so obvious? I suppose there were plenty of people who had claimed to be the Messiah, those who were truly guilty of blasphemy. But Jesus wasn’t one of them. Why couldn’t the leaders tell the difference?
Jesus could not have fulfilled his mission had the religious leaders been falling in worship at Jesus’ feet. God’s plan had to make some very good people do some very bad, uncharacteristic things. But their hatred seems a little over the top, doesn’t it?
Jesus confides in Pilate that his accusers are the guilty ones. They are the ones defying truth. Pilate seems utterly unprepared to deal with this issue and wants it to be known he doesn’t feel Jesus is guilty of anything. Pilate wasn’t a Jew, so the misconceptions angering the religious leaders would be meaningless to Pilate. Yet Pilate was the “tool” needed to make sure Jesus died. The manipulation of the system would be complete with the end of Jesus’ mission on earth.
In recent days, as emotions are on high alert due to social and/or political issues of our day, I’ve seen many people acting in uncharacteristic ways. Division is clearly driven by the evil one, with disillusioned people acting in very unbecoming ways. I can’t help but draw comparisons to the unattractive behavior of the religious leaders spurred on by their jealousy and fear. I pray every day for my eyes to stay focused on Jesus.
Where is the truth? In our story, Truth is being flogged and beaten down. Truth is being abused and broken. Jesus could have stopped it, but didn’t. He said it was because his kingdom was not of this world. What he was doing was for those who understood and would one day be welcomed into his heavenly kingdom.
Jesus told Pilate that even Pilate’s power was given to him by God. Pilate’s mind had to be reeling. Especially coupled with Jesus’s comment about being a king. Jesus said, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” Pilate would have had some level of respect for the Jewish leaders, so hearing Jesus make such a declaration would give Pilate even more cause to pause. Pilate had to be thinking, “Why did these leaders want Jesus to die?”
All who love Jesus, the truth. recognize him and acknowledge his words and teachings as true. Jesus said it himself. It’s hard to see the truth when the blinders are on. Those blinders can come in many forms. This account shows us how God can place blinders to accomplish his will.
Have you ever felt like you weren’t seeing the whole picture or that your faith was a little fuzzy or out of focus? Seek God’s will for your life. Ask Him to make a way for you so that the truth can set you free from any blinders holding you back.
Let’s pray. Lord Jesus, what horrible things you endured for me and the world you love. My heart breaks for your pain and for those disillusioned religious leaders who thought they were right. Please help me to walk in your light, shielded from the evil one’s attempts to put the blinders on me. Keep me on the path necessary for me to accomplish your will. Show me the way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
