Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ,
If you have been present for our journey through Mark’s Gospel, I hope you will remember the two questions that I have repeatedly used to summarize one of the main reasons Mark wrote his Gospel; they are: Who is Jesus? and What did He come to do?
Again and again, as we have considered different episodes in the life of Jesus, they are the two questions we have posed: Who is Jesus? and What did He come to do?
Well, we wont be able to fully answer those questions until we have read all that Mark records about the life and death and life again of Jesus. Only then will we have the complete gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. But it is also true that we don’t have to wait until we get to the end of ch. 16 to answer these questions. With every page we are being told something about Who Jesus is and What He came to do. And we shall see this again today.
But I have called this sermon not a TWO-question trial but a THREE-question trial. So what is the third question the trial of Jesus before Pilate asks? Well, if you already count yourself among the followers of Jesus Christ, then the question is How does this episode in the life of Jesus speak to me? How does it encourage me or exhort me or equip me or expect something from me? What am I supposed to do with this passage of Scripture when I am at school or work or home tomorrow? What we read here is appalling and disgraceful; it is a travesty of justice. But apart from feelings of sorrow over how the Lord Jesus was mistreated, what would the Spirit of God have me take from this passage?
Today then we consider the Significance of Jesus’ Trial Before Pilate. And very simply, we want to consider the significance of His trial for unbelievers and the significance of His trial for believers. They will be our two main points.
- So first of all, what is the significance of Jesus’ trial before Pilate for unbelievers?
- Since Mark 1, we have read 14 chapters recording the three year public ministry of Jesus. We have seen Him select 12 disciples to be with Him all the time. We have read of Him teaching crowds and individuals. We have been told that He healed a great many people of all sorts of illnesses and diseases. We have read of Him performing astonishing miracles like walking on water and multiplying a few bits of bread to feed a crowd of thousands. We have been told that He raised people from death. Three times, in ch’s 8-10, we read that in the months leading up to this moment, Jesus very clearly told His disciples that everything recorded in ch’s 14-16 would happen. And again and again, we have looked at Old Testament passages and seen how all of this was foretold 100s of year earlier, and how OT ceremonies and types and events all pointed forward to different aspects of the person and work of Jesus. So while what we read in Mark similar to the type of biography you might read of any person from history, it is also so much more! And this is again true in relation to what we read in this passage.
- And we see this straight away as we read in v1 that the Jewish leaders deliver Jesus to Pilate.
- Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea. A large stone unearthed in an archaeological dig in Caesarea has Pilate’s name and rank on it. He was governor from AD 26-36. Mark is telling us about an event that really happened in history and that involved real people.
- And in Mark 9:31, Jesus told His disciples that He would be “delivered into the hands of men.” In Mark 10:33, He told them that the Jewish leaders would “deliver Him over to the Gentiles.” And now it is happening.
- In Psalm 22:16, a Psalm David wrote about 1000 BC, we read, “For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me.” The Jews called gentiles dogs. By the Spirit, David was prophesying of a time when the servant of the Lord would be surrounded by Gentiles. Well, Pilate and his soldiers were Gentiles. Psalm 22 is being fulfilled at this very moment.
- But we see this also as Jesus is interrogated by Pilate. Isaiah prophesied 700 years before the time of Jesus. In chapter 53 of his prophecy he speaks of a suffering servant. Verse 7 says, “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not his mouth.” And what do we read about Jesus in vv3-5 of this passage? “The chief priests accused Him of many things. So again Pilate asked Him, ‘Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of?’ But Jesus still made no reply.” Jesus is fulfilling the words of Isaiah 53:7 at this very moment.
- But we also read earlier from Genesis 49. There Jacob was about to die so he blessed his sons. And He said this of Judah: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet.” And with those words, Jacob prophesied that the kings of God’s people would come from the tribe of Judah. So which tribe did King David come from, for example? Judah. And the genealogy of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel reveals that Jesus was from the tribe of Judah.
- You boys and girls might also remember that when Jesus was born, the Magi, or the wise-men, came from the East because they had seen His star. And they went to King Herod to ask him where this newborn king was and Herod asked the teachers of the law where the Christ was to be born. And they replied, “Bethlehem, in the land of Judah … for out of you will come a ruler.” Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah.
- So is anything in this passage that asks you to think about Jesus as a king?
- Well, look at v2 and Pilate’s question: “Are you the king of the Jews?” And that is how Pilate describes Jesus again in v9: “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews?” And again in v12: “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” And then we have the almost unreadable description of what the soldiers did to Jesus in vv16-20, as He is dressed in purple and given a crown of thorns and Hailed as the king of the Jews and then they fall on their knees and pay homage to Him.
- Now, to be sure, what the soldiers do there is designed to mock and ridicule and debase Him. But if you read this with the glasses of Scripture on, what they do is broadcasting a very loud message – this is the king of the Jews; this is the promised Messiah; this is the Son of David who came to rule; this is He who is, now, King of kings and Lord of lords.
- Do you see this? Do you believe this?
- But we also have the account of the crowd choosing Barabbas to be released and not Jesus.
- Several old Bible manuscripts tell us that the first name of Barabbas was also Jesus; he was Jesus BarAbbas. ‘Bar’ means ‘Son of.’ So our Jesus would have been known as Jesus BarJoseph – Jesus – son of Joseph. And ‘Abbas’ means Father. So Jesus Barabbas means Jesus, son of the father. And what this means then is that the Jews choose Jesus, son of the father, who was a violent murderer, to be released, which meant that Jesus, who really was the Son of the Father, and who was completely innocent of any crime, had to die the death of a criminal. So even the name of Barabbas is telling us something about Who Jesus is and What He came to do.
- In Leviticus 16 we read about the Day of Atonement ceremony that the Jews were to observe every year. We have looked at that ceremony in the past. Two goats were to be selected; one was killed and its blood was sprinkled in the tabernacle to remove uncleanness, and the High Priest was to lay his hands on the head of the other goat and confess the sins of Israel and then that goat was sent out into the wilderness.
- So the guilty people of Israel did not get what their sins deserved and the innocent goats paid the ultimate price.
- And that is what happens here with Jesus and Barabbas. Innocent Jesus dies and guilty Barabbas goes free.
- And you know what? You also are a Barabbas. You are a guilty sinner. You deserve the punishment of God for your lies and your lust and your selfishness and your anger.
- But you can be a true son of the Father if you believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died in your place and you repent of your sins. John 1:12 says, “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”
Some of you will know what a klaxon horn is. It is a very loud horn that is used for announcements or to sound the alarm on a cruise ship, for example. Well, the details of this account, the people in this account, the names in this account, the OT prophecies being fulfilled in this account, the prophecies of Jesus being fulfilled in this account, and the OT ceremonies being fulfilled in this account are like a klaxon horn – Jesus is a King. Jesus is God. Jesus came to die for the forgiveness of sins. Will you receive Him today? Will you believe in Him today? Because if you do, you will become, today, a child of God! Eternal life in heaven will be yours and a new way of experiencing life on earth will begin today. It will be a life lived with Jesus as your Saviour and King and a life lived for Jesus as your Saviour and King!
- That is the significance of Jesus’ trial before Pilate for unbelievers: To all who receive Him, to all who believe in His name, He gives the right to become children of God. But secondly and lastly, what is the significance of His trial for believers?
- Well, it has to do in the main with persecution. From v10 we see that the Jewish leaders wanted Jesus dead because they envied His growing reputation and the attention He was getting from the people. From v14, we see that Pilate knew full well that Jesus was innocent of any crime. From v15, we see that he did what he did only “to satisfy the crowd.” Thus, Jesus was being treated harshly and unjustly and being mocked and beaten and would eventually be killed, all despite being innocent of any crime. In short, Jesus was being persecuted.
- And this takes us back to what Jesus said earlier in Mark 8:34. Please turn there with me for a moment: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” If you are committed to following Jesus, you too will be persecuted.
- And if you doubt this just ½ a percent, then listen to 2 Timothy 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Philippians 1:29 says, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake.” If you are committed to following Jesus, you too will be persecuted.
- David Niringiye was a man who endured severe persecution under the tyranny of Idi Amin in Uganda in the 1970’s. And he said that if believers are experiencing no opposition then that is probably because they are going in the same direction as the culture (repeat).
- Are you experiencing opposition? Are there things you have had to sacrifice or stands you have taken that have brought you loss of opportunity or position? Are their friendships or relationships that have been affected by your commitment to Christ and His way? Jesus called on His followers to take up their cross. Can you identify the things that make up the cross you are bearing?
- West-Australian Labour Party MP Joe Bullock – resigned as senator because the party required him to support the party’s position on same-sex marriage.
You know, if you have ever been on a yacht, you will know that in one direction you sail downwind and in the other direction you sail upwind. Sailing downwind is easy and it takes virtually no skill at all. You don’t really need to be a sailor to sail downwind. What truly reveals a sailor is how he or she sails upwind. You see, to sail upwind well, you need a wind that is slightly opposed to the yacht, for only then do you get the right tension in the sails that makes for forward progress. And persecution is what provides the tension in the Christian’s sails.
But listen also to these words: In Matthew 5:10-12, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” And 1 Peter 4:12-14 says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”
You cannot and you do not need to endure persecution by your own strength. You have within you the Holy Spirit and His power. And he will help you to focus your eyes on the person and the power and the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So this, believer, is the significance of Jesus’ trial before Pilate for you; He has shown you how to stand firm in the face of persecution. And in His resolve is your salvation and the strength to stand firm when persecution comes to you.
Hallelujah! What a Saviour! Amen.