Pilate made multiple legal, religious, and emotional appeals to release Jesus from crucifixion, finding him innocent, but ultimately passed the sentence due to pressure from Jewish religious leaders. Jesus remained calm and focused on inviting people to trust in him despite facing great injustice and cruelty, including being scourged and condemned to death. Through his death, Jesus conquered sin and death, providing salvation for humanity.

1. Faith in Christ Jesus:
2 Timothy 1:12 defines FAITH as knowing the trustworthy character and
motives of Jesus, and being confident in His limitless promise-keeping
ability, and consequently committing yourself entirely to His keeping. We
are studying the Gospel of John, answering these questions: 1) What is
revealed of Jesus’ character, motives, and abilities? 2) What is indicated that
you could confidently commit to Jesus’?
THE SENTANCING
John 19:1-22
Barabbas (“son of the father”), a convicted insurrectionist and robber, is set
free. Jesus Christ, Son of God the Father, legally declared innocent, repeatedly,
is condemned to die. Barabbas gave people a false hope for freedom from
Rome. Jesus gave people a secure hope for freedom from death (Hebrews 2).
Matthew 27:24 records Pilate washing his hands of innocent blood, a purely
Jewish action (Deut.21:6-7). He presented the scourged Jesus (John 19:1-5),
again declared innocent, perhaps hoping the sight of Jesus would gain some
sympathy from the crowd! Compare Matt. 24:3 & 24 (“see thou to it”) to see
Pilate's attempt to awaken a conscience in the priests! Every effort to release
Jesus failed because of the determined resistance of people who had waited
all their lives for the Messiah! SELAH! Pilate anxiously sought (amplified
Bible) to release Jesus (John 19:12) after Jesus calmly explained WHO GAVE
PILATE AUTHORITY TO CRUCIFY HIM! Even this was a final appeal by Jesus for
Pilate to believe, by pointing out the sovereignty of God! The sovereignty of
God invites our submission to God! SELAH!
After five or six hours of employing every conceivable legal, religious, and
emotional appeal to release Jesus, Pilate finally passes sentence upon Him,
writing His crime on a placard that hung on the cross above His head. “Jesus
the Nazarene, the King of the Jews”
Legal Appeal: “I find no fault in Him at all.”
Religious Appeal: “King of the Jews”, & hand washing.
Emotional Appeal: Presented Him after scourging Him.
(these are only examples of all Pilate did.)
In none of this is Jesus a victim of injustice! Injustice is raging
unrestrained throughout this historical account! If evil is a required aspect of
producing good, then evil serves a good purpose. Does evil produce good?
Did injustice produce our salvation through Jesus? Then evil IS good! This
cannot be true!
No one would have needed salvation if there had never been any sin,
injustice, or evil! The amazing and awesome thing is that God put on display
all the horror of sin, and destroyed its power when it was strongest!
Remember your study in Hebrews 2!
Jesus was not a victim, but was victorious, in that He took on sin when it
was most powerful, endured its worst cruelties, but never stopped inviting
people to trust in Him!
… and then He even conquered death itself …
THE SENTANCING
John 19:1-22
READ John 19:1-6
READ Isaiah 53:3, 5, 7.
Describe the attitudes and actions of people toward
Jesus. What did they do and why did they do it?
________________________________________
________________________________________
_______________________________________.
Describe what Jesus said and did in this passage.
________________________________________
_____________________.
What do you think about that? How does that
make you feel?
READ John 19:7-12
How did Pilate react to Jesus' claim to be the Son
of God? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
What did Pilate say? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
What is revealed of Jesus' motives and character
by His response? What did HE care about?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
READ John 19:15
What choice did the chief priests make?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -
What choice is left to us, regarding who shall be
KING?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
There has been much for you to consider today. I
want your personal response to what you learned
here. Write it down.