THE account of Pilot’s dealings with Jesus illustrates the complexity of human motivation, and that however we may claim to look at a matter without prejudice or ulterior motives, this is rarely the case. We are motivated by a number of forces within us, which often we do not realise are there, and some which prevent us from looking at a matter objectively. This is vividly illustrated in the way Pilot dealt with justice here. The sad thing is that after it was all over, Pilot would have been able to justify his actions and not face the blemishes in his actions.

Satan’s power over us is largely found in this human problem because he uses these conflicting motivations to manipulate us to his will. This human problem is caused by the sin within us due to human corruption resulting from Adam’s disobedience to God.

Pilot had an innate sense of justice due to his Roman heritage, but this was weakened by other motivations within him. Pilot despised Jews and felt himself superior to the Jew. This superiority was a problem because he felt angry that, though he despised the Jews, he found they had power to manipulate him. He also was governed by the fear of failure and disgrace if his governorship in Palestine was deemed by the Emperor as deficient. He also was motivated by the desire to succeed and achieve worldly glory. If this was not enough he found himself irritated and impatient that this matter of Jesus was causing so much trouble and inconvenience. Further, part of him admired the character and grandeur of Jesus, but part of him was angry because the way Jesus responded to the trial was so difficult to handle, and did not help Pilot in his task, but made things more difficult. With this in mind Pilot knew Jesus to be without guilt, but secretly he wished it was otherwise so he could please the Jews with a good conscience. All this and much more shows how fallen humanity is able only to approximate to righteousness. It is only by grace that we can even begin to do right, and then our fallen flesh works against us. How humble and distrustful of ourselves we should be, only looking to Jesus for wisdom and strength to do what is right.

But it is the abuse, degradation and humiliation of Jesus in these verses which is so terrible and foul, showing how corrupt and degraded human nature is, due to sin.

What right had Pilot to flog Jesus in the cruel and degrading way that he did. Even if Jesus had been guilty of some crime, Pilot’s action in flogging Jesus would have been totally wrong. How much more wrong was this action when Pilot could find no fault in him. Perhaps Pilot thought that by nearly killing Jesus by flogging, this would appease the Jews and make them feel this was enough, and that they would then let the matter drop. Or perhaps Pilot felt that by flogging Jesus he could create some pity in the hearts and minds of the Jewish leaders, and this would cause them to allow Pilot to let Jesus go. How criminal for a man like Pilot to act in this way, but its wickedness is made so much more serious when we take into account that Pilot was doing this to the Lord of Glory, and his creator. How full of grace and love Jesus is to have been willing to suffer in this way, and be made of no reputation in order to save us poor sinners.

This was not all the degradation Jesus was made to suffer. We read that the soldiers took advantage of Jesus. Because Jesus was a prisoner and weakened and exhausted by the flogging so he could not retaliate, the soldiers satisfied their sadistic and vile nature by mocking Jesus and treating him with contempt. They dressed him in purple to insult his royal dignity, they cruelly platted a crown of thorns and mockingly crowned him with it, roughly forcing it on his head. Then they made sport of Jesus mockingly bowing to him saying “Hail, O king of the Jews!” Not content with this they struck him fierce blows to his head and face.

If there was any doubt in our minds as to the sinful corruption of human nature, then surely this action toward Jesus by Pilot and the soldiers must disabuse our minds of such doubts. There is no vileness which human nature can not descend to, and if we are spared such manifestations of human corruption, let us be humble and acknowledge that it is but for the grace of God that we have been prevented from being as bad as this, remembering all the time, that in many and varied ways we have shown and do show this same corruption.

Let us bow and adore our gracious and loving Saviour, that he endured the cross, despising the shame in this way, out of obedience to his heavenly Father, and out of infinite love for us sinners who have the same heart of sin that is seen in the Jews, Pilot and the soldiers. We read the words and quote the words “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son ...”, but do we enter into the depth of the love of God and the love of Christ which accepted such suffering and shame in order to make that love effective in everlasting salvation for us.

Oh! let us bow and worship and adore our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and glory in his name, ever thankful for this wonderful love he has poured out on us.