No Grounds For The Death Penalty

Luke 23:22 For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him."

“What crime has this man committed?”  The crux of the argument is what Pontius Pilate goes to the heart of. He has no doubt heard of the controversy.  His wife even sent a message to him regarding Jesus. From Matthew 27:19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him."  In Luke 23:13-15 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. The evidence did not support the demand for death. Yet the chief priests and the people cried out for the death of Jesus.  The pretense is exposed, yet they clamored even louder.  They demanded the death of an innocent man. They demanded the death of sinless man. A sacrifice was required to satisfy their needs.  And that is just exactly what they received. The Lamb of God, perfect in every way was sacrificed on the cross.  His sacrifice paid the price required for the forgiveness of sin.  It was a terrible price to be paid.  And Jesus, who could have stepped down off the cross and ended His suffering, chose to follow the will of His Father.  The role paid by Pilate, the chief priests, to bring about a very public display of Christ’s death is interesting. There can be no doubt who brought about the death of Christ. There is no doubt who was duplicitous in this affair. It is what it is. But the end result is a blessing for you, and I and all believers.

We have redemption from sin by the sacrifice given on the cross. We who are unworthy by our own efforts have been saved.  Saved by the grace of God and the love of Jesus Christ.  This is comforting to hold onto when we try to put the whole of the Passion of the Christ into perspective.  Lent can be a very difficult time for Christians. Guilt is a powerful emotion that has to be analyzed and looked at in perspective in this season. We who have been blessed must remember the sacrifice with thanksgiving, and joy because we have the full and certain knowledge that Christ has risen!  The only thing that ended of the cross was the power of sin to deliver death eternal.  Jesus drove a nail into the coffin on that one. And when we are sad, and filled with guilt, we need to cling to the promise of the cross, and not the finality of death that some would have us believe comes when we pass on.

Prayer: Lord when we look to the cross we often just see the pain, suffering and death that took place there. We can become sad at how unworthy we are for the sacrifice of the cross.  Help us Father to see beyond and to gaze upon the Risen Savior. Help us with Your Holy Spirit to see through the guilt to embrace Your love.  Thank You Father for that love displayed so graphically on the cross, Amen.