Know
Your Role and Shut Your Mouth (Part 3-conclusion): Pontus Pilate’s Role
Bible
Texts (Concordant Version of the Old Testament and Concordant Literal New
Testament with keywords Concordance-CLNT: Text:
Matthew 27:11-24; John 19:4-16; Isaiah 53:7 and Isaiah 46:10
Matthew 27:11-24
11 Now Jesus was standing in front
of the governor. And the governor inquires of Him, saying, "You are the
king of the Jews?" Now Jesus averred to him, 'You are saying it!"
12 And at His
being accused by the chief priests and the elders, He answers nothing.
13 Then Pilate is
saying to Him, "Are you not hearing how much they are testifying against
you?"
14 And He did not
answer him; not even with one declaration, so that the governor is marveling
very much.
15 Now at the
festival the governor had been accustomed to release one prisoner to the
throng, whomever they wanted.
16 Now they had
then a notorious prisoner termed Bar-Abbas.
17 At their
having gathered, then, Pilate said to them, "Whom are you wanting I should
be releasing to you, Bar-Abbas, or Jesus, who is termed Christ?"
18 For he was
aware that it was because of envy they give Him up.
19 Now at his
sitting on the dais, his wife dispatches to him, saying, "Let there be
nothing between you and that just man, for I suffered much today in a trance
because of him."
20 Now the chief
priests and the elders persuade the throngs that they should be requesting
Bar-Abbas, yet should be destroying Jesus.
21 Now,
answering, the governor said to them, "Which of the two are you wanting I
should be releasing to you?" Now they said "Bar-Abbas!"
22 Pilate is
saying to them, "What, then, shall I be doing with Jesus, who is termed
Christ?" They are all saying, "Let him be crucified!"
23 Yet the
governor averred, "What evil does he?" Yet they cried exceedingly,
saying, "Let him be crucified!"
24 Now Pilate,
perceiving that it is benefiting nothing, but rather a tumult is occurring,
getting water, washes off his hands in front of the throng, saying,
"Innocent am I of the blood of this just man. You will be seeing to
it!"
John 19:4-16 (area
of focus: 10-15)
10 Pilate, then,
is saying to Him, "To me you are not speaking! Are you not aware that I
have authority to release you and have authority to crucify you?"
11 Jesus answered him, "No authority have you against Me in anything,
except it were given to you from above. Therefore, he who is giving Me up to
you has the greater sin."
12 At this, Pilate sought to release Him, yet the Jews clamored, saying,
"If ever this man you should be releasing, you are not a friend of Caesar!
Everyone who is making himself king is contradicting Caesar!"
13 Pilate, then, hearing these words, led Jesus outside, and is seated on a
dais in a place termed the "Pavement," yet in Hebrew,
"Gabbatha."
14 Now it was the preparation of the Passover; the hour was about the third.
And he is saying to the Jews, "Lo! your king!"
15 Yet they clamor then, "Away! Away! Crucify him!" Pilate is saying
to them, "Shall I crucify your king?" The chief priests answered,
"No king have we except Caesar!"
Isaiah 53: 7
7 Hard pressed is He, and He is
humbled, Yet He is not opening His mouth; Like a flockling to slaughter is He
fetched, And as a ewe before her shearers is mute, He is not opening His mouth.
Isaiah 46:10
Telling from the
beginning, the hereafter, And from aforetime what has not yet been done,
Saying, All My counsel, it shall be confirmed, And all My desire shall I do;
If you’ve been walking with me through
this series, you’ve probably started to notice a pattern.
Two weeks ago, we talked about Judas
Iscariot—and how his place among Yeshua’s disciples wasn’t an accident. As
uncomfortable as it sounds, he had a role to play in a much bigger plan.
Last week, we looked at Peter—a man
whose faith was shaken, not to destroy him, but to refine him. His story
reminds us that when our faith is tested, it’s often about growth, humility,
and alignment with Yahweh’s purpose.
And now, this week… we meet another
key player.
A man who probably never imagined he
would be part of this story.
Pontius Pilate.
Let’s bring this closer to home.
Have you ever found yourself in a
situation where no matter what decision you made, it felt like you were
trapped?
That’s where Pilate was.
As governor, his job was simple on
paper: maintain peace, keep order, and protect the interests of Caesar. No
chaos. No uprisings. No threats to Roman authority.
But then Yeshua was brought before
him.
The accusations were serious—but also
strategic.
The religious leaders weren’t just
upset that Yeshua called Himself the Son of God. They reframed it into
something political: “He claims to be King of the Jews.”
And that changed everything.
Because now, it wasn’t just a
religious issue—it was a potential threat to Rome.
To Pilate’s credit, he didn’t rush to
judgment.
He questioned Yeshua. He listened. He
observed.
And what he saw didn’t match the
accusations.
But something puzzled him
deeply—Yeshua wasn’t defending Himself.
He stood there… mostly silent.
That silence wasn’t weakness. It was
fulfillment.
Just as foretold in Isaiah 53:7—like a
lamb led to the slaughter, He did not open His mouth.
Imagine how unsettling that must have
been for Pilate. A man used to interrogations, debates, and defenses—now facing
someone who refused to play by those rules.
And just when things couldn’t get more
intense… Pilate receives a message.
From his wife.
She had a troubling trance—so vivid,
so disturbing—that she urgently warned him:
“Have nothing to do with this innocent man.”
Now pause there.
Have you ever been in a moment where
everything around you is sending mixed signals?
That was Pilate’s reality.
- His own judgment said Yeshua was innocent
- His wife warned him to stay away
- The crowd demanded crucifixion
- His political position was on the line
Pressure from every side.
So, he tried to find a way out.
“Let’s release a prisoner,” he
thought.
Surely the people would choose Yeshua
over Barabbas—a known criminal.
But they didn’t.
They chose Barabbas.
And in that moment, the weight of the
crowd grew even heavier.
Then came the final blow:
“If you let Him go, you are no friend of Caesar.”
That statement cornered Pilate.
Because now, it wasn’t just about
justice—it was about survival.
And so, reluctantly… he gave in.
Not because he believed Yeshua was
guilty.
But because the pressure became too much.
It may very well have been the most
troubling decision of his life.
But here’s where the story turns—and
where it becomes deeply meaningful for us.
While Pilate may have seen failure…
While the accusers may have celebrated victory…
While Barabbas may have thought, “This is my lucky day” …
Something much bigger was unfolding.
Every single role—Judas, Peter,
Pilate, the crowd—was aligning with Yahweh’s divine purpose.
As written in Ephesians 1:11 and Isaiah
46:10, God works all things according to the counsel of His will.
Even the moments that look chaotic…
are not outside His plan.
And Yeshua knew it.
That’s why He didn’t fight back.
That’s why He stayed silent.
Because He understood the assignment.
If we could put it in today’s
language, it’s almost as if—through the pain, the pressure, and the
injustice—He was saying:
“Everyone… just play your part.”
So, what does this mean for us?
Sometimes life won’t feel fair.
Sometimes decisions won’t feel clear.
Sometimes outcomes won’t look the way we expect.
But that doesn’t mean God has lost
control.
It might just mean… the story is still
unfolding.
As we reflect on these past three
weeks—Judas, Peter, and now Pilate—we begin to see something powerful:
Different people.
Different choices.
Different outcomes.
Yet one purpose.
I hope this series is not just
something you read… but something you feel and reflect on.
Next week, a new topic will be discussed.
*Kindly leave your comments or questions in the comment section below.
Grace and Peace.
References:
https://www.concordant.org/version/read-concordant-new-testament-online
https://www.concordant.org/version/read-concordant-old-testament-online
https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=%22pontius+pilate%22
May Yahweh help us to understand his plan for our life and enable us to forgive ourselves of our weaknesses.
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