Jesus Is Scourged

John 19:1–11
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Pilate tried a new approach: sympathy. If Jesus was scourged (beaten with a whip, knotted and weighted with pieces of metal or bone) perhaps they would be satisfied. Certainly, the sight of Jesus, scourged and humiliated, would arouse some pity in their hearts. He ordered that Jesus be whipped (v. 1). The soldiers made a crown of thorns and put it on Jesus’ head (v. 2). They put a purple robe on him. They mocked Him, slapping him across the face and calling out, “Hail, king of the Jews” (v. 3)! The Jews mocked Him for claiming to be a prophet (Matt. 26:67-68), and the Gentiles mocked Him for claiming to be a king. Again, Pilate spoke to the crowd. “I’ll bring Jesus back out (v. 4), so you can see for yourselves that I have not found him guilty.” Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe (v. 5). Pilate said, “Here is the man!” When the chief priests and officers saw him, they yelled, “Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross” (v. 6)! Pilate told them, “You take him and nail him to a cross! I don’t find him guilty of anything.”  

According to Roman law, Jesus was innocent, but the Jews appealed to their law (vv. 7-8). They said that since Jesus had claimed to be God, He should die by Jewish law (Lev. 24:16). When Pilate heard that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, he became afraid (v. 8). He had already been warned by his wife that he should have nothing to do with Jesus (Matt. 27:19) because of a dream she had. Pilate asks Him, “Where do you come from?” (v. 9). Jesus didn’t answer. Pilate said to Him, “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or to crucify you?” (v. 10). Jesus then reminded Pilate that his so-called authority was only delegated to him from God (v. 11). Fear and anger often go together. When we are afraid and weak, we often try to appear strong. 

Application

When have I been under pressures that have caused me to make decisions that I knew in my own heart were not right? What can I do to prevent this from happening in the future?