The Gospel of John 18:31-32 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.” (John 18:31-32 KJV).

In this stage of the Lord's witch-hunt saga, in the hands of the religious priests, they presented Him before Pilate for sentencing, as they have already convicted Him to die. However, on the part of Pilate, he viewed this as an arraignment to determine if the case is worthy to go for trial. Which he did find no basis to proceed. It brings into surface the conflict between the Roman authority whose intent is to follow their law, while the local religious leaders were fixated to follow their warp religious creed. Pilate, trying not to get involved, attempts returning the case back to the priests for execution of judgement. However, they reasoned they're restricted by Roman law from administering the death penalty on a cross.

In the middle of the night before, the priests and elders of the Jewish ruling council of Sanhedrin were summoned to the home of Caiaphas, the sitting high priest. They were called to convene an illegal, night-time tribunal. The purpose was to officially condemn the Lord Jesus Christ to death. False witnesses were presented, but failed. So, Caiaphas intervened. He ordered the Lord Jesus to answer whether or not He was the Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 26:57-68 and Mark 14:53-62). The Lord Jesus should have been acquitted for declaring the truth. But when He did and replied in the affirmative, “The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death.” (Mark 14:63-64 NIV).

Hence, in this early morning, Pilate woke up to a place and position of no choice but to make a judgement call. Lest he be viewed neglecting his duty, being the appointed Roman governor of this restive imperial province of Judaea. His judgement will fulfill the Lord’s declaration to His inner circle disciples for the kind of sacrificial death He will go through in order to ransom you and I. So, that as we receive Him to be our redeemer by believing on Him, we are saved. He has to give His life on a cross as planned from the beginning, like a man who committed a crime as He bore our sins upon Him (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).

Pilate stood, though with reluctance, on the right place at the right moment to make a judgement call that reverberates through eternity. His call would make sure that death is fought on the cross to pay for the hefty price to make us free (Galatians 5:1). The Lord Jesus spoke of this with His disciples, as it is written: “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Matthew 16:21 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

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