“I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)” (Luke 23:16-17 KJV).
Pontius Pilate, as Roman governor, records his resolve and proposal to punish our Lord Jesus Christ 'lightly' and release Him to satisfy the religious leaders and the crowd demanding the Lord's execution during the Passover feast. That's his thought, granting this day runs the usual event of religious Passover feast customary pardon of a prisoner. But, this is unusual, with the presence of the person of Grace who is our Lord Jesus Christ. To the religious leaders and the crowd, the verdict of innocence that both he and Herod Antipas arrived at has no bearing. They met it with deaf ears. Yet, the two rival powers examined our Lord Jesus and found no capital crime or fault in Him, at all.
Pilate's political compromise saying - "I will therefore chastise him, and release him.", fails to pick up steam. "Chastise" is their term for severe beating or scourging. He hoped that punishing an innocent man brutally would appease the hostile religious leaders and crowd enough to let him free the Lord safely. For out of necessity, he must release one unto them at the feast." This refers to the traditional Passover amnesty where the Roman governor sets free one prisoner chosen by the public.
Pilate's failed political maneuver to set an innocent man free ultimately serves the larger divine plan of redemption, where our Lord Jesus Christ suffers the ultimate punishment so humanity can experience true spiritual freedom. Pilate has no power to thwart what is set for our Lord to serve, and pay the ransom for our freedom. This, the Lord declares: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” (Mark 10:45 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.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
1 comment:
Amen.
We are paid by the Precious Blood of the Lamb which is our Lord Jesus Christ.
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