3/4/10 Luke 23 No Guilt
(Lk 23:4)4Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.”
Jesus has been betrayed and is now brought before Pilate the ruling Roman governor in Jerusalem. Pilate hears the charges and accusations being made of Jesus. He is misleading our nation. He forbids paying taxes to Caesar. He claims to be Christ, a King. Well, all of these are lies, but the most amazing one to me is the taxes to Caesar. Pilate takes time to question Jesus and finds no guilt. Pilate learns that their accusations involved an area outside of his jurisdiction so he sends Jesus to Herod.
Herod then questions Jesus and sends Jesus back finding no guilt either (Luke 15:10). Pilate states again to the Jewish rulers that there has been no guilt found. But the Jewish leaders stir up the people and they cried out all the more and demanding that Jesus be crucified.
Pilate simply wanted to punish Jesus and release Him, so a third time Pilate says, “I have found in Him no guilt demanding death.” The voices became louder and louder and Pilate realizing that he had a real problem and a possible riot on his hands gave into their demands and allowed their will to prevail.
The fact is there was no guilt demanding death and there was no guilt anywhere in Jesus. Think about it “no guilt”, Jesus did not know any guilt. There is nothing in his life that anyone could have pointed to where he was guilty of doing something wrong. Jesus following the divine will of His Father lived a life of perfection with no guilt, for the purpose of becoming completely guilty. A few hours after this twisted trial of Jesus, He would hang on a cross and bear the guilt of the entire world, a guilt He never knew until that moment. He bore our guilt on the cross that we might have “no guilt” (1 Cor 5:21, Rom 8:1).
Prayer: Dear Father, words cannot express how thankful I am that Jesus lived a life of “no guilt” so that I may experience in Jesus what it means to live with “no guilt.” I thank you for providing a sacrifice that sets me free from the world of guilt and shame and provides peace. The amazing thing is there was nothing in me deserving of this sacrifice, but you in your love and grace have given it and I received it. Thank you, In Jesus name. Amen.