What Shall I Do with Jesus?, Part 2
Matthew 27:19‑26
Let's open our Bibles to Matthew chapter 27. We return today to a portion of Scripture we began to study last Lord's day, Matthew 27, verses 11 through 26. And in that passage the most impactful question ever faced occurs. The question comes in verse 22. "Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ?" The question that every soul has to answer: what shall I do with Jesus Christ?
And to introduce our look at the text again, I would like to digress‑‑if I might‑‑for a moment from it to sort of pose another question. And that is this, why is it that every person must answer that question? What is it about Jesus Christ that lays such a claim on every heart? Why is it that every one must deal with Jesus Christ? Must make some decision?
And the answer to that is because of who Jesus Christ is. Because of what He said and what He did. Because of the person and work of Christ, the question for every heart is inescapable: what shall I do then with Jesus who is called the Christ?
The scriptures proclaim that Jesus is God. From the very beginning in Matthew 1:23 it said His name shall be called Emmanuel which is God with us. The scriptures proclaim that Jesus is the possessor of the divine names of God. For example, in Acts chapter 3 verse 14, Peter calls Jesus the Holy One‑‑an Old Testament name decidedly and distinctly given to God.
The scriptures also proclaim that Jesus is one with God the Father. In John 8 it says to know Him is to know the Father. In John 15 it says to hate Him is to hate the Father. In Matthew 10, to believe Him is to believe the Father. In John 14, to see Him is to see the Father. In John 5, to honor Him is to honor the Father. And in Mark 9, to receive Him is to receive the Father.
Furthermore, the scriptures proclaim that Jesus is omnipresent. He Himself said in Matthew 28:20, "Lo, I am with you always." A characteristic only true of God.
The scriptures further proclaim that Jesus is unchanging and eternal. In Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 8, it says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
The scriptures further proclaim that Jesus is the creator of the world. It says in John 1 that all things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.
The scriptures also proclaim that Jesus is able to forgive sin. Repeatedly in His ministry, such as in the second chapter of Mark, it says He said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee." A prerogative belonging only to God.
The Scripture also proclaims that He is to be worshiped as God. Paul writing in Philippians chapter 2 said that to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, every knee shall bow of things in the earth, above the earth, under the earth.
So, you see, Scripture very clearly indicates to us and those are just samples that Jesus Christ is God...that Jesus Christ is every bit God, fully God. And as God, He lays a tremendous claim upon man to respond to Him. Now these things do not tell us that He is any less man. He is the perfect God‑man. We read the Scripture and we find out that He was fully human. How do we know that? For one thing, He was born. For another, He was circumcised. For another, He grew. For another, He had a human name. For another, He had flesh and blood. He was hungry. He wept. He thirsted. He slept. He was weary. He suffered. He was tempted. He would...He was wounded. He died and He was buried. All indications of His humanness.
This Jesus was the God‑man. No one like Him exists ever. And so, He makes tremendous demands upon our lives because of the uniqueness of who He is. We have to deal with that.
Furthermore, the Old Testament clearly indicates that He is the promised Savior, that He is come into the world not only to show us what God is like but to bring us to God in an act of redemption. And the prophets outlined the details of life with astounding accuracy. For example, His birth‑‑Micah said it would be in Bethlehem. Daniel gave us the approximate date. Isaiah told us it would be a virgin birth. Genesis 9 indicated that it would be a Semitic line through which He would come. Genesis 22 indicated it would be the line of Abraham. Genesis 49 indicated it would be through the tribe of Judah. Second Samuel 7 said through the seed of David. Hosea said He would be taken out of Egypt.
And then you look at His life. In Deuteronomy it said He would be a prophet like Moses. In Psalm 22 it indicated He would trust God from His birth onward. Isaiah 9 said He would begin His ministry in Galilee. Isaiah 11 said He would be anointed by God's Spirit. Isaiah 53 said He would carry our pains and diseases. Zechariah 9 said He would enter Jerusalem on a colt. Isaiah 35, He would perform miracles.
And even His death. In Psalm 2, that kings would see His death. In Psalm 22 that He would be forsaken in death by God. In Psalm 22 again, He would be scorned and mocked. In Zechariah chapter 11, the prophet said He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. In Zechariah 12, He would be smitten and pierced. In Isaiah 52, they said He would be brutally treated. Isaiah 53 says He would die for the world's iniquity. Psalm 22 said His garment would be divided. Psalm 41, He would be betrayed by a friend. Psalm 34, not a bone of Him would be broken. Isaiah 50, verse 6, His beard would be plucked out. Isaiah 50 also verse 6, He would be spit upon.
And then, of course, Hosea 6 said He would be raised from the dead. And Psalm 16 said He would never see corruption. Psalm 22 said He would conquer death.
And even His priestly work at the present. In Psalm 110, verse 4 indicates that He would continue as a priest. And Amos 9, that He would sit on David's throne. And so it goes and so it goes.
You see, we have to deal with someone who is such a dominant theme of Scripture and who is none other than the God‑man Himself. The perfection of the person of Jesus Christ is absolutely astounding. And His perfection is demonstrated. You study His life and you find out, for example, that He was holy. He was clean from defilement. He loved righteousness. He hated sin. He was victorious over temptation every time He confronted it. He rebuked sinners. He will judge the unbelieving.
We learn, also, from the Scripture as we look at His life that He was loving. That He loved the Father and He loved Him obediently and He did His will. That He loved people. He loved the lost, the ungodly, the sinners. He loved His own. He loved the church. He loved children. He showed His love by becoming poor, by giving His life, by forgiving sin, by seeking the lost, by healing, supplying needs, sympathizing, strengthening His people, showing compassion on those who were without a shepherd, those who were lost, those who were hungry, those who were sick and blind and demonized and grieved and repentant and even dead. And He was prayerful. And He was meek. And He was humble and righteous and good and faithful and truthful and just and self‑ denying. And in every way the spotless perfect Lamb of God who came for the sins of the world.
It is this person of whom Pilate asks: what then shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ? And the answer to that question is the determiner of every person's destiny. For Jesus Christ came into the world to redeem the world from sin, to bring salvation, to remove transgressions, to destroy Satan, to set up an eternal kingdom of peace and glory for those who love and believe in Him. And it was essential in doing this that He die for sin. And as we come to Matthew 27, we know that we are close to the cross and therefore close to the climax for which Christ came into the world. He came to die for our sins, to pay the penalty as our substitute and to rise again that we might live forever.
And so, no other person has ever come even remotely close to Jesus Christ. And the destiny, as I said, of every human being hinges on what that person does with Jesus Christ. Therefore I say Pilate asks the most important question that could ever be asked.
Now let's look at our text. What brought the question up? Why does he even ask it? Do you remember? Jesus had spent three years teaching and preaching, healing, casting out demons, raising the dead. Three years training the Twelve. Now that's all come to a climax as He enters into Jerusalem for this His final Passover. He comes into the city, as you know, on Monday and cleanses the temple on Tuesday and comes back to the temple on Wednesday and teaches all day long in a confrontation with the scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees and even the Herodians and everybody else who could get involved. And then Wednesday night, as He retreated from that busy, busy day of teaching and confrontation and rebuke in the temple, He goes to the Mount of Olives and there He gives the great Olivet Discourse which is the sermon of our Lord on His own Second Coming.
And then on Thursday He makes preparation for the Passover. And the disciples get everything ready and Thursday night they eat the Passover. And near midnight they leave that upper room in Jerusalem to go out to the Mount of Olives to the garden of Gethsemane where the Lord wants to pray to ready His heart for the death that awaits Him later that very same day. And it is at the midnight hour as Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane, sweating‑‑as it were‑‑great drops of blood in agonizing conflict with Satan who comes at Him in three waves of temptation that He is completely victorious again. Resolute, He sets His face to the cross.
No sooner does He come back from that prayer time then Judas arrives with all of the religious leaders along with a spira(?), that's a cohort of Roman soldiers numbering about 600 men. They come into the garden. They take Jesus captive. They rush Him off to the house of Annas and Caiaphas for a mock trial in order that they might somehow legitimize their desire to execute Him to get Him out of the way.
The whole nation of Israel has been eternally impacted by Jesus Christ in this brief ministry. Some believed. And for them the impact was eternal life. Many rejected with hostility and for them the impact is eternal death. The most of the people, the majority were just curious and non‑committal and suffered the same fate as those who hostilely rejected Him.
So, when Jesus comes to Jerusalem for this last time, everything comes to a climax. The hostility and the rejection of the populous of Jerusalem reaches a fever pitch. And as we saw in our last study, they screamed for His blood in this very passage, to have Him crucified.
Now remember, there were three phases to the Jewish trial. Jesus was first taken to Annas because Annas was the power behind the scene. And they thought Annas could come up with an indictment. They didn't have any indictment, they didn't have any crime for which to try Him. They tried bribing false witnesses. They tried getting people to lie. They paid off Judas. But even Judas came and threw the money back and said, "I have betrayed innocent blood." They couldn't get any legitimate accusation against Him. They brought Him to Annas figuring Annas might come up with something. Annas was absolutely unsuccessful, sent Him to Caiaphas. And from one to three in the morning, Friday morning from 1 A.M. to 3 A.M., there was a mock trial in front of Caiaphas at which time they accused Jesus of blasphemy for saying He was the Christ the Son of God...which was not blasphemy but the truth. Then they blasphemed Him by spitting in HIs face, slapping Him while He was blindfolded and asking Him who it was that hit Him. And then punching Him in the face until He was black and blue with a puffy face and spittle all over it.
Then they kept Him captive till about five o'clock in the morning at which time they brought Him into the legal place of trial, the Judgement Hall. And they had a sort of a...of a quick, maybe a five to ten minute trial in the dawn because the Jewish law required that a trial had to be during the day and in the Judgment Hall. And, of course, there's was in the middle of the night in the house of Caiaphas and thus was illegal.
So, wanting to put a veneer of legality over their...their desire to kill Jesus, they had this mock trial repeated in the morning at 5 A.M. They decided that He must die. The problem for them was they had not the right of execution. So they had to take Him to Pilate. And so, you have three more phases in the secular Roman trial of Christ before Pilate. And as we've noted in this, Matthew's purpose is always the same. He exalts Christ, no matter how bleak the scene, no matter how ugly the surroundings, no matter how dehumanizing and blasphemous the situation might be in reference to Christ, Christ always comes out glorious, always comes out glorious. Even when they're spitting in His face, His glory shines and their ugliness is made manifest.
Now each element of the trial before Pilate exalts the Savior. Let's go back for a moment and remind ourselves of what we saw last time. First was the accusation of the Jews. You can follow your outline if you'd like. The accusation of the Jews in verse 11: "Jesus stood before the governor, the governor asked Him, saying, Are You the king of the Jews? Jesus said, Thou sayest." The Jews had accused Him. Do you remember, they finally sort of formulated an accusation against Him and it indicated that they accused Him of‑‑this is from Luke 23‑‑they accused Him of being the leader of a seditious insurrection, troubling the people, stirring them up, cultivating a revolution. Secondly, they accused Jesus of forbidding people to pay taxes to Caesar. And thirdly, of claiming to be a king which made Him a rival in terms of sovereignty against Pilate, against the Herods, against Caesar himself. In other words, they had to come up with an accusation that would involve the Romans. The Romans weren't going to carry out a trial of Jesus for some religious issue that belonged within the framework of Judaism. So they had to manufacture a Roman issue. And so, they tried to convince Pilate that Jesus was in fact an insurrectionist rebel who was vying for the throne of Rome. And, of course, it was a lie. It was all false.
And you remember what happened. They took Jesus to Pilate. They wouldn't go in the Judgment Hall of Pilate because they didn't want to be defiled for the Passover by going into a Gentile dwelling, part of their ridiculous tradition. Jesus went on inside. Pilate came out. Talked to them on the outside. Got their accusations. Walked back in. Conducted his trial with Jesus Christ. Came back out a few minutes later. It's still only about 5:15 in the morning likely. And he says to them, his verdict is "I find" and that is a technical term for a verdict. We use it even today. The jury finds the defendant guilty. The word "find" is indicative of something legal that has occurred. He says "I find no fault in this man." John 18:38 indicates that finding in that first phase of the trial.
The people refuse to accept the verdict and they screamed and yelled and more powerfully accused Jesus of sedition and being a threat to Roman rule. And, of course, we remember, don't we, that Pilate was in a very difficult place. He had already had three riots that he had caused among the Jews. He had been reported to Tiberius Caesar for the last one. Things were very tenuous. The Romans wanted peace and he was having a hard time keeping it. And he was not about to let another riot break out. He knew that if he released Jesus, which would be consistent with his verdict, he would foment another riot. It probably would get back to Caesar and his job would be on the line and maybe even his head would be on the line. He could not survive politically another problem with the people he was given rulership over.
But we saw, didn't we, in that first element, that accusation of the Jews how innocent Jesus was. Because they had to manufacture a lie about Him to even make an accusation. So He is exalted by the fact that they can find no legitimate thing against Him, though they have tried and tried and tried.
The second thing we noted was the attitude of the Lord. Not only the accusation of the Jews, but the attitude of the Lord. And in it all He was completely silent. Verse 12, "He answered nothing." Verse 14, "He answered them not a word." There was no answer. There was nothing to say. Why Pilate had come out after phase one, which was recorded, remember, in John 18, not here in Matthew after that first phase. Pilate had come out...we just have an allusion to it in verse 11, that's all, not the full details. And he had said not guilty.
So when all the crowd started screaming at him and all the accusations, He didn't say anything because there was nothing to say. He did not need to defend Himself. The court had been held and the verdict was in. And calmly and majestically He stands there innocent. And the wonder and the beauty of it is that He is so resolutely committed to the cross that He never bothers to defend Himself. He never bothers to try to argue against their accusations. He is absolutely silent. He is absolutely innocent. He is utterly committed to the cross for the sake of the sins of the people themselves who were even screaming at Him.
Well, one of the things they screamed, as we remember from studying the comparative gospels, was that He was seditious starting at Galilee even unto this place. In other words, He's building a sedition all over the land. And, of course, when Pilate heard Him say "Galilee", that triggered in his mind the realization that Galilee was the territory ruled by Herod Antipas who was one of the puppet kings that Rome allowed to be there. And though they didn't have military power and judicial power, they had a certain sort of...sort of presence. And there were some particular things that they could do, it was mostly pomp and circumstance and not a lot else. But there were times when they were useful, and this might be one of those times.
Realizing then that Jesus was from the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas in Galilee, and that Herod was in Jerusalem for the Passover, Pilate sent Jesus bound to Herod. And all the Jews went along with Him and they brought Him before Herod hoping‑‑ from Pilate's viewpoint‑‑that Herod would take this thing over, condemn Jesus to death, or deal with the Jewish people or do something that he couldn't accomplish. And you remember Herod's response. He thought the idea was ludicrous. This man a king? He laughed. He mocked. He put a robe on Jesus and made a joke out of the whole thing. It was not only ridiculous, it was even funny. And Jesus became a laughing stock, the butt of the jokes of Herod.