Monday 3rd April
Read John 19:16-22
“Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others – one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, ‘Do not write “The King of the Jews”, but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.’
22 Pilate answered, ‘What I have written, I have written.’” (NIVUK)
John has developed the theme of Jesus’ kingship throughout his recounting of the events at Passover. Whilst Mark focusses on the mocking and suffering of Jesus, John draws our attention to who Jesus truly is. The first charge brought against Jesus by the religious leaders was a claim to kingship (John 18:33) and ultimately that is the charge Pilate finds him guilty of. The trial frequently turns back, again and again, to the question of kingship.
The great irony of these events is captured well by John. The Jews seek to change the charge upon which Jesus is found guilty, (the ‘titulus’ hung above the cross) to a mere claim to be king (v21). They passionately declare that they themselves have no king but Caesar (John 19:15). Having been manipulated by the religious leaders into condemning an innocent man, at this point Pilate does not budge. The charge brought against Jesus was sedition. The charge was carried. The charge will remain unchanged – what Pilate has written, he has written (v22).
Pilate is not unwilling to change a truth into a lie because of any passion for truth. After all, he has already condemned a man to death whom he has found to be innocent (John 19:6). No, he is unwilling to grant this last, minor, request out of spite. Yet in doing so, the title hung above Jesus is perfectly accurate. Jesus is the ‘King of the Jews’. But he is a King willing to suffer and die for people who hate him, mock him and shame him in every way they can conceive. It galls them that Jesus should die as their King – they will not have him.
But for the grace of God, neither would we.
