Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Passage: Matthew 27:1-26
Focus: “…Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere…” Matthew 27:24.
When flawed people get together to decide a matter, can we expect their decision to be anything but flawed? Of course not. The Jewish leaders were flawed in their quest for power and their view of Jesus. Pilate too was flawed in his quest for power and his view of Jesus…except that he knew Jesus was innocent. So the age-old cause-and-effect principle of life and destiny is confirmed again: THINK RIGHT—LIVE RIGHT (and make right decisions). THINK WRONG—LIVE WRONG (and make wrong decisions).
It’s interesting to note that, although Pilate knew that “he was getting nowhere” in his negotiations with this angry mob, he spinelessly backed off and allowed himself to be manipulated. He knew it was unjust. His wife knew it was wrong. But he went ahead and took the easy way out and gave his official approval to have an innocent man executed. He really did get NOWHERE insofar as moral and eternal values go.
Two simple lessons come to mind:
- As a general rule, never cooperate with the impulsive wishes of an angry group of people. To do so is a sure method of GETTING NOWHERE…at least nowhere good. And to be sure, GETTING NOWHERE is GOING SOMEWHERE. Tradition has it that Pilate, like Judas, could not seem to escape where his wrong thinking had led him, and ultimately opted for suicide as an antidote to his unbearable guilty conscience.
- Be reminded that there is no neutral zone in regards to Jesus. There are only two ways to vote: FOR or AGAINST. Jesus Himself said, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters” (Matt. 12:30).
“The truth of a matter is not determined by how many
people believe it.”