John 19:13–16 (WEL) Therefore, after Pilate heard that saying, he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the Judgment Seat in a place called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 It was Preparation Day of the Passover, about the sixth hour [about noon], and he said to the Jews, “Look, your King!” 15 They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” 16 So he delivered him to them to be crucified. They took Jesus and led him away.
V13 Therefore, after Pilate heard that saying, he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the Judgment Seat in a place called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
He is ready to deliver his verdict publicly.
The Pavement is a smooth paved area where the Pavement was located: G3038 λιθόστρωτος lithostrōtos (AMG’s Comprehensive Dictionary of New Testament Words) from lithos: stone, and strōnnumi: to overlay ► Place located in front of the courtroom (judgment seat) at Jerusalem; it was overlaid with mosaic paving and was used as a public tribunal > Jesus appeared before the people at a place called Pavement, Gabbatha.
The Greek word for Gabbatha is G1042 γαββαθά gabbatha, which means elevated, especially a platform. It was to be more easily seen by those in attendance. Also (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains (Louw & Nida)) “the Aramaic name for a paved area outside the residence of Pontius Pilate and the setting for the public trial of Jesus.”
V14 It was Preparation Day of the Passover, about the sixth hour [about noon], and he said to the Jews, “Look, your King!”
The day before the Passover. It was a day of getting the last-minute details that needed to be finished for them to be ready.
(Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary) “Sixth Day of Week In Which Jews Prepared Life’s Necessities to Avoid Work On the Sabbath (cp. Exodus 20:8–11; Matthew 12:1–14; John 9:14–16). Preparation of Food, Completing Work, and Spiritual Purification Were Included. The Hebrew Day Began and Ended At 6:00 p.m., So the Day of Preparation Extended From 6:00 p.m. on Thursday Until the Beginning of the Sabbath At 6:00 p.m. Friday.”
“The Feast of Passover was immediately followed by the holy convocation of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:1–7). No one worked on either of these holy days, so a day of preparation was set aside to prepare for the holiday period (John 19:14). John explicitly identified the day of preparation as the day of Jesus’ execution (John 19:14, 31, 42) and placed the Last Supper before Passover (John 13:1). The Synoptic Gospels, however, dated the Last Supper on the day of Passover (Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7). This apparent contradiction in dating may depend on whether the Gospel writers were referring to the preparation day for the Sabbath or to the preparation day for the Passover.”
V15 They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”
Take him away carries the idea of get him out of here, remove him. Note how they wanted the most cruel and painful method of death. They really loved the idea of killing their Messiah.
The chief priests led the way. They absolutely did not want God as their deliverer.
Compare John 15:18.
Psalms 69:1–4 (NKJV) Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. 2 I sink in deep mire, Where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, Where the floods overflow me. 3 I am weary with my crying; My throat is dry; My eyes fail while I wait for my God. 4 Those who hate me without a cause Are more than the hairs of my head; They are mighty who would destroy me, Being my enemies wrongfully; Though I have stolen nothing,
I still must restore it.(Holman Commentary) “This psalm ‘of David’ is one of the most quoted psalms in the New Testament. It was often applied by the apostles to Christ (Matthew 27:34, 48; Mark 15:23, 36; Luke 23:36; John 19:29; Romans 11:9–10) and unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:2). Thus, as David suffered for the sake of righteousness, it was a foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus Christ, who would be hated and rejected by his own people. This psalm provides encouragement for all believers who suffer persecution for their faith by a hostile world.”
V16 So he delivered him to them to be crucified. They took Jesus and led him away.
Pilate hands them over to the murderers. A poor choice, as leaders are to give good and pleasing to God verdicts.
Pilate has a situation where no simple solution was available. Some other choices that he might have made were banishment (from Israel) or exile (to Gaul, for example).
See 2 Styles of Leadership: https://literalbible.org/2021/03/09/two-styles-of-leadership-in-bible/
We learn:
- The hate of God from religious leaders.
- About weak leadership.
Questions:
- Have you experienced such church leaders?
- How is your leadership ability?