John 18:28-40
Pilate has one overarching supreme objective. This singular objective drives everything in his life. If he can achieve this objective all will be well, if not nothing is going to work out. Every decision and every choice that Pilate makes must be seen through the lens of this objective. Once we see this we can understand why he seems to try to take both sides in regard to Jesus. That one objective is to make the emperor happy by keeping the peace. When it came to subjectgated lands all that Rome wanted was maximum revenue with minimum cost and rioting. Rebellion and ruckus was expensive in both coin and man power. No governor wanted that on his balance sheet.
We see Pilate provide a cohort to arrest Jesus, but we also see him try to release Him. We see Pilate assert that Jesus is the King of the Jews but also realize that He is no threat. Pilate cynically asks “What is truth?” but also declares “I find no guilt in Him”. Pilate wants to play both sides. He wants to keep the Jewish establishment from causing trouble and keep Jesus’ followers from rioting and bringing an insurrection to the forefront. Pilate wanted to secure the safe middle ground, to not be bothered by this pesky issue of Jesus.
We can reject Jesus and bar Him from any contact or influence in our lives or we may humbly follow Him as our Lord. Neutrality with Jesus is impossible. Try as we might to establish a spiritual Switzerland and remain neutral, we can’t. The one thing Pilate most wanted, is one thing that is most impossible. That is of course still the case.
“Lord, help me daily to declare my loyalty to Jesus as my absolute Sovereign. AMEN”
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