He, bearing His cross went forth

 

Abdication by vascillating Pilate  

 

16-18)  “Then delivered he Him therefore unto them to be crucified.  And they took Jesus and led Him away.  And He, bearing His cross, went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha; where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.”

 

Scripture repeats this word “delivered” to underline the guilt of humanity: This is a strong word which is variously described as follows from the Blue Letter bible:

to give into the hands (of another)

to give over into (one's) power or use

to deliver to one something to keep, use, take care of, manage

to deliver up one to custody, to be judged, condemned, punished, scourged, tormented, put to death

to deliver up treacherously

by betrayal to cause one to be taken

Strong’s Definitions παραδίδωμι paradídōmi, par-ad-id'-o-mee; from G3844 and G1325; to surrender, i.e. yield up, entrust, transmit:—betray, bring forth, cast, commit, deliver up , give (over, up), hazard, put in prison, recommend.

 

Judas delivered Him to the arresting officers-Matthew 26v45; Mark 14v10.  The word used-betrayed is the same word.  This was treachery.

The rulers of Israel delivered Him to Pilate, the Roman governor-Matthew 27v2; Mark 15v1; John 18v35.

Pilate delivered Him to the soldiers to be crucified-Matthew 27v26; Luke 23v25; John 19v16.

The people delivered Him, when Pilate was determined to let Him go-Acts 3v13.

 

However the reality is revealed by both Peter and Paul-Acts 2v23, where a different word (surrendered) is used; and Romans 8v32.  This proclaims the passion of it, the heart-wrenching decision of God to surrender His Son to a cruel death.  It is made clear that it was God who delivered Him.  Without that determining power, they could have had nothing against Him.  The truth is “Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.”  There is to be no mitigation of the guilt of humanity, save that which the grace of Almighty God determines.  He was crucified only because God decreed that was the way to save the world.  There was no resistance from Jesus, He “went forth, bearing His cross…”.  On His bruised back, He bore Himself the heavy burden, that would be the instrument of His cruel death.  In His crucifixion, He was placed between two criminals, who were suffering for their own sins.

19-22)  “And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross.  And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews.  This title then read many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city.  And it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not the king of the Jews, but that he said, I am the king of the Jews.  Pilate answered, what I have written, I have written.”

Pilate was convinced that Jesus was innocent, and that he convicted Jesus to placate the Jewish mob.  Three times over he declared “I find no fault in Him”-John 18v38; 19v4; 19v6.  In Matthew 27v18, it was said “Pilate knew that for envy they had delivered Him”.  He knew that Jesus was no ordinary person, which is why he persisted to call Him king, and was why he posted the message on the cross of Jesus proclaiming Him as king.  Not only did he decree the writing but it was translated in three major languages of the time, in Hebrew, and in Greek, and in Latin.  This was to ensure the maximum publicity for the vast crowds milling Jerusalem at the Passover.  The cross on which Jesus was crucified was near the entrance to the city, and many read the superscription.  It was common to put a plaque on crosses to declare the sins of the one crucified.  Against Jesus no sin was declared, just His proper identification-Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.  This annoyed the religious rulers, who demanded they alter it.  Pilate refused, saying the writing would remain.  God ensured that His Son, who was treated so shamefully, was honoured, even as He hung on the cross.