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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Today's Passage : Today's Passage:Subjecta:Jesus is Questioned by Pontius Pilate [3] Bible Verse:John 19:9-15 "He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”" Message:
Today’s Scripture continues the struggle of Pontius Pilate, to reconcile his own belief in Christ’s innocence with the crowd’s demand that he be crucified. Pilate has tried to release Jesus under the Passover amnesty, but the crowd demanded a common thief, Barabbas, instead. So Pilate brings Jesus back into the local Roman government building, away from the crowd. (The Roman capital was in another city, Caesarea Maritima.)
Pilate’s reaction to Jesus’ answers is markedly different from the reaction of Annas and Caiaphas. Jesus is as uppity with Pilate as he was with the high priests; but instead of punishing him for lack of respect, Pilate is impressed by his answers. Pilate points out his obvious power: He can do to Jesus whatever he wants. He can set him free, or release him, or anything in between. But when Jesus shows no fear of his authority, it seems to move Pilate in his favor.
Was Pilate tempted to believe that Jesus was actually the Son of God? It is not impossible. Something stirred him to try to set Jesus free, repeatedly, despite an angry mob yelling for his crucifixion. And Pilate insists on calling Jesus the “King of the Jews.” It is also possible that Pilate was simply somewhat amused by Jesus’ sheer gall; that he liked him, and did not see him as a political threat.
But Pilate was a political animal. He was no doubt ambitious, and also, afraid of the Roman Emperor, Tiberius Caesar. Thus, he is swayed by the crowd’s implied threat: That to release someone who calls himself a king might sit poorly with Caesar. The crowd repeatedly manipulates Pilate with this threat. If Pilate does not find Jesus guilty, they will inform Rome that Pilate is soft on sedition. Politics wins out. Pilate finds himself sentencing a man to death, although he believes the man to be innocent.
Note the heavy irony in the last verse. The high priests of Israel have hit a new bottom, crying out to Pilate, “We have no king but Caesar.” They condemn themselves with their own words. They have abandoned God for politics. Are we much different?
Meditation : Prayer : Into your hands, O Lord, Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit. Bless me and all those who pray in faith of You this day; save us and grant unto us everlasting life....Amen |
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