139. Saturday after Second Sunday in Lent.
From the rising of the sun to the going down thereof
let the name of the Lord be blessed.
John 18, 28-32. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
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Jesus was not to die for the Jews only, but for us also; therefore he is brought to trial and condemned not only by the council of the Jews, but also by the gentile court of justice. And he was not to be put to death by the mode of execution practiced by the Jews, namely that of stoning to death; but he was to be crucified, as himself had said, and as was indicated by the brazen serpent in the wilderness; not a bone of the Lamb of the passover was to be broken. Thus we behold the righteous judge of the quick and the dead, the King of Zion, about to receive his sentence from the unrighteous Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, whose actions were dictated by fear of man and by cowardice. Jesus has watched through the whole night before Good Friday, partly in Gethsemane, partly in the palaces of Annas and Caiaphas during the trials, partly among the ribald servants who derided and maltreated him. Now, early in the morning, he has allowed himself to be led bound to Pilate, and the lords of the council have followed him for the purpose of asking the governor to confirm their sentence of death on him. They represent to Pilate that he may set his mind at rest; for they, who constitute the high council of the righteous Israel, are not in the habit of rendering unjust verdicts. “If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.” In their eyes Jesus is one of the scum, a monster of depravity, a leper, a wretch, whom it is a duty to cast out and throw into the fire, in order that he may not defile the entire holy people of Israel. God the Father suffers them to deal in this way with his only Son, who is the glory of all the heavens, and whom the princes of the angelic host worship with eternal reverence. This is the position of the Son of God on earth; but even under these circumstances the wings of his mercy are extended over his accusers and protect them from the thunderbolts of God’s wrath. “If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.” “Let the question be put to all those whom he has delivered from unclean spirits, to all the palsied whom he has healed, all the lepers whom he has cleansed, all the deaf to whom he has given hearing, all the dumb to whom he has restored speech, all the blind whose eyes he has opened, all the dead whom he has raised again, and — what is still more — to all the fools whom he has made wise unto salvation; and let them answer and say whether or not Jesus is a malefactor.” — But who, then, may the malefactors be? Where are they to be found? You have in mind Caiaphas and Pilate; but there are others, and they are nearer to us. You know who they are, I think.
Here you may see yourself as in a glass. In very truth Jesus stands in your place. He is brought forward clothed in your foul rags; it is the sentence on you which is pronounced on him. Nevertheless, even in his degradation you shall see ever more and more of the ineffable and immeasurable love of God to man, and you shall learn how great a salvation awaits all who believe in him.
Lord Jesus, we thank thee and will thank thee forevermore for thy deep abasement and thy unutterable suffering in our stead. Give us the light of thy Holy Spirit, that we more and more may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and the height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. Amen.
Though num’rous hosts of mighty foes,
Though earth and hell my way oppose,
He safely leads my soul along,
His lovingkindness, oh, how strong!
When trouble, like a gloomy cloud,
Has gathered thick and thundered loud,
He near my soul has always stood,
His lovingkindness, oh, how good!
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