FHBC Sermon Notes

V. 12 - Friends of Caesar: this is an official title, at least after 70 AD, but might also have been during this time as well. Caesar Tiberius was at this time very suspicious. There is also evidence that Pilate might have had this position because he had a friend very close to Caesar.

At the same time the Romans did hold the notion of true justice in high regard. Therefore, these two circumstances are at odds inside Pilate. Like Caiphus earlier in John 11, "... it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish."

V. 14-16 So Pilate says in mocking "behold your King!" The response of the great priests is the great blasphemy, as they in rejecting God as king declare. "we have no king but Caesar!"

V. 17-25 The Crucifixion - this is a gruesome gruesome practice. The physical agony cannot be described. Yet even greater in the burden of bearing the full condemnation of God for the evil of the world.

While going to the cross, the placard was sometimes carried in front of or hung around the neck of the condemned announcing what the crime was that this person was dying for. The sign written in three languages, to make sure everyone would see it. It said King of the Jews! This is true and also perhaps Pilate perhaps is using it to highlight what the chief priests had said and mock the Jews.

His clothes - the soldiers in fulfillment of scripture cast lots for his garments. There is one other time Jesus removes his clothes. At the foot washing. There he removed his garments to wash their feet, here he removes his clothes to wash away our sins with blood!

Why does he he give over his mother to the care of John? Like in Matthew 12, his family, his spiritual offspring was those who obeyed and received the word of God. He was is truth giving the charge of his mother over to his family. This is a hit against the Jewish leaders who held ethnicity as premier. John 8.