John 18:28-32

 “They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium in order that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. Pilate therefore went out to them, and said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?" They answered and said to him, "If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you." Pilate therefore said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death," that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.”

 

All that John tells us of what took place while Jesus was before Caiaphas is that Peter denied Jesus twice more, fulfilling Jesus’ prediction. Immediately after Peter fulfills Jesus’ prediction, so do the Jews. They take Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium. They don’t enter because the Praetorium is a Roman (Gentile) establishment and they want to avoid being defiled so that they can eat the Passover. Ironically enough, while they seek to be pure enough to eat the traditional Passover, they are defiling themselves by their sin against Jesus, the true Passover lamb. But His death is intended to cover their sins and the sins of the whole world if they will believe in Him – this is all known to Jesus and to the Father, all a part of their plan.

 

Since the Jews will not enter the Praetorium, Pilate comes out to them and asks them what accusation they have against Jesus. John has not written about a single accusation yet. None before Annas. None before Caiaphas. And none now. The Jews offer up a generic accusation, more a justification for their own actions than an accusation against Jesus, “If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.” Really? Is that the best accusation you can come up with? He’s an evildoer? You’re before the Roman judge, and you don’t have any specific evil deeds to tell Pilate about? Anyone can call anyone else an evildoer. A judge needs to know what kind of evil is being done. Is the accused person slandering someone else? Mocking them? Beating them? Robbing them? Raping them? Killing them? A judge needs specifics. What has Jesus done? The Jews merely say, “He’s an evildoer.”

 

Without a specific accusation, Pilate finds no reason to spend his time on this case, so he tells the Jews to take Jesus and judge Him according to their own laws. Without an accusation, Pilate cannot be a judge; he cannot make a legitimate judgment.

 

But the Jews do not want to judge Jesus merely according to their own law. Why not? Because the Romans have not given them the right to execute their convicts. And now Pilate can see their true intentions. They want Jesus dead, but they want killing Jesus to seem justified. They want Jesus legally condemned so that none of them has to answer for murdering Him. They want to appear to be righteous while they make Jesus out to be unrighteous.

 

When they said this, they verified Jesus’ predictions about His own death. Jesus had predicted that He would be executed by the Romans (John 12:32-33), and this is exactly what the Jews are asking for.

 

Again, Jesus went knowingly through all the events surrounding His death. None of what happened surprised Him. He knew it all. He chose it all. He walked willingly through it all. It was His plan to die to save people from their sins. He was not a victim.

 

Father, thank You again for such an unexpected, marvelous plan. Thank You for sending Your glorious Son to do Your will exactly, willingly, lovingly. Thank You that we have testimony showing that He predicted His own death and the events surrounding it, and that His predictions came true. Thank You for this testimony because my faith is strengthened through it. I can believe that Jesus really is God. Just look at what He did! Just look at what He taught! How could a man make such specific predictions without You? And if a man made such predictions because of You, how can I not also believe His claims to be Your Son, to have come from heaven, to have been sent by You and to be returning to You? Father, thank You for the testimony You have given us through Your servant John.