The Two Voices that Crucified Christ

Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required (Luke 23:20-24)

Here Pilate’s humanity is caught in the vortex of Divine will. When we arrive at this scene, make no mistake about it, Christ must die!

The choice that appears is not there. Yes we will acquiesce that our sin demands Jesus’ death, and yet fail to see that our righteousness is just as demanding.

Jesus’ death is not at Pilate’s will. Jesus’ death is not at the people’s will. He stated it, "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down."

Pilate must have wondered that day “How did this man end up in my court?” He talked to his wife; she tried to help. And maybe his hand washing was an attempt to apply her advice. However, Pilate is a Politician. The root of the word “politics” is “pole.” The politician hopes that he can make all the people happy. If this is impossible, then the majority rules. Rarely is a politician a leader and rarely is a leader a politician. People like politicians; they don’t like leaders.

Pilate believed in and advocated for Jesus’ innocence. Then as a last resort he attempted to mediate a compromise. Yet neither would avail; because, Jesus is not dying because He is guilty, but because He is innocent; Jesus is not dying because the crowd is angry, but because they are sinful; Jesus is not dying because of man's will but because of God's will. And what can change God’s will: a declaration, a vote, a compromise?

Pilate selfishly served Caesar. Pilate selfishly served the people? Likewise Pilate believed he could selfishly serve Christ. However, one can never do God’s will without great cost to himself. A man must back up on his own life, put it down, lose his life, deny himself, forsake it.

The only proper answer for any man at the crucifixion is to die with Jesus. Die to one’s old agenda… Die to one’s prestige and popularity… Die to the crowd’s acceptance… Die to positions of power… Die to the prosperity of this world…

On that day there were two voices calling for Jesus’ death, both God and the crowd. Which voice will you hear concerning His death? If you hear the crowd you will try to save Jesus, but if you hear God, you will desire to die with Jesus.