Fear and How It Makes Us Act

Dan Sullivan   -   February 18, 2019

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.

John 19:1–8 ESV Read More

Why was Pilate afraid? Even if he didn’t believe in the god of the Jews, he could have been spiritual in some way. It was obvious that some shenanigans were going on with the Jewish leaders. This man, Jesus, that was brought to him had endured a lot at this point. Many people went crazy or died from the flogging, but Jesus was still able to carry on a conversation and reason with Pilate.

Whatever it was, it was a fear that was not great enough for him to stop the trial and judgment of Jesus. Pilate was afraid, but even more afraid of what would happen if he stood up against the mob.

Throughout all of it, Jesus watched, lived, and held on until the right time for Him to give up His life. He fulfilled Isaiah 53 where it said He wouldn’t raise His voice or fight back. Jesus was about the only person in the whole scenario that was not afraid.