
BRIGHTON CHURCH OF CHRIST

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What I Have Written, I Have Written
Jim McDonald
In John 19:22, the Jews were displeased with an inscription Pilate had written on the cross of Jesus. That inscription said, “Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.” The exchange which culminated in the death of Jesus had begun with the determination of the Jewish authorities to kill Him. They sought someone who would betray Jesus, offering to pay them for their betrayal. Judas, hungry for money, readily agreed to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. He led the soldiers to the Garden of Gethsemane where he knew Jesus was likely to go that night. He identified Jesus to the soldiers by kissing Him. Jesus was first tried by Annas, then carried and tried before Caiaphas. The verdict Caiaphas sought was readily secured and Jesus was led bound to Pilate.
Most of what we know of Pilate is gleaned from the exchanges between him and the chief priests, and then with Jesus in the four gospels. The betrayal of Jesus and His trial is recorded in all four of the gospels with some recording some events while others record other events of that fateful night. When the Jews brought Jesus before him, he said, “Ye have a law. Judge him according to your law.” They responded, “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death” (John 18:31).
The exchange between Pilate and Jesus then began. Pilate’s first question that he asked Jesus was, “Art thou the king of the Jews?” (John 18:33). Jesus asked, “Sayest thou this of thyself or did others tell it thee concerning me?” (John 18:34). Pilate’s response was, “Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and chief priests delivered thee unto me. What has thou done?” Then followed a lengthy exchange between Pilate, the rulers, and Jesus. Pilate, having examined Jesus, returned to the chief priests, saying, “I find no fault in him” (Luke 23:4). That was not the response the Jewish rules wanted and they protested, saying, “He teacheth throughout all Judaea and Galilee” (Luke 23:5). Learning that Jesus taught in Galilee and that Herod, who ruled that province, was at that time in Jerusalem, Pilate sent Jesus to him. Herod heard Him and although he allowed his soldiers to mock, taunt, and torture Jesus, he sent Jesus back to Pilate with no charges against Him.
Once more Pilate had Jesus on his hands and he returned to the Jewish rulers and told them that not even Herod found anything wrong in Jesus. He decided to chastise and release him. Determined that Jesus must die, the chief priests protested Pilate’s decision. Pilate was asked of them to release a prisoner, according to their customs, during this feast of the Passover. Pilate asked the Jews to choose between two men, Jesus and Barabbas. This man was a robber, thief, and a wicked evil doer. Perhaps Pilate thought that with such a contrast between these two men, the Jews surely wouldn’t choose such a notorious, wicked person as Barabbas to be released. If this was Pilate’s thinking, he was mistaken. The ruler’s hatred of Jesus was too strong and intense to consider anyone other than Barabbas. When Pilate asked, “What shall I do unto Jesus who is called the Christ?” they clamored, “Crucify him, crucify him.”
Pilate was astonished! He wanted to know why. He asked, “What evil has he done?” The Jews response startled Pilate and shook him to his core. “He blasphemes,” they responded. “He maketh himself the son of God.” Once more Pilate returned to Jesus and asked, “Who art thou? What makest thou of thyself?” Jesus did not answer Pilate. Pilate then said, “Speakest thou not to me? Know thou not that I have power to release thee and I have power to crucify thee?” Jesus broke His silence then: “Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above, therefore he that deliverest me unto thee hath the greater sin” (John 19:11). Added to all this “back and forth” between the chief rulers, Jesus, and Pilate, Pilate’s own wife sent word to him saying, “Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man for I have suffered many things in a dream this day because of him” (Matthew 27:19).
At this point Pilate mustered up enough courage and said to the chief rulers, “I find no fault in him. I will chastise him and release him.” The Jewish rulers then played their “trump card.” They said, “If thou releaseth this man, thou art not Caesar’s friend. Everyone that maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar” (John 19:12). This threat was too serious for Pilate to ignore. His position as governor was too fragile to hazard acting in such a way to make Caesar suspicious of his loyalty. He yielded and gave them what they asked for. But in front of them he called for a basin of water, washed his hands, and said, “I am free from the blood of this righteous man. See ye to it.” The multitude were all too happy to help appease Pilate’s troubled mind. They had gotten what they wanted. They replied to him, “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27:26).
Pilate satisfied himself with one last act. He allowed Jesus to be crucified but wrote on His cross in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (John 19:19). The Jews protested and wanted him to change it and write, “He said I am the king of the Jews.” Pilate was not moved. He said, “What I have written, I have written” (John 19:22).