- Overcomer Literature Trust
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
DAY 19
John 18:38
“Pilate … went out again to the Jews, and said to them, ‘I find no fault in Him at all.’”
John 19:4
“Pilate then went out again, and said to them, ‘Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find
no fault in Him.’”
John 19:6
“Pilate said to them, ‘You take Him and crucify Him, for I find
no fault in Him.’”
One essential element in the plan of salvation is the sinlessness of the One who suffered and died in our place. The Passover lamb had to be without blemish and God’s Passover Lamb also had to be without spot or stain. This caused an almighty headache for the High Priest and his cronies, who wanted a watertight case against the Lord that they could present to Pilate, so that there was no possible snag in their plan to rid themselves of the Preacher from Galilee. But what charge could they bring?
Matthew 26:59-60 tells us of the unedifying lengths to which the Jewish religious leaders were prepared to go in their quest. “Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought FALSE TESTIMONY against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Even though many FALSE WITNESSES came forward, they found none.” The truth didn’t matter to them as long as they could get rid of Him.
Pilate said three times that he could find no fault in Him but, because his position as Roman governor was somewhat precarious due to previous riots, He felt bound to appease the Jews and finally succumbed to their demands, despite the weakness of the case they brought against the Lord Jesus.
Of course, we know that they were dealing with the One who had resisted every blandishment the devil had presented to Him. “Tempted in all points as we are but without sin,” says Hebrews 4:15. He is the only human being who could say the words of John 8:29, “I always do those things that please the Father.” He is also the One to whom the Father bore testimony in these words, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” (Mark 1:11).
This truth is of enormous comfort to us. Had the Lord Jesus sinned, then He would have had to suffer the punishment for His own sins, but because He was sinless, He could take the sinner’s place and was bearing the punishment for our sins there upon the cross.