Pilate's question

I was raised in the church. Many of us in America were. Some of my earliest memories are being in church or gathered around the piano at my grandparent's home with my cousins, aunts, and uncles singing hymns out of a church hymnal. So, you could say I was well aware of Christian culture and Christian "stories." I did not become born again until I was 25-years-old, but I was well aware of the crucifixion story of Jesus from my youth. 

I'm 54-years-old now, so maybe my memory is failing me. But, in the vast majority of the times, when "the Easter Story" has been presented to me in most churches, I remember Pilate being presented as a man who was stuck in a place where he had no choice to do as he did. After all, he questioned Jesus personally and found no fault in him (John 18:38). He even went so far as to try and get Jesus off the hook by letting the people choose between him and Barabbas, a known murderer. (Matthew 27:16-26) 

But the mob was having none of it, so the poor guy had no choice to make the decision that he did. After all, Jesus was the lamb slain from the foundation of the earth. (Revelations 13:8) So the guy was well and truly stuck. God forced the poor man to decide to do what he did. 

If that wasn't the way it was presented to you, then this blog will not be much of a surprise to you. And, in the defense of those who presented it to me all these years, it is possible that I did not understand it in the way that they intended it to come across. Sometimes, as my wife can attest, I'm not the sharpest tack in the box. 

But, God did not force Pilate to make the choice that he did. 

How do I know? He left us a few clues in the scriptures. 

1) Jesus' ministry and arrest. John 18:1-9

18 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.

3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

Jesus knew he was going to be arrested. He also knew he needed to defend his disciples. So, when the guards came to arrest him, he exercised his authority as God. When he asked them who they were seeking and they answered, "Jesus of Nazareth," he answered, "I AM" (the HE there was added by the King James translators for clarity- they thought). Upon Answering with the Old Testament name of God, power was released that knocked all these big and burly guards- trained warriors employed by the temple- onto their backsides. This, on top of all the miraculous signs and wonders Jesus had performed, was the icing on the cake for Pilate. He knew that Jesus was different and very powerful- beyond any mere mortal man.

Yes, Pilate, being who he was, knew all that had happened. People in his position are told every detail that pertains to any situation they are dealing with. 

2) Pilate's position.

John 19:9-11

9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.

10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

In mankind's view, Pilate actually had the power of granting life and/or death to his subjects. Our governors have the power to pardon in certain cases, but none of them have the authority to just order someone's death. 

Pilate did.

And he told Jesus in the strongest possible terms that he definitely had this power. You can almost hear Pilate's pleading voice. He was frustrated. Basically, in his own way, he seemed to be saying, "Work with me here, man! I'm trying to help you!" 

But, Jesus did not let him off the hook. 

He told Pilate that the only power that he had over Jesus was because it came from Heaven specifically for this situation. This, I believe, was a subtle reminder of what Pilate knew had happened during Jesus' arrest- where Jesus proved he was willingly surrendering, but definitely had the power to stop things at any time he chose to do so. 

He also told Pilate that a) those that had brought him in (the Pharisees/Sadducees) would be held accountable by God for this sin, and b) Pilate would be held accountable for his sinful part in the proceedings, as well. After all, he said the Sanhedrin (Pharisees/Sadducees) that delivered him (Jesus) had THE GREATER sin because they delivered him and called for the trial to happen- thereby rejecting their Messiah. However, He was definitely implying that Pilate himself shared a part of the sins. 

Why? 

The Sanhedrin had brought the charges, Pilate was governor. Didn't Pilate have a legal obligation to handle the case? 

No. 

As Pilate had said, if he had wanted to, he could've ignored the Sanhedrins power play altogether and dismissed the charges. It was within his power and authority to do so. In fact, This very thing happened in favor of Paul in Acts 18:12-16 by a deputy- a man with far less power than a Governor. 

But, the Jews were whipped to a frenzy and threatening riots, didn't Pilate have an obligation to try and quell them? 

Yes.

But, he did not have to do so by giving in to their demands. He had the most powerful military in the world at that time-Roman legions- at his command. He could have set Jesus free and forced the Jews to comply with his decision. 

But, the Jews threatened to tell Emperor Caesar (after they would have rioted) that Pilate was the one who could have stopped the chaos, but he didn't do what they wanted and this caused all the trouble. (John 19:12-13) 

Note: Doesn't this sound much like our situations today? Mobs are rioting and politicians who have the authority to quell the violence are refusing to do so. They are all playing politics and God will hold them accountable for it.

Indeed, Pilate tried on several occasions to release Jesus. (John 19, Luke 23). He even went so far as to have Jesus scourged with the cat of nine tails whip and present him before the Jews, hoping that this action would placate the Jews (John 19, Luke 23). Of course, Pilate had no way of knowing that his actions were prophesied centuries before they happened (by his stripes we are healed- Isaiah 53:5). 

Jesus, as God, knew Pilate would try and release him. So why did Jesus say Pilate was in sin by his actions? Didn't Pilate try and release him? He had no choice, right? 

As we've already pointed out, Pilate had the authority to release Jesus, no matter what the Jews did. But, Jesus said Pilate's hands, in spite of his own protestations to the contrary, were not clean of Jesus' blood. Why? 

3) The warning

Because Pilate had received a warning before he ever sat down to bring judgment on Jesus- a warning from God! 

Matthew 27:19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

God had spoken to Pilate through a nightmare he had given Pilate's closest advisor- his wife. It was a warning to him that he had a choice in the matter. Pilate did not have to choose to crucify Jesus. Things did not have to play out the way that they did. 

Yes, Jesus would be crucified. It was God's plan from the very beginning of time. (Revelations 13:8) 

But, Pilate had a choice on whether or not to be the man to order it. Yes, things could've gone badly for him after that. Yes, riots could have occurred. Yes, the Jews could have brought the circumstances to the attention of Caesar and Pilate could have lost his position (and possibly his life) by not crucifying Jesus. But, God had given him a choice. 

Interestingly enough, it was the same question Pilate had given the Jews: 

Matthew 27:22

Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

Pilate and the Jews had to choose what they would do with Jesus. Worship him? 

Or hate him? Believe and follow him? Ignore and/or vilify him?  

They rejected their Savior. They rejected their very creator. They made the wrong choice.

What choice will you make today about Jesus, my friend?

Don't be like Pilate. 

Please make the right choice.

 

 

 

I'm not a trinitarian

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: (Deuteronomy 6:4)

My pastor said something in his sermon last night that blew me away. 

He said, "I am not a trinitarian!" 

How refreshing in these modern times where most "Christians" worship either a "God-headquarters", or a 3 headed monstrosity. 

Yet, scripture itself proudly and boldly proclaims that there is only ONE God. 

That is not a unity, as many like to say. No, sir. It is emphatically only one in essence. ONE divine being. 

The confusion seems to center around the incarnation. How can God be one God, yet Jesus be God? 

Let's have a look, shall we? 

The first thing that we must understand is that God is omnipresent. In other words, he's everywhere all at the same time. David put it this way: 

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. (Psalms 139:7-12)

In other words, there is no place we can go where God is not there! I realize that this is more than our minds can usually comprehend, but it's still true. 

So, why does scripture say that Jesus is at the right hand of the father?

It's a spiritual word picture that expresses the fact that Jesus has all power and authority. 

Take when the children of Israel crossed the red sea, for example.

Exodus 14: 21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

26 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

31 And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.

Great story! An awesome move of God almighty! Now look at the song of praise in the next chapter 15:

6 Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

Go back and read the story again. Please show me where a huge arm came down out of the heavens and smashed the Egyptians. I'll wait.

It's not there because it's a spiritual word picture of what physically happened. Why the right hand? Because most humans are right-handed and that is their strongest arm because it gets the most use. So, when scripture refers to God's right hand, it is not referring to a literal arm or a literal place. It is referring to God's strength and power!

How about this one?

8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

Read the story of the red sea again. Please show me where a literal nose comes down out of the clouds and sneezes, causing the waters to divide in a heap. Again, I'll wait.

It's not there because it's a spiritual word picture of what physically happened. God causes the wind to blow so hard that the waters divide and the ground below dries up allowing the Israelites to cross. 

10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

Did enormous lips descend from the sky and cause the waters to return to where they had been and cover the Egyptians? No! It's another word picture used to help our finite minds to understand something our infinite God did. 

The term "right hand of God" is used 8 times in the New Testament. "Right hand of power" is used twice. 

These 10 verses seem to be the central cause of misunderstanding "the Godhead." BTW, the term Godhead simply means "divinity." It means he is GOD. It is not, as many say, a God headquarters. 

A simple question to ask. 

If God is omnipresent and there is no place where he is not, then how does anyone stand or sit beside him in any way, shape, or form? I'll wait.

To sit beside a being that is everywhere requires another place to be created outside of God for this being to sit. But, there's no place anyone can go where they can be beside God. 

The term right hand, when it is used in reference to God, always refers to God's strength and power. It's never a literal place. So, when scripture says that Jesus is on or at God's right hand, it is simply saying that Jesus is God and is all-powerful! 

Jesus said this himself. 

Matthew 28:18

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Now, let that sink in. If Jesus has ALL power, then, if there's a trinity, the other 2 "God's" are powerless because Jesus has all power. 

If Jesus is a part of a "trinity", then they have shared power and none of them have all power. Therefore, this verse would not be true. Furthermore, if Jesus is part of a trinity, then he would have no need to be given anything. He'd already have it. 

But, wait, brother Mike. Are you now saying Jesus is not God at all? 

Not at all. 

Here's the crux of the matter. God became flesh. 

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

It does not say "God the Son," or even "the Son of God" was manifested in the flesh. It clearly says GOD HIMSELF was manifested in the flesh. What's the difference? 

First of all, the term God, the Son is never ever found in scripture. Not even once. It's a made-up term by people trying to defend a false "triune" god. 

Secondly, the terms "son of God" and "son of man" are synonymous terms that refer to the flesh, or the MAN Christ Jesus. 

The angel told Mary about her baby that: "therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)

Satan and his demons called Jesus, "son of God" on multiple occasions (Matthew 4:3; Matthew 4:6; Matthew 8:28-29; Mark 3:11; Luke 4:3; Luke 4:9; Luke 4:41; Luke 8:28). 

And yes, John the Baptist and others called him the "son of God" (Matthew 14:33; Matthew 27:54; Mark 1:1; Mark 15:39; Luke 1:35; John 1:34; John 1:49; John 11:27; John 20:31).

And Jesus himself said he was "the son of God" (Matthew 27:43; Luke 22:70; John 3:18; John 5:25; John 9:35-37; John 10:36; John 11:4).

Therefore, I truly admit that Jesus is the son of God. 

But, notice this often overlooked scripture: 

6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:6-8)

Satan (the prince of the powers of the air-Ephesians 2:2) and his demons (Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 6:12) DID NOT KNOW who Jesus really was! Their human counterparts on earth DID NOT KNOW who Jesus was! 

Indeed, if they had known who Jesus truly was, they would've fallen on their faces before the very LORD OF GLORY, the Father and creator of all! So, God hid himself in human flesh in order to pay for our sins and restore relationship with man. 

Yes, Jesus is the son of God, but he is also GOD ALMIGHTY in human flesh! (John 1:1.14; John 1:18; John 5:18; John 8:56-59; John 10:30; John 14; John 15:23-24, Isaiah 9:6 and many more).

Jesus has all power (Matthew 28:19), therefore if there's a trinity, the other 2 are powerless!

Jesus has all wisdom (Romans 16:27; 1 Timothy 1:17; Jude 1:25), therefore if there's a trinity, the other 2 have no wisdom! 

God is our only savior (Isaiah 43:3-11), and Jesus is our savior (Philippians 3:20), therefore Jesus is God!

I could go on and on. 

The flesh of Jesus is the son of God. The spirit inside of him and everywhere else is God almighty. Jesus is God alone!

Yes, God sent his Son to die for our sins, that's how God shed "HIS OWN BLOOD (Acts 20:28). But, get the bigger picture here.

This was not a father looking down and seeing all the sin and turning to his son to go and die for that sin. 

This was The Father BECOMING a son and shedding HIS OWN BLOOD in order to pay for our sins. 

How much more loving a God could we have? 

I am not a trinitarian and never will I be. Jesus is GOD all by himself. Any other teaching cheapens the message of calvary and places divisions in our God that do not exist.  

What exactly are we celebrating on Christmas?

Isaiah 9:6King James Version (KJV)

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 1:14King James Version (KJV)

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Merry Christmas to you all! This is the day that the majority of believers in Jesus Christ celebrate his birth. While some say, "there's no record of the early church celebrating Jesus' birth," I say, "there's no record of them celebrating their families birthdays or anniversaries either. Are you going to say that it's a sin to do so when the Bible clearly does not say that it is?" Incidentally, when the Angels sang on the day of his birth, wasn't that a celebration of his birth? When the Shepherds went to see him, wasn't that an acknowledgement of his glorious birth? When the wise men brought gifts (probably 2 years later) on his birthday, wasn't that a celebration of his birth? 

Some say, "Christmas has pagan roots and we shouldn't celebrate pagan things." If we were to cut out every pagan thing in our culture, we'd have practically nothing left. By their argument, why don't we go back to the Jewish calendar? After all, even the days of the week on the Gregorian calendar we use in the western world are all named after pagan gods. 

Finally, some say, "Jesus wasn't born on December 25th, so we shouldn't celebrate his birthday on that day." To these I say, "we don't know his birth date, so December 25th is as good a day as any other." 

Why cannot we Christians just except the good in some things instead of saying everything short of breathing is a sin? Relax! Jesus came, in part, to bring us joy everlasting and life eternal! Isn't that worth celebrating? 

But here's the most amazing thing to me. 

In the Old Covenant, before the first temple was built, the Jews worshiped God at a glorious tent called the tabernacle. It was at the altar near this tabernacle that the sacrifices were made by the priests for the sins of the people. It was in this tabernacle that this blood was taken, by the high priest, into the Holy of Holies, to sprinkle it onto the mercy seat in the midst of the ark of the covenant. 

The Holy of Holies was also where the presence of God dwelt. God is holy! No one unholy could enter there. In fact, they tied a long rope with bells on it to the ankle of the high priest when he went in. Why? Because if he had not repented right, if he had not sacrificed right, if he had not used the right amount of sacrificial blood on himself and his clothing before he entered the presence of God within the Holy of Holies, he would be struck dead by the holiness of God! 

For centuries, between the tabernacle and (later) the first temple, God was pretty well inaccessible to the vast majority of human beings. The laundry list of requirements to the people, the priests, and for the high priest himself, is astounding to read (found in Leviticus-Deuteronomy)! If a man had a small blemish on his skin, he could not be the high priest. 

If anyone tried to enter the presence of God in the Holy of Holies, they would be struck dead by God himself! 

The people lived in fear and wonder of God. Yet, they were separated by sin from the one thing both God and man desired- a close relationship with almighty God! 

Then, an amazing thing happened. Mankind could do nothing to fix the situation, but God could. 

God himself became a man!

Read Isaiah 9:6 above. This baby that was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago was God himself! He was "the everlasting Father" in human flesh. He was the "wonderful Counsellor" (Holy Ghost) in a human body. He was "the mighty God" in a frail, human form. 

John puts it in an even more amazing way in John 1:14: "the word was made flesh and DWELT among us..." The word for "dwelt" there comes from the Greek word "skenoo", which means, " 

1. to fix one's tabernacle, have one's tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent), tabernacle
2. to dwell                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  So, "on that first Christmas morn" (as some folks word it), GOD made his own tabernacle- his own Holy of Holies, and dwelt there!

  

Now, for the first time since Adam's day, common men and women could walk and talk with God! They could touch God! Shepherds who could never have come into his presence before, were able to actually touch him! Even the wise men would never have been able to give gifts to and touch and interact with God before this day. But, now they could! 

This was God reaching out to a lost and dying world in a magnificent way. He touched people now that he could never have touched before the incarnation. He talked with common sinners and forgave them (without requiring them to kill a sheep)! He showed love and compassion where he couldn't do it before. 

Why? Because he knew that soon even THIS new tabernacle's veil (his own flesh) would be torn on a cross on a hill called Calvary and HIS OWN BLOOD (ACTS 20:28) would be shed to cover the sins of these (and every person) people he was now touching. 

God made a plan before time began to buy us back! And that plan (his word) was made flesh and put into action on that "first Christmas morning."

What an amazing God we serve! 

Jesus Christ, not just the son of God, but the God of the whole universe all by himself, made flesh in order to purchase a people with his own blood.

Oh, what a savior! 

That's why I celebrate Christmas. It's not about the gift giving (though there were gifts given on Jesus' birthday). It's not about the family time so much (though we do enjoy that and thank God for the blessing he has given us in each other). 

It's all about the ultimate gift that God almighty gave by tabernacling himself in a human body to pay for the sins of us all! So, I will celebrate Christmas because it's the one day a year that nearly everyone celebrates him. AND I CHOOSE TO USE THIS DAY TO TELL THEM JUST HOW SPECIAL THIS DAY REALLY IS! And, they need to know how special they are in his eyes: so that they can see his nail-scarred hands reaching out to them in the hope that they will obey his plan of salvation (Acts 2:38) and come to him. 

The God of the universe became man, so that man could have a relationship with him. 

Won't you respond to him today? 

Merry Christmas to you all!