| Devotional Hours with the Bible |
Chapter 38 |
Page 5 |
At length Pilate yielded to the pressure of the rulers and gave sentence that Jesus should be crucified. He did it, we are told, wishing to calm the multitude. That was Pilate’s opportunity. He was the one man in all the world who could send Jesus to the cross. No other one could do it. It was a fatal and terrible distinction that was his among men. Whether Jesus should have justice and be set free or should die innocently, he had to settle. The Jews could not touch Jesus without Pilate’s consent.
We know what he did with his opportunity. He had not the courage to be true, to be just to protect the innocent, to maintain right. He knew well that Jesus had done nothing worthy of punishment. He struggled feebly for a time with his conscience, and then gave way, sentencing to death as a malefactor a man he knew to be without sin or fault. Thus he lost his opportunity to do justice and to win for himself an immortality of honor. He went through the farce of washing his hands before the rulers, saying that he was not responsible. But the stain upon his soul no water could wash off; the brand of dishonor marks his name with an immortality of shame. The lesson is for us. We have our opportunity to stand for truth and right. What shall we do with Jesus who is called the Christ?
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