Brother Anthony K. Wutoh Information on several slides (Including verbatim quotes) courtesy of

Transcription

1 Brother Anthony K. Wutoh Information on several slides (Including verbatim quotes) courtesy of &commInfo=217&topic=Matthew

2 What is the responsibility of a judge in our (or most) Judicial systems? Have you ever been falsely accused of something you did not do? How did it feel? Did anyone speak in your behalf? Have you ever falsely accused someone of something they didn t do? How did you respond when you realized the truth? Why would Pontius Pilate agree to the death of an innocent man?

3 17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 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.

4 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. 21 Which of the two do you want me to release to you? asked the governor. Barabbas, they answered. 22 What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah? Pilate asked. They all answered, Crucify him! 23 Why? What crime has he committed? asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, Crucify him! 24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. I am innocent of this man s blood, he said. It is your responsibility! 25 All the people answered, His blood is on us and on our children! 26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

5 Judges play many roles. They interpret the law, assess the evidence presented, and control how hearings and trials unfold in their courtrooms. Most important of all, judges are impartial decision-makers in the pursuit of justice. We have what is known as an adversarial system of justice - legal cases are contests between opposing sides, which ensures that evidence and legal arguments will be fully and forcefully presented. The judge, however, remains above the fray, providing an independent and impartial assessment of the facts and how the law applies to those facts.

6 The judge presides over the trial from a desk, called a bench, on an elevated platform. The judge has five basic tasks. The first is simply to preside over the proceedings and see that order is maintained. The second is to determine whether any of the evidence that the parties want to use is illegal or improper. Third, before the jury begins its deliberations about the facts in the case, the judge gives the jury instructions about the law that applies to the case and the standards it must use in deciding the case. Fourth, in bench trials, the judge must also determine the facts and decide the case. The fifth is to sentence convicted criminal defendants.

7 Pontius Pilate was the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judaea from AD He served under Emperor Tiberius. Roman provinces were usually ruled by high-ranking officials. Less important provinces though were entrusted to prefects, military men who would otherwise only govern parts of larger provinces. The most famous example is Pontius Pilate, who governed Judaea at a time when it was administered as an annex of Syria. According to the traditional account of his life, Pilate was a Roman equestrian (knight) of the Samnite clan of the Pontii (hence his name Pontius). He was appointed prefect of Judaea through the intervention of Sejanus, a favourite of the Roman emperor Tiberius. (That his title was prefect is confirmed by an inscription from Caesarea.)

8 Protected by Sejanus, Pilate became hated by the Jews because he insulted their religious traditions, such as when he hung worship images of the emperor throughout Jerusalem and had coins bearing pagan religious symbols minted. After Sejanus s fall (31 AD), Pilate was exposed to sharper criticism from the Jews, who may have capitalized on his vulnerability by obtaining a legal death sentence on Jesus (John 19:12). The Samaritans reported him to Vitellius, legate (ruler) of Syria, after he had attacked them on Mount Gerizim (36 AD). He was then ordered back to Rome to stand trial for cruelty and oppression, particularly on the charge that he executed men without proper trial. According to Eusebius of Caesarea s Ecclesiastical History, Pilate killed himself on orders from Emperor Caligula in 39 AD.

9 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. Where do you come from? he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Do you refuse to speak to me? Pilate said. Don t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you? 11 Jesus answered, You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin. 12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar. 13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. Here is your king, Pilate said to the Jews. 15 But they shouted, Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him! Shall I crucify your king? Pilate asked. We have no king but Caesar, the chief priests answered. 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

10 His wife sent to him, saying.. Pilate also had a unique and remarkable messenger his wife s dream. We can only imagine what she saw in this dream. Perhaps she saw Jesus, an innocent man, crowned with thorns and crucified. Maybe she saw Him coming in glory with the clouds of heaven. Maybe she saw Him at the Great White Throne of judgment, and she and her husband facing Jesus. We know that the vision of Jesus in her dream made her suffer (I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him). Whatever it was, she had suffered repeated painful emotions in the dream, and she may have awoke startled and amazed. It was a remarkable occurrence. She awoke late in the morning, disturbed by the dream. Her husband was called away early to his business as a governor the religious leaders of Jerusalem sent over a prisoner for judgment. Immediately, she asked a messenger to go to her husband with news of her dream. Because of all this, there was a great urgency about her message to Pilate. She was bold to send it, and she begged him to simply having nothing to do with this man Jesus. Let Him go. Send Him away. Don t punish Him even a little. It was a warning that he tragically ignored.

11 Historically, Pilate's wife is known by the name of Claudia. In later Christian tradition she is known as Claudia Procula. Procula is recognized as a saint in two churches within the Eastern Christian tradition: the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, she is celebrated on 27 October. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church celebrates Pilate and Procula together on 25 June.

12 Role of a Prefect By AD 300 the Praetorian Prefects virtually directed the civil administration of the empire. They executed judicial powers as delegates of the emperor, organized tax levies, and supervised provincial governors. They also commanded troops and served as quartermasters general to the emperor s court. When Pilate sat in the judgment seat to render judgment on Jesus, he was executing one of his several responsibilities as Prefect.

13 Three points and the lesson is yours.

14 While he was sitting on the judgment seat: As Pilate sat in judgment of Jesus, he failed to give the accused justice. Pilate had all the evidence he needed to do the right thing to release Jesus. He saw the strength and dignity of Jesus, and he knew this was no criminal or revolutionary. He knew that it was no just charge that brought Jesus before his judgment seat it was only the envy of the religious leaders. He saw that Jesus was a man so at peace with His God that He didn t need to answer a single accusation. Pilate already declared Jesus an innocent man (I find no fault in this Man, Luke 23:4).

15 31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. 37 Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? 40 The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. 41 Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me. 44 They also will answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? 45 He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. 46 Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

16 2 Corinthians 5:10 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. We will all one day stand before our Lord Jesus Christ and give account of our lives. Are you ready? Will you be ready to be judged about how you have lived your life?

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