I’m in the book of John in my daily Bible reading. In chapters 18 and 19, Jesus is before Annas, Caiaphas, and Pilate. The Jews were dead-set on killing Him, but the Romans wanted to release Him because they saw through the envy behind the charges.
Twice, Pilate declared Jesus innocent.
“Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’ After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, ‘I find no guilt in him.’” (John 18:38 ESV).
Then, in hopes of satisfying their bloodlust, Pilate had Jesus flogged. What they did to Him was inhumane. It was demonic. And when Pilate brought a broken, mangled Jesus before the mob, he said, “Behold, the man!” But even then, he repeated his judgment:
“Pilate went out again and said to them, ‘See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.’” (John 19:4 ESV).
Twice, Pilate pronounced Him not guilty. No sin was found in Jesus. He was innocent.
But this was His mission. Jesus had already said:
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.” (John 12:27 ESV).
He came to be the perfect sacrificial Lamb. It was the High Priest’s responsibility to declare the lamb spotless, without blemish. But Annas and Caiaphas would not. So the Father moved a Gentile governor to give the testimony the priesthood refused:
“I find no guilt in this man.”
The Lamb was declared spotless. The sacrifice was ready. And once that declaration was made, the cross was certain.
What was done to Jesus that day was despicable.
It was unfair.
It was the ultimate injustice.
But it was amazing love.
No one took His life. He laid it down for us. The guiltless One stepped in for the guilty, so that through His blood we could be cleansed, forgiven, and found guiltless before God.
The one good thing Pilate did on that dark day was to declare Jesus guiltless. And God ensured that verdict was written into history so that the whole world would know—the Son of God was innocent, the spotless Lamb, the worthy sacrifice.
Take a moment today to reflect on this love. Sit with it. Let it move your heart. And if this truth speaks to you, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.