Day 37 - Kingdom of another world

     We read a detailed conversation between Jesus and Pilate today with factual narrative and continuous bits of dialogue. Two motifs to take note of: Jesus' conduct fits One who dies an atoning death and a portrait of a weak-willed Pilate. We have three characters: Jesus, Pilate, and the crowd. Jesus, was perfect. Pilate was...well, weak, selfish, people-pleasing, and afraid. Every time I read this account, I find myself wishing that Pilate would just release Him and believe! But, we read that Jesus is there because of God's authority and plan. The crowd and chief priests - they are a mob at this point. I think one of the saddest verses in all of Scripture is in our reading today..."the chief priests cried, 'we have no king but Caesar!'" Seriously! The chief priests! Makes me ache for redemption. The world is turned upside-down by sin and deceit.

1. Pilate secures an indictment against Jesus from the Jews (18-32)
2. Pilate Questions Jesus (33-38a)
3. Pilate, the please of himself (38b-40)
4. Pilate orchestrates the torture of Jesus, crowd cries for crucifixion, Pilate questions Jesus more (19:1-11)
5. Pilate attempts to release Jesus (12-16)

Ecce Homo by Antonio Ciseri

     The culmination of the passage today is in 18:33-38. This ties into the entire motif of John's Gospel: who is this Jesus?

His Robes for Mine

His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange! Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage. Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified. In Christ I live, for in my place He died. Chorus: I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost: Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God. Bought by such love, my life is not my own. My praise-my all-shall be for Christ alone. His robes for mine: what cause have I for dread? God’s daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead. Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine, Saved by my Lord’s vicarious death and life. His robes for mine: God’s justice is appeased. Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased. Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried “‘Tis done!” Sin’s wage is paid; propitiation won. His robes for mine: such anguish none can know. Christ, God’s beloved, condemned as though His foe. He, as though I, accursed and left alone; I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!

Reading: John 18:28-19:16

Memory passage: John 14:1-6

Memory passage: Matthew 28:1-10 - I am going to begin reviewing the Resurrection passage with my children. We learned the story from Matthew, but you could also work any of the other Gospels. 

Memory verse: John 18:36a

Songs for meditation: His Robes for Mine and Behold our God

Activity: Add the chief priests and more faces to those who do not believe. 

Meditation: Isaiah 53:1-12