John the apostle wrote how the Jewish leaders carried Jesus to Pilate, and after he spoke with Jesus the first time, “Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Say you this thing of yourself, or did others tell you of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you unto me: what have you done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from here. Pilate therefore said unto him, Are you a king then? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate said unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in him no fault at all”, and in chapter eighteen and verse thirty-nine of his book John shared how Pilate said, “you have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover” where we read:
But you have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover:
will you therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
The verse reads, “But you have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover:” John began with the words, “But you have a custom” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover you, Jewish people, a mutual habituation or usage” “that I should release unto you” or “that I, Pilate, should acquit, let go and set free to you, Jewish people” “one at the passover” which means “a particular and certain person at the paschal festival or feast which was accustomed to be offered for the people's deliverance of old from Egypt”. John shared how “Pilate” referred to the cultural habit of the Jewish people which allowed the “release” of one prisoner to them at the time of the “passover feast”.
The verse continues, “will you therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?” John added the words, “will you therefore” or “do you, Jewish people, desire, wish and crave then, wherefore, consequently and on this account” “that I release unto you” which means “that I, Pilate, acquit, let go and set free to you, Jewish people” “the King of the Jews” or “the royal power, ruler, commander and prince who belongs to the Jewish people”? John shared how “Pilate” questioned the Jewish people as to whether they desired that He set “Jesus” free to them.
When we think through John's words in this verse, we how “Pilate” knew the “custom” of the Jewish people that allowed for the “setting free” of one of their own who had been arrested. “Pilate” assumed the Jewish people would want “Jesus” to be “set free”, however, we shall see this was not their desire at all. Jesus was in the midst of fulfilling God the Heavenly Father's plan of salvation for the sins of mankind, and soon He would be crucified. “Jesus” was not to be “released” because if He were “set at liberty”, all humanity would be forever lost without a relationship with God. Let all who read these words yield their life to Jesus and receive Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.
Next time we see John shares how the crowd cries, “not this man, but Barabbas”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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