Jesus: Before the Romans

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”

John 18:26–27 NASB95

26 One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27 Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

John 18:28 NASB95

28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

John 18:29–30 NASB95

29 Therefore Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” 30 They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you.”

John 18:31 NASB95

31 So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,”

John 18:32–33 NASB95

32 to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die. 33 Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

John 18:34–35 NASB95

34 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” 35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?”

What do you notice, what sticks out to you in this passage?

Who is the “they” (v.25)? - to know definitively you will have to look back further?

“They” are the slaves and officers (v.18)

There is a strong assumption being made (v.25), what is it? d

There is more than one disciple, follower of Jesus there (see v.15-16).

We discussed that last week that more it was John.

What do you learn about the slave of the high priest (v.26)?

Was a relative of Malchus (v.10)

Was an eye witness in the garden.

What happens (v.27)?

Peter denies 3rd time and rooster crowed. (1st-v.17; 2nd-v.25)

Why would the religious not enter the Praetorium (v.28)?

They did not want to be defiled that would hinder them eating Passover.

Did “they” answer Pilate’s question from (v.29), in (v.30)?

Yes in vague way, “if he were not an evildoer we would not have brought him.”

Why couldn’t the Jews judge Jesus (v.31)?

Jews did not have death penalty

You see the real reason (v.32)! - had to fulfill prophesy!

Jesus answered Pilate’s question (v.33) in (v.34), how?

He answered with a question.

Peter’s continued denials

Flying under the radar? - Do you think Peter is trying to fly under the radar (v.25)?

Seems Peter is lacking courage to stand on his belief (v.25).

Peter is called out by eyewitness and the 3rd denial comes out. (vv.26-27)

Interesting thing I read is that roosters were outlawed in the city during the time of a festival. So the sound of a cock crow would be a penetrating out of the ordinary sound.

One commentator Courson in summary said this:

“It was appropriate for Jesus would say (ref: Jn13:38), ‘You’ll hear the cock crow, peter, because you’re going to mess up.’”

then goes on to say this:

“But, I suggest to you there’s a bright side as well — for the crow of a rooster also signifies the dawn of a new day. Thus, it’s as if Jesus said, ‘Yes, Peter you’ve blown it. Yes, you’ve cursed and sworn and denied Me not once but thrice. But a new day is dawning. I’m not through with you —not by a long shot.”

Maybe add in now how Matthew said it:

Matthew 26:74 NASB95

74 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.

Now, that would make sense of the quote I just used. It was not the faith of Peter that failed (for he followed, was there) it was the courage that failed (to stand up for his beliefs out of fear).

Jesus before Romans

John 18:28 NLT

28 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover.

Jesus had already stood before Annas (18:24); who sent Jesus to Caiaphas

John only records Caiphas referring Jesus to Pilate, whereas Mt26:57-68 will talk about the time before Caiphas in detail.

And that this now happens in early hours, daylight (Lk22:26) before the full counsel

The Praetorium was the headquarters of Pilate where Pilate conducted the Roman business.

FF Bruce says: “The term ‘praetorium’ denotes the headquarters of a Roman military governor (as the governor of Judea was). In a Roman camp, the praetorium was the commander’s headquarters in the centre of the camp.”

Jews would not enter should they be defiled.

Would not break ceremonial defilement, but they were willing to reject God’s Messiah condemn him, an innocent man with no real charges against him to death.

Trapp: “Putrid hypocrisy! they stand upon legal defilements, and care not to defile their consciences with innocent blood. What is this, but to strain at a gnat and swallow a camel?”

Defiled so cannot celebrate Passover meal (v.28)

Interesting what I found when studying this verse and I will present to you.

Was the Last Supper a Passover meal?

Was Jesus crucified on the Passover, or the day after? It seems from (Jn18:28) that the Passover was coming, yet other passages show that it was a Passover meal (Mt26:18; Mk14:12, 16, Lk22:15)

Guzik in his commentary says: “The best solution to this difficult chronological problem seems to be that Jesus was crucified on the Passover, and the meal they had the night before was a Passover meal, held after sunset (the start of the day in Jewish reckoning).”

Josephus would say that the sacrifices happen over a 2-day period due to the mass number of lambs (200,000)

Clarke: It would be lawful for the Jews to eat the paschal lamb any time between the evening of Thursday and that of Friday.

Pilate steps out for an explanation by the Jews.

The Jews expected a favorable response from Pilate for he was known to be cruel, ruthless man, completely insensitive to the moral feelings of others. He was known for his corruption, acts of insolence, his insulting nature, murdering of innocents (untried, uncondemned).

Pilate asks the question at the heart of the matter, what is the charge?

John records the answer was very ‘evasive” did not answer directly

They did not expect that from him, they already had a cohort that was loaned to get this dangerous person in the garden

They had already judged Jesus, they wanted Pilate to be the executioner of the sentence, to put him to death by crucifixion (Roman way) for the Jewish way would have been by stoning.

With the evasive answer, Pilate tells them deal with it themselves by their laws and not both the Romans with a Jewish problem.

Now, They do get more specific, but John does not record it, you can find that in (Lk23:2)

Luke 23:2 NASB95

2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

Josephus records that under Roman law, 3 years before this time that the right to put someone to death (stoning) was taken away from the Jews and only the Romans could condemn.

Now if you know Act7:54-60, you know they did it anyways with Stephen when they stoned him to death.

Paul would condemn and kill people in the name of God.

Jesus had to have the Roman death by crucifixion to fulfill the prophesy, Jesus own words (Jn3:14)

John 3:14 NASB95

14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

Pilate returns and turns to Jesus to question (vv.33-35); side note between these two visits, there was a sending to Herod and return (Lk23:8-12)

Luke 23:8–9 NASB95

8 Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. 9 And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing.

Luke 23:10–11 NASB95

10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently. 11 And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate.

Luke 23:12 NASB95

12 Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other.

Herod was the king of the Jews over Galilee region, Pilate the Roman Proconsul. Hence why they were enemies before.

Now back to our passage

John 18:33–34 NLT

33 Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him. 34 Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?”

Pilate asks the question, why? Jesus did not look as expected. He did not look dangerous, did not look like a revolutionary, did not talk like one, so, do you think he may have some doubts? Did Pilate give assistance in something he should not have in the first place?

He asks the question and Jesus responds with “do you really want to know?” Or is he asking on behalf of others or because of what others are saying about him?

People can ask questions with not really wanting an answer, but wanting an argument. We would be good to use discernment when it comes to questions from people too.

Tenney: “Pilate had expected to meet a sullen or belligerent rebel and met instead the calm majesty of confident superiority. He could not reconcile the character of the prisoner with the charge brought against him.”

Pilcher summarized this as “If Pilate asked of himself, it would be asking “are you a political king, conspiring against Caesar?” or, if asking as a puppet for Caiaphas “Are you the Messianic king of Israel as you claim you are?”

We know the answer, but the question is wrong. The answer is Pilate you are being used in God’s plan right now, do you know that? You are God’s instrument to fulfill prophesy, Anna’s and Caiphas should know that too!

It is for this hour Jesus came!

There is much more that can be expounded on this, but need to stop there for tonight.