Something to Think About

The sin of Pilate:
What it means for us today

In John 19:11, we read that during the trial and crucifixion of our Lord, Jesus replies to Pontius Pilate: “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.”

The Greater Sin

So first, we must ask: what specific sin is Jesus referring to here, by saying “the greater sin”? Today it’s common to hear that all sins are the same and that there is no such thing as a greater sin or a lesser sin. However, if this were true – Jesus would not have used the term “greater sin.” But what is this sin Jesus is describing? Is He saying that only the Jews are responsible for delivering their Messiah to be crucified? Or is Pilate also guilty of sin, to some extent, for his role in the crucifixion of Christ.

Matthew Henry, the famous preacher and Bible commentator from the 1600’s explains this passage, saying: “First, it is plainly intimated that what Pilate did was sin, a great sin.” He then paraphrases Christ’s words, to express the meaning more clearly: “He that delivered me unto thee lies under greater guilt; for thou as a magistrate hast power from above, and art in thy place, thy sin is less than theirs who, from envy and malice, urge thee to abuse thy power.”

The Scripture also clarifies the sin of Pilate in Acts 4:26-27 where the apostles quote from Psalm 2, saying “The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together.”

So the Scriptures clearly lay sin to the charge of Pilate for his role in the crucifixion of Christ; but what of the Scripture in Matthew 27:23-25? Here, we find Pilate replying to an angry mob wanting to crucify Christ. He says: “Why, what evil hath he done?” And then, the Scriptures record that “He took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and our children.”

So did this act of Pilate washing his hands really clear him of any sin in the crucifixion of Christ?

Let’s take a look:

Power and Responsibility

The Scriptures show that Pilate was in a position of power where he could either crucify Christ, or protect Him, as Pilate himself acknowledges: “Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?” (John 19:10)

He rightly knew that he had been given the power in his position, as Romans 13:1 says “There is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

However, rather than using his power to –one-- directly crucify Christ, or –two-- to directly protect Christ, Pilate foolishly tried to come up with a “third option” and tried to stay “neutral” by washing his hands and letting the Jews “see to it”, regarding the crucifixion of Christ.

But did God accept Pilate’s “third, neutral option”?

Let’s see what the Scriptures say:

The Bible teaches that with the power Pilate had, came a responsibility to enforce justice, as Romans 13:3-4 continues: “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”

In this passage we learn two main points:

First, that the term “Minister of God” is used twice here. In Greek, the word “minister” here is “deaconos” – where we get our term “deacon” in the church. And the same term is used by Paul to describe Timothy a “minister of God” or “deaconos of God” in 1 Thess. 3:2.

Second, we note that According to God, these “deaconos of God” are there to do two things: to punish evil, and to protect those who do good. A civil ruler, as a “deaconos of God” is there as a “A revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil,” and one who praises those who do well, “for he is the minister of God to thee for good.”

Therefore, those who are God’s ministers in the Church have a specific duty, and those who are God’s ministers in the civil government have a specific duty, assigned by God.

And so we see that as a “deaconos of God”, Pilate sinned by abusing the power God had given him, by his presiding over the scourging and crucifixion of Christ, an innocent man. Pilate even admitted: “I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him.” (Luke 23:14) Yet he allowed him to be killed.

Matthew Henry further comments on this passage: “See here the baseness and injustice of Pilate, that he would suffer one whom he believed an innocent person… to be thus abused and trampled on by his own servants. Those who are under the arrest of the law ought to be under the protection of it.”

So while it may be argued that the Jewish leaders who brought Jesus to Pilate to be crucified bear a “greater sin”, it cannot be avoided that Pilate still bears sin for his allegedly “neutral” role of washing his hands and claiming, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person.”

This is a good application of the principle in Scripture of two kinds of sin: sins of omission, and sins of commission. A sin of commission is one we actively commit, such as the committing of the act of adultery, or lying. However a sin of omission is a sin because we failed to do something we should have done. This is the case with Pilate – he failed to use his power to protect Christ, and the Scripture lays this sin to his charge.

As James 4:17 says, “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

APPLICATION:

So then, how does this apply to us today?

We might easily apply it to our rulers today, who give in to the wishes of the majority and political pressure, even when doing so is unjust.

As we see in Mark 15:15, Pilate gave in to pressure: “And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabas (a murderer) unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.”

Pilate’s move to deliver Jesus to be crucified was done out of a willingness to appease the people, rather than out of a willingness to do justice. How often do we see this same sin repeated by our political leaders in America today?

But is this the only application? Are the only political decision-makers we have, those sitting in the Capitol? Who makes laws in our land?

Well, if you consider Proposition 8, which defined marriage as a man and a woman – we find that no one in the State Capitol voted on this. Instead, Proposition 8 was decided and made law directly by every citizen.

You see, in America, we have a government that is of the people, by the people and for the people. Our constitution gives each citizen the power to make decisions by voting, making each citizen play an active part in the law-making process. Unlike in many other countries, American citizens have been given more power – and because of this power, more is required of us – just as more was required of Pilate, because of the power given to him. As Jesus said in Luke 12:48: “To whom much is given, much shall be required.”

In other words, all citizens are rulers, because all citizens in America have been given the power to make decisions with their vote. And just as Pilate was given the power to make decisions in his position – both citizens in America and Pilate are both held accountable for how they use the power that has been given to them.

The most clear example of how citizens exercise their role as rulers is seen when we look at Proposition 8, or Proposition 4, two years ago.

With Proposition 4, voters tried to create a law to help stop the “legalized” killing of children through abortion. In these cases, millions of Californians voted and made decisions about whether these laws should come into effect or not. Each citizen, with the power to vote, was responsible for the law passing or failing.

And just like with Pilate, in these cases, citizens took one of three options:

1. Voted yes, to pass the law.
2. Voted no, to reject the law.
3. Neutral: didn’t vote.

But are only those who directly voted “yes” or “no”, responsible for the outcome? Looking back at Pilate, we find that he was responsible for his “neutral” role in letting others decide the fate of Christ.

So what about the millions of Christians who failed to use their power to vote to help stop the killing of children through abortion? Proposition 4 failed by just 2% in 2008. If it would have received just 2% more votes, it would have passed, saving the lives of countless innocent babies.

If just 2% of the millions of Christians who didn’t vote in California took a few minutes of their time to vote for Proposition 4, countless lives of innocent babies would have been saved, today, and tomorrow and the next day, for however long the law would stay in effect.

But where were these Christians?

Does the sin of Pilate apply here? Are Christians who refuse to use the power they have been given to vote guilty of doing as Pilate did by letting other people decide and “see to it”? By letting other voters “see to it”? Are they attempting to stay “neutral” by thinking they can wash their hands of any guilt?

You decide.

Written by Luke O.