Pilate was unimpressed. Jesus was no warrior. He was no King. He wasn’t even a two-bit terrorist. He was a simple man in simple clothes being shouted at by a mob of moralistic, legalistic religionists. How very twenty-first century!

Pilate knew a threat when he saw one. Jesus was no threat. 

Pilate knew warriors. Jesus was no warrior.

Pilate knew self-centered, crowd-gathering revolutionaries. Jesus was no revolutionary. 

Pilate knew what the problem was. Jesus wasn’t the problem.

Pilate would agree with a later ruler who classified men like Jesus as kings or fools. To Pilate, Jesus was more of a fool than a king. His kingdom was out of this world. He had an imaginary army of angels. He was facing death not with resignation but with expectation. 

Jesus didn’t deserve to die, but he might as well. The only people he had won over to his way had run away from the events of this day. 

Sometimes, to keep the peace, you have to kill a sacrificial lamb. 

Sometimes, you’ve got to let the true revolutionary go to find out if he really is a threat. 

Sometimes you’ve got to wash your hands and prepare to play the game again another day. 

Sometimes you lose no matter what you do. 

Jesus is for losers. (See Matthew 10:38, 39.)

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I will take up my cross and follow Jesus.

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Our Father, there is so much more than meets the eye. There is so much we cannot perceive. Sharpen our perception of Jesus. Clarify your purpose for our lives. Empower us to follow your steps and to express your truth and grace. Teach us how to let go of what doesn’t matter in exchange for what matters ultimately. Don’t let us miss the revolutionary nature of your grace and salvation. Amen.