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    John 18:39-19:16
    ​Lesson 211

    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this lesson:
     
    Barabbas is released.
    ​  
    Jesus is beaten, scourged, and led away to be crucified.
    Jesus is beaten.
    Study Tip: 
      
    Make a list of Bible verses that teach being a Christian.

    Who was -
     
    Barabbas -  
    Barabbas was a well-known thief (Matthew 27:16; John 18:40) and murderer (Acts 3:14; Luke 23:18-19) arrested for taking part in an insurrection against Rome (Mark 15:7).  As a sign of goodwill, the Romans routinely released a prisoner during the Passover holiday (John 18:39).  This year, Pilate gave the people a choice between releasing Barabbas or Jesus.  The corrupt chief priests "persuaded" the people to call for Barabbas' release and the crucifixion of Jesus (Matthew 27:20; Mark 15:11).  Jesus was punished instead of Barabbas', and us.  Ironically, the name Barabbas means "son of the father," a name more fitting for Jesus.

    The Gospel According to St. John

    The King James Bible    ​

    John 18:39-19:16 
    Plea for Barabbas

    39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
     
    40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.


    John 19 1:16
    The Son of God is sentenced to death
     
    1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
     
    2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
     
    3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.
     
    4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
     
    5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
     
    6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
     
    7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
     
    8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;
     
    9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
     
    10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
     
    11 Jesus answered, 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.
     
    12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
     
    13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
     
    14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
     
    15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
     
    16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
    ​Margin notes: 
     
    "Scourged." (19:1) - To be stripped to the waist, tied to a post, and flogged with a whip (flagellant).  Roman flagellants were made of several leather straps that forked out into tips.  The tip of each strap was embedded with a piece of sharp bone or jagged metal designed to dig into the flesh.  Careless spectators who got too close were spattered with blood, and often the victim's bones and internal organs were exposed as the whipping tore away pieces of flesh and muscle.  Roman scourges were so brutal and prolonged; many victims died before they could be crucified.  Neither of the two thieves crucified with Jesus was scourged, and both survived longer on the cross.  Additional note: Isaiah 50:6 and 53:5 prophesied Jesus' scourging seven hundred years before it happened.   
     
    "The soldiers platted a crown of thorns." (19:2) - Means, "The soldiers weaved a crown out of thorns."
     
    "Purple robe." (19:2) - The color purple represented royalty.  The soldiers dressed Jesus in purple to mock His claim of being the King of the Jews.
     
    "They smote him with their hands." (19:3) - "They slapped him with their hands."  This was the second time Jesus was hit since being arrested (John 18:22).
     
    "Went forth again." (19:4) - "Went out (to the crowd) again."
     
    "I find no fault in him." (19:4) - Pilate repeatedly told the crowd that Jesus was innocent of any crime (Luke 23:22). 
     
    "We have a law, and by our law he ought to die." (19:7) - They are referring to the blasphemy law outlined in Leviticus 24:16.
     
    "He made himself the Son of God." (19:7) - This is the actual reason Caiaphas and the high priests wanted Jesus executed.  Not because He threatened Rome (19:12; 19:15), but by saying He was the Son of God, Jesus threatened them.  If Pilate hadn't figured it out earlier, he knew it now.
     
    "Whence art thou?" (19:9) - "Where are you from?"
     
    "But Jesus gave him no answer." (19:9) - As predicted in Isaiah 53:7 seven hundred years earlier.
     
    "He that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." (19:11) - Caiphas and the Sanhedrin made false charges against Jesus, delivered Him to Pilate, and then pressured him into crucifying the Messiah.  Thus, their sin was greater. 
     
    "A place that is called the Pavement." (19:13) - This is part of the Praetorium that is paved with mosaic stones.
     
    "In the Hebrew." (19:13) - The Hebrew language was Aramaic in the first century.
     
    "It was the preparation of the passover." (19:14) - It was Friday, the day of preparation for the Passover (Saturday).  The high priests wanted to be done with Jesus so they could enjoy the holiday.  
     
    "We have no king but Caesar." (19:15) - Jews looked forward to the day when they would be free of Caesar, yet the chief priests preferred him over Jesus.


                                                  New Living Translation 
     

    John 18:39-19:16
    Jesus' Trial before Pilate
     
    39 But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this 'King of the Jews'?"

    40 But they shouted back, "No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!" (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)

     
    John 19:1-16
    Jesus Sentenced to Death

    1 Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip.

    2 The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him.

    3 "Hail! King of the Jews!" they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.

    4 Pilate went outside again and said to the people, "I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty."

    5 Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, "Look, here is the man!"

    6 When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
       "Take him yourselves and crucify him," Pilate said. "I find him not guilty."

    7 The Jewish leaders replied, "By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God."

    8 When Pilate heard this, he was more frightened than ever.

    9 He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave no answer.

    10 "Why don't you talk to me?" Pilate demanded. "Don't you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?"

    11 Then Jesus said, "You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin."

    12 Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, "If you release this man, you are no 'friend of Caesar.' Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar."

    13 When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha).

    ​14 It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, "Look, here is your king!"

    15 "Away with him," they yelled. "Away with him! Crucify him!"
       "What? Crucify your king?" Pilate asked.
       "We have no king but Caesar," the leading priests shouted back.

    16 Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified.
    ​This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
    Today's question:
     
    1. Did Jesus break any Roman laws?



    ​We always appreciate your comments and suggestions.
    Answer: (Do you agree?)
     
    1.     No, Jesus didn't break any Roman laws, and Pontius Pilate said as much three separate times (18:38; 19:4; 19:6).  The only "crime" the Messiah was guilty of was performing miracles and teaching about the kingdom of heaven.  As Governor, Pilate allowed Jesus to be crucified to placate the high priests.  Pilate was more concerned with preventing civil turmoil (Matthew 27:24) than guaranteeing justice.  Pilate could have done the right thing and released Jesus without the crowd's approval, but he lacked the courage.  Instead, he tried to cajole the crowd and went so far as to flog Jesus, hoping the people would take pity and relent (19:5).  Washing his hands of the matter (Matthew 27:24) didn't absolve Pilate of his part in the death of the Messiah.



    Application thought for the day: 
    As you explore each paragraph of this passage, observe the actions of Pilate, Jesus, and the high priests. 
    What do you learn about Jesus' power and His ministry? 
    Do you recognize yourself in Pilate or the high priests?  
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    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible."  All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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