Two Choices

By John Madge

'While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: ‘Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.’ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ asked the governor. ‘Barabbas,’ they answered.”—Matthew 27:19–21 (NIV)

Have you ever been stuck at the proverbial “fork in the road”? It’s the place where you encounter a deviation along the path you are traveling. You begin to question whether you should continue on your path or take the alternative route being offered. This is the place where Pilate finds himself in today’s Scripture and what I’d like to focus on.

A little backdrop might help us to understand how Pilate got to this fork in the road. The Roman Empire was split into provinces where they had different levels of leadership within that province. Not much difference between the way the U.S. Government is split into Federal (Rome) and State (Judaea) level, which has governing bodies and laws at each level. Pilate was a governor of Judaea, a province of Rome in the Middle East. Within Judaea, there was civil unrest, and with the trial of Jesus, Pilate feared a rebellion.

Now that we have a bit of the historical and political context covered, let’s consider Pilate’s thoughts on the trial of Jesus. In Matthew 27:18 (NIV), the Bible says of Pilate, “For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.” Pilate already had a strong sense that Jesus was an innocent man, which is further confirmed by the first verse in today’s Scripture. Pilate’s wife sends news to him that she had a troubling dream concerning Jesus and that He was an “innocent man” and implores her husband to release Him.

Now we can see the fork in the road that Pilate has arrived at: Heed the repeated sense of injustice that he’s encountering and release Jesus trusting that releasing an innocent man is just, or . . . ignore the repeated sense of injustice and sentence an innocent man to death.

We’ve already established Pilate has the authority to release Jesus, and even Jesus acknowledges this fact when He says to Pilate, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19:11 NIV). Despite all the evidence of Jesus’ innocence, Pilate attempts to shirk his responsibility and forfeit his authority to the crowd and Jewish religious leaders.

Before we chide Pilate for his incorrect choice, let’s consider our own lives and the times when we may face forks in the road. Pilate’s position was unique and not many of us will have such a high level of authority. However, we will all face forks in the road where wisdom must prevail if we’re to choose the correct path. To choose wisely, we must rely on the grace and wisdom of God and have faith in Him. Otherwise, we’re just as susceptible to choosing incorrectly, like Pilate.

I know I’ve chosen incorrectly before and may again in the future—and perhaps you have or will as well. But take heart and have faith that even in our failure, God sees us, knows us, and still loves us.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Romans 5:8 (NIV)

“For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.”—Proverbs 24:16 (NKJV)

“My flesh and my heart may fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”—Psalm 73:26 (NKJV)

Pause: What is/are your greatest desire(s)?

Practice: Present your greatest desire(s) before the Lord and seek His wisdom when temptation concerning that/those desire(s) seek(s) to entice you.

Pray: Jesus, I thank You for loving me even in my times of greatest failure. I thank You that Your grace is sufficient for me and that You are my portion forever. Help me to live in obedience to You and Your Word all the days of my life. Amen.