Listen To Your Wife

Is there a man alive whose wife has never said, "You should have listened to me?"

The pages of history are red with the blood of men who should have listened to their

wives. Calpurnia pleaded with Caesar on that fatal Ides of March not to leave the house.

She had a restless night, and three times she cried out in her dream for help. It was a

sign to her, and she urged her stubborn husband to heed her warning. But Caesar was

not about to join that pathetic minority who give credence to the silly feelings of their

wives. He would rather die than admit a woman's intuition had any validity, and so he

went out for the last time and died.

In our text we are looking at another Roman leader who was equally heedless of his

wife's warning. Claudia Procula was her name, and she was the wife of Pilate. She was

the only person who came to the defense of Jesus while he was on trial. Jesus would not

defend Himself, but Claudia had a dream about Jesus, and she sent word to her husband

not to have anything to do with this innocent man.

In typical macho fashion Pilate ignored the message and made the biggest blunder of

his life. He sent Jesus to the cross. Because he did not listen to his wife he has been

despised all through history on a level next to Judas. Jesus would have died anyway, for

it was His plan to do so, and the Jewish leaders would have defied Pilate. Nevertheless,

by listening to his wife he could have become a noble hero. There could have been St.

Pilate churches all through history, and Pilate could have become a popular Christian

name. But Pilate blew it because he would not listen to his wife.

Her lone voice said to Pilate, He is innocent, and it is wrong to condemn an innocent

man. Don't do it. But the loud voice of the mob mobilized by the enemies of Jesus cried

out for His blood. Who do you listen to-a mere wife or mean crowd? The majority of

men in Pilate's sandals would probably make the same choice. What does a woman know

about the ways of the world and political maneuvering? Am I supposed to make major

judgments based on her dreams? Nonsense! I have to deal with political realities, and

this clamoring crowd is no dream. These people are out for blood, and if I don't give it

to them it may be mine they will be after. I know the man is innocent, and nothing He has

done is worthy of death. Yet what is to be gained by sparing one innocent man and

making a mass of people mad at you. Better one innocent man dies unjustly than risk

many being hurt or killed in a riot.

Pilate did resist the injustice before him. He tried to get Jesus released, but they

choose Barabbas instead. He did wash his hands of the whole ordeal and say I am

innocent of this man's blood. But in the final analysis he refused to listen to his wife, and

handed Jesus over to be crucified. He is now infamous for being the man who sent the

Savior of the world to the cross.

From the beginning of the second century Christians have recited the Apostle Creed

which begins, "I believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth and in

Jesus Christ His Son who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate." Caesar only died because he did not listen to his wife.

Pilate lives forever in infamy because he did not listen to his wife. It is high risk to ignore

your wife. If this verse tells us nothing else, it tells us that a wife may have insight that a

husband lacks, and, therefore, it is wise to listen to her.

This dream Claudia had spoke to her, and she made it clear to Pilate, but he did not

listen. It speaks to us also and we are wise if we give heed. This dream did not come to

Pilate himself, but came through his wife. God could have just as easily had Pilate dream

the dream, but He did not do so. He gave the dream to Claudia, and she, because she was

a loving and concerned wife, sent the message of it to her husband. God makes it clear

that we do not get all truth and guidance directly. Often we get it through others who

love us and want God's best for us. It is a terrible pride that keeps men from listening to

their wives or others who care about them. If God wants to tell us something a man