The Non-Decision Series

Message

John 19:1-16a

The Non-Decision.

Have you ever been in one of those situations where you don’t really make a decision – but by not making a decision you actually make a decision?

It might happen to a person who gets asked to join in on a Fun Run. You have to run 10km. You are not sure if you will, or won’t, but in the meantime you don’t do any training. Soon the event comes and you haven’t trained, so you do not have the fitness to make the 10km run.

Your non-decision is still a decision.

In our text we are going to find another example – this time it is Pilate.

He knows what the right decision is to make. But he doesn’t follow-through on that decision … it was a non-decision which was still a decision.

Read John 19:1-16a

In the previous section we saw that Pilate was faced with a whole heap of competing voices.

The voice of the Jewish authorities who are saying, “He is a criminal”.

The voice of Jesus which is saying, “I am King”.

The internal voice which causes him to ask, “What is truth?”

The voice of the crowd calling for Barabbas.

Pilate has been placed in a situation that he doesn’t want to be in.

Because, in the middle of all the mess, Pilate knows exactly what needs to be done.

Pilate knows the right decision is to set Jesus free.

You see it really clearly when you put all the decisions of Pilate from the different Gospels together

17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, ‘Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

Matthew 27:17-18

Pilate knows the politics and he knows how the Jewish leaders operate.

He has called it in two words … “self interest” … not justice.

3 So Pilate asked Jesus, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’

‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied.

4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, ‘I find no basis for a charge against this man.’

Luke 23:3-4

Everyone hears the verdict. There is no reason why this man should have been arrested and charged. Jesus should have been released at that point.

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, ‘You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.’

Luke 23:13-16

Now we even have the regional ruler, Herod, also proclaiming the innocence of Jesus. Between them Herod and Pilate represent the highest Roman authority in Jerusalem at the time. And their decision is the same. He is innocent.

22 For the third time he spoke to them: ‘Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.’

Luke 23:22

Pilate knows, according to the law of the land, Jesus must be released. He keeps going back to the crowds and asking them to give him some sort of evidence that Jesus is worthy of death. They just keep shouting him down.

24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘It is your responsibility!’

25 All the people answered, ‘His blood is on us and on our children!’

26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Matthew 27:24-26

In the end this is Pilate’s solution.

I’m not going to let Him go.

But I’m not going to take responsibility for what is happening either.

It is a non-decision … which is still a decision.

When you put all of this together it gives a powerful testimony of what is going on here.

Pilate knows and declares that Jesus is innocent.

Jesus should be set free. But Pilate does not want to make that decision.

In Australia we have a name for this … it is called sitting on the fence.

Pilate is sitting on the fence trying to avoid a difficult situation by not making a decision.

Which sounds really terrible … but let me show you something just as terrible.

The leaders and the crowd make a very decisive decision.