April 5
“When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.’ And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children,’” Matthew 27:24-25.
It became clear to the Roman ruler, Pontius Pilate, that he could not accomplish what he had hoped to do – namely, to set Jesus free. The longer it took him to make a decision that would be acceptable to that angry crowd, the clearer it became that there might be a riot because the people were determined to have things go their way! They were not concerned about doing what was right or wrong. They were determined to get what they had set out to do – namely, have Jesus crucified.
Having decided that there was no way for him to avoid doing what the people requested, he took a basin of water and publicly washed his hands in the presence of the multitude, and said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it!” It was an attempt on his part to “pass the buck,” as we say, and to demonstrate that he was innocent and that the multitude was guilty. He was saying to the multitude that they had forced him to do something that was against his better knowledge and belief. He shifted all the blame upon the people: “You see to it!” However, while Pilate tried to quiet his own conscience, it did not remove his guilt!
What was the reaction of the people to Pilate’s final comment? They responded, “His blood be on us and on our children!” They called a curse down upon themselves and upon their children! In their spiritual blindness and hatred for the Son of God and the Savior of sinners, they said, “If Jesus is innocent, and we are demanding that He be put to death by crucifixion as if He were one of the worst criminals, then may the punishment for such a crime be visited on us and on our children!” It was not that many years later when a horrible judgment of God was indeed visited upon Jerusalem and its inhabitants by the armies of Rome, who overran the city and mercilessly murdered men, women, and children. Their beautiful temple, of which they had been so proud, was destroyed – and, as Jesus had predicted, “Not one stone was left upon another!” Matthew 24:2.
Yes, sin calls down the wrath of God. And here again we see the price that Jesus paid to redeem us. The wrath of God was poured down upon the Son of God and the Son of Man, who took all our sins upon Himself and paid the price for our redemption. Yes, Jesus’ blood is upon us, not to condemn us, but to wash our sins away! “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin,” 1 John 1:7.
“Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.
Lord, I believe were sinners more
Than sands upon the ocean shore,
Thou hast for all a ransom paid,
For all a full atonement made.” Amen.