From The Active Word
And they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. Mark 15:1b (NKJV)
All told, Pilate’s interaction with Jesus didn’t last more than a few hours. But the effect of that interaction was (and is) eternal.
History tells us the Roman Emperor chose him to rule over the region of Palestine. He was constantly clashing with the indigenous Jewish population. They complained to Rome about him on several occasions, and even threatened to rebel unless Pilate was reprimanded. Suffice it to say, Pilate’s position was on thin ice long before we see him in Scripture.
Then the day came that would forever define Pilate’s destiny. The Jewish leaders wanted Jesus crucified, but only Pilate had the authority to do it. So they brought Jesus before Pilate and asked him to sign-off on the execution. Pilate recognized an innocent man when he saw one, and Jesus obviously was just that. So Pilate tried to sidestep the request, but they kept pressing him to crucify Jesus.
The Jewish leaders eventually played their “ace in the hole.” They told Pilate that if he didn’t execute Jesus he was being disloyal to the Emperor, because Jesus claimed to be a rival king to Rome. In other words they were saying, “Crucify Jesus or we’ll go to Rome—and you can kiss your powerful position goodbye.”
Pilate wavered, but his sense of self-preservation won out. He chose to protect his position by appeasing the Jews. He ordered the Son of God to be executed. Ironically, he was stripped of his power just a few years later, and according to tradition, he spiraled into a state of depression and took his own life.
Much like the rich young ruler, Pilate’s eternal downfall was his reluctance to let go of the things of this world. He clung to his powerful position and lost everything. If only he was more eternally minded.
The lesson is obvious. Don’t cling to your position or prestige in this life at the expense of the life to come. Be eternally minded, and always keep eternity in mind.
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