Station five: Jesus is judged by Pilate

Bible reading

So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.
“You have said so,” Jesus replied. The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.” But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. “Crucify him!” they shouted. “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

Mark 15:1-5, 12-14 (NIV)

---

Pause

Early in the morning Jesus is taken to see Pilate. The route from the garden of gethsemane to the High Priest’s house and then to Pilate’s government building was up a very steep flight of stairs. Jesus climbed them whilst tied and bound. The religious teachers had decided they had enough evidence under their own law to find him guilty and now he was facing the man who could release him or convict him. Jesus knew that his life was in danger, and yet he is calm and quietly answers Pilate’s questions. If you read the whole passage in the Bible, Pilate offers the crowds a chance to have Jesus released, but the same people who had been cheering him earlier in the week, shouted “crucify!”. Christians believe that when people blame you for something you haven’t done, Jesus is with you and strengthens you.

---

Ponder

• Do you think that Jesus knew he was going to die and that it was part of God’s plan?