Matthew 27:1-31

27 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death.  They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

3 When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.  He said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”  Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself.  But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money.”  After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter’s field as a place to bury foreigners.  For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.  Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.”  But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer.  Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?”  But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

15 Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted.  At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas.  So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”  For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over.  While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.”  Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.  The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”  Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”  All of them said, “Let him be crucified!”  Then he asked, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

24 So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”  Then the people as a whole answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”  So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him.  They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,  and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”  They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.  After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

It is Friday morning.  There are only hours left.  Jesus comes before Pilate, the governor.  The religious leaders have now taken it to the next level and it is no longer just a religious movement being challenged.  Pilate listens to the charges and when Jesus is questioned, he gives no answers.  He only affirms what Pilate asks, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

For me, this passage is about the clashing of kingdoms.  Judas, realizing he has made a great mistake, says he is sorry, returns the money, acknowledges Jesus’ innocence and  his guilt.  It seems Judas is on his way to repentance.  And yet, he does not fully get there.  Alone, he hangs himself.  The contrast between casting your lot with the wrong kingdom and the kingdom of God is stark.  He didn’t return to the disciples, where forgiveness abounds and repent.

Jesus before Pilate brings kingdom clashing as well.  At first glance we might think the clash is between Rome and the kingdom of God.  But I think it goes beyond that.  I think it is more about royal power demonstrated with violence in contrast to the authority and power of God that comes through humility and meekness.  Even the crowd, much to Pilate’s surprise opts for violence when given the choice of which prisoner to release.

My how this speaks to me in the midst of bombings, poisonings, shootings, racism, prejudice, hatred, and more.  Watching the events in our country and world these days, I find myself wrestling with what is the right response?  When are strong actions warranted and when is another response, the Godly response, correct?  Is violence ever a Godly response? It is a multi-layered and complicated issue to say the least.  It seems easier to sort that out on a personal level.  When we have one person in which to deal with, perhaps it is easier to live into humility and meekness.  Most days, I think we live in that tension and the clashing of the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of God.

The challenge is to hold those in tension with each other and to seek God’s leading in every circumstance.   Let me say this is hard: living into my faith grounded in the love of God and the love of Jesus the Messiah and our Savior.  I can get caught up way too easily in the things of this world and before I know it, I am not reflecting God’s love to those around me.  I wonder if you live in this tension as well?

The darkness is coming.  It is almost here.  If we didn’t know the whole story; if we were standing in the crowds, which kingdom would we choose?  I pray, I would choose the kingdom of heaven.  I pray each and every day to choose the kingdom of heaven.