Warfare on Two Fronts

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: John 18:28-40

 

John 18:39-40

“But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

⁴⁰ Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

(NKJV)

 

In the passage of John 18:28-40, we see Jesus as the focal point of warfare on two fronts, spiritual and political. While what is occurring in this passage is chaos and something out of control, with an innocent man tried and even the Roman leader of the region finding nothing wrong, this is part of God’s plan. Jesus came into the world to die as the Lamb of God and then to resurrect from the dead in victory over death with these events the fulfillment of this plan. God’s plans often do not play out according to how we think they should, but they are God’s plans and something we must follow.

 

After His mock trial before the Jews, Jesus is taken to the Praetorium early in the morning to face a Roman trial (John 18:28). The Jews could not go in with Jesus so Pilate went out to the Jews, asking why they have brought Jesus to him (John 18:29). The Jews tell Pilate that if they did not believe Jesus was an evildoer, they would not have brought Jesus to him to which Pilate responds, telling them to try Jesus according to Jewish law (John 18:30-31). The problem for the Jews is that it is unlawful for them to put anyone to death with this fulfilling how Jesus said He would die (John 18:31-32).

 

Pilate returns to the Praetorium and asks Jesus if He is the King of the Jews, to which Jesus responds by asking Pilate if he is saying this of Himself or based on what others have said (John 18:33-34). Pilate responds, asking Jesus if he is a Jew, reminding Him that His own nation and chief priests have delivered Him to him, asking what He has done (John 18:35). Jesus tells Pilate that His kingdom is not or this world, otherwise His servants would fight to rescue Him from the Jews (John 18:36). Pilate then asks Jesus if He is a king to which Jesus responds with that being the reason He was born with a mission of bearing witness of the truth (John 18:37). Pilate asks Jesus what truth is and immediately goes out to the Jews, declaring he finds no fault in Jesus (John 18:38).

 

Hoping to defuse the situation, Pilate reminds the Jews of his custom of releasing someone to them at the Passover, asking them if they want him to release Jesus, the King of the Jews (John 18:39). The Jews ask for Barabas, a robber instead of Jesus (John 18:40). This leaves Pilate with only one solution if he wants to avoid a volatile situation, release Barabas and execute an innocent man.

 

Jesus’ hour has come, and after a mock trial before the council of the high priest, Jesus is delivered to Pilate, setting in motion the fulfillment of prophecies about how Jesus would die. The spiritual front of this war against Jesus is the result of Satan blinding the eyes of the Jewish religious leaders to the fact Jesus is their Messiah (Isaiah 6:10; John 12:40). However, the Jewish leaders have a problem, their law forbids killing Jesus so Pilate returns to Jesus, asking if He was the King of the Jews (John 18:31-33). Jesus tells Pilate he has come to bear witness of the Truth, with Pilate asking Him what truth is. Returning to the Jews, Pilate tells them he finds no wrong in Jesus (John 18:36-38).

 

Now we see the political front of this war over Jesus. Pilate has a custom of releasing someone to the Jews during Passover and believes they will release Jesus since He has done nothing wrong, calming the volatile situation. However, when the Jews ask for Barabas, a robber instead of Jesus, Pilate has no choice if he wants to prevent a riot but to offer an innocent man up to death. All of this is according to God’s plan for Jesus to be the ultimate Passover lamb offered up for the sins of the world.

 

The Church is engaged in spiritual warfare between truth as expressed in the Word of God in print and in the flesh in Jesus Christ (John 1:1). However, the Church is not fully engaged in the battle and is therefore lukewarm and weak. When the political whims of a woke culture are against the Church, many will cower in fear and fail to speak out against atrocities that go against the Word of God. It is easier for the Church to preach a feel-good message of prosperity to avoid speaking out for truth, like the Church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-17). Instead of preaching the Gospel and the need for salvation from sin through the blood of Christ, many churches tickle the ears of the congregation with a self-help message, leaving their first love, Jesus Christ (Revelation 2:4-5; 2 Timothy 4:3-4). The Church must repent of its apostasy and return to the Great Commission of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).

 

If you are a Church leader and have fallen away from sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I invite you to repent and return to what Jesus commissioned the Church to do. If you are part of a Church that has fallen away from preaching the Gospel, leave and find a Church that does. If you are reading this and have never prayed to receive salvation by a profession of faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I invite you to pray with me now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

I pray the Church returns to a Church that turns the world upside down, or right side up, like the Church in the Book of Acts (Acts 17:6).