“他们的声音就得了胜，彼拉多这才照他们所求的定案。” - 路 23:23-24

　　对罗马巡抚彼拉多来说，当前的案件，并不是因为他没有足够的资料、以致他不能完全理解这件事，也不是因为他不明白他统治的犹大省居民的做事方式，以致他或许会用不同的手法处理这件事。事实上，这个案件是一点也不含糊的。

　　彼拉多曾多次给犹太大祭司机会，希望他们尽量多提交证据。彼拉多明白，根据罗马的法律，手头的证据是不足以定罪的。由于祭司的证据无力，彼拉多亲自盘问耶稣，希望能从耶稣的回答中找到漏洞，以致能定祂的罪。可是经过缜密的审查，每次彼拉多都得到同样的结论：耶稣是清白无罪的。彼拉多认为没有任何证据可以起诉耶稣，也没有任何理由定祂的罪；因此，按照当时法律的规定，是必须要释放耶稣的。

　　然而，彼拉多最终还是判决耶稣要受钉十架的死刑。他为什么这样做呢？因为他清楚祭司们暗里的权力，他们的权力足以影响彼拉多能否继续保住他的巡抚职位。他们可以和他合作，帮助他继续统管犹太省，但也可以和他势不两立。另一方面，耶稣是没权没势可以威胁到彼拉多的，耶稣是可以随便被挪去和被消灭的，事实也的确如此。这正是神的旨意，为的是拯救我们。

祷告

耶稣啊，我们为祢曾经面对的极大冤屈，深感哀痛。求祢再一次向那些不被重视和无权无势的信徒显现，让他们明白祢会怜悯加力量给他们。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。

 

路加福音 23:13-25

13 彼拉多传齐了祭司长和官府并百姓，
14就对他们说：“你们解这人到我这里，说他是诱惑百姓的。看哪，我也曾将你们告他的事，在你们面前审问他，并没有查出他什么罪来；
15就是希律也是如此，所以把他送回来。可见他没有做什么该死的事。
16故此，我要责打他，把他释放了。”
18众人却一齐喊着说：“除掉这个人！释放巴拉巴给我们！”
19这巴拉巴是因在城里作乱杀人，下在监里的。
20彼拉多愿意释放耶稣，就又劝解他们。
21无奈他们喊着说：“钉他十字架！钉他十字架！”
22彼拉多第三次对他们说：“为什么呢？这人做了什么恶事呢？我并没有查出他什么该死的罪来。所以，我要责打他，把他释放了。”
23他们大声催逼彼拉多，求他把耶稣钉在十字架上。他们的声音就得了胜。
24彼拉多这才照他们所求的定案，
25把他们所求的那作乱杀人、下在监里的释放了，把耶稣交给他们，任凭他们的意思行。

Not Guilty, But Sentenced To Die

"Their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand." — Luke 23:23-24

英语音频 English Audio

For the Roman governor Pilate, it was not that he might have known better if he'd just had more information. It was not that he might have acted differently if he'd had a better understanding of how things worked among the people he ruled in the province of Judea. The case that confronted Pilate was not vague or unclear.

Several times Pilate gave the Jewish high priests the chance to submit all the evidence they could. Repeatedly Pilate recognized that the evidence added up to no case at all under Roman law. Pilate had personally interrogated Jesus. Perhaps he figured that something Jesus might say would prove incriminating, even if the priests' evidence had not. After these thorough reviews, Pilate returned each time with the same judgment. There has been no crime; there is no basis for charges, no reason for a sentence of any kind. The obvious legal outcome of this case was to release the defendant.

But Pilate sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. Why? Because he recognized the power of the priests. They could make or break his governorship; they could cooperate in keeping things running smoothly in Judea, or they could make things difficult. Jesus had no power that mattered to Pilate. Jesus could be discarded, dispensed with. And so he was. This was, in God's design, for our sake.

Prayer

诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳