彼拉多是罗马帝国犹大省的司法首长。那时候，罗马政府不容许地方法院，例如犹大公会，处决死囚（约翰福音18:31）。所以，如果要处决耶稣，就一定要经彼拉多下令才能执行。
他虽然多次表示，找不到任何罪状来定耶稣的罪，却最终委服于那些要求钉死耶稣的犹太宗教领袖。所以，虽然他在众人面前洗手，表示流耶稣的血并非他的意愿，但他没法蒙骗到当场的人。他这个动作，其实就是向犹太领袖们让步，因为担心会遭到他们的报复，引起暴乱。
于是彼拉多判了耶稣死刑。身为犹大省罗马军队的总司令，他下令百夫长和士兵们把耶稣钉死在十字架上。另外，也是他的命令，派兵丁严谨守住耶稣的坟墓（马太福音 27:65-66）。
今天，仍然有很多基督徒经常诵读使徒信经，其中一句说，我们的主耶稣在 “本丢彼拉多手下受难”。
彼拉多不肯承担责任，显示了他没有真正的悔改。然而，我们会比他好吗？
主啊，求祢赦免我，因为我是个罪人。求祢帮助我为自己的言行承担责任，又帮助我悔改在袮面前。求祢赦免我，并忠心地为祢而活。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
马太福音 27:22-24
22彼拉多说：“这样，那称为基督的耶稣我怎么办他呢？”他们都说：“把他钉十字架！”"Pilate ... took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he said." — Matthew 27:24
Pilate was the chief judicial magistrate in the Roman province of Judea. At that time Rome did not allow local community courts, like the Sanhedrin, to execute anyone (John 18:31). So if Jesus was to be executed, the order had to come from Pilate.
Though he stated several times that he had found no basis for a charge against Jesus, Pilate eventually gave in to the Jewish religious leaders who wanted Jesus crucified. So while he made a show of washing his hands and saying he was innocent of Jesus' blood, Pilate wasn't fooling anyone. He was basically admitting that he let the Jewish leaders have their way, probably because he feared they could retaliate and cause political unrest.
So Pilate sanctioned Jesus' death. As chief of staff of the Roman military in the province, he ordered the centurion and his soldiers to carry out the death sentence he had pronounced. It was also Pilate who ordered that Jesus' tomb be placed under guard and secured with an official seal (Matthew 27:65-66).
Still today, many Christians regularly recite the Apostles' Creed, which mentions that our Lord Jesus "suffered under Pontius Pilate."
Refusing to accept responsibility—that is not repentance.
But are we any better?
Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned. Help me to accept responsibility for what I have done. Help me to repent, ask your forgiveness, and live faithfully for you. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
