We’ve reached Week 13 of our devotional and all of sudden we’re taken back to Luke’s account of the spread of the Gospel in Acts, to his account of Jesus’ crucifixion. It may surprise you to learn that Luke wrote more of the New Testament in two books (Luke + Acts) than any other writer. Here we read his account of Jesus’ trial by Pilate. Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea and from his personal letters we learn that he was a weak and indecisive leader. In Luke’s account we realise that Pilate did everything he could to avoid executing Jesus, avoiding tricky questions, sending Jesus to Herod, and making the people pick between Jesus and a clear rebel in Barabbas.

The contrast between Pilate and Luke could not be sharper. Pilate weakly questions Jesus to figure out if Jesus identifies as a king, Luke investigates Jesus’ whole life and gets to the truth of his identity. Pilate tries to pass Jesus’ fate onto others, Luke realises the fate of the world is in Jesus’ hands. Pilate cannot commit to a decision about Jesus and tries to sweep him under the rug, Luke commits his whole life to following Jesus and making him known. The difference between an encounter with Jesus and becoming one of his disciples is often as stark as that between Pilate and Luke. We can be curious about Jesus, and perhaps try to do the best by him whilst trying to save our own skin, or we can be a disciple of Jesus, giving up our whole lives for the one who gave it all for us. DB

Questions

1. Why do you think Pilate was trying to avoid killing Jesus?

2. Are there people in your life who are curious about Jesus? How can you encourage them to investigate the truth about Jesus?

3. How can you commit to making Jesus known through your life?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you that you went to the cross for us. Help us not to treat you with mild interest, or avoid the question of our allegiance to you. Help us to submit our lives to your rule and look to you as the resurrection and the life. Amen!