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Matthew 27:15-31 Going Against The Flow

by fol CHURCH on June 18, 2018

(This passage is also referenced in Mark 15:6-20, Luke 23:18-25, John 18:38-19:6)

I was shocked recently to witness the media twist the facts about a particular story so successfully, that a lie appeared to be the truth and the truth appeared to be a lie. (I knew something of the background). Later, a friend shared with me about his experience of radio interviews where the newscaster would cut quotes from the recording in such a way that it appeared that the interviewee was saying something completely different. When the newscaster was questioned about this method, he shrugged and said, “that’s how we make news!”

The trial of Jesus before Pilate reminds me of these twisted news stories. Mark’s version of the story says: “the chief priests stirred up the crowd.” A few loud voices, strategically shouting a slogan, turned the minds of the crowd. Like sheep, they followed the party line and condemned an innocent man.

The only recorded protest was from a woman, the wife of Pilate, who at the moment Pilate sat on the seat of judgement ready to proclaim his verdict, sent him an urgent message.

Only Matthew records this incident and we don’t know much about this woman. She was probably a high-born Roman, well-educated and wealthy. She enjoyed a prestigious position as the wife of a Roman governor. Tradition has given her the name Claudia Procula and the Greek Orthodox church reveres her as a Saint. Some traditions, say she was a convert to Judaism and later, became a follower of Jesus. We will never know for sure, but we do know that she took her dream seriously. Roman culture considered dreams a means of divine guidance and whether she knew the true God or not, she received a revelation that Jesus was an innocent man and that her husband should not condemn him.

Jesus still needed to die for the sins of all mankind, but perhaps Pilate was given an opportunity to not be the one who sent him to his death. He could have heeded his wife’s eleventh hour plea and his name would never have been linked to man’s darkest hour.

Sometimes God chooses to speak to us through surprising channels. Perhaps, through someone we know who is not a Christian. We may have been struggling to find the answer to a particular situation then the most unexpected person says something, without knowing our story, that speaks truth and wisdom right into the centre of the issue and we know it is from the Lord! 

 

Ask the Lord to open your ears to hear his voice more clearly - to give you wisdom to know His will and not be influenced by the opinions of the crowd.

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