Believe and Speak--For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried.

 

Matthew 27:1-2, 11-26

Mark 15:6-15

Deuteronomy 21:23

Mark 15:21-47

John 19:38-42

2 Corinthians 4:2,13

We've gone from Christmas this morning to Easter this afternoon.  Matthew 27 tells us of Pontius Pilate, the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judea.  This would not have been a famous position, as Judea was small and of little report.  Pilate essentially would have had to travel to Judea as part of his governing duties, to oversee Holy Days such as Passover.  His job, and the job of his men, would be to maintain order.  This is why he found himself presiding over the matter of Jesus, a citizen of the province.  While Pontius Pilate was hearing Jesus' case, his wife sent word that she'd had a nightmare about this righteous man before him, and that He should be released.  Pilate seemed to consider his wife's message, and argued with the crowd to release Jesus instead of Barabbas,  When the crowd would not relent, Pilate washed his hands of the case.  He claimed himself innocent, yet still sent Jesus to be crucified.  Mark 15 tells the whole story of the suffering and death Jesus suffered.  Crucifixion was a horrible death saved for non-Roman citizens, and the worst criminals.  But the Jewish leaders in the crowd would have known that death on a tree had a deeper curse, found in the law in Deuteronomy 21:23.  Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (the same Pharisee we read about yesterday) ask for the body of Jesus to give Him a proper burial.  

This story is so familiar to us, we could probably recite the gist of it by heart.  But I had to figure out why Pontius Pilate would be listed in the creed.  Remember, the creed was written around 300 years after the death of Jesus.  What would it matter who sent Jesus to His death?  What about the crowd?  Or Caesar? Or the high priests? Or the Roman Soldiers?  Why don't we say He suffered under them?  It's because Pontius Pilate is a noted official.  He doesn't just show up in the New Testament, he shows up in history books. We know who his wife is, the one who had the nightmare and asked her husband to set this righteous man free.  They know because, although she's not named in the Bible, she's named by history--Claudia Procula.  There are coins still around today with Pontius Pilate's standard embossed on them.  In this creed, we have had all of the statements backed up by scripture.  The Council of Nicaea was so wise to include a historical tie, too.  So as we state to Whom we pledge our allegiance, our audience can't in good faith call it "fairy tales".  It's in the Bible and it's backed up by history.  And since we have this open statement of the truth (2 Corinthians 4:2), and the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, we believe and so we also speak.