1. Why wasn’t punishment enough? v. 1

Pilate does three things to distance himself from this decision...

sends him to Herod so maybe he would take responsibility

attempts to release him according to Jewish custom

has him beaten

2. Was he really innocent? v. 4

Responses of people who encountered Jesus...

Judas said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”

Pilate’s wife said, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” 

Pilate said, “I find no guilt in him.” 

"Neither did Herod for he sent him back to us.”

The thief on the cross, “This man has done nothing wrong.”

The Roman centurion said, “Surely this man was innocent!”

Soldiers said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

-Hebrews 4:15-16

3. What do you see? v. 5-7

-Isaiah 53:4-6

4. Where is Jesus from? v. 9

-Psalm 25:7

This means...

God has the capacity to forget your past

God remembers you as someone He loves

Your life is for the purpose of God’s goodness- this means that people are to watch you live and think, “Is God good or what!?!” 

5. Can God be sovereign and people still morally responsible for their behavior? v. 10-12

“If God’s sovereignty capsizes all human responsibility, then it is hard to see why the mission of the Son should be undertaken at all, since in that case there are no sins for the Lamb of God to take away.” -D.A. Carson

“Sometimes we need to plunge our minds into the ocean of God’s sovereignty. We need to feel the weight of it, like deep and heavy water pressing in against every pore, the deeper we go. A billion rivers of providence pour into this ocean. And God himself gathers up all his countless deeds—from eternity to eternity—and pours them into the currents of his infallible revelation. He speaks, and explains, and promises, and makes his awesome, sovereign providence the place we feel most reverent, most secure, most free. Sometimes we need to be reminded by God himself that there are no limits to his rule. We need to hear from him that he is sovereign over the whole world, and everything that happens in it. We need his own reminder that he is never helpless, never frustrated, never at a loss. We need his assurance that he reigns over ISIS, terrorism, Syria, Russia, China, India, Nigeria, France, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and the United States of America—every nation, every people, every language, every tribe, every chief, president, king, premier, prime minister, politician, great or small.” -John Piper

7. If Jesus is really innocent then why does he allow himself to be judged? v. 13-16

Food for thought…

Was Jesus punished enough for you to stop punishing yourself?

Do you feel confident when you draw close to God?

Have you ever pondered what it means for you and your children if everything the Bible says about Jesus is actually true? 

When you look around at our world do you feel as if God is in control, sovereign and working all of this towards a greater good? 

Why doesn’t the experience of being forgiven stop people from being judgmental?