WEEK 3, DAY 1: Under Pontius Pilate He was Crucified
A careful reading of the Apostles’ Creed will show that the only names mentioned include God (God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit) and two others, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Pontius Pilate.
Pilate was a political governor whose job was to oversee the the area in and around Jerusalem. As such, nobody could be sentenced to death without the governor’s approval. The Jewish leaders could find lawbreakers to be guilty, but they could only offer punishment to a certain extent. Serious punishment had to be agreed-upon by the proper authorities.
For his part, Pontius Pilate was not Jewish, nor did he know much about Jesus. In fact, there were three separate occasions in which Pilate declared he could find no fault in Jesus, and certainly nothing that would make Him punishable by death.
But the Jewish leaders refused to back down and continued to press their case. Not only that, they declared allegiance to the Roman Empire and warned Pilate they would inform the emperor that he refused to eliminate a rebel against the empire. Pilate knew what was right, but made a decision based on fear.
READING & JOURNALING:
Read through today’s reading carefully. What sticks out to you most from today’s reading?
Write about a time when you (1) Made a decision based on fear, like Pilate, (2) Mocked somebody or something you didn’t fully understand, like Herod, and (3) Experienced suffering at the hands of others, like Jesus?
PRAYER:
Today, write out your own prayer to God based on the your response to the above question.
F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)
The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.
Read: Psalm 119:127-176, Psalm 137
Journal: Write it out. Following the pattern from 7 Arrows Page (click here) what did you learn from today’s reading?
Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.
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