Part 1
Review Matthew 27:2, 11-25 and the institute student manual commentary for Matthew 27:24, “Why Did Pilate Give in to the Demands of the Jews to Execute Jesus?” (pg. 182-83); commentary for John 19:4-12, “Pilate Sought to Release Him” (183-84). Write a short paragraph on what you learn about Pilate from what he tried to do.
All leaders need to lead in fear of their people, in fear of anarchy and being overthrown. Pilate had already gone too far, outraging the people by killing them and desecrating their land. He knew that if he released Christ, a Man he knew to be innocent, that it would be the last straw and he would probably be kicked out of his office or murdered. Simply, he ordered Christ to be crucified because he didn’t want to lose his position of power over the people.
Part 2
How are the events recorded in John 18:28 - 19:18 a fulfillment of the prophecy found in Isaiah 53?
Isaiah 53 is an exact description, a prophecy, of what Christ would go through before He even made it to the cross. It describes His suffering in Gethsemane, how he would do while being questioned by the leaders of the land, and even why He was suffering and being sentenced to death. All of it came true, as told in the new Testament.
Part 3
Review Matthew 27:15-16 and Mark 15:6-7 and answer the following questions:
What kind of man was Barabbas?
Barabbas was a notable prisoner, in that he had led an uprising against the current government, and in doing so committed murder.
Find the meaning of the name Barabbas in the Bible Dictionary (p. 619). What is ironic about the Jews’ choice of a prisoner by that name?
Barabbas means, “son of the father,” which is ironic because they were also choosing to crucify the Son of the Father.
Part 4
Review Luke 23:7-12. Write your answers to the following questions:
How did Pilate try to avoid the responsibility of judging Jesus?
Pilate tried to avoid judging Jesus by handing Him over to Herod, because Christ was under Herod’s jurisdiction. So, Pilate tried to write Christ off as “not his problem.”
What did Herod hope to see from the Lord?
Herod hoped to see a miracle.
How did the Lord respond to Herod?
Jesus said nothing.
Under what circumstances today would this example of the Savior be a good one for us to follow? Why?
If we were told to say or do something to prove that we are right, it is probably best that we do nothing. We can talk and show miracles all day if it be the will of the Lord, but if the other person doesn’t want to believe, they won’t believe anything that you show or tell them, so there is no point in doing so.
What was the result of this interchange between Herod and Pilate?
They went from hating each other to being friends.
Part 5
Read the Institute student manual, “An Appreciation of the Sorrow of the Final Hours” (pg. 180 – 81). Write a paragraph on what impresses you the most about how the Savior acted during His last hours of mortality.
What impresses me the most about the Savior in His last hours was that He never complained, and kept going despite how hard it was, physically, emotionally, and mentally. He prayed in Gethsemane in the evening, probably late evening, and bled from every pour. Directly afterward, after being drained in every way imaginable, one of His own disciples betrays Him with a kiss, and He is dragged off to be illegally interrogated by multiple people throughout the night. By the end of it all, another one of His apostles has denied knowing Him three times, so He further looses the support of those closest to Him during the most trying time of His life. Then, to end it all, His own people order Him to be crucified the very next day, so He spends His last several hours being beaten and hung, spit on with angry words, and then – being completely exhausted in every way imaginable – The Father takes away the support of the Holy Ghost, and He is left feeling entirely alone as He hangs on the cross, tired, bleeding, thirsty, and in complete physical and emotional pain and distraught. The only thing He says is, “Why hast thou forsaken me?” Anyone else, anyone who wasn’t the only begotten of God, would have begged for release – for the chance to sleep, for a fair trial, for the pain to stop. It’s the natural man to do so, our very flesh screaming out for care and release, but Christ never did. It just goes to show, to me, that He is the Christ, a perfect man, and the only one who could have done this work that was so vital for the salvation of an innumerable number of souls. The Atonement should make everyone pause with humility, and a sacred appreciation for this sorrowful and yet vital and great time in history.