BEFORE PILATE

THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE HISTORICAL EVENT-
 What accusation bring ye against this man? (Jn 18:29)”  Pilate said in an authoritative voice. They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: (Jn. 18:30,31)
And what was Yahshua’s response? ….And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. (Matt. 27:12)
And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.(Mk. 15:3)
And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest [it]. (Lk. 23:3) They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die. (Jn. 18:30-32)
  The Sanhedrin then became desperate in their attempt to silence the Galilean Prophet. They saw that Pilate was not moving in the direction of a quick confirmation of their death sentence…..They saw that if it were even intimated that Yahshua is condemned for religious reasons, than His  case would be immediately dismissed; Yahshua would be freed to received greater homage and adoration and respect from the people and their priestly power would come to an end.
 
ITS MEANING FOR US TODAY-
1.  According to Matt. 27:12; Mk.15:3 it was the religious leaders who accused Yahshua to the earthily civil authorities. It will be the apostate religious leaders of today who will be foremost in accusing the Natzarim (followers of Messiah) to the civil authorities. It is even possible that they may be given civil power to make arrests. This cannot be discounted, for we have the example in the case before us. (Remember who arrested/ bound Him in Gethsemane).
2. Yahshua was presented to the worldly Roman judge as a ‘malefactor’  [kakopoios](Strong’s #G2555) which means ‘an evil doer’. Be prepared to be accused of the same. (Jn. 15:20)
3.  Notice the reluctance on part of Pilate to have anything to do with the case at hand. “….Take ye him, and judge him according to your law.”  This shows that Pilate saw through their plot to have Yahshua condemned to death for a religious reason. In other words; Pilate was saying, I see that you have arrested this man for religious; and not civil disobedience, whatever you say He’s done, judge Him according to your religious laws. This point is interesting, in that the world loving Pilate saw nothing in the case worthy of death. This is a huge rebuke to the religious leaders. Pilate had demonstrated a greater sense of justice and equity than those whom was their life work to judge righteous judgment. (Deut. 25:1) And In the coming world/ religious crisis many a world loving ruler/ judge will be open to hear the truth for this time. Some will be influenced by the character of Yahshua shining forth from the believer. And some may even except the testimony of truth and be saved.
4. Notice that Yahshua did not answer or defend Himself to His accusers. He spoke directly to Pilate when questioned; but never did He answer the claims of His accusers to them.We are to do as He did. As a matter of fact Yahshua told us plainly in (Matt.10:19,20) what we should do when placed in similar circumstances.
5.  When Pilate asked Yahshua directly if He is the King of the Jews, He responded “Thou sayest [it].” (Matt. 27:11) In this response we learn several important things. One, in answering positively in regards to this question; Yahshua was confessing the Father before him. For Messiah was born ‘King of the Jews’ (Matt.2:2) this is who He is….this is His title by virtue of His being born of the seed of David; and being the Messiah, the chosen One, through whom the prophesies of the Taknakh regarding the coming King were to be fulfilled. The mission of the Messiah; slain from the foundation of the world, was ordained in the ‘Counsel of Peace’  back in the days of eternity. He taught that we are to confess Him before men (Matt.10:32) and the very lesson He taught us; He Himself is now practicing.  We in Yahshua, are of the seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise (Gal.3:29). We have received a mission, and a holy calling (2Tim. 1:9) from the Father; and as children of the Great King we are to confess Him before the world. (Matt.10:32)  Another important point to consider is that Yahshua was basically acknowledging Pilates acknowledgment of the truth. In other words He said your perception of me; framed  as a question, is true. This is an important witnessing point to consider. Yahshua was sharing truth with this worldly judge. He wanted Pilate to accept His testimony and be saved. He wanted to give more understand . However, it is important to allow the person to whom we are witnessing , to be given room to allow the working of the Ruach on their mind so as to speak out their (Ruach prompted perception) of truth. For when they cooperate with the Ruach and  give place to It’s promptings, even in the from of  a question; when it is confirmed to them that it is true, it makes it easier for them to assent or agree with the next level of truth. 
This is further shown in the private conversation that Pilate had with the Savior. And even though Pilate did not accept the Truth, nevertheless we can know of a surety that One wiser than Solomon was applying the very best witnessing methods to win over this Roman governor.   
6.  The Sanhedrin became desperate in their attempts to have their death sentence ratified. We can see in this desperate attempt their every strenuous effort to disbelieve the testimony of Yahshua (as being the Messiah, the fulfiller of all the prophesies of the Tanakh concerning Himself) that they would not come to Him and be healed. In the coming religious/civil persecution of the people of YHWH, the religious leaders will make almost superhuman efforts to convince the world that this ‘fringe group of fanatics’ cannot possibly be the true people of God. If God had any new revelation it would come through us, His designated leaders; they will say.  But, like Yahshua before Pilate, the testimony of YHWH’S people will be so strong,  all will be convinced regarding their identity as the true followers of Yahshua. (Jn.13:35) The witness of the people of YHWH will be so strong that the false religious leaders will do almost anything to keep the light of truth from shining on their congregations.
“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2Thess.2:11,12) The desperate attempts of the priests of Yahshua’s day; was their effort to stay in darkness, to stay in self deception. But in the time before us,  as it was  then, the Light of YHWH’S truth we shine everywhere, and the true hearted in all religious bodies, will be called out, and they will come out and take their stand on the platform of eternal truth.