Good Friday 7.15am

Friday
7:15am  

Pontius Pilate appears

Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus said, ‘You say so.’ But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders he did not answer.  Then  Pilate said to him, ‘Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?’ But He gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.  (Matthew 27: 11-14)

There is something so dignified about Jesus, standing there before Pilate.  He has been brought from that dungeon under the house of Caiaphas and taken to the other side of the Temple Mount where the Antonia Fortress stood.  There he was dragged before Pilate for whom this was his HQ.  But he refuses to play their game, refuses to give them what they want – ‘You say so.’ Just three words, three defiant words. This is the first time we meet Pontius Pilate. We will meet him quite a bit before this day ends.