Sermons In Time

Jesus and Pilate:

Two Bowls of Water

March 19, 1989 Matthew 27:11-16

Today, I want you to think about two bowls of water. The first represents Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea when Jesus was on trial. The second represents Jesus of Nazareth.

This is the story of an encounter. Jesus was brought before Pilate on the night of his trial. When these two men met, both were about the same age. One was totally in power: Pilate. The other, Jesus, was totally powerless. He had given himself wholly to the event surrounding him.

1. In the craziness of the night, Pilate begins to question Jesus. "Are you the king of the Jews?" Do you hear what they are saying? That's the claim they are saying you are making about yourself. In the midst of this questioning, and in the clamor that followed, Jesus remained completely silent. There was no response to the accusations that were being thrown at him.

Getting no satisfaction from the man before him, Pilate turned to the crowd and sought to satisfy their bloodthirstiness with the ploy of releasing to the crowd one who was in prison. "Who will you that I release unto you, Jesus or Barrabus? And the crowd shouted back, "Barrabus."What then, shall I do with Jesus?" Crucify him! "Crucify him!" "Why", Pilate asks, what harm has he done?" Yet, they cried the louder, "Crucify, Crucify!"

In frustration, Pilate does an interesting thing, He says, "I find no fault in this just man. Bring me a bowl of water. I wash my hands of this innocent man!

Such an act was not characteristic of a Roman prelate. In that society, life was cheap and death was easy, often relished. A man of such power would enjoy passing sentence on such a one who had no standing in the circles of the powerful. This, especially among the poor and the criminal element of society. It is not the evil of Pilate that stands out in this story. He does not act on the relishing possibilities of the moment. He does not act as an evil or cruel man. There is, instead, an inconclusiveness and acquiescence in his demeanor. There is unwillingness, (or is it the inability because of his weakness?) to take a stand and washes his hands of the whole affair.

Is it possible that he is afraid of Herod? Is he afraid of a general uprising in this miserable outpost country? Whatever, he chooses to ride the fence, to make no waves. Pilate is probably more easily identified with than we would like to admit. If he were more ruthless, we would be abhorred by the very thought of such a man - a Caligua as Caesar would be seen clearly as the "enemy of God". But not wanting to get involved - being preoccupied with one's own interest, trying to save our own neck - even as the family of the man born blind seemed to do - is too close to home.

Those who speak too sharply or those who take large risks in the world often offend us. Especially those who speak out boldly for unpopular causes - who work for peace and justice, who support bold action to affirm the Kingdom of God. It almost seems easier to accept a Pilate than to risk rocking the boat. So Pilate represents getting along, not making a stir, doing the popular or the expedient thing, going along with the crowd, not really evil - just innocuously dangerous. One of the questions that I have pondered about this passage is this: is it possible that we are living with what might be called a ""Pilate Syndrome" in our fast moving twentieth century world? I don't know. And it may just be that as I personally get older, just to remember the story and think of the ways I have not been as interested in getting involved in the conference with missions or youth work like I used to, the "three fingers pointing back" may well be pointing at me.

But it's not just to take a jaundiced view of the world. It is true that the willingness to work - to take on oneself problems and issues that the community or the church has to face - is a very real issue for those looking for leadership. It may well be that we have extended the leadership pool of this generation to its limits. Certainly, I know, as you do, persons who feel terribly overextended. And perhaps it is an issue of every generation: who will pick up the gauntlet and carry out the courageous responsibilities? Is it possible that, like Pilate, the sense of inadequacy or the fear of the crowd - whatever that might be - keeps qualified persons from investing themselves in the tasks to which we are all called as Christians today. It is the kind of question serious followers of Christ need to ask. And as we seek to answer it for ourselves, we return to the rest of the story.

2. Then, we see Jesus also with a bowl of water. Not at the crucifixion, but at another kind of trial. At the moment of taking the bowl of water, his disciples were arguing among themselves as to who was the greatest. They each one wanted to have the power in the Kingdom of Heaven. Each one wanted a claim on leadership. Jesus did not wash his hands of the situation; Not in the face of this issue or any other. Instead, he girded himself with a towel and became a servant. He took the bowl of water and washed the feet of the disciples. The act of greatness is the act of service. "He who would be great among you, let him become servant of all." We sometimes mistake servanthood as a withering acquiescence, doing the bidding of someone else. When Jesus became servant, even suffering servant, he took a very active position on behalf of others. It was as servant he stood before Pilate. This servanthood - being faithful to the will of God - placed him before the Sanhedren, before the council, and before Pilate, and ultimately led to the cross.

They would rather have Barabbas than Jesus because such servanthood demanded too much. "You who would be my disciples must leave all and follow me." Here again, the words are piercing and even a bit strange. What does it mean to "leave all and follow me" or what does it mean to become a "servant" in our time? Are we to become a hairsplitter follower and forsake vocation and family and other key responsible aspects of our life to be a faithful disciple of Jesus?

I don't think so. The question of what a person is about (or doing) is not as much the emphasis of Jesus as the question of why that person is where they are and doing what they are doing. I really believe that today we are being called to servanthood that is deliberately chosen, not just for our own ends, but to make a real difference in the way the world around us functions.

To follow Jesus, as he took the bowl of water and washed the disciples feet, is to set aside those goals which are only self serving; find ways to invest our time and resources in those events, activities, and vocational pursuits which will build community; enrich the general welfare of society; and treat the world with a genuine reverence for life.

So we have two bowls of water. These two counterpoise Pilate and Jesus at precisely the point of what these two bowls of water represent: Beyond existence to Purpose Beyond leadership to Servanthood Beyond structure to Discipline Beyond training to Nurturing Beyond membership to Commitment Beyond study to Faith Beyond program to Conversion It is the difference between having and holding and being and doing. We see Pilate, doing everything he can to hedge his position, keep it safe, don't rock the boat. He sought to save his life by washing his hands and miserably lost it. We see Jesus doing all that is necessary to do God's will - giving his life, risking all to face up to God's expectations. He gave his life to a servanthood that could wash the feet of the whole world, and he found a life rich and abundant, and offers that same rich and abundant life to you and to me.

A bit of an epilogue: Pilate sent Jesus to be crucified and to die, yet, in a mystery only God understands, Jesus Christ lives today, and in Him the very meaning of life itself is found. On the other hand, Pilate saves his own skin by turning his head away, and washing his hands of the responsibility of decision, and the local crowd was appeased. He continued to live, but in his living, there is nothing that calls us to follow him or to be like him. A pathetic being, his only hope is in the one whom he sent to die. And Jesus said, on behalf of even Pilate, "Father, forgive him, he does not know what he is doing."

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