299. The Sign Over the Cross

Matthew 27:37, Mark 15:26, Luke 23:38, John 19:19-22,

Key Verse: Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."

John 19:19

Here Pilate gets the last laugh. Was the sign written in mockery? Perhaps. We do know that Pilate was moved by his interactions with Jesus throughout the night. We also know that Pilate was angry at the Jewish leadership for forcing his hand. Pilate knew what Jesus had said about Himself and he knew that the leadership was being spiteful. We know that Pilate showed himself to be weak throughout the proceedings. Like many weak people do, this sign may have been Pilate's way of being passively aggressive toward the Jewish people.

The sign itself was not unique. All three crosses would have had a sign over them announcing the crime being punished. This would have been done to serve as a warning to anyone else who was contemplating doing the same crime, or something similar. It was meant to make the passer-bye think twice before robbing, murdering, leading an insurrection and so forth. It was the Romans way of announcing, "Don't let this happen to you!"

John tells us that the sign was written in Aramaic, Greek and Latin. This tells us two things. Jesus was crucified in a multi-cultural area and He was crucified in plain sight of some main thoroughfare because it must have been expected that many people would see it.

Those in leadership are beside themselves concerning what the sign actually says. "Do not write, “The King of The Jews," but that this man claimed to be King of the Jews." (John 19:21) There it was, in black and white, so to speak, and the leadership didn't like it. It's not clear if they felt foolish at such an accusation or if, maybe, in the back of their minds, they thought that Pilate may have been giving credence to Jesus’ claim. At any rate, they didn't like it, for if he really was their king they were guilty of treason!

Yet, Pilate finally puts his foot down. "What I have written, I have written." (John 19:22) Case closed. The leadership dared not push him any further on this point. After all, they had achieved their goal.

In truth, Pilate, the seeker of truth, had written the truth, though he probably didn't know it. Some would never acknowledge it, to their peril, "but whoever believes in Him is not condemned, whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's One and only Son." (John 3:18) The truth was in front of them, but like so many, they would not believe.

Hymn: “There is a Green Hill Far Away”