Reflecting on Mark 15:6-15
"'Why? What crime has he committed?' asked Pilate." (Mark 15:14)Pilate asks the question WHY, looking for an explanation.
What is the reason for this demand for crucifixion.
Mark gives some reasons behind the crowds demand:
“It was out of self-interest…” (Mark 15:10)
“The chief priests stirred up the crowd…” (Mark 15:11)
“Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas…” (Mark 15:15)
It was not because of a crime that Jesus committed.
It was because of the religious leaders’ self-interest.
It was because the crowd was stirred up.
It was because Pilate wanted to satisfy the crowd.
For each of these, they were demanding a verdict.
They were serving as both judge and jury – demanding justice.
This makes me think of the statue ‘Lady Justice’.
“The ‘Lady Justice’ statue is a personification of justice, most often depicted as a blindfolded woman holding a balanced scale in one hand and a sword in the other. The blindfold symbolizes impartiality, the scales represent weighing evidence, and the sword signifies the power of enforcement.”
Impartiality, careful consideration of evidence, and enforcement.
The only part of this we see in this story is the sword.
This illustrates our common human problem.
We do not personify true or full justice.
We still carry our swords (words and actions) that enforce judgment.
But we are blind to our own self-interest.
We are ignorant to how our stirred up emotions skew our judgments.
We disregard how much of our motivation is towards self-preservation.
Why are we so passionate about justice in some situations, but not in others?
What stirs us up for this issue, but not for that issue?
Typically we want justice against others when we’ve been wronged by them.
But we are less insistent on justice when we’ve wronged others.
We celebrate God’s mercy to us, yet are reluctant to show it to others.
We are NOT good judges, we are not impartial juries.
Our perspectives are skewed by self-interest, emotion and self-preservation.
This would be why Jesus warns us against judging others.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5)
The question is not whether they have things that should be judged.
The question is whether we are the ones to be the judges… and we’re not.
Each person definitely has sins that need to be judged.
But so do we, and according to Jesus, these are our main concern.
Yet even here we are not the best judges of ourselves.
How we see ourselves is as skewed as how we see others.
Notice what Paul says,
“I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:3-5)
The good news of the kingdom is that God judges us with mercy.
That is the one thing that is missing in the ‘Lady Justice’ statue.
Mercy does not deny our crimes, but mercy holds back the sword.
God’s mercy is not selective or partial; it is freely offered to all.
Since no one can survive justice, God overrules it with mercy.
“Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13)
Of whom could it be said, ‘why? what crime have they committed?’
Only Jesus, God among us, truly just AND merciful.
I do not demand justice, because I cannot survive it.
I need mercy, and so do you, and so does everyone else.
“If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3)
“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10)
I thank God for His mercy, but not just to me (self-interest).
I thank God for His mercy for everyone, without partiality.
I thank God for Jesus, the only Judge who has committed no crime.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I admit that I am not a good judge of others, or of myself. I admit that I am blind, motivated by self-interest, and more focused on the failures of others than I am my own. I cannot to be judge and jury, for my own crimes testify against me. I need Your mercy, and so does everyone else.
Thank You for Your mercy, Your forgiveness, Your gracious love. Help me to show the same to others.