Matthew 27:19-23: a reflection

19While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him.” 20Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21But the governor answered them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!” 22Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do to Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let him be crucified!” 23But the governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified!”

As Pilate sits in judgment over Jesus, he is given every reason to do what is right. His own wife sends word: Have nothing to do with that righteous man, warned by a dream. Pilate himself can see no fault, asking, Why? What evil has he done? He knows Jesus is innocent. Yet under the pressure of the crowd, who cry out for Jesus to be crucified, Pilate yields, doing what he knows to be wrong rather than standing against the crowd. He knew the right, was even warned of it, and yet failed to do it, giving way to the pressure of the multitude rather than to his own conscience.

Notice Pilate's failure: he knew the right but yielded to the crowd. He had every reason to know Jesus was innocent, from his own judgment and his wife's warning; he even asked what evil Jesus had done, finding none. But when the crowd pressed, crying for crucifixion, Pilate did not stand for what he knew was right; he gave way to the pressure of the multitude. His failure was not ignorance but weakness, knowing the right and yet not doing it under the pressure of the crowd. He let the crowd's clamor override his own conscience, doing what he knew was wrong because it was what the multitude demanded. Knowing the right did not save him from failing to do it under pressure.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can know what is right yet fail to do it under the pressure of the crowd. We can know clearly what is right, be convinced of it in our conscience, and yet, when the crowd, the group, the pressure of others pushes the other way, give in and do what we know is wrong, as Pilate did against his own conscience. Knowing the right is not enough if we lack the courage to do it under pressure. Do not let the pressure of the crowd override your conscience, doing what you know is wrong because it is what others demand; stand for what you know is right, even against the crowd. Have the courage to do what you know is right even under the pressure of the crowd, rather than yielding against your conscience as Pilate did when he knew Jesus was innocent yet gave way to the multitude; for knowing the right is not enough without the courage to do it, and the pressure of the crowd must not be allowed to override what we know to be right.

Lord, as Pilate sits in judgment over Jesus, he is given every reason to do what is right. His own wife sends word: have nothing to do with that righteous man, warned by a dream. Pilate himself can see no fault, asking, why? What evil has he done? He knows Jesus is innocent. Yet under the pressure of the crowd, who cry out for Jesus to be crucified, Pilate yields, doing what he knows to be wrong rather than standing against the crowd. He knew the right, was even warned of it, and yet failed to do it. Show me Pilate's failure: he knew the right but yielded to the crowd. He had every reason to know Jesus was innocent, from his own judgment and his wife's warning; he even asked what evil Jesus had done, finding none. But when the crowd pressed, Pilate did not stand for what he knew was right; he gave way to the pressure of the multitude. His failure was not ignorance but weakness, knowing the right and yet not doing it under pressure. He let the crowd's clamor override his own conscience. Take that to my heart, for I too can know what is right yet fail to do it under the pressure of the crowd. I can know clearly what is right, be convinced of it in my conscience, and yet, when the crowd, the group, the pressure of others pushes the other way, give in and do what I know is wrong, as Pilate did. Knowing the right is not enough if I lack the courage to do it under pressure. Keep me from letting the pressure of the crowd override my conscience, doing what I know is wrong because it is what others demand; give me courage to stand for what I know is right, Lord, even against the crowd, as Pilate failed to do when he knew Jesus was innocent.