04/16/2014

Written by Matthew Thompson

John 18:28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

I find this to be one of the saddest moments you can find in the scriptures. Here the religious leaders are bringing Jesus to Pilate demanding that He be put to death. They are the vine growers who have rejected the son and are now attempting to take the religious authority that He was granted, and claim it for themselves.

These men were in the very act of rejecting the Son of the Living God, and yet they were so caught up in their own self- righteousness, so blinded by their own spiritual arrogance, that they didn’t want to defile themselves by entering a Roman palace.

The sheer absurdity of it cannot be ignored. Every time I read it I just want to shout through time and tell them “You’ve got it wrong!” Standing right there, in the very presence of the Messiah, the one who came to bring about a New Covenant, they were totally and completely oblivious of Him. They were consumed by their own spiritual pride.

As insane as their actions sound to us, as easy as it is for us to stand back and say I would NEVER do that, we must guard ourselves. It is far too easy for us to look around at the sin in our world and start to feel proud of ourselves for being a Christian. Be very careful. We cannot be salt and light, servants of Christ, and the bearers of the gospel to those dying in sin if the primary motivation and concern of our Christian walk is how we look to other Christians, or how much better we look than those in sin. Let self die, and let all Glory go to Him.