By John Lincoln Brandt
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“Pilate said to them, ‘What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?’” (Matthew 27:22.) This is the question that Governor Pilate asked the high priests about King Jesus. Have you studied the celebrated painting, “Christ Before Pilate,” by Munkacsy? The artist has given a vivid conception of the scene. It occurs in the open court before the palace.
At one end, sitting on a raised bench, dressed in the customary white Roman toga, is the Governor, his smoothly shaven face, closely cut hair, and stout form all characteristic of the Roman commander. He looks out from under his heavy brow, casting furtive glances as if to notice every movement that will enable him to render a decision that will make him most popular.
At his right, with his back against the wall, is a scribe with countenance expressive of contempt. In front are some Pharisees, to urge the death of Jesus, looking as if to say, “I thank God that I am not as this man is.” Caiaphas is there, with his priestly robes, ready to accuse Christ.
Standing around is a brutal mob, ready to cry out, “Away with him, and crucify him!” A stalwart Roman soldier stands with his back to the spectator, barricading the people with a spear which he holds horizontally. Another fellow is gesticulating wildly and crying out, as if he was expressing the sentiment of the multitude, to condemn and crucify Christ.
To the right, standing against a pillar, is the face of a gentle woman, with an infant in her arms, as if to represent the daughters of Jerusalem who followed Jesus to Calvary, or to represent the gentleness of woman in the coming Kingdom of heaven.
But all the figures seem to pale before the eyes for the look at Christ, who stands in the foreground, with a seamless white robe, with wrists firmly bound, with the composure of one who is able at any time to summon to his aid twelve legions of angels, with submissive yet manly courage, with countenance full of serenity, peace and love, as if to say, “Father, forgive them: they know not what they do”; with a majestic silence and kingly serenity that reveals the might and power of the Savior of men, who is able to decide the fate of nations, change the course of history, to lift himself above the scorn and bitterness of his enemies.
Pilate, on the judgment seat, with inward hatred of the priests who have accused Christ, but yet with a desire not to offend them, is greatly perplexed and disturbed over the kind of verdict to render and sentence to pronounce upon the head of the celebrated prisoner. After repeated efforts to release him, he asks the most important question that has ever been asked by man: “What shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?”
It was the preeminent question for both Pilate and the Jews, and it has been the preeminent question during the centuries that have passed away since the famous trial, and it is preeminently the question of the present age. All the great questions of our times—social, political, and theological—lead to this question and find their solution in the answer to the inquiry, “What shall I do with Jesus?” …
There are great questions for every nation and every individual, but the Governor’s question is the greatest question for nations and individuals to decide. It is the question that is commanding more thought, moving more pens, exciting more interest than all the other great questions in the world.
This Christ stands as the preeminent figure in history, in art, in literature, in religion. It is the preeminent question because it involves the pardon of sins, and the preparation for eternal life.
It is an imperative question. Something must be done with Christ. There is no neutral ground. Pilate endeavored to occupy a neutral position. He tried to take no part one way or the other. He tried to assume a position neither against the accused nor the accusers. He tried at the same time to satisfy his conscience and his honor. He tried to satisfy both the priests and the Christ, but did he occupy neutral ground? Jesus was at the bar of Governor Pilate; later on, Pilate stood at the bar of King Jesus. ...
[T]here is no neutral ground. It is imperative that the body be fed or it will die, and it is just as imperative that the soul feed upon Christ, or it will meet with eternal death. The taxes must be paid or the property be sold to pay them. The price of redemption must be paid in the Gospel of Jesus as the Savior, or it will cost the loss of the soul.
Today with Christ; eternity with Christ. Today without Christ; eternity without Christ.
Jesus Christ is here. He knocks at the door and asks to be admitted. He claims to be the Savior of man, and asks us to accept him. He claims to be our king, and asks the right to rule over us, and each one of us must answer the question, “What shall I do with him?”
It is a troublesome question. It gave so much trouble to the High Priests that they assembled in their highest tribunal to discuss it and to receive suggestions as to how to dispose of Jesus. It troubled the Roman Governor. He tried hard to dodge the issue, and to evade answering the question. Said Pilate: “Take him, and judge him according to your law” (John 18:31). But Pilate must give them a hearing and give the accused a hearing, and pass judgment.
Hear him say, “I find in him no fault at all” (John 18:38). The sentence displeased them, and they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place” (Luke 23:5–7). When Pilate learned he was a Galilean, he sent him to Herod, the ruler of Galilee, who was then in Jerusalem. Herod was unable to decide the troublesome question, so he returned him to Pilate. Pilate is the more troubled, and seeks another excuse. “You have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. Whom will you that I release: Barabbas, the robber, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (Matthew 27:15–17).
His heart was the more troubled on receiving a letter from his wife, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him” (Matthew 27:19). And the multitude, being persuaded by the chief priests and leaders, asked for the release of Barabbas. Pilate, more deeply troubled, unwilling to decide the question, submits it to their decision by saying, “What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ?” They at once demanded his crucifixion.
The Governor, seeing he could prevail nothing, washed his hands in the presence of the multitude, declaring he was innocent of the blood of the just man, thinking by such an act he would be neither guilty of shedding the blood of Jesus nor having part in it, as if the outward washing of the hands could clear the inner guilt of cooperating in such a dark deed of injustice and dishonor.
Severe must have been Pilate’s condemnation because he went against his better feelings, willing the death of him whom he knew to be innocent. It is a more troublesome question for us today than it was for Pilate. We have to answer in full view of what Jesus was and did. We have to answer in the light of the centuries that have been beaming down from the divine face. We have to answer in the light of the accumulated history and experience that testify in favor of Christ. This troublesome question may stir up a frenzied mob of passions, impulses and sins that clamor to give him up for some other idol, and yet the question remains, “What shall I do then with Jesus?”
Look for a moment at Jesus, who claims such important consideration. Examine his credentials. The prophets bore him testimony. God gave them power to behold in the distance the coming of Jesus, the Christ, to be the Savior of the world, to bind up the brokenhearted and to proclaim liberty to the captives. Angels bore testimony to Christ. They announced he should be great and should be called the Son of the Highest; that he should be born in the City of David, and be called the Savior, and Christ the Lord.
God bore him testimony when he spoke from the heavens at the baptism of Jesus, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). John the Baptist bore him testimony, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Peter gave his testimony in the great confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Paul gave his testimony when he declared that he was willing to count all things but loss for the sake of winning Christ (Philippians 3:7–8).
He claims to be the Son of God and the Light of the world. He claims to be the one of whom the prophets spoke, that would be wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and upon whom the chastisement of our peace would be laid. He claims to be the one Mediator between God and man, and the Judge of the quick and the dead. Possessing such important credentials and making such important claims adds weight to the question and behooves us to give immediate and serious consideration to its answer.
“What shall I do then with Jesus” is the question we drive home today. I appeal to you, listen to the words of Jesus: “He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). “Whoever will confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father and the holy angels” (Matthew 10:32). He comes in all his love and compassion to have pardon and pity. He comes with all his promises and hope to inspire and love you. If you will listen to his voice, you will accept him as your Savior.
John Lincoln Brandt (1860–1946) was the father of Virginia Brandt Berg. Excerpted from Soul Saving Revival Sermons. Published on Anchor March 2024. Read by Jerry Paladino.
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