A Deadly Decision, Yet Part Of God’s Plan
The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die because he claimed to be the Son of God”.
John 19:7
Pontius Pilate’s otherwise obscure career will forever be remembered because of a decision he made: He condemned the Son of God to death.
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Yet his deadly decision fulfilled God’s will. As Jesus told him, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19:11).
Martin Luther reflects on the purpose of God as revealed in the crucifixion of his Son.
WALK WITH MARTIN LUTHER
“The greatest wonder on earth is that the Son of God should die the shameful death of the cross.
“It is astonishing that the Father should say to his only Son, who by nature is God: ‘Go, let them hang you on the gallows.’
“The love of the everlasting Father was immeasurably greater toward his only begotten Son than the love of Abraham toward Isaac.
“Yet the Son was cast away like a worm, a scorn of men, an outcast of the people.
“At this the understanding of man stumbles, saying, ‘How does he deal so unmercifully with him? He showed himself more kind to Caiaphas, Herod, and Pilate, than toward his only Son.’
“But to true Christians, it is the greatest comfort; for we recognize that the merciful Father so loved the world, that he spared not his only begotten Son, but gave him up for us all, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
From the perspective of Earth, Pilate condemned an innocent man to death. From the perspective of heaven, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16).
In spite of the worst that human beings could do, God still brought forth the best. His loving purposes could not be undone.
Divine love is like that—never failing, always pursuing, always prevailing. And think of it—you’re part of his plan!
