Daily Walk Through the New Testament

September 6
Read John 18:19-19:3

Perhaps the most heartbreaking thing about tragic characters is their unfulfilled potential. Such was the case of the Roman procurator named Pilate. This powerful man, who was no doubt trained for leadership in the best of the Roman tradition, found himself incapable of doing what he knew was right as Jesus stood before him. Pilate recognized Jesus was innocent, yet he delivered the Lord to death anyway. Why did he cave in to his own cowardice? We can see 2 major reasons: First, Pilate valued expediency above truth (John 18:38). Second, he feared people more than God (18:40-19:1). Resist the temptation to be pragmatic or popular instead of obeying God.