PILATE'S INSCRIPTION | THE MAN OF SORROWS

1. Pilate’s Inscription

a) Pilate ordered an inscription for the cross, describing Jesus as "The Nazarene" (John 19:19). Pilate probably did not understand the significance of this.

2. The Man Of Sorrows

a) It brings us to consider not just the inscription, "Jesus the Nazarene" but also the man crucified. Beneath Pilate's inscription, there was nailed to the cross the man Jesus himself, his head crowned with thorns, his hands and feet cruelly spiked, his side pierced by a spear. In all the cosmos and its history, there is nothing more important than this.

b) When we looked at the minor prophecies about the places the Messiah would come from, we mentioned how the fulfillment of these helped us to feel certain about Jesus regarding the major statements of prophecy.

c) One such major statement is that the Messiah would be "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief... pierced through for our transgressions" (Isaiah 53:3,5).

d) Jesus himself did no sin, and there was no guilt in him (1 Peter 2:21-22). Even Pilate testifies, "I find no guilt in him" (John 19:6). This was why the inscription he wrote, which was supposed to be an "accusation", was really no accusation at all. Pilate found no basis for any charge.

e) Jesus was crucified and pierced for our transgressions. None of us now needs to be a man or woman of sorrows. Rather we can be freed from guilt and condemnation, and can enjoy fellowship with God, not only now but always. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4).The wrath of God has passed over us, and the grace of God surrounds us, because the sorrows of Jesus were suffered in our stead.