What Jesus Did! 'Anxious to Please the Crowd' — Mark 15:15

Pilate knows Jesus is innocent, yet gives in totally to the wishes of the mob — he first has Jesus scourged ("flogged with a lead-tipped whip") and then turns Jesus over to be crucified. Why does he do it? Pilate has to keep Rome happy by maintaining order. To maintain order, Pilate has to appease the crowd. Even though he has already pronounced Jesus not guilty of any crime, ^[1] Pilate has the final say. In his mind, his word is law. In the eyes of the crowd, Pilate's word is law. Jesus, however, knows that Pilate has no power to act, rule, or enforce his verdict apart from God's granting him that power. Pilate is a puppet who cannot recognize that he acts in concert with the crowd's will, Rome's desire, and God's plan for our salvation. Jesus is allowed to be crucified — both by Pilate, to appease the crowd which is being manipulated by the religious leaders, and also by God, who is using this horrifying event to save the world. If God can bring such a great redemption out of such an unfair injustice, imagine what he can do with our suffering for his sake.