Today I read Matthew 26 where the Savior is crucified and completes the Atonement by dying so that we all might live again. There are many interesting things in this chapter and a couple of them only appear in the Matthew account. For example, Matthew records that Pilate's wife sent to him and told him to let Jesus go free because she had a dream about Him the previous night that discomfited her.
I once read a talk about Pilate that I believe was by Elder Maxwell. He states in the talk that Pilate was a pretty ruthless man in his youth and a very ineffectual governor. I only bring this up because I have always been extremely interested in why Pilate didn't just tell the Jews they were crazy and release Jesus anyway. From what I remember of the talk, Pilate feared if he did that an inquiry would be made back to Rome and it would cause him a lot of trouble and he'd rather forestall it by just having Jesus killed than to risk the civil unrest it would cause. I do believe that Pilate honestly believed that if he had Jesus punished and whipped the people would recant their desire to see Him killed. That is of course not the way it happened.
I've heard it said before that nothing will cause an argument quite like politics or religion. I say that because as many times as I read this account, I cannot get over the fact that the Jews asked to have a murderer, a convicted killer mind you, released into public society as opposed to letting Jesus, who was only accused of blaspheme go. They would rather run the risk of having one of them die at the hands of Barabbas thank let Jesus go, who the only thing they were upset about with Him is that He states He is the Son of God, a blasphemer in their mind. I just cannot get over that, no matter how hard I try.
I also find it almost incomprehensible that Pilate would think a simple washing of his hands would actually not put the Savior's blood on his hands when it was him and him alone that gave the final order to have an innocent man, acknowledged by him, put to death. I remember hearing a talk once by either Elder Neal A. Maxwell or Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that stated that Pilate was never more guilty than when he washed his hands in front of the Jews. His cowardly act always reminds me of those scenes in movies when the bad guy is threatening the life of some innocent person and they tell the hero that unless they do something for him, they will kill the innocent and their life will be on the hands of the hero. I always shake my head in wonder at such scenes and wonder if the villain really believes that, or if they are just trying to unnerve the hero. Regardless, I sadly think that Pilate really believed his act was enough to foist the blame off of himself and onto the Jews. I can only imagine what the judgment must have been like for Pilate to have knowingly killed an innocent man, let alone the Son of God Himself. I shudder to have been in that judgment.
Matthew records that when the Savior died, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and there were many earthquakes. He also records that after the Savior was resurrected, that the graves of many of the Saints opened and the dead appeared unto many. I have often wondered why this particular piece of information was included at the time of Jesus' death since it cannot have happened until after Jesus was resurrected from the way it reads to me. But it happened when it happened and we will know someday the sequence of events.
A final note on this chapter, Jesus gave up His life voluntarily. Yes, He was put to death and He was on the cross which makes it extremely hard to breathe we are told, but Jesus died willingly and gave up the ghost on His own. When He had finished the Atonement, what He had been born to do and what all of creation waited for Him to do, He let His body die and returned to His Father in Heaven triumphant. Being half God, Jesus could have survived even crucifixion if He had so chosen. He could have kept His body alive, but He voluntarily gave up His life so that we all might be resurrected after death. There has never been a greater sacrifice in all of creation. Is it any reason why so many have declared they will bathe His feet in their tears? Without His selflessness, all of Creation would have perished and been for nothing. Thank Heaven for the sacrifice of Jesus. Until tomorrow.
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