The intervention of Pilate's wife

My notes from a sermon on 24 April 2011

Matthew 27 VERSES 11 – 26

We turn our attention to this man called Pilate. This man who Jesus stood before. He was left in a great dilemma. He had a crowd all around him. They were looking for the death of Jesus. They wanted to see him destroyed. That left Pilate with a difficult decision to make. The crowd were throwing all sorts of accusations at him. There was a man in the cell called Barabbas, an evil man. Pilate thought well surely these people will take this man. It was Jesus versus Barabbas. Pilate asked the crowd “what shall I do with Jesus?” Look at verse 19 – we see the witness of Pilate’s wife. Here was Pilate about to bring judgment and his wife comes with this timely intervention. She was warning her husband not to have anything to do with this man. It is not as simple as that for you – you cannot wash your hands as Pilate did. He was going to have to do something with Jesus and it is the same with us too. We will be brought face to face with Christ, to our eternal destiny. We have got to do something with him – either turn our backs or accept him as Saviour. The intervention of Pilate’s wife.

The source of her despair. These were the words of a troubled soul. She spent that night in total anguish. She didn’t know where to turn. The Holy Spirit works with your heart. The message she came to send to her husband “have nothing to do with this just man … because of him.” Is it possible that you are suffering because of him, there are things happening in your life because of Christ? Sometimes it can easily cause a sickness, a real darkness to come over us because we are fighting. Remember Saul on the road to Damascus. God said to him “it is hard to kick against the pricks.” Every family he had divided up and down the land God was dealing with it now. Paul was trying to everything to get away from God but to no avail. Have you ever had that type of conviction before surrendering your life to Christ? Is that the battle you went through? Perhaps that is the battle you are going through even now. The Holy Spirit is showing you your need of salvation. The greatest need of the human heart is salvation. It will get no better until you come to the Lord. Pilate’s wife we are told by tradition was Jewish. She was probably brought up listening to men who opened up the word of God and taught her from the Old Testament scriptures. They would have shown her Genesis 3 verse 15 and how a Messiah would come. She was also taught of the Passover lamb. Imagine the impact that had on her life. Maybe she even sat listening to her own parents in her own home as they also taught her of Christ. Now as Pilate talks to her about putting Jesus to death she is listening to the old stories she knew from a child. In her mind things are opening up and she is beginning to think. Remember Moses of old. He was hid for 3 months before being brought up in Pharoah’s palace. There was a point in his life when he made a decision to forget about his upbringing. He trusted God and took his stand with the people of Israel. He never forgot the teaching he had received as a child. Maybe that is like you. You have been brought up as a child who was taught the scriptures either at home or in a church. Suddenly those things began to click into place. At the end of Jesus’ ministry he troubled this woman’s soul. Remember back to when Jesus’ was born the wise men came to Herod and asked him “where is he that is born king of the Jews?” We read that Herod was troubled as a result of their words. This is still what happens today- God causes a division because of Christ and the work of salvation.

He has become the subject of her devotion. For a time he was the source of her despair but now he becomes the subject of her devotion. Perhaps she gets a vision of what Jesus is to her. It is only tradition that she was Jewish. Maybe Jesus was just another teacher to her. As the night goes on her heart is stirred far more. The Holy Spirit had come to her. Remember what Jesus said to Nicodemus. He asked him to think of the wind – you can hear it but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going to. Isn’t that what the Holy Spirit is like. We may be conscious of his movements but cannot fully understand it. Jesus is just another name. Yes he was born as a baby in the manger, knew he grew up and put to death but he is only a name. Then suddenly something happens. The Holy Spirit comes, he grasps your very heart and soul and begins to deal with you. He is there on yonder cross, he is the only way to heaven, he died to take away your sin, he became your substitute. He is the only one who could open heavens door and allow you in. The Holy Spirit goes right into your heart and opens you up to the Holy Spirit. He becomes the subject of devotion. We can say we love him with all our hearts if we really know him as our personal Saviour and Lord. It was only the love of God for our souls that he came into this world in the first place. Perhaps as Pilate’s wife was shown her nature she was content in the life she had, content with the pomp and ceremony of being Pilate’s wife. The Holy Spirit showed her it would never get her into heaven. The Holy Spirit began to show her it was not enough. She was heading to a Christless eternity. He showed her the Lord who was sinless, perfect, yet for you and I became the opposite. He died on Calvary’s cross for our sin. He who was a stranger to her becomes the subject of her devotion.

The simplicity of her discourse. Now this night was before her, she sends a message to her husband as a matter of urgency. Are we as anxious about our soul as this woman was? She got up right away to tell her husband not to have anything to do with Jesus. She was exercised in her heart, in her mind and in her lips. Where are you tonight? There was no great sermon or theological teaching, just a simple message – “have nothing to do with this man.” Don’t make a wrong decision, come to Christ now as the Holy Spirit reveals to your heart that you need to be saved. There is an urgency in this message. The woman at the well said to the men of Samaria “come see a man who told me all things ever I did.” That is the simplicity of the gospel. It is centred on the cross of Calvary, on the sinless lamb of God. He was made sin for you and will take your sin away. He died for you that you will not stand before God as your judge because you took him as your Saviour and Lord. David Hume was a 18th century philosopher who had no time for the things of God. He was spotted one day running down the street. When someone asked him “why are you running down the street?” he replied “I am going down to hear George Whitefield preach.” The person said to David Hume “but you don’t believe what George Whitefield preaches.” David replied “I don’t but he does.” Jesus healed a man born blind. The Pharisees pressed the man for an answer of who had healed him. The man replied “is he a prophet, a healer, I don’t know but one thing I know is I was blind and now I see.” He died on that cross and on the third day he rose again. He is now seated at the Father’s right hand and he is waiting to take every child of God home. Are you ready, will you come to Christ? Give him your heart and life for Jesus’ sake.