By The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Leggett
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Sermon Text: Matthew 27:15-19
Sermon Theme
Tradition has identified her as Claudia Procula. She is the wife of Pontius Pilate. Her role in Matthew‘s Gospel is as a counterpart to the Gentile Wise Men, who also have a warning dream (Matthew 2:12). History records Pontius Pilate as a ruthless governor whose brutal tactics, according to some sources, led to his being ordered to commit suicide. His wife gives him a stern warning which, in his own mind, he may have thought he was obeying. Pilate however remains trapped in his own self defined universe. Procula, on the other hand, may have become a Christian. Both Pilate and Claudia represent the possible human responses to Jesus Christ.
Sermon Outline
- Distraction. Pontius Pilate symbolizes the world at its worst. He is ambitious, brutal, callous and calculating. His offenses as governor of Judea finally became so intolerable that he was ordered to appear before the emperor who may have ordered him to commit suicide. He has no clear idea of truth (John 18:38). Pilate senses that the crowds on Good Friday are trying to manipulate him (Matthew 27:18). Like many politicians he is motivated primarily by a desire for self preservation (John 19:12). He is not so much interested in Jesus as he is in his own authority. All this serves to distract him. Yet, possibly in response to his wife’s warning, he tries to be neutral. He claims to be innocent of Jesus’ blood (Matthew 27:24). Yet no one in human history is innocent of Jesus’ blood (Romans 5:9). Pilate is a personification of the world’s agenda, a world that often seeks to be neutral about Jesus.
- Dreams. Matthew presents a parallel between Jesus’ birth and death. Claudia Procula is a counterpart to the Wise Men. Both are Gentiles. Presumably they have had no direct knowledge of God’s Word. Yet God reveals himself to them through dreams. In both cases the dreams presents a warning that is intended to save Jesus’ life. In both instances Jesus is threatened by earthly rulers who have the power to kill him. The difference lies in God’s “definite plan and foreknowledge” (Acts 2:23). Jesus could not die as an infant. He had to die as an adult on the cross as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Throughout history God has spoken in dreams to unbelievers giving them warnings and direction (Genesis 20:3, 40:5, 41:7; Daniel 2:3; Joel 2:28). C.S. Lewis speaks of God sending the human race “good dreams”. Strikingly, Pilate’s wife may be the first person in history to see the crucifixion. She suffers greatly because of it.
- Decision. There are many lessons in this brief story. Pilate and Claudia both have to make decisions. Claudia has to decide to speak. She presumably cannot come directly into the judgment hall so she sends word to her husband (Matthew 27:19). Her message is explicit: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man.” Has she seen the gathering of Satan and his angels hoping to destroy Jesus (Luke 22:3; Revelation 12:1-9)? She is a Gentile and, at this point at least, an unbeliever who nevertheless is a model of speaking out against the adversaries of Jesus. We need to be prepared to speak out as boldly as she does. Pilate’s equivocation is also a decision. He cannot allow a riot during the Passover (Matthew 27:24). He cannot permit Jesus to become a disruptive force. He claims to be innocent. He doesn’t want to decide definitely for or against Jesus. In a critical phrase, he hands Jesus over to the crowd (Matthew 27:26; Acts 2:23; Romans 4:25). He thinks by washing his hands he can avoid responsibility for his actions. Many people today, including some Christians, try to hold back at times from making a decisive decision. However we live in a world where neutrality is impossible when it comes to Jesus. Every decision ultimately is either for or against him (I Corinthians 10:31). Like Pilate we can try and hold back, washing our hands. Claudia reminds us that to come to terms with Jesus and his cross will involve suffering. Pilate and his wife represent the two possible human reactions to Jesus. To follow Jesus is to decide to take up the cross daily (Matthew 10:38).
Questions for Us
- How is Pilate typical of many people today both in his distractions and his attempt to be non-committal?
- What are the similarities between the Wise Men and Claudia Procula in their responses to Jesus? What are the differences?
- In what ways do we try to be neutral about Jesus? What can we learn from the times we chose not to speak out for him?
