LEST THEY BE DEFILED!

LEST THEY BE DEFILED!

John 18:28

28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passover.

John omits all the insults and abuse that Jesus suffered in the house of Caiaphas. The false witnesses seemed passionately offended that Jesus would destroy the Temple only to build it again after three days. But this would not stand up in Pilate’s Praetorium so they accused him of sedition saying that he claimed to be a king.

The murderous Jews led Jesus to Pilate’s hall where he lived, housed his Roman guard and conducted trials. Since the Romans had ripped the death penalty from Jews it must be Rome that executed him. The accusation that Jesus was a king would suffice to nail him. Pilate’s opening question was the indictment: “Art thou the king of the Jews?” Jesus responded by saying that his kingdom was not of this world and therefore posed no threat to Caesar.

The most disgusting point is the idea that the Jews were afraid of being defiled by contact with Gentiles. They were not concerned with being defiled by lies and murderous intent, no that would have been fine. Their fear was that entering Pilate’s hall would make them ceremonially unclean and ruin their holiday (Lev. 15:10-11 and 19-20). Once again religion proved to have nothing to do with true righteousness. Ceremony was fiercely observed while their black heart plotted Jesus’ death. How many of us practice our religion in similar fashion?

Mark 7:18-23

18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Dear Lord, make my heart your chapel and make my worship real and not just empty ceremony. AMEN