What is the meaning of Luke 23:20? Wanting • Luke records that the Roman governor harbored a genuine desire to free the Lord (Luke 23:4, 14). • Pilate’s conscience had already been stirred by Jesus’ evident innocence (Matthew 27:18; John 18:38). • God’s sovereign plan shines through: even a pagan ruler senses the justice owed to Christ, yet the prophecy of the suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:7–9) will still unfold. • We see a tension between human responsibility and divine purpose—the governor “wants,” yet events move inexorably toward the cross (Acts 2:23). to release Jesus, • The verb points to a legal decision: Pilate has authority to pardon (John 19:10–11). • Releasing Jesus aligns with Roman justice; three times Pilate will declare, “I find no guilt in Him” (Luke 23:22; John 19:4, 6). • Compare his custom of releasing a prisoner at Passover (Mark 15:6–9); the crowd’s choice of Barabbas exposes the darkness of sinful hearts (Acts 3:14). • Though Pilate’s intention seems favorable, it also underscores Christ’s voluntary submission. Jesus could have appealed to heaven’s legions (Matthew 26:53), yet He remains silent for our redemption. Pilate addressed them again, • Pilate’s repeated appeal shows reluctance to condemn an innocent Man (Luke 23:13, 22). • He speaks “again” because the first words did not sway the mob—illustrating the hardness predicted in Psalm 2:1–3. • The governor’s public dialogue fulfills Jesus’ earlier prediction that He would be “handed over to the Gentiles” (Luke 18:32). • In confronting the crowd, Pilate unwittingly spotlights the contrast between earthly authority and the true King (John 19:14–15). summary Pilate’s wish to set Jesus free highlights both the moral clarity of Christ’s innocence and the unstoppable march of God’s redemptive plan. The governor wants justice, plans to release Jesus, and raises his voice once more—yet the crowd’s rejection and the Lord’s willing submission move the narrative toward the cross, where divine love and human sin meet for our salvation. |
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