When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. (Mt. 27:1-2)
It is now early morning on Friday.
We can note two “firsts” here:
1. For the first time in Matthew’s account, Jesus is bound. He is now treated as a convicted criminal and led away to Pilate.
2. This is the first mention of Pilate’s name in Matthew’s Gospel.
The phrase, “They . . . handed him over to Pilate” is an ominous one. The prediction Jesus made earlier in Matthew’s Gospel has come true: “The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles. . . ”
Judas started the “handing overs.” They will end when Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified.
“To hand over” is the root meaning of “tradition.” It is also the root meaning of “traitor.” What I “hand on” – consciously or unconsciously – to my friends, my children, to anyone who might be influenced by what I do, can be good . . . or it can be not so good.
Whether I know it or not, I “hand on” light or darkness to anyone who is part of my life on a given day.
How have I done lately?
Spend some quiet time with the Lord.
