Pride Goes Before Destruction

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

The Gospel of John 

September 30, 2024

Pride Goes Before Destruction

Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover.

John  18: 28

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (Lord Acton, British historian, 1834-1902) Pilate, on behalf of Rome, and the priests of Jerusalem demonstrated the truth of this axiom. Although Rome boasted of having the most advanced legal and judicial system in the world, justice was the last thing on Pilate’s mind. He had absolute power and used his power at the whims of his own vanity. The priests had power, though not absolute, and used it with equal vanity. Both are affirming the wisdom of King Solomon: “Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). Can the irony be any thicker than the priests’ refusal to enter Pilate’s residence, lest they become ceremonially defiled and unable to participate in the Passover? Yes, it can.

The absurdity of the moment escaped the priests as they conspired to kill an innocent man, while expressing a need to remain faithful to their law by refusing to touch something unclean. However, the irony thickens as they shout for the release of a man lawfully convicted and sentenced to die, and substitute on his behalf the innocent blood of Jesus. They thought they were being clever. What they really did was make it clear that the innocent Jesus was dying for sinful people.

Of course, it was not just the sins of Pilate, the priests, the crowd, and the Roman soldiers that Jesus took to the cross. Mine were nailed there as well. As I celebrate Jesus’ sacrifice on behalf of all humanity, it will be worth my while to examine my life. Where does my basking in God’s grace collide with my legalistic attitudes toward others? Where are the places in my life where I shout for my interpretation of justice for others, while I’m praying for God’s mercy in my life?

My Takeaway: It is not if, but where are these ironies in my life? Maybe the place for me to begin is by calling a spade a spade. Isn’t hypocrisy a more appropriate word than irony?

Sē’lah                                                                                         

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.