Brief Description of Station 5 and the reason why the secondary images are included
Station 5 – Pilate Condemns Jesus/washes hands (Matt 27:1-2, 11-26; Mk 15:1-15; Lk 23: 1-7, 13-25; Jn 18:28-40; 19:4-16a)
a. like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth (Isaiah 53:7; Acts 8:26-35)
b. Scapegoat (Lev 16:7-10, 21-22)
Reason – The Isaiah prophecy is about Jesus (Acts 8:32; Mk 15:4-5; Lk 23:9).
The scapegoat sent away from the people bearing the sins of the people so Jesus was led away from the city carrying the sins of the people.
Meditation
We all know the story of Jesus before Pontius Pilate. He had been betrayed. False witnesses had been marshaled against him. The leaders of the Jews rejected the Anointed One. Jesus had been brought before the Roman Procurator to be condemned. Pilate, though, was not inclined to play ball with the Jewish leaders. In the end, though, he also sided with fallen humanity against God. Jesus silently stood by while Pilate washed his hands of the case of Jesus. Many today still seek to wash their hands of Jesus. If Jesus won’t stand up and act like an omnipotent God should act, in our opinion, then Jesus can eat my dust.
So, centuries before the birth of our Lord, Isaiah saw how this all would play out. Like a sheep before a shearer, Jesus opened not his mouth. Jesus was stricken and smitten for our transgression. Isaiah even asked, “Who has believed our report?” So we understand the sacrificial system of Old Testament Israel as pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of our Lord on the cross.
We also understand the scapegoat for sins and iniquity as foreshadowing Jesus. All our sins are transferred onto him and he carries them away. As scripture once recorded, Jesus takes away our sins as far as the east is from the west.
O Lord Jesus, we may wish to wash our hands of you at times in our lives, but we give you thanks that you never wash your hands of us. In you, our scapegoat for sins and iniquities, our sacrificial lamb, you have forgiven us and removed our sins. May we be ever thankful for this mercy, trust in you for all eternity, and stand with your saints. Amen.