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MAY 6
pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is
Christ, a King.”
3 Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You
the King of the Jews?” 23:8 desired…to see Him. Herod’s interest in
He answered him and said, “It is as you say.” Christ was fueled by the fact that Christ
4 So Pilate said to the chief priests and the reminded him of his late nemesis, John the
crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.” Baptist. At one time Herod had apparently
5 But they were the more fierce, saying, “He threatened to kill Jesus (13:31–33), but with
stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Christ in Judea rather than Galilee and Perea
Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.” (where Herod ruled),the king’s concern seems
6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if to have been nothing more than an eager
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the Man were a Galilean. And as soon as he curiosity.
knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdic-
tion, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Je- 23:9 answered him nothing. It is significant
that in all Jesus’ various interrogations, Herod
rusalem at that time. Now when Herod saw was the only one to whom He refused to
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Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had speak. See Matthew 7:6. Herod had summarily
desired for a long time to see Him, because he rejected the truth when he heard it from John
had heard many things about Him, and he the Baptist,so it would have been pointless for
hoped to see some miracle done by Him. Jesus to answer him.
9 Then he questioned Him with many words,
but He answered him nothing. And the chief
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priests and scribes stood and vehemently 18 And they all cried out at once, saying,
accused Him. Then Herod, with his men of “Away with this Man, and release to us
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war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Barabbas”— who had been thrown into
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Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and prison for a certain rebellion made in the city,
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sent Him back to Pilate. That very day Pilate and for murder.
and Herod became friends with each other, for 20 Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus,
previously they had been at enmity with each again called out to them. But they shouted,
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other. saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”
13 Then Pilate, when he had called together 22 Then he said to them the third time, “Why,
the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, what evil has He done? I have found no reason
14 said to them, “You have brought this Man to for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him
me, as one who misleads the people. And and let Him go.”
indeed, having examined Him in your presence, 23 But they were insistent, demanding with
I have found no fault in this Man concerning loud voices that He be crucified. And the voic-
those things of which you accuse Him; no, nei- es of these men and of the chief priests pre-
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ther did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and vailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should
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indeed nothing deserving of death has been be as they requested. And he released to
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done by Him. I will therefore chastise Him and them the one they requested, who for rebel-
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release Him” (for it was necessary for him to lion and murder had been thrown into prison;
release one to them at the feast). but he delivered Jesus to their will.
DAY 6:Why is obedience so important?
Samuel’s specific command to Saul was to destroy all the Amalekites and their animals, but
instead he spared their king and the best of the animals (1 Sam. 15:3,9). But when confronted by
Samuel, Saul’s response was:“I have performed the commandment of the LORD”(V. 13). Saul, either
ignorantly or deceitfully, maintained that he did what was commanded (15:20). Saul also began to
place blame on others (vv.11,12),making room for his own excuses just as he had done earlier.Then
he tried to justify his sin by saying that the animals would be used to sacrifice to the God of Samuel.
Saul’s blatant disobedience at least pained his conscience so that he could not claim God as his
God. Instead of confessing his sin and repenting, Saul continued to justify himself.
“Behold,” Samuel told Saul, “to obey is better than sacrifice” (v. 22). This is an essential Old
Testament truth.Samuel stated that God desires heart obedience over the ritual sacrifice of animals
(Ps. 51:16,17; Is. 1:10–17).The sacrificial system was never intended to function in place of living an
obedient life, but was rather to be an expression of it (Hos. 6:6; Amos 5:21–27; Mic. 6:6–8).

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