Authority and sin

[B-A-C]

John 19:10; So Pilate *said to Him, "You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?"
John 19:11; Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."
John 19:12; As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, "If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar."

So here we have Jesus standing before Pilate.
Pilate tells Jesus how much authority he has. Jesus tells him he would have no authority at all unless
God gave it to him.

Jesus ends this sentence in a way that causes some to question....
First of all He says... that the person who delivered Him to Pilate committed the "greater" sin.
(Are some sins greater than others?) It is generally assumed He is talking about Judas here.

Jesus doesn't say Pilate isn't committing sin at all. Simply that Judas's sin was "greater".

The question is.... "why". Why was Judas's sin greater? It seems the answer has to do with authority
given by God. God put Pilate in the position he was in.

Yet it seems Judas also chosen for the position he was in as well?

John 15:16; "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

Judas himself was chosen by Jesus. So then is it a matter of office? Pilate was doing what the position
he was in called for him to do.

Judas was a "friend" of Jesus. Not really in any office at all. In fact you might say he "subject" to Jesus's authority. (At least he was supposed to be). Was Judas over-stepping his authority?
Is this why it was a "greater" sin?

 

[amadeus2]

@B-A-C

The natural children of Israel [Jews] were given more than the Romans including Pontius Pilate and the immediate followers [disciples] of Jesus were given more than the natural Israelites. The 12 leading disciples called apostles were given more than the other Israelites. Judas was one of the 12.

Jesus answers your final question here:

"But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:48

Simply stated, "much is given... much is required" .

 

[KingJ]

I believe you are over thinking it. Remove all the assumptions of God's foreknowledge and just deal with the facts as they are.

Judas was a friend. Someone God thought highly of as he was chosen to be an apostle among many disciples Luke 12:13. He, much like us, tasted more of Jesus / More was given. Luke 12:48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

If a policeman came to me with a picture of a random wanted man and I knew where he was, I would show him. No evil. A good deed.

If a policeman came to me with a picture of my child who had committed a crime. Personally I would not show him. But someone who did can be forgiven for doing such. All of us should hesitate.

Now, in Jesus's case. A policeman comes to me with a picture of a saint who I know many want to frame. A person I have seen do miracles, heal the sick and preach a message of only love. I then give Him up. That is on par with giving up a baby to satanists. Every sane thinking judge if presented with these facts would rule in favor of a mortal sin by Judas. If Jewish elders were in the 'know' they would have ordained his stoning.

There are without a doubt degrees of sin.

Authority from God is an interesting subject. I can't stop thinking about the devil and the power he still has. It is perhaps the most classic example of authority from God being evidence of His greater purpose at work over His preferred / choice selection. The devil is still a roaring lion.