Day 19 :: Jealousy
So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Who is it you want me to release for you – Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew it was because of envy that they had handed him over.
Matthew 27:17-18(15-19)
I always thought that the phrase ‘bunny boiler’ was a bit odd, but it’s actually brilliant. It’s used to describe someone who would go to extremes to get revenge having been rejected by a lover – extremes such as boiling a poor family pet. It might sound bonkers, but the reality is that jealousy can drive a human heart to outrageous conclusions.
We see something of this today as we read about Pilate trying to figure out what to do with Jesus. Jesus had been brought to Pilate by the Jewish leaders without a solid reason. When Pilate tried to question Jesus, he barely got a response.
Pilate knew why Jesus had been brought to him, and it wasn’t because he was a threat to the stability of the Roman Empire or local governments. He knew they were jealous.
’For he knew it was because of envy that they had handed him over.” (v18)
It seems Pilate wasn’t daft. He was perceptive. He clocked what was going on with this whole charade and could see right through these religious leaders.
Jesus was increasingly popular. He taught with authority, and he made some huge claims.
They didn’t like it. They wanted to be popular. They wanted authority. They hated his claims because it meant they were in the wrong. So, they were jealous. They wanted what he had, so they wanted him dead.
Seems a bit drastic that envy could lead to murder, no? Sure, we can be envious without killing someone or boiling their rabbit, but the more jealousy lingers, the more it destroys.
Jealousy starts by seeing something we don’t have and desiring it. That desire can then lead to frustration and bitterness when someone else has what we want. That bitterness fuels hatred, to the point that we don’t even want to see the other person anymore. The logical conclusion of hatred is murder – we want rid of that other person.
For the Jewish leaders, their envy led to hate, and their hatred led to murder.
Granted, not many of us will follow through that whole progression, but the drastic end point should cause us to check ourselves.
What do we want that we don’t have? How does that affect our relationships?
It might be possessions, or relationships, or status, or looks, or families, or skills, or any number of other things. This envy could at best lead to awkwardness, or worse could lead to conflict, as we struggle to relate to those we’re jealous of.
Ultimately, envy puts us in the place of God. We want to be popular. We want authority. We reject God’s claims of sovereignty, truth, and design for our lives, and we want more. It only ends in destruction now in our daily lives, but that’s just a glimpse of the eternal destruction our sin deserves.
Jealousy led Jesus to the cross, but the cross is where we can be forgiven for our jealousy.
As we confess that our hearts are filled with envies, we can find contentment knowing we’re forgiven and have all we need in Jesus. Only then, as we rest in the love of Jesus, can we run from our jealousy and love others in freedom.
Passages to read: Matthew 27:15-19, Luke 23:1-5
A thought to remember: The love of Jesus is the remedy for jealousy.
A question to ask: What jealousy can you see in your heart, and how does knowing the love of Jesus change you?
A song to sing: Oh the Deep Deep love of Jesus