What if...

[FutureSoror]

Pretty much self explanitory...

What do you think would have happened if Pilate spared Christ from crucifixion?

[N/A Gone]

let me guess...

"there is no free will, so he was predestined from the beginning of time to not spare christ"

ironically the concept of a what-if makes it sound like we have some sort of choice..hmm.

sorry, im upset tonight.:'( forgive me

[FutureSoror]

That's ok.

Well, there was certainly free will.

And what-if's really don't hold a lot of value in my opinion. They are interesting to think about, though, and they can shed light on new things.

[Aloysius]

God knew Pilate would not.

Pilate had the choice, God knew what the choice would be. Like if you were watching two cars go towards each other at 80 mph from a bird's eye view. All the choices are still up to those two drivers, but you know that in the absence of some crazy miracle, the two cars will crash into each other. God is the source of all miracles, so He'll know whether or not there's going to be a miracle. He'll know if the two cars will crash into each other, or if Judas will betray Him, or if Pilate will wash his hands of the matter, or if I will post this post.

But it's still up to me to post the post. I still make all the calls, all the decisions, my free will is completely independent. His knowledge of what my choice will be does not change that.

[N/A Gone]

two cars aimed at each other are in some way determined..also your "knowing" is changed if one of the cars moved. Yet, as God that knowledge couldnt change.

I believe..and of course I dont speak for the church here, is that God knew all of the options/possibilities that could happen and he worked within that. Knowing Pilates charicter he knew what would instigate Pilate in which way.

[Church Punk]

Lets speculate on this.

At that very time the Jews were so horrible enraged at Him that, I think, they would have just killed Jesus them selves!

Pilate even told them to do what they wanted with him and it was only through there persistence and pressure that Pilate caved. He even washed his hands of it, saying that it was not his decision but the Jews.

However not to get carried away, he is still guilty. But I think that either way Jesus was going to die that day, he had already decided that.

But God chose the cross. He chose to be scourged. Every stripe, thorn and nail he chose, as it was the only way to show his great love and triumph over the grave.

[Guest JeffCR07]

Rev, perhaps you should read more of the Patristics and Doctors of the Church on this topic.

Just because God knew what Pilate would do does not mean that Pilate was not free. Rather than say, "God knew that Pilate would have Christ crucified," we should say, "God knew that Pilate would freely have Christ crucified." The two are not the same, and the latter is most certainly compatible with free will.

This having been said, allow me to give the Anselmian response to the actual question :

Anselm argues that it is impossible for an imperfect world to accept the Perfect One. We must be healed of our imperfections and made perfect before we can accept Him. Thus, if Pilate had not ordered Christ crucified, he would have been crucified against his orders. Basically, if not Pilate, then someone would have of their free will. As it happened, God knew that Pilate [i]would[/i] freely condemn him to death.

Your Brother In Christ,

Jeff