Matthew 27:19

The Story Of A Roman Lady

And while he [Pilate] was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. Matthew 27:19.

I wonder if you ever feel unhappy with the sort of unhappiness that you know your fathers and mothers can do nothing to remove. I have known a big boy rise out of bed in the night, and go into his mother's room; when she asked him what was the matter, he said, “I don't know, mother: something was on my mind and I couldn't sleep. It's very hard to understand things, mother.” I believe you could all tell stories about being unhappy in the night.

How is it so? We sing a little hymn in the Sunday School

God is always near me:

In the darkest night

He can see me just the same

As by mid-day light.

Why should you sometimes feel God nearer you during the night than through the day? Well, for one thing, in the night there is silence. You feel you are quite alone, even when someone is sleeping beside you; sometimes you even think that you hear God speak. But He was just as near you in the day-time; and He spoke then, only you were busy too busy to listen to what He said. In the silence of the night He compels attention.

Every man and woman has heard God's voice at some time in his or her life. It may have been in a little cottage, in a city top flat, or in a palace.

This morning I want to talk to you about a Roman lady who heard God's voice in a palace. It was long, long ago. She was the wife of Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judaea, and one would have thought that she had everything to make her happy. Pilate, her husband, loved her. We know that because a Roman governor might take his wife to his province only if he made a strong personal appeal that she should be allowed to go. And she loved him. But there was an element of sadness in her love. The man whom as a young girl she had revered and loved had changed. They had once talked of great thoughts to each other. In those days they had both had high ideals; but as time passed this lady saw her husband yield to the opinions of the people who were in power; she noticed his character becoming less noble, she saw him at last a coward, surrendering to the cry of “Barabbas!” from a street mob, and delivering Christ to be crucified.

We can imagine her listening with a hungry interest to one of her maids as she talked of the wonderful Prophet of Nazareth who had been going about the city saying beautiful and fascinating things about a Kingdom in which only those who had pure hearts would have a place. The idea made her think, and think, and want to know more; she even looked from her window with envy at the humble women of Jerusalem who followed Jesus.

In the Bible Pilate's wife appears in but one sentence. But that sentence tells the whole tragic story. When her husband was set down on the judgment-seat, she sent to him saying: “Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.” Her thoughts had dwelt so much on the wonderful Man whom she had seen, and of whom she had heard, that He was in her dreams by night.

It is a sad story, but in its sadness there is something like a ray of light. Pilate's wife must have been deeply in earnest when she sent the warning to her husband, for she could have been punished for doing it. To send a message to a judge, while he sat upon the seat of judgment, with the idea of trying to make him change his mind was a punishable offence. But she knew no fear; she saw the life of Jesus Christ in the hands of cruel and dishonorable men. It has been said that she died a believer in Him, and we can believe that it is true.

What would have made Pilate's wife happy in her palace, do you think? To get near to Jesus, to hear Him speak. Had she been able to visit the little home in Bethany, I feel sure she would have envied it, as many a queen has envied a humble cottage. Had she been in the Upper Room and seen Jesus Christ wash His disciples' feet, had she followed Him as He bore His cross, nothing would have kept her back from joining the weeping women of Jerusalem.

We preach about this same Jesus now. You boys and girls may still hear Him speak. He is more than merely a “righteous man” to us, for He came to earth to die for us. If this story makes Him seem “living” to you, don't forget it. Pray to-night that you, who know so much more about Him than this Roman lady, may be made one of His devoted servants.