Fear of Man

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man is the opposite of the fear of God.

Since “…God is love…” 1 John 4:8, 16, the fear of man is the opposite of love:
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18
The fear of man has to do with the consequences of not living up to what people expect of us.

In his book Breaking Intimidation John Bevere talks about the fear of God – giving God the respect, praise and obedience He deserves. If we fear God, we won’t fear man – being anxious, avoiding rejection and confrontation.

The fear of the Lord is trusting in Him. It is putting hope in His unfailing love:
“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,” Psalm 33:18
“the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 147:11
“Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.” Psalm 118:4
God delights in those who fear Him.

Those who fear the Lord are blessed forever. His righteousness is with their descendants:
“But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children” Psalm 103:17

He will keep at peace those who trust in Him:
“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is steadfast because you trust in him.”

Evil is avoided for those who fear the Lord:
“Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.” Proverbs 16:6
The advantages are endless for those who believe in Jesus. Their sins are blotted out, and they have the inheritance of a life forever with Jesus who loves them so much in a perfect heaven.

Fear of man is prevalent. The person who doesn’t believe in Jesus almost always is motivated by the fear of man. Even the person who does believe in Jesus is often motivated by the fear of man.

Following are a few biblical examples of people giving in to the fear of man:

King Herod locked John the Baptist up in prison because John had told him it was not lawful for have Herodias who had been his brother Phillip’s wife, yet Herod respected John and listened to him often.
On Herod’s birthday Salome, Herodias’ daughter, danced for him and pleased him so much he promised to give her whatever she asked for. She asked her mother what she should ask for, and Herodias told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Herod did not want to do this but because of his oath and his guests (fear of man), he gave her what she requested (Matthew 11:2-19 Mark 6:14-29).

Jesus’ disciple Peter is an example of a man who truly loved Jesus giving way to the fear of man. He denied that he knew Jesus three times when Jesus was falsely accused before being crucified. Peter feared that he, too, would be condemned. Thankfully, Peter came back to follow Jesus and did mighty things for God (Matthew 26-75 Mark 14:27-72 Luke 22:31-62 John 13:35-38 18:15-27). Jesus prayed for Peter (Luke 22:31-32) – how often does the great love of Jesus who intercedes for us, cause us to repent.
Peter was reinstated by Jesus and given a mission (John 21:15-21) (“….Feed my lambs.” verse 15 “…Take care of my sheep” verse 16 “…Feed my sheep” verse 17) He wrote two books of the Bible (1 & 2 Peter) showing he fulfilled that mission.

The example of Pilate shows the struggle between the conviction of God and the temptation of the devil – in this case, the fear of man:
“…Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee…during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas…” Luke 3:1-2 when Jesus was crucified.

Jesus was brought before Pilate by the Jewish leaders because they didn’t have authority to kill Jesus (John 18:31):

Signs to Pilate that Jesus is God and signs that Pilate was responding:
1. Jesus told Pilate what He said about Himself was true. Pilate knew the Jews were expecting a Messiah (Matthew 27:22,  Luke 23:2).
Jesus answered when Pilate asked Him: “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. (Matthew 27:11 Mark 15:2 Luke 23:3).
Jesus went on to explain as recorded in John:
“Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” …” John 18:33-38

2. Jesus didn’t respond as other men would have:
Jesus didn’t answer a single charge against Him: “to the great amazement of the governor” (Matthew 27:14 Mark 15:5). Pilate could see He was no ordinary man.

3. Pilate could see that there were supernatural elements:
“While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” Matthew 27:19 This from a reliable source – his own wife.
The Jewish leaders told Pilate that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God:
“As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free,..” John 19: 6-12

4. Pilate tried to get the crowd to accept another solution: “ So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Matthew 27:17

5. Pilate “knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.” Matthew 27:18 Mark 15:9-10
He knew that Jesus was innocent, and that the Jews wanted Him killed for their own interests.

6. Pilate tried to convince the crowd that Jesus had done nothing wrong: “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.” Matthew 27:23

7. Pilate tried to get rid of the responsibility; “he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” Matthew 27:24

Signs that the devil was trying to get Pilate to have Jesus crucified and  Pilate responded:

1. He was influenced by an ungodly man of his status: “On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s (“…tetrarch of Galilee…Luke 3:1) jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.” Luke 23:6-12
Why did Pilate and Herod become friends? Herod, no doubt, strengthened Pilate’s unbelief:
“Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.” Acts 4:27
Herod, Pilate, the Gentiles and the people of Israel were all guilty is Jesus crucifixion.

2. The powerful chief priests and elders persuaded the people whose rebellion could change Pilate’s decision:
“But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.”
21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.” Matthew 27:20-26

“But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
13 “Crucify him!” they shouted.
14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.” Mark 15:11-15

“Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.”
18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.
But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.” Luke 23:13-25

“When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.” John 18:13-16
Pilate gave in, against his better judgment to the fear of man.

“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.” Acts 3:13
Pilate had decided to let Jesus go, but because he did not believe in Jesus as God, he gave in to Satan’s plan.

Satan thought he had won, but God through Jesus’ crucifixion had won the greatest battle of all time. He died in our place so we could live forever with Him.

The Jewish people were held responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. They pronounced a curse on themselves:
“All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” Mark 15:25

Some day Jesus will come back and the remnant of the Jewish people will repent and glorify Jesus who will be their King forever:
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” Zechariah 12:10
“Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:7

We do not want to be like  or Peter at the time he denied Jesus or Herod or Pilate. From these examples we can see how powerful and evil is the fear of man. We can fall captive to its subtle (or not so subtle) temptation easily. That is why we should pray as Jesus said we should, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ Matthew 6:13 The evil one is trying to lead us into temptation, and we need Jesus’ help to defeat him.