Would you speak up?
9/22/2009 11:27:25 AM
Jesus on trial. . . from Luke 23 and Matthew 27 JESUS BEFORE HEROD ANTIPAS.  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 some miracle.


Jesus on trial. . . from Luke 23 and Matthew 27

JESUS BEFORE HEROD ANTIPAS. 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 some miracle. He plied Him with many questions, but Jesus gave him o answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing Him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed ad mocked Him. Dressing Him in an elegant robe, they sent Him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends--before this, they had been enemies.


PILATE'S WIFE SENDS WARNING. 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."


PILATE SEEKS TO RELEASE. Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this Man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him i your presence and have found no basis for your charges against Him. Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; as you can see, He has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish Him and release Him."


Good Morning.


Today we will consider trial no. 5 of our Lord Jesus Christ, as He is brought before Herod and then returned to stand again before Pontius Pilate. Who were these men who judged Jesus? Well, on this day, Herod, who was also in town to watch over the throngs of Jewish Passover observants, was residing in the ancient Jerusalem castle of his family, just opposite the Temple. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great, and bore many similarities to his father. While he had built the capital city of Tiberius and many impressive buildings, he tore down his own life through immoral living. He was a womanizer and a drunk, kinda like what John Belushi immortalized in his Animal House toga, though Antipas donned a royal white robe fringed in gold. His frivolous parties were infamous; in fact, it was at one of his parties, where he was so taken with his step daughter's dancing, that he offered her anything, up to half of his kingdom. She asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter, which he promptly delivered. Did I mention he was cruel?


So on this morning, while he was irritated by the interruption of Caiaphas, Annas, and the rest, He had been curious about Jesus, and wanted to see this "king of the Jews", and maybe even get Him to work some magic for his entertainment. (As per yesterday's briefing), It was obvious that Herod Antipas regularly fed the 'evil wolf' inside of him, rather than the 'good wolf'. How could he possibly have any right to judge Jesus? Yes, it was all so tragic--Jesus, standing before this ruler known for his debauchery, who could find Him guilty and have Him executed. All so tragic if God hadn't already accounted for it. Jesus would not serve as entertainment for Herod--in fact, he kept silent, as He stood before him. Herod could find no fault in Jesus, and so after mocking Him and having fun at His expense, he told his men to take Him back to Pilate. Just before the door shut, he remembered Jesus' words to him some three years before, "a prophet must perish only in Jerusalem," and asked, "How could you read the future like that?" The same way Isaiah had prophesied 700 years before that Jesus would stand before His accusers and speak not a word. Jesus is dragged back to stand again before Pilate.


Just who was Pilate? Pontius Pilate is remembered in history either very negatively, as a cruel man who hated Jews, or more sympathetically as a governor who had a very difficult job ruling a province with a very unsubmissive, unruly population, which easily took offense to his actions. He would ordinarily be found in Caesarea, but was in town to keep Jewish Passover fervor in check. When the Sanhedrin brought Jesus to him, Pilate heard their charges against Him, but three times he declared Jesus innocent. It has been said that Pilate’s attitude toward Jesus was a mixture of contempt, cynicism and awe. It is possible to see a progression in this, moving from contempt at the beginning, cynicism when he asked “What is truth?”, to awe, when Jesus spoke His greater authority.* Pilate could not find Jesus guilty of the charges against Him either, and so tells the people that he will punish Him and then release Him.


'Punish Jesus? Yes, it would mean a flogging, simply because Pilate hoped that would placate the Jews, and there would be no further talk of execution. Indeed, the flogging 'took place, it would appear, on the platform where the trial had been held, and in the eyes of all. The victim was stripped and stretched against a pillar, or bent over a low post, his hands being tied, so that he had no means of defending himself. The instrument of torture was a sort of. . . cat-o'-nine-tails, with bits of iron and bone attached to the ends of the thongs. Not only did the blows cut the skin and draw blood, but not infrequently, the victim died in the midst of the operation. Some have supposed that Pilate, out of consideration for Jesus, may have moderated either the number or the severity of the strokes; but, on the other hand, his plan of releasing Him depended on His being able to show the Jews that he had suffered severely.'**


So Jesus was mercilessly flogged and the crowd watched? I can't help but wonder what faces could be found in that crowd. . . was Malchus, the servant who lost his ear in the Garden of Gethsemane--that is, until Jesus healed it, and made him whole again? Was he watching, and did he ALMOST speak up and tell them they had it all wrong?! How about the blind man who had sat by the gate of Jericho, given sight by Jesus just days before? Where was Zacchaeus, whose life had been irrevocably changed by Jesus of Nazareth? And, oh yeah, how about His main men. . . where were the disciples? Lazarus-who He had raised from the dead? And going back to the start of His ministry--where was the wedding host, whose feast was rescued by Jesus' first miracle, rendering water to fine wine? Did they ALMOST speak up? Did they ALMOST step forward? I wonder if I would have yelled, 'Stop!' of course, at the risk of my life--would you have spoken out for Jesus? Well, do you now? And. . . does your life match the words you speak, when you do speak up? Hmmm. . . something to thing about, dear friends, isn't it?


Grace and peace to you today~

Christine

*"Pontius Pilate" Julian Spriggs, julianspriggs.com **The Words and Works of Jesus Christ, Pentecost