Would You Speak Up?
3/31/2010 9:47:06 PM
Holiday Related- Holy Week # 3 in series
Would You Speak Up? - Holy Week #3
Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, and Herod was greatly pleased, and hoped to see Jesus perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer at this his fifth trial. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Jesus, dressed him in an elegant robe, and sent him back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate had been enemies; but that day they became friends.
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 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 in 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."
Who were these men who judged Jesus? Well, Herod, who was 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?
How could this man possibly have any right to judge Jesus? 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/miracle worker 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 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 declared Jesus innocent. 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.
Punishment 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. Jesus was stripped and stretched against a pillar, or bent over a low post, his hands 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. The blows cut the skin deeply and bled profusely; it was not uncommon for a flogging victim to die before the flogging was even finished.
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?
Until tomorrow~
Christine, www.pastorwoman.com