Trial

Introduction

While Peter is in the courtyard denying his master, Jesus is in the high priest’s house undergoing the first of what will be six trials. While Peter is protecting himself, Jesus is allowing these unjust proceedings to continue. Jesus has been led away from Gethsemane. Peter has followed at a distance. Curious to see what happens, but afraid of consequences, Peter denies his relationship with Jesus and the other disciples. And while Peter is failing to keep his vow to never forsake his Lord, Jesus is beginning a long night of false accusations and abuse. The first trial occurs with the high priest. Luke doesn’t record this trial. It is found in Matthew and Mark.

The Jewish leaders are under time constraints. This is the time of the Passover. They have only 24 hours left to get the judgment against Jesus that they want. Their own laws does not allow for any judicial matters to take place on the Passover. The trial docket must be cleared before the holy day. But the Jewish leaders are in a quandary. Roman authorities only hear cases in the early morning. In order for them to be prepared to present their case the first thing in the morning, they must have a trial at night. They decide to pursue that direction and by doing so they violate their own judicial code. No trials are allowed at night. Anyone arrested at night must wait until the next day to be tried. The Jewish leaders break their own rules. Jesus is tried, but he has no one to defend him. This is a second violation of Jewish law. Every person tried must have a defender—someone to speak for him and to plead his case. Jesus is denied a defender. Jesus’ trial takes on night. A true trial had to take at least two days in order to give everyone time to say what needed to be said and time for the rulers to think through the proceedings. Jesus is tried in the high priest’s house. Jewish law said all trials had to take place at the temple. The Jewish leaders want Jesus out of the way and they are willing to violate their own judicial principles to accomplish their goals. In all they will violate seven of their laws in order to make sure that Jesus is killed.

Jesus doesn’t have a chance. He is going to be tried and convicted. It is just a matter of getting everything done before sundown on Friday. It is important to have time to purify oneself for the Passover. Get rid of Jesus and then the leaders will sit down with their families and celebrate God’s deliverance from bondage. How ironic! Little do they know and realize that God is delivering all of mankind in the death of Jesus. And little do they know how much they are assisting God in carrying out his ultimate plan through Jesus. What we see in Jesus’ trial is that there are four reactions to Jesus. All the major characters make their own decision about Jesus. We take on the role of one of those characters. Which one is what each one has to decide.

Accusations

Luke 22:66 is the third trial Jesus has in the Jewish courts. The first was with Annas, a former high priest, then with Caiphas, the current high priest. Now, in front of the entire council, he is asked if he considers himself the Messiah. Jesus’s answer neither confirms nor denies. His answer is basically “what good would it do for me to answer. You have already made up your minds. Whatever I may say will not change what you think.” But Jesus makes the statement that he is going to sit next to God. In other words, Jesus is going to judge those who are now judging him. So then, the question follows, are you saying that you are the son of God? Jesus’ response is not a direct admission. His answer may even be understood to be ironic in the sense that he points out that the council calls him the Son of God. That is enough for them. They hear what they want to hear. The verdict is complete. Blasphemy. Now they have what they want to take Jesus to the Roman authorities.

In his first trial with Pilate, Jesus is accused of three things. First he is accused of misleading the Jewish nation. This accusation is intended to make Pilate think that Jesus is a subversive. The Jewish leaders want Pilate to think that Jesus is leading the nation away from Rome. Actually, Jesus is leading the people away from the Jewish leaders and toward God. Second, Jesus is accused of opposing the payment of taxes to Rome. From Luke 20:20-26, we know that this is not the case. The Jewish leaders have misunderstood what Jesus has said. Third, Jesus is accused of claiming to be a king. This is the charge of treason. Jesus is a king but not one of this world but a spiritual king.

It is this last accusation that attracts Pilate’s attention. It is Pilate’s job to squelch any who try to rival Roman authority and rule. So Pilate directly asks Jesus if he is king. Jesus affirms his position but again in a back door kind of way. There is no reason for him to protest or to defend. Luke helps us to see that Jesus is being unjustly tried and convicted. Pilate announces that his decision about Jesus doesn’t include death. Someone mentions that Jesus is from Galilee and so Jesus is sent to Herod. Herod is excited to see Jesus. He has heard so much about his miracle capabilities and so he wants to see a show. He wants to be entertained, but Jesus doesn’t put on a show. In fact, he is quiet and speaks nothing. So Herod has a bit of fun at his expense and returns him to Pilate.

The final trial is public. Pilate tries to persuade the Jewish leaders to release Jesus. He finds nothing worthy of death. Accused of inciting the people to rebel, Pilate finds no basis for such an accusation. He wants to have him whipped then released. But the leaders and people call for Barabbas to be released rather than Jesus. A man who was a known seditionist and murderer is asked to be released for one who is harmless. The leaders then become the murderers as Pilate gives in to their pleadings to have Jesus crucified. The trial ends. Jesus is sentenced to die. And through it all, Jesus has not defended himself. He has remained silent as a sheep before shearers.

Four Reactions

The key question in this section is “Are you the son of God?” There are four responses to that question. First, the Jewish leaders see him as one who forces people to decide between them or him. Jealous of their power and their position, the Jewish leaders refuse to see Jesus for what he claims. But then that is what Jesus wants—people to make a decision about him. The Jewish leaders recognize that they cannot remain neutral. For Luke this is where he started. In 2:11, the angels announced that God had sent his Christ into the world. In 2:26, Simeon sees the baby Jesus and knows that God’s prophecy has been fulfilled that he would see the Christ before he died. In 3:15, the crowds wonder if John the Baptizer is the Christ, but John says the Christ is coming after him. In 4:41, Jesus heals the demon possessed and as the demons leave the body of the afflicted person they announce that Jesus is the Christ. In 9:20, Peter announces that Jesus is the Christ. In 20:41, Jesus asks the Jewish leaders to answer a question about his relationship with David because even David recognized God’s Christ as both coming after him and existing before him. Luke ends where he started. What do you believe about Jesus. The Jewish leaders decided to reject him.

Herod saw Jesus as a sideshow. For Herod, Jesus was entertainment. He could do miracles; he could perform wonderful magic. An interesting participant in this world, but not the Christ. He was only interested in seeing what Jesus could do for him. He was only interested in seeing if Jesus could make life interesting and entertaining. His decision about Jesus didn’t include any changing, just someone to make sure that life was fun. Jesus was the entertainer but not the Christ.

Pilate saw Jesus as an interesting case to be examined and tried, but not to place confidence in. Jesus was just another judicial decision. Intrigued by the desire of the Jewish leaders to see him killed, Pilate could not figure out what the big deal was. At best Jesus was a harmless enthusiast about his people, but not a subversive. He was not a rebel. He was not even dangerous. Pilate finds nothing in him to be upset about. Pilate sees nothing in him to draw him beyond the superficial.

The fourth response is not direct, but it is nonetheless is real. We are not told what Barabbas thought about this whole thing. A true subversive and murderer, Barabbas never enters the proceedings directly. He is in prison. His sentence is assured. He will die. He will probably be crucified—that is what Rome did with subversives and murderers. Tucked away in his cell word comes to him that he is going to be set free. Some speculate that such an announcement changed Barabbas’ heart so that he decided to follow Jesus. I doubt it. Not that he couldn’t change, but it is doubtful that one who hated the Roman government as much as Barabbas would change his mind because he is released. It probably didn’t matter to him who took his place as long as it wasn’t him. So what’s the big deal with this response.

Barabbas’ name has a meaning. Just as Jesus means “God’s salvation,” so Barabbas has a meaning. The name means “the son of the father.” The question is “Is Jesus the Son of God?” Or we might ask “Is Jesus the Son of the Father?” You see, Barabbas is by definition the son of the father. He is everyman. He is me and he is you. He is the child of a man and woman. And as each of us have had parents so that is what Barabbas’ name means. He is the child of this world. And the son of God takes his place. He takes our place. Do we understand the significance?

This is the time for you to respond. Jesus took the place of each one at the trial. He remained silent. The charges were false. He knew it; the leaders knew; Herod knew it; Pilate knew it, but Barabbas was in the dark. Perhaps someone explained it to him later—we don’t know. But at some point we are supposed to understand—Jesus is God’s chosen one. He is the one who took the child of the father’s place. In essence all of our names are Barabbas and Jesus took our place. What do you believe about Jesus? Do you reject him? Is he your good luck charm to keep you happy and satisfied? Is he an interesting case study? Or is he the one who took your place when you deserved far worse? What do you decide?

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