Luke 23:1-12
1 Then the entire assembly of them set out and brought Him before Pilate.
2 And they began to bring charges against Him, saying, “We found this Man misleading our nation and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”
3 Now Pilate asked Him, saying, “So You are the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”
4 But Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no grounds for charges in the case of this Man.”
5 But they kept on insisting, saying, “He is stirring up the people, teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee, as far as this place!”
6 Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the Man was a Galilean.
7 And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, since he also was in Jerusalem at this time.
8 Now Herod was overjoyed when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him.
9 And he questioned Him at some length; but He offered him no answer at all.
10 Now the chief priests and the scribes stood there, vehemently charging Him.
11 And Herod, together with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, dressing Him in a brightly shining robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.
12 And so Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for previously, they had been enemies toward each other.
Jesus’ Trial (2)
Pilate and Jesus
The Jews did not have the authority to carry out the death penalty. Therefore, they brought Jesus before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, and fabricated charges of rebellion against Rome. The accusations against Jesus were threefold: (1) He was inciting the Jewish people and attempting to lead a rebellion against Rome. (2) He was forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar. (3) He claims to be Christ, a King. But Pilate, seeing the integrity of Jesus and His gentle demeanor, said, “I find no grounds for charges in the case of this man.” Yet the Jews persisted all the more. When Pilate learned that Jesus was from Galilee, he sent Him to Herod, who was visiting Jerusalem at that time, in order to avoid taking responsibility himself. In the Roman judicial system, trials were normally held in the region where the incident occurred, but it was also permitted to conduct the trial in the defendant’s place of origin. On that day, Pilate and Herod, who had been enemies, became friends. Have you ever withdrawn or avoided responsibility even when you knew what you should do? If so, repent of the Pilate-like nature within you.
Herod and Jesus
Herod had probably come up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. When he saw Jesus, he was very glad. However, his joy did not come from a desire to know the truth, but from a very shallow curiosity to see a miracle. Herod asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus did not answer him a single word. In the entire Bible, Herod is the only person whom Jesus completely ignored. Though he stood before the Son of God, he failed to recognize the greatness of God’s grace and wasted the precious opportunity given to him. Instead, in the end, he joined the soldiers in mocking Jesus, dressed Him in a splendid robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. There is nothing more fearful than to disregard the grace of God. The Bible says, “Behold, now is ‘a favorable time,’ behold, now is ‘a day of salvation.’” (2 Cor. 6:2) This means that we must not miss the present moment but receive the gospel of reconciliation. Right now, Jesus Christ stands before you as the gracious Savior. Welcome Him into your heart.
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ, truly, now is the time of grace. I now receive the gospel of reconciliation. Please encourage me so that I may not waste Your grace. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.