It’s All About The Will
There were six trials that Jesus participated in. First, He was taken to Annas, who was the former high priest, then to Caiaphas, the current high priest. These trails are not detailed in the book of Luke, but you can read about them in Matthew and John. The book of Luke takes up right before the trial with the Sanhedrin. The charge after these three religious trials was blasphemy. He is then taken to a Roman court before Pilate, then to Herod and then back to Pilate. The religious trials show us the hatred the leaders had for Jesus by how they disregarded their own laws to get a conviction. These laws were: (1) No trial was to be held during feast time, (it was Passover); (2) each member of the court was to vote individually to convict or acquit, (Jesus was convicted by acclamation); (3) if the death penalty was given, a night must pass before the sentence was carried out; (only a few hours passed before Jesus was placed on the cross) Quick note: they could not actually carry out a death sentence without the help of the Roman courts so, to get it done, they changed the charge from blasphemy to incitement; (4) no trial was to be held at night, (his trial was held before dawn); (5) the accused was to be given counsel or representation, (Jesus had none); and (6) the accused was not to be asked self-incriminating questions, (Jesus was asked if He was the Christ). As we move through the trial stage we will see men at their worst and most deceptive. And, we will see Jesus alone without the help or support of His followers. We now take up after the Peter has heard the rooster crow and departed.
Vs 63-71 The men who were holding Jesus started mocking and beating Him. After blindfolding Him, they kept asking, “Prophesy! Who hit You?” And they were saying many other blasphemous things against Him. When daylight came, the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the scribes, convened and brought Him before their Sanhedrin. They said, “If You are the Messiah, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I do tell you, you will not believe. And if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the Power of God.” They all asked, “Are You, then, the Son of God?” And He said to them, “You say that I am.” “Why do we need any more testimony,” they said, “since we’ve heard it ourselves from His mouth?”
The cruelty of men is on full display in this passage. It is important to not that the men who were holding Jesus would have been the temple guards or Levites. This is the reason they have so much animosity. They had been on the receiving end of Jesus’ warnings, and how they are ready to take their revenge. They mocked Him, hit Him, swore at Him, and belittled the King of kings and Lord of lords. Through it all, Jesus said not a word. He could have called down angels to rescue Himself and cast them down, but He didn’t. He was there to do the will of the Father: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds,” Isaiah 53:3-5.
Throughout the night Jesus was on trial. Finally it is daylight and He is taken to the Sanhedrin. They had to meet officially because the two previous trials were, by their own laws, illegal. So Jesus stood before them once again and they ask Him a simple and loaded question: “If You are the Messiah, tell us.” Mind you, Jesus’ answer did not matter at this point. This was a formality as they had already found Him guilty in the previous two trials. So Jesus basically says, I’m not going to tell you because you won’t believe me. Then He warns them. You may sit in judgment today, but there will come a day when the Son of Man will judge you. So then they ask Him, “Are You, then, the Son of God?” Jesus confirms this and now they have their official charge of blasphemy. They then break another one of their trial laws by not bringing in two witnesses to bring down a verdict of guilty. They have one problem though. They cannot themselves have Him executed, so they had to take this case to a court that could.
Vs 1-5 Then their whole assembly rose up and brought Him before Pilate. They began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, opposing payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is the Messiah, a King.” So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You have said it.” Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no grounds for charging this man.” But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where He started even to here.”
Notice the charge against Jesus has changed in this new court. It has gone from blasphemy to subverting the nation, opposing taxes and saying He is a king. They felt very positive about going to Pilate as he had a reputation of cruelty, and corruption. Surely he would condemn Jesus for the crimes they were accusing Him of. But they were over confident. Pilate probably took one look at Jesus, who by this time was bruised and beaten, and wondered at the charges. His question in the Greek seems almost unconvinced – You are the king of the Jews? Jesus answers in the same way that He answered the Sanhedrin – You have said it. Pilate sees through the charges and, in spite of his corruption and cruel nature, he dismisses the charges as outrageous. He finds no fault in Jesus. This stirs up the assembly even more. They are insistent that he reconsider. Unknowingly, they give him a way out. Jesus is from Galilee so he can send him to someone else.
Vs 6-12 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. Finding that He was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days. Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time he had wanted to see Him because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see some miracle performed by Him. So he kept asking Him questions, but Jesus did not answer him. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him. Then Herod, with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt, mocked Him, dressed Him in a brilliant robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. That very day Herod and Pilate became friends. Previously, they had been hostile toward each other.
Being from Galilee, Jesus would be under Herod Antipas’ jurisdiction and Herod just happened to be in town for the Passover celebration. Herod Antipas became the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea after his father Herod the Great’s death in 4 B.C. He governed until 37 A.D when he was exiled and then died two years later. We are first introduced to him in Luke 3:19-20: But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him about Herodias, his brother’s wife, and about all the evil things Herod had done, added this to everything else—he locked John up in prison. We see him again in Matthew 14: But when Herod’s birthday celebration came, Herodias’s daughter danced before them and pleased Herod. So he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. And prompted by her mother, she answered, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter!” Although the king regretted it, he commanded that it be granted because of his oaths and his guests. So he sent orders and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. Then his disciples came, removed the corpse, buried it, and went and reported to Jesus. (vs. 6-12). It was at that time that Herod had begun to hear reports about Jesus (Matthew 14:1). Now the very man was standing before him and he wanted to be entertained – for a long time he had wanted to see Him because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see some miracle performed by Him. Jesus would not give him the satisfaction, and so he had Jesus beat and abused and sent back to Pilate.
Vs 13-25 Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, “You have brought me this man as one who subverts the people. But in fact, after examining Him in your presence, I have found no grounds to charge this man with those things you accuse Him of. Neither has Herod, because he sent Him back to us. Clearly, He has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will have Him whipped and then release Him.” For according to the festival he had to release someone to them. Then they all cried out together, “Take this man away! Release Barabbas to us!” He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder. Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, but they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify Him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What has this man done wrong? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have Him whipped and then release Him.” But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And their voices won out. So Pilate decided to grant their demand and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.
Just when Pilate thought this headache was taken care of, it was back. He did not want anything to do with the execution of Jesus, but he also didn’t have the boldness to stick to his decision. On the one hand, he couldn’t find any grounds for the accusations. No one, but the Sanhedrin, would corroborate the story, and, apparently Herod couldn’t find anything either. On the other hand, the Jewish leaders were becoming insistent and turmoil was beginning to brew in Jerusalem, something Pilate didn’t want at all. Pilate tried every way he could think of to get out of this execution. Perhaps his wife’s warning in Matthew 27:19 had something to do with it; While he was sitting on the judge’s bench, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I’ve suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!” But finally, after hearing them cry for Jesus’ execution, finding they would rather have a murderer released and seeing a possible riot over the issue, he succumbed to their pressure and bound Jesus over for crucifixion.
In the end Pilate “handed Jesus over to their will.” He gave them what they wanted. From a sham of a trial to the will of the people, Jesus’ journey to the cross was fraught with lies, rejection, brutality, fear and hatred. Again, Isaiah 53, “He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted,”(vs 2-4). We can see in the last few passages where the will takes center stage. It was the will of Judas to betray Jesus. It was the will of the disciples that failed them in the garden when the slept instead of being on watch. It was Peter’s will to deny Christ and the disciples will to run and hide. It was the will of the Sanhedrin drove their fear, lies and rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. It was the will of Pilate to back down from his stance to release Jesus. It was the will of Herod to reject Christ, only desiring to be entertained. It was the will of the people who shouted “Crucify Him.” But most of all, it was the will of Jesus to walk the rugged road to the cross. It was His will to lay down His life for us as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And so now the Passover table has been set and will be fulfilled in Christ as He walks the rest of the way to the cross.
At this time, we have to all ask ourselves – “what about my own will?” As I look back on my life, I have to admit there have been times when I have succumbed to the pressure of others when it comes to my walk with Christ. I have rejected God’s will. I have slept when I should have been awake and ready. I have denied when I should have stood firm. I have run away in fear instead of being a bold witness. There are times when I just wanted to be entertained instead of fed the solid food of truth. Each time though, like Peter, Jesus has forgiven me and has set me once again on the path toward righteousness and truth. He continues to use me to see His glory come to the world. He gives me the strength to walk in the light and be salt in the world. And it is the same for everyone. No matter what you have done, how many times you have failed, rejected, denied, slept and run away in fear, Jesus is always ready to forgive, lift you up, walk with you, give you strength, and use you to see His glory abound in the world. All we need to do is, like Jesus, say “not my will, but Yours oh God.”
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