Jesus Stands Trial (Luke 23:1-25)
In the American
classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, trial
lawyer Atticus Finch gives one of the most compelling courtroom speeches in his
defense of Tom Robinson. Finch closes his argument with appealing to the court
saying,
There is one way
in this country which all men are created equal—there is one human institution
that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid
man equal of an Einstein, and an ignorant man equal of any college president.
That institution, gentlemen, is a court. It can be the Supreme
Court of the United States or the humblest J.P. court in the land, or this
honourable court which you serve. Our courts have
their faults, as does any human constitution, but in this country our courts
are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.
I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system—that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty.[1]
I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system—that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty.[1]
Finch believed in the integrity of
the court and in justice. He believed that if the facts were clearly presented
and if the evidence was closely examined, then truth would prevail in the end. He
was wrong. Tom Robinson was convicted and was sentenced to death.
Finch makes a
true point in saying, “A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only
as sound as the men who make it up.” The jury Atticus Finch faced in To Kill a Mockingbird was one that
valued the words and opinions of one group over the truth. Likewise, Jesus
faced a jury who valued the words and opinions of the world over the truth.
Jesus was an innocent man standing trial for telling the truth. The Jews
appealed to Pontius Pilate to try Jesus for a capital crime. Pilate will
rightly discover the facts, but will act in self-preservation against the
truth. As Jesus stands trial confirming his identity, I pray that you will
review the evidence and in the name of God come to a decision on the
truth.
Jesus Stands as the Sinless
Savior
The Sanhedrin believe that after Jesus confession
of being the One who is going to sit at
the right hand of God’s power that he needed to be tried for a capital offense.
Jews were allowed to deal with smaller offenses, but they had to appeal to the
Romans if they wanted to administer the death penalty. Notice what specific charges they are
bringing against Jesus. Luke 23:1-3,
Then the whole
company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse
him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give
tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” And Pilate
asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said
so.”
The Jews came with half-truths against Jesus. They had three specific charges. The first is
their opinion, the second a lie, and the third was the truth.
Their opinion was that this man was misleading the
nation of Israel (hardly a capital offense). The lie was that he was forbidding
the nation from giving tribute to Caesar. The Jews had already tried to trap
him with this lie. He was asked in Luke 20:22, “Is it lawful for us to give
tribute to Caesar, or not? But he perceived their craftiness, and said to
them…render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that
are God’s.” This is not a new charge, but a blatant lie. And yet they mix this
lie with the truth to make it appear believable. The third charge was that
Jesus called himself the Christ, the King. He affirmed this in the previous
chapter and again to Pilate. The only charge Jesus agrees to is the truth. It
is very dangerous when the truth is mixed with a lie, because it deceives
people who did investigate the evidence. Half-truths lead people to hell.
Whether it is the half-truth of the prosperity gospel
that truthfully says God blesses people for their faith, but lies that
suffering is sign of no faith, or the half-truth of Bible belt that truthfully
says that faith in Jesus saves, but lies by omitting repentance from the gospel
proclamation. Half-truths are dangerous to the soul, but Pilate investigates
and seems to see through these half-truths.
Luke 23:4-5, “Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, ‘I
find no guilt in this man.’ But they were urgent, saying, ‘He stirs up the
people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.’”
Pilate appears to investigate in his conversation with Jesus and reveals that
he finds no guilt in him. This is the
first declaration of Jesus’ innocence during his trial.
And despite the declaration of innocence, the rulers
and priests took on a more aggressive tone highlighting how he “stirs up the
people.” This language implies that Jesus promotes violence. We know that this
could not be further from the truth. As you watch this trial unfold, I want you
to notice two things: the injustice of the trial and Jesus’ response to
injustice. Jesus was just declared innocent by the highest authority in the
land, but he was not released.
Have you ever experienced injustice? Have you ever been
wrongly accused or misrepresented? Think of the emotions that come with facing
injustice: bitterness, anger, hurt, etc. and watch how Jesus encounters his
injustice.
Jesus Stands as the Sinless
Sheep
Pilate senses the frustration and the anger of the
people, but here in their last comment was an opportunity for him to escape
making a decision in this highly charged trial. He has the opportunity to pass
the buck. Luke 23:6-7, “When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a
Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent
him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.” Herod had never
met Jesus, but there were rumors that he wanted Jesus killed. Luke 13:31, “At
that very hour some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, “Get away from here, for
Herod wants to kill you.” Jesus responded to them by calling him a fox before
adding, “for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.”
Jesus knows that the injustice of his trial is going to lead to his death.
People in positions of power are accustomed to get
their way. Herod was no different. Herod was excited to finally see the Jesus
he had heard so much about. Luke 23:8-9, “When Herod saw Jesus, he was very
glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and
he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some
length, but he made no answer.” Herod spent a considerable about of time with
Jesus (questioning him at some length), but Jesus gave him no reply. This is
not what is expected.
In most court room scenes when the innocent is brought
in for questioning by the authority, we are expecting an impassioned speech and
claim of innocence, but Jesus does not give them what is expected. He remains
silent. His silence fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed,
and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to
the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he
opened not his mouth.” Jesus’ silence demonstrates tremendous faith and trust
in God. His silence also serves to show
the opposite of the accusations against him. He is not one who is stirring up
the people, but one who is silent in his affliction like lamb that is led to
the slaughter and like a sheep before its shearers.
Jesus is the Messianic King of the Jews and has been
declared innocent, but the nation of Israel continues to mock him. Luke
23:10-11, “The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him.
And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then,
arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.” Herod looked at
Jesus and mocked him thinking that his kingship is a shame. Herod had no
respect for Jesus, but looked at him as a joke. The one he has heard so much
about stood before him silent and he was unimpressed.
Herod, like so many today, did not take the claims of
Jesus serious. They were only slightly more than indifferent. They were not
impressed with his claims. What about you? Are you impressed with the claims of
Christ or are you indifferent to them? Listen to this story of Chinese
missionary Hudson Taylor as he was traveling one day on junk ship from
Shanghai,
Hudson Taylor had
been witnessing to a man named Peter who rejected the gospel but was under deep
conviction. In the course of events, Peter fell overboard, but no one made any
effort to save him. Taylor sprang to the mast, let down the sail, and jumped
overboard in hopes of finding his friend. But no one on board joined Taylor in
his frantic search. Taylor saw a fishing boat nearby and yelled to them to
help, but they wouldn't do it without money. Finally, after bartering for every
penny that Taylor had, the fishermen stopped their fishing and began to look
for Peter. In less than a minute of dragging their net, they found him, but it
was too late. They were too busy fishing to care about saving a drowning man.[2]
Are you like these fishermen? So consumed with the busyness of your life
that you are indifferent to those “drowning” in sin around you? Beloved, if we
take the claims of Christ seriously, then we must understand what is at stake.
If people do not believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they will
perish in Hell for all eternity. We must take the claims of Christ seriously.
Herod was not
threatened by Jesus so he sent him back to Pilate. And in sending him back to
Pilate, he affirmed Pilate’s earlier declaration of his innocence. Luke
23:12-16,
And Herod and Pilate
became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity
with each other. Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers
and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was
misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not
find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for
he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I
will therefore punish and release him.”
Jesus is in front of Pilate again and is again declared innocent. There
is the added emphasis from Pilate in saying, “behold, I did not find this man
guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod.” Jesus’s
innocence is confirmed now by two witnesses. According to Deuteronomy 19:15, “A
single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any
wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the
evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.”
Jesus’s innocence has been established, and justice is still withheld.
Jesus Stands as the Sinless Stone
Pilate
continues to try to release Jesus, but is only met with more opposition from
the crowd. It was the custom every year at the feast of the governor to release
for the crowd any prisoner the crowd wanted. The crowd appealed to this custom,
not for Jesus, but for another, Luke 23:18-21, “But they all cried out
together, ‘Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas’—a man who had been
thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate
addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting,
“Crucify, crucify him!” The irony is thick. They want to crucify Jesus as they
claim he is a violent revolutionary who stirs up the people to violence and is
a threat to Rome, but ask to release Barabbas, who was a violent revolutionary
who stirred up the people to violence and was a threat to Rome. Crucifixion was
a brutal death that was only reserved for those who committed treason or who were
trying to escape capital punishment.
The crowd
asks for Barabbas, whose name literally means “son of the father,” to be
released while the true Son of the Father takes his place. The crowd is acting
under the sovereign authority of God the Father, who has sent his Son to take
the place of sinners and to set the captive free. We are like Barabbas. We are
the guilty ones. We are the ones who have committed treason against a Holy God
and deserve to be crucified, but Christ, the sinless Son of God, has come to
take our place. Pilate again attempts to release Jesus by declaring his
innocence a third time, Luke 23:22, “A third time he said to them, ‘Why, what
evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will
therefore punish and release him.’” Pilate asks a question that the people
cannot answer, “What evil has he done?” They did not answer, “but they were
urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified” (Luke 23:23a).
The crowd
did not want to answer the question; for they knew by answering it they would
condemn themselves. They knew he had done no wrong, but to admit that they
would have to come to grips with the evil they had done. John 3:19-20, “And
this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the
darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who
does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his
works should be exposed.” The crowd could not deal with their own evil so they
shouted with loud cries, “crucify him, crucify him!”
Ironically
the only way for their evil to be dealt with was for Jesus to take the cross. Jesus
had to be rejected. 1 Peter 2:4 says that Jesus is the, “living stone rejected
by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,” fulfilling the prophecy in
Isaiah 28: 16, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and
precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” And in Psalm
118:22-24, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the
LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Jesus was the stone the
builders rejected becoming the cornerstone so that whoever believes in him will
not be put to shame.
Beloved,
the only way your evil works can be dealt with is through the cross of Jesus
Christ. He went to the cross to pay for the evil you have committed. He himself
bore our sins in his body on that tree that we might die to sin and live for
righteousness. It is only by his wounds that we have been healed. Friend, you need to look to Christ. He is
your only hope for salvation. You cannot expect God to accept you with your
evil works. Listen as Pastor JD Greear explains this,
Do
you realize how completely pure and perfect God is? Do you realize what danger
the presence of sin in your heart places you in? Imagine you were drinking a
glass of milk and I told you it had been mixed with a few drops of human blood
contaminated by the AIDS virus. That’s not much, but touching that glass of
milk to your lips would repulse you. We stand before God wholly contaminated by
sin. Sin cannot exist in the presence of God.[3]
Jesus came to become contaminated with sin so you
could be made clean. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin
who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Do
you believe that? Do you truly believe
that?
Pilate believed in Jesus’ innocence, but did not
respond to it. Pilate chose to bow to the world instead of the living Christ.
Luke 23:23-25,
But they were urgent,
demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices
prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released
the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom
they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.
Their voices prevailed. Pilate did not serve justice, but chose to serve
his own reputation and self-preservation. Pilate oversaw the greatest injustice
of all human history. The completely innocent Son of God was killed so a
murderer could go free. The greatest injustice has become our only hope.
What will prevail in your life? Will the voices
of the world prevail? The voices that beckon you to choose the pleasures of
this life, or to choose the busyness of keeping up with the world or the voices
that offer you hope in something other than Christ? Will those voices prevail
in your life as they did for Pilate? He believed in Jesus’ innocence, but that
belief did not change him. His belief only proved he loved himself more than he
loved God.
Beloved, Jesus
was delivered over for your sake. Allow
his death and resurrection to prevail in your life. Jesus was crucified for
your sake. He died that you may live. Which word will be spoken over you?
Forgiven or Condemned. Jesus chose to exchange his life for your sin. He chose
to be condemned so you could be forgiven. Let his death and resurrection be the
prevailing voice in your life!! You have two choices: bow to the world like Pilate
or bow to Christ. Which will you choose?
[3]
Greear, JD. GOSPEL. Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary.
B&H: Nashville, 2011. P. 94-95
image credit (http://codyknutson.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/sinless.jpg)