Good Friday: Truth in the Trial

Luke 22:66 - 23:25

“When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, ‘If you are the Christ, tell us.’ But he said to them, ‘If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.’ So they all said, ‘Are you the Son of God, then?’ And he said to them, ‘You say that I am.’ Then they said, ‘What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.’

 

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.’ 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.’

 

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. 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. 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. 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.’

 

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!’ 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.’ 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.”

Devotion

Joseph Caiaphas, the Jewish High Priest, held a rushed and untraditional trial against Jesus of Nazareth. A typical trial would consist of a quorum of 72 members of the Sanhedrin, or priestly council. Rather, Jesus’s trial was held in the living quarters of Caiaphas on the eve of Passover, one of the holiest nights in the Jewish calendar, a day the court would likely never be able to meet quorum on such short notice. 

There was also very little solid evidence against Jesus, merely hearsay, and most of which had been said by Old Testament Prophets. Jesus was arrested for breaking the Jewish Sabbath by healing, as well as claiming to be the Messiah, threatening the destruction of the Temple, sorcery, and dealing with demons. 

Jesus on trial is quiet, does not fight back, and barely answers the accusations. Jesus is truthful in all he says even saying, “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong” (John 18:23). 

Joseph Caiaphas asks Jesus questions like “Are you the Messiah?” to get Jesus to incriminate himself against Jewish prophecies and understanding. If Jesus admits to being the Messiah it contradicts the Jewish belief about the resurrection and coming of the Messiah being intertwined. The High Priest asks if Jesus claims to be the Messiah and Jesus says, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God” (Luke 22:68-69). Jesus is quoting references from Daniel and Psalms. 

The jurors continue and ask, “Are you then the Son of God?” (Luke 22:70a). To which Jesus said, “You say that I am” (Luke 22:70b). The accounts of the trial in Luke conclude with the guilty verdict from the Sanhedrin, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips” (Luke 22:71). In the eyes of the Sanhedrin, Jesus has just claimed to be the Son of God, a term only used for Caesar.

The entirety of Jesus’s trial is a scandal. The High Priest opens the trial in hopes of blocking any objections coming from the whole quorum of leaders. Caiaphas, the High Priest, knows the truth and that his means of obtaining his desired verdict is incorrect. However, he relies on the heightened emotions of the crowd to sway the decision.

In our own lives as current-day believers, how often do we put Jesus on trial? Caiaphas disregards correct procedure in order to convict Jesus according to his desires, but do we not do that as well? Do we not bullet-fire questions at Jesus when we doubt or want things to go our way, impatient to let God’s timing reveal the true, good and beautiful plan that God has for us? 

The tendency is to say Why? Why is this happening, Jesus? Will you not do something? Now! I cannot help but wonder, does Jesus hear these cries and want to say, “Do not worry child, the ‘Son of Man is seated at the right hand of the mighty God’” (Luke 22:69). 

Jesus was slow and methodical when his life was at stake; what makes us so impatient to want our answers right away? Maybe there is some patience needed for truth. Ultimately, Jesus wins. 

In the moment, as Jesus is punished with crucifixion, it looks like falsehood wins. When Jesus, King of the Jews, hangs naked, beaten, and mocked on a cross, it looks a lot like death will win. And when Jesus is buried for three long days it seems as if Satan's bitter touch has the final claim. 

Yet, that is not where the story ends; Jesus rises from the dead, beating death. Jesus killed death. Patience was needed for God’s plan to unfold.

In addition to the High Priest perpetuating his own truth, false truth was being spread and blindly followed among the crowds to support his version. The truth was that Jesus was innocent; the falsehood was that he was a danger to society and, as such, needed to be crucified. This was the lie that the so-called priests and holy figures were whispering into the ears of just enough people to ensure that their will was mindlessly carried out. 

Pilate stated on multiple occasions that he believed Jesus to be innocent and gave the people many chances to change their vote to crucify Him and release Barabbas, but the lies were too powerful. Mark 15:9-11 says “‘Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.” (Mark 15:9-11) 

The blind following of the crowd caused the wrongful death of Jesus. Despite the fact that this was the only way for Jesus to save us from our sins, lies and fear caused everyone to turn from Him. Even though this event needed to happen to allow us to be in relationship with God, the virtue of honesty should be respected and, in the case of the majority in the decision-making, it was not.

Not only did the crowd blindly follow the lies of the priests, but the Roman guards who mocked and tormented Jesus also bought into the falsehoods. They mockingly bowed to him and placed a crown of thorns upon his head; only after Jesus died did a guard stand up and say, in Mark 15:39b,  “‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:39b) After the consequences of arbitrarily following the false whispers instead of the glaring truth.
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Artwork 

Ecce Homo, “Behold the Man”
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn


Poetry


Music