Jesus on trial before Pilate and Herod.

The first trial before Pilate.

Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.” Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him and said, “It is as you say.” So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.” But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.” When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

Led Him to Pilate: The Roman government did not allow the Jewish leaders the authority to execute a criminal. The religious leaders sent Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor over the region of Judea.

The Jewish leaders had reason to expect a favorable result when they went to Pilate. Secular history shows that he was a cruel, ruthless man, completely insensitive to the moral feelings of others. Surely, they thought, Pilate will put this Jesus to death.

Philo, the ancient Jewish scholar from Alexandria, described Pilate: “His corruption, his acts of insolence, his rapine, his habit of insulting people, his cruelty, his continual murders of people untried and uncondemned, and his never-ending gratuitous and most grievous inhumanity.” (Barclay)

We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King: At the same time, the religious leaders knew Pilate would be unconcerned with the accusation of blasphemy before the religious council. Therefore they brought Pilate three false accusations:

· That Jesus was a revolutionary (perverting the nation).

· That Jesus incited the people not to pay their taxes (forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar).

· That Jesus claimed to be a king in opposition to Caesar (saying that He Himself is Christ, a King).

 Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” We can only wonder what Pilate thought when he first saw Jesus, when he saw this beaten and bloodied Man before him. Jesus didn’t look especially regal or majestic as He stood before Pilate, so the Roman governor was probably sarcastic or ironic when he asked, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

“Pilate was evidently not alarmed by the charge brought against Jesus. Why? Apparently at first glance he saw that the man before him was not likely to be a pretender to royalty in any sense that he need trouble himself about…The [you] in an emphatic position in verse (Matthew 27:11) suggests this = You the King of the Jews!” (Bruce)

 It is as you say: Jesus gave no majestic defense and performed no instant miracle to save His own life. Instead, Jesus gave Pilate the same simple reply He gave to the high priest (Matthew 26:64).

 I find no fault in this Man: This was Pilate’s verdict. Though Pilate was a cruel, ruthless man he wasn’t stupid. He could see through the motives of the religious leaders and had no problem in estimating Jesus and the whole situation by the declaration, “I find no fault in this Man.”

 But they were the more fierce: In response, the religious leaders became more fierce, and emphasized their accusation that Jesus was a leader of insurrection (He stirs up the people). This was a crime that any Roman governor would be concerned with.

And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod: Pilate remained perplexed and unwilling to stand behind his verdict that Jesus was not guilty. So he sent Jesus to Herod, because Jesus was from Galilee, the area where Herod ruled.

The city of Nazareth, in which Christ had continued till he was thirty years of age, and that of Capernaum, in which he principally resided the last years of his life, were both in Lower Galilee, of which Herod Antipas was tetrarch. Pilate was probably glad of this opportunity to pay a little respect to Herod, whom it is likely he had irritated, and with whom he now wished to be friends.” (Clarke)

“The word ‘sent off’ [sent Him to] (anepempsen) was a technical word for sending a prisoner from one authority to another (see Acts 25:21).” (Pate)

The trial before Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great.

 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.

 When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him: Herod had surely heard much about Jesus, but his only interest was a desire to be amused and entertained. This son of Herod the Great never took Jesus seriously.

“Certain of the old writers delight to remark that as there were four evangelists to do honor to our Lord, so were there four judges to do him shame. Annas and Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod.” (Spurgeon)

He hoped to see some miracle done by Him: Herod gave his attention to Jesus and was even exceedingly glad to see Him. He wanted to hear from Jesus (on Herod’s own terms) and wanted to see Jesus do a miracle. Yet for all this, Herod’s interest in Jesus was not sincere and was to his condemnation, not his praise.

At one time Herod Antipas had expressed some religious interest. He heard the Word of God from John the Baptist (Mark 6:20) yet intending to continue in his sin and hardened against God and His Word, Herod became dead to conscience.

At this point Herod only wanted to hear from Jesus what he wanted to hear (he questioned Him with many words). He wanted Jesus to prove Himself, demanding a miracle. Many today also demand a miracle from Jesus as evidence and it may be true that Jesus thinks of them as He thought of Herod.

“There was left to Herod no feeling towards Jesus but the craving after something new, the desire to be astonished, the wish to be amused…. There sits the cunning prince, divining what the wonder will be; regarding even displays of divine power as mere showman’s tricks, or magician’s illusions.” (Spurgeon)

Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing: Herod governed over Galilee, where Jesus spent most of His ministry. He had countless opportunities to hear Jesus again and again – Jesus did not speak in secret meetings in hidden places. All this led Jesus to understand the truth about Herod: he was not a sincere seeker.

Herod thought, “Let’s hear an answer from the Great Teacher! Let’s see a miracle from the Miracle Man!” Jesus may have thought in response, “I have nothing for you, the murderer of My cousin John the Baptist.” “He who answered blind beggars when they cried for mercy is silent to a prince who only seeks to gratify his own irreverent curiosity.” (Spurgeon)

Jesus understood that Herod was a wretched, shallow man and had therefore nothing to say to Him. The same man who murdered John the Baptist now regarded Jesus as a miracle performer for his own entertainment. Even when others vehemently accused Him, Jesus had nothing to say to Herod.

 Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him: The contempt and mockery showed what Herod really thought of Jesus. When Jesus refused to entertain him, Herod entertained himself by mistreating Jesus.

“The mockery made it plain that Herod did not take the charge seriously. That is the really frightening thing about the incident. With the Son of God before him Herod could only jest.” (Morris)

That very day Pilate and Herod became friends: Significantly, Herod and Pilate became friends that day. They found no common ground except their opposition to Jesus.

“I do hope if there are any here that are true-hearted Christians if they have had any ill-will towards one another they will think it a great shame that Herod and Pilate should be friends, and that any two followers of Jesus should not be friends at the sight of the suffering Master.” (Spurgeon)

To this point Luke 23 shows three different groups who hated and rejected Jesus.

· Because of fear and envy the religious leaders hated Jesus.

· Pilate knew something of who Jesus was, but was unwilling to make an unpopular stand for Him.

· Herod didn’t even take Jesus seriously; he was only interested in amusement and entertainment.

The second trial before Pilate.

 Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).

 Having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man… indeed nothing worthy of death has been done by Him: Pilate clearly and eloquently declared Jesus innocent of any crime. This was the result of his careful examination of both Jesus and the evidence brought against Him.

 I will therefore chastise Him and release Him: Pilate did not suggest a light punishment for Jesus. The Roman custom of scourging was a brutal whipping. The blows came from a whip with many leather strands, each having sharp pieces of bone or metal at the ends. It reduced the back to raw flesh, and it was not unusual for a criminal to die from a scourging, even before crucifixion.

 This was not just. An innocent man does not deserve even a light punishment, much less the severe one suggested by the words, “I will therefore chastise Him.”

 For it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast: Pilate believed he had a way for Jesus to escape death. He planned to release Him according to the custom of releasing a prisoner every Passover season.

Pilate perhaps thought, “If this Man claimed to be king and is even the slightest bit hostile to Rome, then the crowd will love him. These Jewish leaders don’t want Jesus to go free, but the crowd will sympathize with Him.”

The crowd makes its choice.

 And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”; who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder. Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.” But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

 Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas: The crowd, whom Pilate was convinced would release Jesus, instead condemned Him. Because of this, Pilate did not find the courage to oppose both the religious leaders and the crowd.

 But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” This was a strange, almost insane scene: a cruel, ruthless Roman governor trying to win the life of a miracle-working Jewish teacher against the strenuous efforts of both the Jewish leaders and the crowd.

“Their loud cries give the impression that a riot was beginning to build up. It must have been obvious to Pilate that the situation was becoming increasingly ugly.” (Morris)

We may imagine that many in this crowd had, just a few days before, cried out “Hosanna” to Jesus. Yet it is probable that most of these who cried, “Crucify Him!” were local residents of Jerusalem, not the pilgrims from Galilee and other places who welcomed Jesus on the day He entered Jerusalem.

 And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will: The crowd rejected Jesus and embraced Barabbas, whose name means son of the father, and who was a terrorist and a murderer.

If anyone should be able to say, “Jesus died for me,” it was Barabbas. He knew what it was to have Jesus die on his behalf, the innocent for the guilty.

He delivered Jesus to their will: This was how Pilate perceived his actions, and was partly true. In a larger sense, Jesus was delivered to His Father’s will and the eternal purpose of God – predestined before the world was ever created – would certainly be accomplished.

They found no crime worthy of death… 

Yet they gave into the frenzied crowd…  

And they crucified Him…