Luke 22:66-23:25
Jesus before the Council
66 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council. 67 They said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe;68 and if I question you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 All of them asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!”
Jesus before Pilate
23 Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.” 3 Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answered, “You say so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation against this man.” 5 But they were insistent and said, “He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place.”
Jesus before Herod
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. 9 He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. 12 That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.
Jesus Sentenced to Death
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 I will therefore have him flogged and release him.”
18 Then they all shouted out together, “Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!” 19 (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) 20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.”23 But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.
What does the Passage say?
V. 66-71, The council of Jewish leaders, comes together to hold a pre-trial of Jesus (they can’t trial Jesus without the Roman authority).
V. 1-7 Jesus was sent to Pilate, and he neither finds a way to charge Jesus, so he sends Jesus off to Herod.
V. 8-12 Jesus was sent to Herod, and with all the questions that Herod asked, Jesus does not reply. Herod clothes him with an elegant robe and mocks him. Then he sends Jesus back to Pilate.
V. 13-24 Pilate wants to release Jesus but understands the crowd thinks otherwise. So he presents them with Barabbas and Jesus to choose, who they want to release. To his surprise, they choose Barabbas.
What does the Passage say to me/us?
In this passage, we see how Jesus is tossed back and forth, before his crucifixion. The reason was that all three parties, from the deep down of their heart, knew that Jesus was the Son of God.
It says, “Are you then the Son of God?” (v. 70 NIV) Even the Jewish leaders might have known that something was different. They simply couldn’t accept it. Because of their upbringing and background.
Doesn’t that happen to us? Don’t we miss God’s plan to be revealed in our lives by not accepting it, because we never experienced it or saw it? What if we are losing a great opportunity for renewal, as the Jewish leaders did? Are we missing out on a great opportunity, just because it is something unheard of?
Prayer
Lord, help us to see your ways. Help us to see where you are guiding us. Help us to see how you want us to grow. And help us to see your glory, revealed in our life.
In Christ Name, Amen.
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