Luke 23:1-26

(Luke 23:1-26)

 

And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.  And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves. And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,  Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:  No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him.  (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)  And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:  (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)  Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.  But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.  And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.  And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.  And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.  And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

 

Pilate was a man who was indecisive for his power. He knew he would hear his conscience, but he couldn't act on it. Pilate had a very favorable attitude toward Jesus. He tried to convict Jesus. He sent Jesus to Herod Antipas and offered to release him after beating him with a sling. He also tried to release Jesus in accordance with the custom of releasing a prisoner on the holiday. But Pilate was overwhelmed by the crowd. Pilate was afraid of a civil war. If there was a civil war, he couldn't help but take responsibility for it, and Pilate sent Jesus to Herod for trial in order to put the responsibility on Herod.

 

『 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 』However, Herod did not find any charges against Jesus and returned Jesus to Pilate again. In the end, however, Pilate handed over Jesus to be crucified in order to satisfy the crowd with a remedy for the public sentiment. Pilate gave up his conscience in order to maintain his present position. He was concerned that he had been conspired to recognize a king other than Caesar when he turned to Jesus. If so, he will be deprived of his current position as governor and will be tried as a rebel against the Roman emperor Caesar.

 

When Jesus stood in front of Pilate, the first question he received from Pilate, who was sitting in the judge's seat, was, "Are you the king of the Jews?" This charge was at the heart of the Jews' accusation against Pilate. The accusation that a crowd of high priests brought Jesus to Pilate and accused him was “And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. The word "perverting the nation" means what Jesus taught the people by the word of truth. They said that they had deceived the way of life Jesus taught. And the charge for saying that he forbade paying taxes to Caesar is a lie.

 

Jesus said to the Pharisees' temptation, "Offer Caesar's things to Caesar, and God's things to God." The accusation that "he said he was a king" was evidence found in Caiaphas' final interrogation at the court trial of the Sanhedrin in the courtyard of Caiaphas that morning. They obviously knew that the royal expression of Jesus had only the meaning of the Messiah, but the reason for this accusation was to subtly imply that Pilate was the conspiracy to rebel against CaesarPilate asked Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Since Pilate was the real ruler of Judah under the command of Caesar, the Roman emperor, Pilate could not tolerate anyone who challenges his king. Therefore, his concern was whether this Jesus was the king of the Jews who challenged Caesar's kingship. Jesus answered Pilate, "You are right." These words of Jesus are saying, "I am the King of the Jews, according to the accusations of the crowd." Jesus' words, saying that he was the king of the Jews, did not mean kingship in this world, nor did he express his political ambitions. Jesus declared his position as the Messiah. The Messiah is clearly listed as the King of the Jews and refers to the eternal king who will succeed David.

 

Pilate learned from these words of Jesus that he was by no means a real king to rebel against Caesar. If Jesus' power had been so powerful that Pilate was able to rebel against Caesar and considered him to be a king of the Jews, Pilate would have condemned him at once, without even intending to forgive him. However, the appearance of Jesus, who was in Pilate's eyes, was too weak and poor. Not only were there no sympathizers of Jesus, nor were there any signs of rebellion. And Pilate was well aware that this was a religious matter from the start, and he knew that what they were complaining about was a religious matter. Pilate knew that this problem was due to the Jewish envy of Christ.

 

Jesus did not need to claim his innocence. He was innocent, but he was standing there, rejuvenating our sins on our behalf. Jesus did not want God to have a proper judgment. “He's stabbed because of our transgressions, and he's broken because of our sins.” The Jews, knowing that Jesus was their Christian, welcomed the entry into Jerusalem extensively. But Jesus was against their expectations. The Christ they waited and wanted was not to be the defendant who was judged before Pilate, but to be their king who would save Israel. When the Jews went against their expectations, the illusion turned into betrayal. In this situation, if any Jews did not listen to their counsel, they did not know what kind of anger they would face later. This is because the Jews who follow Jesus are already determined to go out.

 

The crowd psychology quickly became one. “Jesus must be crucified, crucified” shouts were heard here and there. Pilate released Barabbas to them and handed over Jesus into their hands to be scourged and crucified. Prior to execution, the death row inmate was punished by whipping. The whips of the Roman soldiers had a short handle with a few strings of leather straps and a small piece of lead pointed at the front of it. When soldiers smack with this whip, the spine is exposed, and there are cases where flesh is buried. And the prisoner on death row must rejuvenate the crucifix he has to bear and rise to the sentence. After the cruel whips of the Roman soldiers were struck upon him, Jesus now had to carry the form of the cross and climb the hill of Golgotha ​​in that suffering.