Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, "I find nothing wrong with this man!" Luke 23:4
Have you ever been accused of something you did not do? It can be a helpless, defeating, and lonely feeling, to say the least. Imagine how Jesus must have felt when, after He was arrested, He was put on trial in front of some of the biggest religious and political leaders of His day even though He was completely innocent.
Luke 22 and 23 recount the multiple trials Jesus went through after His arrest. He went through trials with the high priests, the Jewish council, Pilate, who was the Governor, and King Herod. They all questioned Him for claiming that He was the Messiah, the King of the Jews. You see, that was considered "blasphemy," or claiming to be God when you are, in fact, not God. What the political and religious leaders did not realize, however, is that Jesus was actually God. Such a claim, to the people of Israel, warranted death. The fascinating thing, however, is that none of these people who tried Jesus could find anything against Him. Pilate could not. In fact, when He found out that Jesus was from Galilee, he sent Jesus to King Herod Antipas, who so badly wanted to see Jesus perform a miracle. Herod could not find anything against Jesus either. You see, these rulers and leaders could not find anything against Jesus because He was innocent. Yet He continued to face unfair trial after unfair trial, all the while knowing that He was completely innocent.
Jesus faced these trials, knowing that He was fulfilling His mission, to pay the price owed for the sins of the world, your sins and mine. He patiently endured the mocking and torment brought upon Him as a result of these trials. He was innocent, yet He listened to people treat Him as if He was a guilty man. He did it for you and me. What love He has for us!
Throughout His trials, Jesus was asked many questions about Himself. Those who questioned Him wanted to know who He was. They asked Him if He was the Messiah, the One who all of Israel had been waiting for to save them. There are many people today who also have questions about who Jesus is. Take time today to tell someone who does not know Him your two-minute story of the difference God has made in your life.
At daybreak all the elders of the people assembled, including the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. Jesus was led before this high council, and they said, “Tell us, are you the Messiah?”
But he replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me. And if I ask you a question, you won’t answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated in the place of power at God’s right hand.”
They all shouted, “So, are you claiming to be the Son of God?”
And he replied, “You say that I am.”
“Why do we need other witnesses?” they said. “We ourselves heard him say it.”
Then the entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”
So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!”
Then they became insistent. “But he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes—all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!”
“Oh, is he a Galilean?” Pilate asked. When they said that he was, Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was under Herod’s jurisdiction, and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.
Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations. Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. (Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.)
