Are You the King of the Jews?

And 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. 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 with 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.

- Luke 23:1-12

In yesterday's reading, we heard of the mockery of Jesus -- He was blindfolded and struck, while others yelled at Him to "Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?" Then, when day came, the elders, chief priests and scribes, came together for the council. In their hearing, Jesus refused to speak when He was asked to tell them if He was the Christ. They wouldn't believe in any case, and He wasn't free to ask questions. He goes to the right hand of the power of God. They asked, "Are You the Son of God?" and He answered, "You rightly say that I am." And they said, "What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth."

And 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." Pilate, of course, is the Roman Prefect of Judea. To "pervert the nation" and to forbid taxes to be paid to Caesar are certainly treasonable offenses. We recall when Jesus was asked in the temple about paying taxes to Caesar. My study bible says, "These false accusations seek to label Jesus as a political Messiah and a threat to Roman rule."

Then Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" He answered him and said, "It is as you say." My study bible notes that the Greek behind "It is as you say" can also be translated "You say so," as an ambiguous answer. Jesus has never called Himself a king in the political sense, but He is King in a spiritual kingdom.

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." We note that Pilate doesn't take the charges seriously; perhaps as a longterm political player himself, he can recognize very well that Jesus is nothing like someone who'd struggle for a kingdom in a violent way. Perhaps he simply dismisses this crowd and the temple leaders. At any rate, those from the temple seek more vehemently to accuse Jesus, in order to get Pilate to act against Him.

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. 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 with nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. Here is an interesting picture. Pilate clearly wants nothing to do with the condemnation of Jesus -- but Herod is in town! Herod, ruler of Galilee, is the man who will see Jesus. And He has heard of Jesus, unlike Pilate -- and Herod is curious about Jesus, just as he was about John the Baptist. But Jesus will answer nothing; He is not participating in what is going on in the sense of defense: He accepts God's will for what is to come, and He knows what is happening to Him. There are no other witnesses to His ministry, only the accusers. This is not a search for truth, but an exercise in injustice.

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. Because Jesus will not "honor" Herod with a display of miraculous power, nor does He speak or participate in this "hearing," Herod shows Him contempt and ridicule, much as Jesus has already been treated to (see yesterday's reading). Jesus is shuttled back to Pilate, with contempt. It is perhaps one of the most interesting footnotes on this scene of Jesus' trial that Pilate and Herod became good friends this day. First of all, Pilate appeared to be "honoring" Herod by allowing him to rule in his jurisdiction of Galilee, and seeing Jesus. But secondly, they share the guilt of what is happening and their use of power for mistreatment -- a bond not unusual in our world. They are both known as cruel men, and history bears this out in terms of records we have beyond the Gospels. But in spiritual terms, we find a new note in terms of this "hour, and the power of darkness." My study bible calls it "a tragic footnote on human sinfulness."

How strange is this, that the innocent Christ should be the instrument of a bond between such ruthless political operators? My study bible calls Herod and Pilate "two cruel and cunning enemies." And indeed they are, seasoned in the roughest and harshest of politics and political rule. And in the midst of them is Jesus, who perhaps stands as the polar opposite definition of power and its uses. He reigns not by cruelty but by an authority within Himself, an authority unshakeable even when opposed by the most violent scenes of this world. There is all the difference: the Kingdom and their (Pilate and Herod's) worldly kingdoms. Let us note the difference for ourselves and remember that we are connected with that kingdom of Christ through prayer and through faith, through baptism and the sacraments, but especially through the sacrifice He will make for all of us. In this sense, let us not forget our liberation by this King: we are free to choose, no matter what we see around us, no matter how others choose and what others put their faith in. We are free to choose our part with Him, and what we will worship and glorify. He was there first, for us to do so!