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Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and the scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. Then Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" He answered and said to him, "It is as you say." And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!" But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.
Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them.
- Mark 15:1-11
In yesterday's reading, we learned of Peter's activities outside of the house of the high priest, during the time Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin (the Council or Assembly) was going on inside at night. Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth." But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying." And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them." But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it." Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!" A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And when he thought about it, he wept.
Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and the scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. My study bible notes: "The Sanhedrin waits to reach the official decision in the morning, probably because by law sessions at night were not allowed. Pilate: the Roman procurator of Judea, A.D. 26-36. The council is greatly deluded. They think they are going to take away the life of the Son of God! Jesus said, 'Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it up again' (John 10:17)."
Then Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" He answered and said to him, "It is as you say." My study bible says that this "is a political question, to which a positive answer would be tantamount to treason against Rome. Jesus answers indirectly, It is as you say."
And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!" But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled. My study bible tells us that "it is not that Jesus answered nothing to any of the charges. He does indirectly acknowledge being 'the King of the Jews' (v. 2, above) and He affirms that He is 'the Christ, the Son of the Blessed' (14:61). But against false charges He makes no defense."
Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. A note tells us that Barabbas and His fellow rebels "are Jewish nationalists who have already participated in some local insurrection against the Romans. Barabbas means 'son of Abba' or, literally, 'son of the father.' A variant reading in Matthew 27:16 and a patristic tradition also attribute the name Jesus to him, thus underscoring the bitter irony that the false 'savior' and 'son of the father' is released, whereas the true Savior and Son of the Father is condemned to death."
Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. A note in my study bible says that "this multitude, stirred up by the Jewish leaders, is quite likely a crowd of their own supporters hastily gathered in the early morning. It is probably not the same crowd which welcomed Jesus at His Triumphal Entry, nor the general populace feared by the Jewish leaders (14:2). However, just days before on Palm Sunday, no doubt some of these same people had praised Him. The multitudes were always interested in Christ. Now they turn against Him. Why? The multitude is fickle. The crowd follows the crowd. It loves good teaching and prophetic insight, but avoids discipleship, suffering and perseverance."
Jesus moves from a night trial (which is illegal by Jewish law, so the Council is violating its own standards), full of witnesses which contradict one another, to a presence before Pilate who is the Roman procurator for the region. It is Pilate who really has the power of life and death here, the capacity to order a death sentence of crucifixion for Jesus. But Pilate is not an idiot. He can see what is going on, and he can see what kind of a person Jesus is -- that Jesus is innocent. The real marvel here is Jesus' behavior. Why does He not dispute the charges? Why does He not point out the false behaviors and attitudes of the witnesses and the false charges they are making? As my study bible points out, Jesus does, in fact, give two statements on His own behalf: in His own way, He affirms that He is the King of the Jews, as Pilate's question goes. He affirmed to the Sanhedrin quite powerfully that He was the "Christ, the Son of the Blessed" by replying, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." He affirms who He is, but He doesn't dispute with the false witnesses at this point. So, let us take a look at His attitude and consider what is happening here. Jesus knows full well what is going on and what is the goal of this scenario; He knows what He is facing. And yet, as my study bible pointed out in a note a few readings back, and as Jesus has said, despite whatever is prophesied, it does not take away the responsibility from those by whom this betrayal and false condemnation come. In this sense, regardless of what has been prophesied regarding Jesus, as suffering servant, there is still a choice, a responsibility on the part of these false witnesses and those seeking to put Him to death. Given this truth, there is still a chance they can save themselves from condemnation for doing so. Jesus' refusal to dispute the charges, therefore, can be seen -- in one light -- as the free and clear option for these people to take full responsibility in doing what they wish. His lack of defense (for this part of the trial) makes it very clear that they speak fully on their own, the responsibility is clearly theirs. It's a parallel to the freedom that we have to choose how we live and whether or not we love God: God does not compel us to love Him. In that light, we can see Jesus' lack of defense as an affirmation of that clear freedom, the gift of responsibility for these human beings. It is a clear affirmation that they and they alone are responsible for what they do, and the ways in which they seek to condemn Him falsely. It is a time for reckoning and judgment, in this sense. They have all heard Him preach, as He pointed out when He was taken by night in the garden. Jesus does affirm who He is, and this is enough of a clear warning about what they do, to whom they seek to bear false charges and condemn to death. It is the image here of a Creator whose children are free to turn on Him, of a love that sets free, that accepts the verdict in the hearts of His children. It is an absolute dignity, a profound love and grace at work in this scene where even Pilate understands what is happening (he knew that the chief priests handed Him over because of envy), but can only marvel at Jesus' demeanor. Let us take with us the understanding that we, too, are free in what we do and what we choose. But we bear the responsibility of our choices, along with the profound love of our Creator.
