We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King

 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 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 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

Yesterday we read that the men who held Jesus at the home of the high priest mocked Him and beat Him.  And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy!  Who is the one who struck You?"  And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.  As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, "If You are the Christ, tell us."  But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe.  And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.  Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God."  Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?"  So He said to them, "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."

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 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."  The religious accusations already decided at the council (22:66-71; see yesterday's reading, above) would not be enough to justify a death sentence under Roman occupation.  Therefore, the chief priests here invent false accusations which are politically charged in order to persuade Pilate to put Jesus to death (see also 20:20-26 in which a false trap was set for political charges).  My study bible here states that Pilate's question to Jesus is more a mockery of the accusation itself than of Jesus, as Pilate clearly doesn't take the political charges seriously.  Once again, as before the council, Christ's response is ambiguous, and not a direct declaration.  It is more accurately translated from the Greek, "You say [so]."  To declare Himself openly would assert a judgment against those who refuse faith.

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 nothing.  My study bible rightly points out that Herod sees Jesus as a novelty (similarly to the way Herod also saw John the Baptist; see Mark 6:14-29, esp. v. 20).  But Christ's silence, similarly to the oblique answers He's given to the council and to Pilate, is an act of compassion.  To reveal divine mysteries in the face of such blasphemy would have brought Herod even greater condemnation.  My study bible notes that St. Ambrose sees Herod as a figure representing all unrighteous people who, if they do not recognize Jesus as the Christ, will never understand His words nor recognize His miracles.

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.  Herod responds as one who is spurned.  The courtesies of state:  Herod and Pilate offer Christ to one another for judgment, acknowledging jurisdiction and position.    The two become fast friends over the case of Jesus.

The story of Jesus is the story for our world.  It is a case study in injustice, for example.  As well as being our example of love and of grace, Jesus' story teaches us so many things:  about ourselves, and about God, and about our life in God.  In today's reading, we have the  elements of injustice and of unrighteousness.  There are first of all the lies that are produced in order to condemn Him.  Truth is associated with Christ, in an absolute sense.  So often, when we are asked to choose loyalties in life, a basic internal desire for truth plays a part.  We may have partial knowledge, we may sincerely believe things that are false, but an internal desire for truth still remains an important element of health and right-relatedness in all its forms.  But lying is associated with evil, with the devil.  In John 8:44, Jesus says, "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it."  In this statement, lying and murder are tied with one another.  To spread falsehoods about another, to practice false judgment, is a kind of murder.  In Revelation 22:15, we're told that those who are outsiders in the ultimate judgment include "whoever loves and practices a lie."  In today's reading, we observe the practice of deliberate lies, and also of disregard for truth.  But we also observe Jesus, who refuses to directly reveal His identity to those who "will by no means believe," as He put it in yesterday's reading, above.  Pilate can possibly make neither head nor tails of the machinations of the religious institution that governs the Jews, but he's a smart enough politician to understand that these are false charges proffered against Christ.  To Pilate also Christ will make only an oblique answer to a direct question, because He knows to do so would convey immediate judgment.  Always, always, the truth of Christ is upheld by Christ, but through love and mercy -- also essential components of His truth.    Each one of these individuals who populate the Gospels and the story of Jesus will be subject to judgment; but each one is also offered the possibility of salvation as well.  Even in the midst of lies and the horrible machinations of cruelty and death and murder, we find Christ as full of integrity as at any other time in the story of His life and ministry.  Perhaps this is the most important lesson we learn as we observe and know Him a little better, and understand that we are to strive to be like Him.  We walk through a world that will offer us evil -- at times, the worst of evil that can be done.  But He has gone first, and we follow His discernment, understanding, and judgment.  Let us be truly attentive to what He tells us, in all ways.