Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered nothing

 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 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 one another.

- Luke 23:1-12

Yesterday we read that, while He was in custody in the house of the high priest, the men who held Jesus 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 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."   My study bible tells us that the religious accusations against Jesus, which concern blasphemy and making Himself equal with God (see yesterday's reading, above), would not be appropriate or adequate to justify a death sentence under the Roman occupation.  The chief priests therefore invent false accusations (see 20:20-26), which are politically charged, in order to persuade Pilate to put Jesus to death.  Note that these particular charges put pressure on Pilate as well, given that they concern the regard due to Caesar.  Pilate's question, Are You the King of the Jews?, is, according to my study bible, more a mockery of the accusation itself than ti is of Jesus, as Pilate clearly doesn't take the political charges seriously (as we can see by his subsequent statement that he finds no fault in Jesus.  Christ's answer, It is as you say, could also be translated with a more ambiguous turn of phrase:  "You say so."  As in His response to the council in yesterday's reading, above, this answer actually prevents condemnation of those who question Him, as it avoids a direct teaching to those who "will by no means believe."

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 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 one another.  My study bible comments here that Herod sees Jesus as a novelty.  Once more, Jesus' silence here is an act of compassion.  To reveal divine mysteries in the face of his blasphemy would have brought Herod even greater condemnation.  My study bible notes that St. Ambrose sees Herod as a figure which represents all unrighteous people.  If Jesus is not understood as the Christ, then neither the meaning of His words and teachings, nor His miracles, will be recognized.  Note that Herod responds to Jesus the same way as did the men guarding Him in the home of the high priest, with contempt and mocking.

What do we make of Herod?  Pilate seems to be a serious man, or at least to take his position quite seriously as the Roman governor.  But Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great) is given to impulsive behavior, as we learn from the story of the beheading of John the Baptist (see Mark 6:14-29).  Although he is called a "king" of Galilee -- the province from which Jesus comes, he rules as Roman tetrarch ("ruler of a quarter"), recognized by Augustus after the death of his father Herod, and rules the region as a client state for Rome.   Herod (Antipas), we've been told in the Gospels, fears that Jesus is John the Baptist returned from the dead (9:7-9).  As with John while he was in his custody, Herod has a fascination with the holy; he was curious about John and is now curious to see a miracle by Jesus.  In some sense he is like a powerful and wealthy man fascinated by some rare treasure or exotic animal in his possession.  He understands nothing of the holy himself, otherwise Christ would not have remained silent.   As he was given to fulfill a gratuitously extravagant oath before all the "great men" assembled for his birthday when John was beheaded, so he now -- together with his men of war -- responds by mocking Jesus and treating Him with contempt.  Such is the picture we have of this man of power.  It is an interesting one, for Herod seems easily swayed by the manipulations of others, including Herodias his wife, needing the approval of those around him, and therefore is at heart weak and rules irresponsibly.  It is no accident, then, that Herod and Pilate become fast friends after Jesus is handed to Herod for judgment, and then sent back to Pilate.  Over the ridicule and diminishing of Christ, Herod binds himself to a new political friend.  But even such a one, who had John the Baptist beheaded and his head brought on a platter to his birthday dinner, is still treated by Christ as one who bears a soul to which He will not add more condemnation by presenting to Him holy things to trample.  Christ has taught us, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces" (Matthew 7:6).  But we rarely stop to think that this teaching, too, isn't merely a negative characterization.  It's also a form of protection against a deeper condemnation for those who will not receive nor understand what is holy, and will respond with contempt, mockery, hostility, violence, rage.  Let us understand Christ, and have respect for the power of the holy by taking the realities of the Kingdom as seriously as does Jesus.  There will be those for whom we may not repeatedly present our faith, nor entreat with Christ's pearls for all kinds of important reasons.  There will be times to remain silent, and to stay away, keeping important boundaries with wisdom.  Let us respect our Teacher, and learn from His conduct, even under the worst circumstances.