What further need do we have of witnesses?

 

 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard.  And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.  Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.  But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'"  And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But Jesus kept silent.  And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God:  Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you said.  Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."  Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy!  What further need do we have of witnesses?  Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!  What do you think?"  They answered and said, "He is deserving of death."  Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ!  Who is the one who struck You?"

 

- Matthew 26:57-68 

 

Yesterday we read that while Jesus was still speaking to His disciples in the garden of Gethsemane, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.  Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him."  Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.  But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?"  Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.  And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.  But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.  Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?  How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"  In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?  I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.  But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."  Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

 

  And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard.  And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.  Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.  But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'"  My study Bible explains that the people who testify against Jesus misunderstand His words which are reported in St. John's Gospel.  Speaking of the temple of His body, He said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (see John 2:19-21).  My study Bible comments that some Jews believed the temple would be destroyed and a new one built by the Messiah.  

 

 And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But Jesus kept silent.  And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God:  Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you said.  Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."  Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy!  What further need do we have of witnesses?  Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!  What do you think?"  They answered and said, "He is deserving of death."  Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ!  Who is the one who struck You?"  Jesus quotes from Psalm 110 and Daniel 7:13, my study Bible explains, confessing that He is the Messiah -- both fully Man and fully God, for only One who was divine could sit at the right hand of the Power, sharing authority with the Father.  It's clear that Jesus' statement was understood by the high priest to be a claim of equality with God the Father.  For a mere human being to claim this was punishable by death, my study Bible says (see Leviticus 24:16), but Jesus is not mere human being, and so His declaration of equality is not blasphemy.  

 

 It is interesting that Jesus tells the truth -- the plain and absolute truth -- and for that He is most penalized, and sentenced to death.  This is a court filled with false witnesses, those who lie.  But this one most innocent Witness Himself is condemned as He tells the open truth about Himself.  In that case, we must accept that it is the court which is therefore condemned here.  In this night trial (already a violation of the law), Jesus is condemned for blasphemy for stating the truth about Himself.  The others answer the high priest and claim about Jesus, "He is deserving of death."  But it should be understood that under the Roman occupation, the Sanhedrin could not carry out a capital punishment execution.  Therefore, among the other humiliations He will endure, Jesus is now subject to spitting, beating, and mocking the claim He's made by demanding "prophecies," asking, "Who struck You?"  The ultimate humiliation, of course, will come on the Cross, but that is something that will have to be done by the Romans, and we will witness Christ's trial before Pilate.  There also, Truth will be on trial, as we may read in St. John's Gospel (see John 18:37-38).  But here, we learn something very important about the Incarnation, and that is the power of the divine entering into our world, and its effects.  Jesus is the Person who is the truth (John 14:6).  Ultimately, in our understanding, what is real and true is measured against Him and His teachings . What is more powerful to consider is the fullness of the effects of the union of the human and the divine in the Incarnation, in Jesus Christ.  As these men put Him on trial, they feel they are the ultimate authority, and so they may be within the context of the society and its religious laws.  But because of who He is, they fail to understand that the ultimate authority in Him puts them on trial.  They will be accountable for what they do, and the blasphemy with which they charge Him is a charge that now may be levied upon them.  For in denying the reality of Christ, they deny the reality of God's presence, even the work of the Holy Spirit in their midst.  Ultimately this is where the Cross will lead, for all the forces -- both spiritual and human -- seeking to crucify Jesus will effectively be judged through the Cross, thus leading to our salvation and the defeat of the devil and death.  We Christians use the Cross as our symbol for precisely this reason, for it is the ultimate symbol of victory in the defeat of evil and death in our world.  Even at His Crucifixion, Jesus will hold out forgiveness for all, but we must remember that forgiveness is received and realized through repentance, and that's a journey we each must make.  Let us consider how truth is on trial, and the one Person telling the truth is condemned here, for it shows us a picture of evil, in which the world and logic and reality are upside down, for we all may go through times such as these where the innocent are condemned.  Let us stand with His truth in all that we do as well, despite the suffering -- with Him always -- that may come.

 

 

 

 

 

Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?

 

 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."  And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. 

 

Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"   So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good  No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."  He said to Him, "Which ones?"  Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"  The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth.  What do I still lack?"  Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

 

- Matthew 19:13-22 

 

Yesterday we read that after Jesus taught the disciples about the essential importance of humility, mutual correction in the Church, and forgiveness, He left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.  The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"  And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"  He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."  His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."  But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:  For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.  He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

 

Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."  And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.   My study Bible reports that, according to Theophylact, the disciples rebuked the mothers for bringing little children to Christ both because their manner was "unruly" and because they thought children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."   But Jesus rejects this thinking, setting little children as an example of those who inherit the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, in the Orthodox Church, children are invited -- even as an example to adults -- to participate in the Kingdom through prayer, worship, baptism, chrismation, and Communion.  In another commentary (on Luke 18:15-17) Theophylact describes little children as the standard of faith by which adults receive the kingdom of God.  He writes, "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in complete simplicity."

 

Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"   So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good  No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."   My study Bible comments that this man does not come to test Jesus (unlike the Pharisees in yesterday's reading -- see above -- who came to test Him with a question on divorce).  This man, on the other hand, has come to seek advice from one he considers to be no more than a good Teacher.  Jesus' response here doesn't deny that He is God, but rather is designed in order to lead the man to this knowledge.  

 

He said to Him, "Which ones?"  Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"  The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"  My study Bible comments here that formal observance of commandments does not make one righteous before God.  Here, this man had an earnest desire for eternal life, but he sensed that he still lacked something.  So he continues to press Christ for an answer. 

 

  Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  To be perfect, according to my study Bible, one must willingly sacrifice all and follow Christ.  There is nothing gained except that this sacrifice is made freely.  The specifics of how one will do this will be different for every person in following Christ.  In this man's case, wealth had a great grip on his life.  Therefore Jesus teaches him that his hope is to sell and give away all his possessions.  St. John Chrysostom says that giving away possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here.  To follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling.

 

 Earlier in St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus has made several references to amputation, or self-mutilation.  These are analogous to the concept of separating from ourselves habits, proclivities, personal choices, forms of passion that get in the way of our salvation, of our union with Christ.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of the statute against adultery, but took it further in His teachings to speak about the lust that leads to adultery.  In this vein, He taught, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart," indicating to us that there is a chain of events in terms of the breaking of a statute or law.  Then He told the crowd of His disciples, "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell" (Matthew 5:27-30).  As we commented on that, and subsequent passages in which Jesus used the same analogy for decisive personal action to prevent sin, Jesus speaks of an eye that looks with lust or covetousness, or a hand that reaches where it shouldn't go. He used the same type of illustration to speak warnings against abuses of "little ones" in the Church as He taught the disciples about leadership and greatness in chapter 18.  He warned, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."  And again, to illustrate the serious point about cutting off personal impulses that lead to violations or offenses, He said, "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire" (Matthew 18:6; 8-9).  His focus is on our internal state as prevention of sin, so that we deal with our passions which lead to sin before the violation of a commandment of religious law.  In this light, we must examine His teaching for this rich young man who comes to Him in earnest, whom St. Mark tells us Jesus loved in giving him the advice we read today to give up his wealth (see Mark 10:21).  To emphasize the point regarding the internal life in the previous passages we've cited, we note that this rich young ruler has followed the commandments of the Law all of his life.  But Jesus finds something hindering his entrance into the kingdom of heaven, an attachment to his wealth that will prove a stumbling block to following Christ in all things.  We don't know why this wealth is a problem; this is not a moral lesson.  This man is doing nothing immoral with his wealth, and Jesus does not condemn owning wealth as sin.  But his attachment, his passion for what he owns, is a stumbling block to eternal life.  Perhaps, as he's called a ruler, he's one of the powerful families in Jerusalem, and his wealth is connected to family and social status and personal identity so that it's like removing an eye or hand or foot to part with his wealth.  But nonetheless, this is what Jesus calls on him to do.  Regardless of how little or how many possessions we have, we can understand the difficulty in being told to give away all that we have.  However, as St. John Chrysostom says, that is the easier part; the harder part is afterward following Christ in all things, as many monastics have sought to do.  The real aim here is the kingdom of God, and the eternal life Christ preaches, His gospel, and how we find it.  Out of love for him Jesus has taught this young man to give away his wealth to the poor, and follow Him.  It is another kind of illustration of the decisive and difficult action we may be called upon to take to follow Christ's path for us, to separate from ourselves the things we might even cherish but which nonetheless hold us back, keep us from the life He offers to us.  Let us take this sobering example to heart, for the Cross is for all of us; it just comes in different forms for each.  But it is the way of Christ, the way we need out of this worldly life to the one He offers us, the treasure in heaven He promises.

 

 

 

 

Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man

 

 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?  For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."  He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- 'then he need not honor his father or mother.'  Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.  Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

'These people draw near to Me with their mouth,

And honor Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me. 

And in vain they worship Me, 

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" 

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the  mouth, this defiles a man."  Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"  But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."  So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

 

- Matthew 15:1-20 

 

On Saturday we read that, following His feeding of five thousand men, and more women and children, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  Now when evening came, He was alone there.  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!"  And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."  And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."  So He said, "Come."  And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the son of God."  When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick,  and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

 

  Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?  For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."  He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- 'then he need not honor his father or mother.'  Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.  Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:  'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"   When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the  mouth, this defiles a man."  Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"  But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."  So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."  My study Bible explains that the tradition of the elders is a reference to the interpretations of the Law by Jewish teachers.  Jesus refutes their views that ritual purity depends on outward actions.  Instead, it is the state of the heart that determines a person's purity.  Here also, Jesus shows that the commandment of God cannot be superseded by people's religious traditions. Devotion to God includes both obedience to God's commandments and service to others -- and these two things cannot be separated (see also James 2:14-18; 1 John 4:7-21).   

 

In today's reading, Jesus yet again emphasizes the state of the heart as the true state of a person, the place upon which we're judged.  But there is more to it than this simple statement.  The state of the heart is responsible for what comes out of the mouth, for the things we say, and thereby the evil things upon which we'll be judged.  Jesus gives examples, saying, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."   This is why, in Christian practice and history, what's called the "guarding of the heart" (Proverbs 4:23) has been so significant.  In this sense, the inner life and the works we do are connected, but it is the guarding of the heart -- that is, an awareness of what we are doing and thinking, and taking steps to notice and to correct habits internal to us which put us in a bad place -- that ensures salvation, and a life lived on Christ's terms.  This is by no means the first time Jesus has addressed the connection between the reality of the heart and the ways we express ourselves, and what that has to do with judgment.  In the Sermon on the Mount, He equated the statute against murder with the effects of name-calling (Matthew 5:21-26).  He spoke of the statute against adultery and tied it to lust in the heart (Matthew 5:27-30).  He also forbade the swearing of oaths, emphasizing, "Let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No" be "No" (Matthew 5:33-37).  In chapter 12 of St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus was accused by the Pharisees of casting out demons by the power of Satan. He said to them, "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:33-37).   Again, the emphasis is on our language, what proceeds out of the mouth, as Jesus says in today's reading, and in particular how that is connected to the state of the heart.  We could compare today's reading to the habits people are very proud of mastering in today's world, such as fasting, and in particular weight loss.  We also observe many who feel they are helping the world and preventing cruelty to animals through vegan and vegetarian diets.  In many religious traditions, regulation of diet plays a role.  This remains true in Christianity particularly for Orthodox Christians, for whom vegan or semi-vegan fasting days officially form roughly half the days of the year on the Church calendar.  But as Christians, we're not called to follow rules legalistically; fasting is a practice "remember God" and to learn and apply self-discipline to all areas of our lives, including the guarding of the heart, how we treat others, and especially that which proceeds out of our mouths, to paraphrase Jesus.  It's important that we note Christ's condemnation of hypocrisy, for there are ways of showing things outwardly that mask the reality of the heart, as the quotation from Isaiah in today's reading indicates (Isaiah 29:13-14).  Perhaps the great damage done by hypocrisy in the world is directly attributable to the failure to take these teachings of Christ seriously and apply them to our lives.  We might think for a few moments of the horrors done in the world in the name of progress, purporting to follow theories that were supposed to make countries better places, even the world a place of greater equality, democracy, justice -- all resulting in mass deaths in the millions over the past century or so.  Christ cites the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees in today's reading, and He will go on to scathingly condemn them throughout a whole chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel prior to His death on the Cross, which includes the disastrous conclusion for Jerusalem due to the failure of its religious leadership (see Matthew 23).  When life becomes a series of memes, repetition of slogans, and theories purporting new solutions to old problems, we open the door to a hypocritical front masking all kinds of unsavory motivations and will to power at any cost.  Let us consider the importance of the guarding of both our hearts and lips, the prudence that asks of us sincerity and purity of the heart as true goals in life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.  But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.  And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.  Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.  Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.' "  But not even then did their testimony agree.  And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But He kept silent and answered nothing.  Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"  Jesus said, "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."  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy!  What do you think?"  And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.  Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!"  And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

- Mark 14:53-65

On Saturday we read that immediately, while Jesus was still speaking to His disciples in the garden of Gethsemane, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.  Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely."  As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, "Rabbi, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.  Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him.  And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.  Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?  I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me.  But the Scriptures must be fulfilled."  Then they forsook Him and fled.  Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body.  And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.  But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.  And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.  Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.  Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.' "  But not even then did their testimony agree.  The Gospels collectively give us a picture of things gone awry, the behavior of the leaders antithetical to the norms then established for justice.  This is a night trial, not appropriate according to the law, and held in the home of the high priest.  We also read of the many who bear false witness that are gathered against Him -- obviously deliberately brought for this purpose.   But their testimony does not agree nor make sense, owing to their misunderstanding of His words (see John 2:18-22).  These circumstances, together with the Roman soldiers and others brought together to seize Him in Gethsemane (see Saturday's reading, above), uniformly describe what would have then been considered unseemly low behavior and conditions, conforming to no standard.

 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But He kept silent and answered nothing.  Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"  Jesus said, "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." Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy!  What do you think?"  And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.  Jesus uses the words "I am" to reply to the high priest.  In Greek it is ego eimi, and it is the divine Name of God (Exodus 3:14).  My study bible says that its use indicates a theophany, a revelation of God.   The use of this Name by a human being was considered blasphemy and punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16; see John 8:58).   Because Christ is fully human and fully God, His use of the Name is not blasphemy; rather He is revealing His unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  My study bible notes that it is only in Mark that we find such a direct answer by Jesus.  To sit at the right hand of the Power means to share authority with the Father.  By his response, we know that it is clearly understood by the high priest to be a claim of equality by God.

Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!"  And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.  Again, the Gospel gives us the picture of abusive, unjust, and corrupt treatment.

The picture of injustice in the Gospels is clear.  The men who try Jesus do so with the collaboration of the Romans, bringing mercenaries to seize Jesus.  Christ is given a trial that does not conform to standards of the Mosaic Law (and apparently neither does the particular behavior of the high priest; see Leviticus 21:10).  What we are given is a picture of men given over to frustration and rage at Christ, so that they violate the Law they are meant to uphold by their positions of responsibility.  So troublesome is His criticism and the fact that He has many followers among the people that He must simply be stopped, crushed.  He has challenged the authority of those in power on too many occasions.  But overall it is important that we understand themes of human injustice and corruption.  Christ has preached throughout His ministry about judging with good or righteous judgment (John 7:24).  He preached that we should love our enemies, even to "bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (see Matthew 5:43-48).  The Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount describe the aspects that make our inner condition blessed; they are all attributes of peace as part and parcel of righteousness.  They describe a way to live and to be in this world that creates right relatedness.  They constitute the pathway to live a life that honors what He calls the two greatest commandments in the Law, and He describes as containing all the Law and the Prophets:  to love God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, and to love neighbor as oneself  (Matthew 22:36-40).   Issues of true justice -- that is, righteousness and the fullness of peace as integrity of heart, are pertinent to Christianity, to what it means to be followers of Christ.  All of these teachings that Jesus gives us to remind us that real injustice begins in the heart teach us about a fullness of justice that comes from the depths of who we are.  Jesus says, when challenged by the Pharisees because His disciples do not practice a ceremonial hand-washing, that it is not what goes into the mouth that defile a person.  Rather, it is "those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies" (Matthew 15:18-19).  He teaches us that issues that are driven from covetousness begin in the heart, such as adultery (Matthew 5:28).  Murder also begins in the heart with unchecked rage that wants to destroy others, embodied in the language that demeans the entirety of a person  (Matthew 5:21-22).  Jesus tells His disciples that He has not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them, and that "unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20).  So essential are matters of true depth of justice and righteousness that Jesus gives us, in fact, a way that describes how to fully live such a life.  It is a recipe that begins with the heart, and leaved no part of us unchanged.  We read here in today's reading of the tremendous injustice done to Christ; everything we read about was a violation of standards already established -- particularly under the Mosaic Law for the Jews.   The leaders fail to uphold their duties and are given instead to corruption, jealousy of position.  They do not act in a way that is strange to the world, but rather in a way all too common; they give us the ills of the human race.  St. John writes in his First Epistle:  "For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world" (1 John 2:16).  Above all, Christ gives us a recipe for true righteousness (that is, the fullness of justice) even when times are bad, things to awry, and all around us is lost to rage, lust, greed, the drive for power, and the passions that demolish justice.  Most importantly, He does not merely give us Law, but also a Helper, a Comforter -- and where One is, there is the fullness of God the Trinity.  It is with the help of grace that we are given the tools not simply to avoid suffering or injustice, but rather to transfigure it.  We are taught to carry our cross, with Him, and to participate in His life, even through crucifixion but to Resurrection, as we shall see.   For with God, all things are possible.  All too often, we hear cries for justice, but without His teaching about where it starts and how it starts -- and without the responsibility for the righteous life He asks us to live.  Let us recall whose disciples we are.  Jesus tells the high priest, "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."   It is a reminder that this is a promise for all of us.

What further need do we have of witnesses?

And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.  But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.  And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.  Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.  Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.'"  But not even then did their testimony agree.  And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But He kept silent and answered nothing.  Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"  Jesus said, "I am.  And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with clouds of heaven."  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy!  What do you think?"  And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.  Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!"  And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

- Mark 14:53-65

Yesterday, we read that immediately, while Jesus was still speaking in the garden of Gethsemane, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.  Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely."  As soon as he had come, immediately, he went up to Him and said to Him, "Rabbi, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.  Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him.  And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.  Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?  I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me.  But the Scriptures must be fulfilled."  Then they all forsook Him and fled.  Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body.  And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.  But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.  And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.   The scene is set:  Jesus is taken inside the house of the high priest, to a night trial.  Peter remains outside in the courtyard, where his prophesied denial of Christ will take place (in tomorrow's reading).

Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.  Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.'"  But not even then did their testimony agree.   In the various accounts of this trial, we can see that the Council breaks just about every rule they have regarding such a process.  It's a night trial, the witnesses contradict one another.  Jesus isn't given opportunity to question the witnesses.   Even those who come with a trumped up story don't agree in their testimony.

And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But He kept silent and answered nothing.  Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"  Jesus said, "I am.  And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with clouds of heaven."   Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy!  What do you think?"  And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.  My study bible points out here Jesus' use of the term I am (ego eimi in the Greek).   This is the divine name of God; its use indicates a revelation of God Himself.   A note tells us, "The use of this Name by a mere man was considered blasphemy and was punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16; see John 8:58)."  But because Jesus is fully divine, His use of the Name can't be blasphemy. Rather, it reveals His unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit:  hence, a theophany, or revelation of God.   My study bible continues, "Only in Mark's account is Christ's answer so direct.  To sit at the right hand of the Power means to share authority with the Father.  This statement was clearly understood by the high priest to be a claim of equality with God."

Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!"  And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.  Once again, we're given a scene of humiliation for Jesus.  He's a vulnerable, helpless human being.  He shares our traits, our lives, fully human.  He's a condemned prisoner, unjustly accused and unjustly tried, and subject to abuse, degrading insults, and contempt.

So here it is.  We're at the place where Jesus suffers in His humanity.  Ironic that He's just declared Himself to these men who try Him, who look for a way to accuse, a way to condemn, who offer Him nothing but their contempt.  He testifies truly, and it becomes opportunity for condemnation.  I suppose that unless one has experienced something similar, the impact of such judgment doesn't make itself clear by simply reading the text.  It may be hard to believe that so much could conspire to do wrong, all at the same time, so many factors and things that are deliberately against Christ.  But there are times in life, and in history if we look carefully, where all kinds of things seem to add up at the same moment to create an astonishing evil, a miscarriage of justice, respite at any possible level denied.   And telling the truth, to be condemned for doing so, isn't such a far away reality as we might think if we have not experienced it.  A common enough occurrence for anyone trapped in a system without mercy, within a kind of grace that can only come from those who really want the truth, and there's nobody in this room willing to tolerate such an idea.   We have to wonder once again why our story goes this way.  Why is our Lord brought down so low?  Why does He share the fate of the most condemned prisoner, the most unfortunate among us, abused and humiliated?  Is this a heroic picture?  But if we look at the tradition of the Church, what we see is that this scene of Jesus as condemned prisoner, bound and humiliated, is used as an icon of love.   (In the reading that will come up for Thursday, we will see an icon of His captivity in the hands of the Roman soldiers.)   This is a picture of how we, too, may be willing to sacrifice when we love others -- what we may endure in the name of love.  That's another kind of thinking that seems to be absent in a world caught up with entitlement and image, a kind of heroism that glorifies some sort of superpower.  Our hero is the most powerful of all, He's the Word Incarnate -- but His choice is powerlessness as vulnerable human being, right there with the worst of things we can count on our fingers for ourselves, because He's there for us.  There are myriad ways we can look at this scene, and endless commentaries that can come from what it tells us.  But one thing is for certain:  whatever we go through in life, Jesus' story and the way it unfolds teaches us once and for all that no matter where we find ourselves in life, the judgment of who we are inside can never be made merely from appearances, from circumstances.  Our worth as persons made in the image of God is something that is in the heart and discernment of God, that demands good judgment and righteousness to truly see.  If we can't separate image from identity, then we're going to get this all wrong.  We haven't learned the lesson He's been there to teach us:  that our identity in Him has nothing to do with what the world might teach us about ourselves or where we find ourselves.  That's why we need Him so completely.  This is just one of the ways in which the story of Christ crucified is crucial to our own understanding of ourselves; it's only in relation to God that we find who we really are, in the eyes of the One who knows the heart -- and who, out of pure love, has been there with us.   Before you judge yourself or another, consider this scene.

What further need do we have of witnesses?

 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard.  And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.  Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.  But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'"  And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But Jesus kept silent.  And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God:  Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you said.  Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."  Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy!  What further need do we have of witnesses?  Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!  What do you think?"  They answered and said, "He is deserving of death."  Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ!  Who is the one who struck You?"

- Matthew 26:57-68

Yesterday, we read that while Jesus was still speaking to the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.  Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him."  Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.  But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?"  Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.  And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew the sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.  But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.  Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?  How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"  In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?  I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.  But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."  Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard.  And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.  Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.  But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'"   My study suggests that the people misunderstand the words of Jesus as reported in John 2:19-21:  "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  It says, "Some Jews believed the temple would be destroyed and a new one built by the Messiah."

And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But Jesus kept silent.  And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God:  Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you said.  Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."   Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy!  What further need do we have of witnesses?  Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!  What do you think?"  They answered and said, "He is deserving of death."  Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ!  Who is the one who struck You?"   A note says that Jesus is quoting from Psalm 110 and Daniel 7:13.  It says, " Jesus confesses that He is the Messiah, both fully Man and fully God, for only a divine One could sit at the right hand of the Power, sharing authority with the Father.  This statement was clearly understood by the high priest to be a claim of equality with God the Father (v. 65).  For a mere man to claim this was punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16), but Christ is no mere man, and thus this declaration of equality is not blasphemy."

 The words "Prophesy to us, Christ!  Who is the one who struck You?" somehow give us a most chilling encounter with those who would diminish another person.  But this just isn't "any old person."  This is Jesus, the one whose ministry encompassed all kinds of healing, impossible acts of restoration, even feeding many in the wilderness.  The contempt is clear.  So is the ridicule and the defilement and abuse.  We see Christ, not just humble, but humiliated by those who actually should know better -- those who everyday witnessed Him sitting with them and teaching openly in the temple.  This is Jesus, whom the crowds called "the prophet from Nazareth."  Even in His purely human life, there is nothing about this person that warrants what is happening to Him.  It's a miscarriage of justice from every conceivable standpoint.  Even this evening trial is illegal by their own laws.  Jesus is the victim of every injustice here on so many levels.  We could look to these people willing to stoop to every means to silence Him, to kill Him -- to get rid of Him as a public rival when the people need a spiritual leader.  We could look at Judas and imagine his motives, even as he was greeted as "Friend" by Christ in the garden at His arrest.  We can imagine what has happened to His followers.  But there is more to the picture.  There is the story of Christ.  He is the King of the Universe, Lord of lords, and King of kings.   But His humiliation isn't for the sake of power and authority.  This humiliation is that of the Kingdom, that of God's power and love and mercy, all there in Christ and in His ministry.  And it's for that humiliation that we mourn for a broken world, that does not return God's love, even as it was manifest in the human Jesus.  If we don't come to terms with our capacity for such behavior, how are we truly going to know ourselves enough to follow God in obedience?  We will see from Peter's example, up ahead in the readings, why it is important to know ourselves.  We look at Christ, the humiliated and beaten prisoner, on trumped up charges, though He did good for others -- all for envy, according to John's Gospel.  Let us remember that what is attacked by this envy is His very goodness, God's love and mercy at work in the world, the true majesty of His gift to us.  If we're not aware of what is possible within us, then how can we make true choices in our own lives?  We may find ourselves humiliating the innocent.

Are You the King of the Jews?

 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.