The Roman Trial: Matthew
27: 11-26: Meanwhile
Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king
of the Jews?” “Yes,
it is as you say,” Jesus replied. When
he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then
Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against
you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even
to a single charge – to the great amazement of the governor. Now
it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the
crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the
crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to
you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While
Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t
have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal
today in a dream because of him.” But
the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to
have Jesus executed. “Which
of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,”
they answered. “What
shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They
all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But
they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When
Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was
starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am
innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All
the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” Then
he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to
be crucified. (NIV) Mark
15: 1-15: Very
early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the
law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away
and handed him over to Pilate. “Are
you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “Yes,
it is as you say,” Jesus replied. The
chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t
you going to answer? See how many things
they are accusing you of.” But
Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. Now
it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested.
A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed
murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what
he usually did. “Do
you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it
was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the
chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. “What
shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked
them. “Crucify
him!” they shouted. “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But
they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” Wanting
to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged,
and handed him over to be crucified. (NIV) Luke
23: 1-25: Then
the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse
him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment
of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.” So
Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes,
it is as you say,” Jesus replied. Then
Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a
charge against this man.” But
they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He
started in Galilee and has come all the way here.” On
hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that
Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in
Jerusalem at that time. When
Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been
wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him
perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no
answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there,
vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him.
Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod
and Pilate became friends – before this they had been enemies. Pilate
called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them,
“You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I
have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges
against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he
has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then
release him.” With
one voice they cried out, “Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas
had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) Wanting
to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!” For
the third time he spoke to them: “Why?
What crime has this man committed?”
I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will
have him punished and then release him.” But
with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their
shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man
who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked
for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. (NIV) John
18: 28-40: Then
the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it
was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter
the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to
them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” “If
he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to
you.” Pilate
said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But
we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected. This happened so that
the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die
would be fulfilled. Pilate
then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the
king of the Jews?” “Is
that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am
I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed
you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus
said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to
prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You
are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus
answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was
born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on
the side of truth listens to me. “What
is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I
find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release
to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to releast ‘the
king of the Jews’?” They
shouted back, “No, not him! Give us
Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part
in a rebellion. (NIV) |
