the trial
Luke 23:1-25
Main Idea: Amid the political actors of this world, Jesus is the true king who sets free guilty captives.
I. Political Posturing (23:1-5)
Jesus has been found guilty of blasphemy by the Sanhedrin (22:66-71), but they lack the power to condemn him to death. Therefore, they appeal to Pilate and make 3 political accusations against Jesus:
‘Misleading’ (lit. ‘subverting’) our nation (Israel)
Refusing to pay taxes to Caesar (cf. Luke 20:25)
Claiming to be Christ, a king (the most threatening accusation to Pilate)
Pilate’s question (“Are you the King of the Jews?”) is an attempt to drill down Jesus’ political alliance and agenda. Jesus’ brilliant answer (lit. ‘you say’) confronts the false expectations of a messiah and king, while not denying his royal identity. Jesus was indeed a King, but not a king like the people had in mind (cf. Jn. 18:36).
Jesus sees his messiahship [and kingship] in different terms. He insists that he really is the King. He really is the Messiah. He really does come from David’s line. But he’s also one who’s not so much interested in establishing a merely territorial, political kingdom. He comes to build his kingdom that captures men and women, to transform them, to forgive them, to prepare them for heaven, and to teach them how to live here: a domain in which God is sovereign and recognized as King. ~ D.A. Carson, “Why Jesus Christ Died”
II. Vain Curiosity (23:6-12)
Hearing that Jesus has connections to Galilee, Pilate sees an opportunity to pass him off to Herod and his jurisdiction. Herod Antipas desired to see a “sign,” but he had no genuine interest in the truth about Christ or faith in him. He is a political pawn whose conscience has been seared (cf. Luke 9:7-9).
Those who come to Jesus for any purpose other than knowing, loving, and following him will inevitably be disappointed... To desire Jesus because of signs and wonders, health and wealth, powers and privilege, or any other ulterior purposes is not to desire Jesus. ~ James Edwards, The Gospel According to Luke
1 Peter 2:22-23: He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
Jesus’ interaction with Herod ends with two inverted ironies of the gospel:
Herod thinks nothing of Jesus and mockingly dresses up the true King of all kings in ‘splendid clothing’
Herod and Pilate experience reconciliation as a result of their united opposition against Christ (Ps. 2:2: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed”)
III. A Great Exchange (23:13-25)
Pilate asserts Jesus’ innocence three times (23:4, 14, 22) but the crowd, animated by the chief priests and rulers, is stirred up in a frenzy to condemn Jesus. Pilate lacks the moral fortitude and courage to do what is right and caves under the political pressure.
Luke 9:22: “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
The release of ‘Barabbas’ (lit. ‘son of the father’) is the story of the gospel; though Jesus is innocent and righteous, he is condemned and faces the consequences in the place of the guilty, while the guilty one is released from his imprisonment and walks free (cf. Mk. 10:45, 1 Pet. 3:18).
The concept of substitution may be said to lie at the heart of both sin and salvation. The essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man. Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices himself for man and puts himself where only man deserves to be. ~ John Stott, The Cross of Christ
