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47. The
condemnation of Jesus.
The day of Jesus'
death had arrived. Early in the morning the high council of the Jews
gathered. Then they pronounced the death sentence on him, as they had
decided during the night. There was no more talk of anything else. One
of them, Joseph of Arimathea, did not agree with their advice, nor did
Nicodemus, who had come to Jesus that night. They loved and honored him,
but they could never save him.
Then his enemies brought him before the Roman governor or governor
Pontius Pilate to have the death sentence confirmed and carried out.
They themselves were not allowed to carry it out. As was customary, many
of the people who had gathered went with them. Among them were no doubt
hired men from the Pharisees. Wickedness and vengefulness use every
means to achieve their ungodly purpose. Pilate asked them, “What
complaint have you against this man?” They said, “He is stirring up the
people and forbidding the emperor to give the treasury, saying that he
is the king.” For they accused him of being a worldly king and wanting
to deprive the emperor of his rule over the land, the wicked. Pilate
interrogated him: “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered him: “I
am a king. But my kingdom is not of this world.” Pilate soon convinced
himself of the innocence of the pious Jesus and thought about saving him.
That's why he didn't like to hear Jesus use the expression: “I am a king.”
He would have preferred to hear: “I am not a king.” But Jesus said: “I
was born for this purpose and came into the world to bear witness to the
truth.”
Pilate blatantly told the Jews that he found no guilt in him. But they
insisted that he must die; according to their law he must die. For they
knew Pilate well, that he was not a firm and hearty man. Pilate sent
Jesus to Herod because Herod was prince of Galilee, but at that time he
was in Jerusalem. Herod mocked him and sent him back.
Pilate now turned to the common people who had gathered in front of the
judgment house. The people had an ancient right to ask for the release
of one of the prisoners at Easter. At that time a rebel and murderer by
the name of Barrabas was imprisoned. Pilate addressed the people: “Shall
I release Barrabas to you or Jesus?” He hoped the people would ask for
Jesus. But they asked for Barrabas. He asked them, “What do you want me
to do with Jesus?” They replied: “Crucify him!”
O, where are the good people who celebrated Jesus' entry with hosanna a
few days earlier? Those who celebrated his entry with hosanna are not
there. Many are at home mourning and will not return until Pentecost.
When the wicked triumph, the good mourn and pray. Pilate made another
attempt to arouse the people's compassion through cruelty. He had the
pious Jesus scourged. After the scourging, the Roman soldiers put a
purple robe around him. They wove a crown of thorns and placed it on his
head. They put a staff in his right hand. They knelt before him in
mockery and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They stood up again, took
the staff from his hand and struck his head with it. When he had endured
this and more abuse, Pilate set him before the people again with his
stripes, with his wounds, in his blood. “Look,” he said, ”what a man!”
But the outraged mob insisted that he should be crucified. Indeed, the
priests finally threatened the governor with the emperor. “If you let
him go,” they said, ”you are no friend of the emperor.” Pilate finally
sat down on the judgment seat and pronounced that Jesus should be
crucified. But he washed his hands and said, “I am innocent of the blood
of this righteous man; you watch!” So the judge testified with his own
mouth that he had judged an innocent man.
When Judas, the traitor, saw that Jesus was condemned to death, he
repented of his terrible deed. He brought the blood and sin money back
to the priests. He said, “I have done wrong in that I have betrayed
innocent blood.” But wicked men have no mercy on one another. They said,
“This is none of our business. This is your business. You see to it.”
The priests gave him such absolution in response to his confession. So
he desperately threw the blood money, the thirty pieces of silver, into
the temple, looked for a lonely place and hanged himself. Such was the
end of the disciple who betrayed his master with a kiss for thirty
pieces of silver. His transgression brought him such gain. Such is the
profit of iniquity.
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