Pilate and Herod Before Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning! Welcome to CHCC. I hope and pray each of you had a wonderful week. I just want to give a quick shoutout to John Pomeroy and thank him for his wonderful message last week. It was exactly what we needed to hear. Also, I want to thank him and his very talented group for leading worship as well. We were very blessed to have them last week.
Today we will continue to make our way through Luke’s gospel. We are now in chapter 23! It’s been a long journey through Luke, and even so it is hard to believe we are just two chapters from completing it!
Just to recap where we are, since we paused last week, Jesus has just been arrested. Judas betrayed Him as he brought a group of temple guards to arrest Jesus in the dead of night in the Garden of Gethsemane. The disciples have scattered to the wind except for Peter who followed Jesus at a distance. But while Jesus was in trial, several people noticed Peter in the light of the camp fire and called him out as one of the followers of Jesus. Three times this happens, and three times Peter denies his connection to Jesus.
At this point, Peter locks eyes with Jesus and the rooster crows—reminding him of Jesus’ words earlier in the evening that he would deny him three times—and Peter runs off and weeps bitterly.
The following passage gives us a glimpse to the trial of Jesus while Peter was likely waiting outside. Jesus is mocked and beaten by His captures as they blaspheme him. Then the Sanhedrin make their appearance and ask Jesus if He is the Christ. Jesus simply responds, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
To this, they then ask Jesus, “Are you the Son of God, then?” To which Jesus responds, “You say that I am.” To this they become incensed and are ready then and there to have him killed. But they couldn’t without Roman approval according to their law as we will see. So with that, we come to our passage this morning. Jesus is taken before Pilate with the Sanhedrin frothing at the mouth for Jesus’ conviction and death. So let us see what will come of this meeting between Jesus and Pilate and then Herod.
If you have your Bibles with you, please turn with me to Luke 23, beginning in verse 1.
PRAY
Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”
We may wonder, “If the Sanhedrin found him guilty, why didn’t they just kill them on their own accord?” Well, by law, they couldn’t, as John’s gospel tells us.
Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.”
When Rome took over Judea and began direct rule through a prefect in A.D. 6, capital jurisdiction (i.e., the right to execute) was taken away from the Jews and given to the Roman governor. Capital punishment was the most jealously guarded of all the attributes in Roman provincial administration.
This was considered a political trial and thus Roman authority was entirely necessary. However, because of Rome’s insertion into this trial, Jesus would be killed in a manner that lines up with prophecy.
We won’t spend a lot of time here in the first five verses, but there are a couple things that stand out and it will certainly lay the groundwork for the next section. First off, let us look at the claims of the Sanhedrin. I think you will see how clearly these are utter lies.
“We found this man misleading our nation.”
This is completely false. We haven’t seen one bit of teaching that would mislead the nation. In reality, it was the Pharisees and religious leaders that were misleading the nation!
He forbids “us to give tribute to Caesar.”
Oh, look! They completely twisted Jesus’ words to fit their agenda. Jesus never forbid any tribute to Caesar. In fact, holding up the coin with Caesar’s name and image on it, He said, “Rend to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” He allowed tribute, in other words.
“He says that he himself is Christ, a king.”
Again, while we know this to be a fact, Jesus has yet to verbally confirm it before the Sanhedrin. When they asked if He was the Son of God, Jesus simply replied, “You say that I am.” Or “You said it, not me.” But they took that as blatant confirmation and ran with it. But I think it is very clear that under a fair trial, none of these accusations would have even an ounce of hope to hold up in court.
And Pilate, in essence, agrees. But Pilate engages with Jesus for their sake.
And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”
Again, a common Greek phrase that means, “That statement is tied to you. You said it.” So Pilate, with such weak accusations, does only what he can.
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.”
End of case, right. Well, not so fast. The Sanhedrin were adamant, and Pilate, ever the politician didn’t want to get bad press, so he has an idea.
But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”
When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.
Perhaps it was the quick passing statement of Galilee that sparked the idea for Pilate. Some of you may remember an actor from the 20s—the late Will Rogers. He once said, “There have been two great eras in American history, the passing of the buffalo and the passing of the buck. Here Pilate was passing the buck to Herod. So let us see how this face-off shakes out.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
Now before we look at this, I want to back up, give us the backstory to Herod a bit so that (hopefully) we can gain a deeper understanding of this moment as well as a spiritual application for us today as well.
History of Herod
History of Herod
The Herod here in our passage is none other than Herod Antipas. This is one and the same Herod that had gone up against John the Baptist. The whole ordeal between Herod and John came about because Herod was married to Herodias and John publicly called it out.
The reason for John doing this was because of how the marriage came about and who the marriage was between. Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus—Herod’s half-brother. So Herodias was Herod’s niece. Pretty messed up. But there’s more. She was already married! To another Herod, no less! And one of his other half-brothers, no less!
This is the stuff that would fill the pages of the Hebrew National Enquire. So Herod Antipas meets Herodias in Rome, convinces her to leave her then husband and instead become his wife. In case we needed confirmation, this is something that was completely against God’s Law.
“None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. I am the Lord.
You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
So of course the vocal and bold John the Baptist wasn’t going to let this go without speaking out against it. This was their leaders and they were called to be an example for the people but they were living in sin!
So begins the political chess match. Herodias didn’t like her name being dragged through the mud (although it was warranted).
And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not,
And so John was arrested and thrown in the dungeon of the fortress Machaerus, sitting high above the Dead Sea. And as R. Kent Hughes explains:
Here the Baptist and Herod resided below and above in dramatic antithesis. John was the man who kept his conscience and lost his head. Herod was the man who took John’s head and lost his own conscience.
But during his time imprisoned a very interesting relationship brews. Let us look again at Mark 6 but also verse 20…/
And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
Isn’t it interesting? Herod—the man who held the power over John in this moment—was fearful! Why? Because John was righteous and a holy man. He didn’t hold back, but spoke TRUTH to Herod and it filled Herod with wonder and fear. Sound familiar? Throughout the ages, people are fearful of the TRUTH. And the enemy wants nothing more than to muzzle the truth, to silence it.
Goodness is terrifying to evil. I’m not sure who is credited with this quote but it has been said, “The truth will make you free, but first it will make you miserable.” And that is what we see with Herod. He was stirred by John’s words; they made him fearful and yet he wanted more.
Because we notice here at this point in time, Herod would hear John gladly. Something about the truth stirred his heart. Something about the truth drew him in and so by Mark’s words, we deduce that John was imprisoned for some time and that during his imprisonment, Herod would go visit him and listen to what he had to say.
Now Herod’s story doesn’t end in his faith in Jesus. But here at this point in time with John imprisoned, his conscience was stirred. This is partly why the enemy hates the truth, because it will stir many to hear more! The enemy wants nothing more than for us to be walking around blindly with no perception of what is true. And that is why we see the enemy attempting to move the goal post to the question, “What is truth?”
Now we have relative truth. Your truth is true for you, my truth is true for me and we can go on our happy, merry, (deceived) little way. But here, when Herod sits and listens to truth—and we know John wasn’t one to hold back. He is imprisoned because Herodias didn’t like him calling out their wicked sin. But when Herod listens to truth he is fearful and perplexed. His conscience is being stirred. And this is what the enemy doesn’t want because the enemy is fearful that the blinders will come off and people will see and truly KNOW Jesus.
But Herodias’ heart has slammed the door to truth. She wants it completely silenced. And she finds her moment.
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
Herodias saw an opportunity to get what she wanted from her husband and she would stoop to incredibly low levels to get it. Presumably the evening was well along and the crowd sufficiently under the influence when she made her move, using her teenage daughter Salome.
For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”
The promise here is almost similar to that of Esther from king Artaxerxes.
And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.”
There were no guidelines. Presumably, Salome could request anything. But I cannot imagine Herod expected the request she gave him.
And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”
With the offer, Salome returns to her mom to see what she should ask and she tells her, “The head of John the Baptist.” I imagine as soon as the request left her mouth you could hear a pin drop at the party.
There is probably a lesson here also about sobriety, but perhaps for another time. By my understanding of the passage, Herod had no desire to kill John. In fact, it seems that he rather enjoyed talking with him, even if what he heard was calling out his sin. But he’s trapped. If he refuses the gift in front of all his friends and other people of power. Word would spread of his withdrawal and he would be a laughing stock. Verse 26 reveals how this predicament made him feel.
And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.
He was in genuine grief. The Greek word used here is only used one other time in Scripture—also in Mark’s account—and it is used to describe Jesus’ pain in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His arrest (Mark 14:34).
We will never know how close Herod was to accepting God’s grace. His conscience was stirred by the truth, but ultimately He silenced it out of fear of others. What they would think or say of him; how is honor may be affected. He was on the cusp of salvation and turned away because the fear of man.
I think there is a lot for us to consider when we read of the sad story of Herod. The truth was there in his midst. It brought him fear and wonder. He was beginning to receive it, but ultimately his fear of man lead to his destruction.
But the legend of John would remain with him. As word begins to spread of Jesus’ miraculous ministry, Herod thinks John has risen from the dead.
King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”
R. Kent Hughes makes a powerful statement about this for us to consider. He says:
We all do evils that we naturally put away from our conscience as if they never happened. We refuse to confess them to God or man. Then some hook tossed at random brings up a memory we mistakenly supposed was lost in the ocean of oblivion. Trivial incidents may awaken the suppressed conscience—a chance word, a sound, a scent, an expression on a face. Such an event is meant to call us to repentance and forgiveness.
That is what Herod’s conscience was furtively doing. But there was no repentance, no radical turning, just a futile occult speculation that Jesus was somehow John returned from the dead. Herod was frightened into a paganistic spiritism that did not lead him to Christ. The tide was out, never to return.
So with the stage set, the history of Herod on our minds, let us take a look at this meeting between Jesus and Herod.
When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.
I find it interestingly heartbreaking that here is Truth incarnate before Herod. The one that John the Baptist was ushering forth, the one he was pointing all people–Herod included—to. And even so, Herod’s heart is so far gone that he has no desire to hear from Jesus, no desire to receive the truth. He wants a cheap parlor trick. He wanted to see Jesus for his own amusement.
Also notice the fear of the truth is also gone. As one writer explains, “His murder of John had produced an incapacity to see anything in Jesus.”
So how does this meeting shake out?
So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer.
The phrase “He questioned ” is in the Greek imperfect tense, indicating that Herod conducted a lengthy interrogation.
It is very interesting and also very damning that Jesus was willing to have a dialogue of reason with the high priest Caiaphas earlier, even prophesying to him (Lk. 22:69-70). Jesus even conversed with Roman governor Pontius Pilate. We see Jesus’ tenderness toward the betrayer, Judas, as He continued to reach out to him even amid his terrible betrayal.
But before Herod? Complete and utter silence. Not a word. Husbands—you know the silent treatment is one giant red flag. If not, you should. Your wife isn’t responding to your questions or statements? Or at the very least is giving very short and clipped answers? Alarms should be going off. What did you do? Or what did you not do that you were supposed to do?
Herod’s heart had been closed to the truth and Jesus knew it. And so Herod responded to Jesus’ silence with contempt and mockery. Befitting of a man who has spurned truth for acceptance of this world.
The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
CONCLUSION
FOR NON-BELIEVERS
So what are we to make of this? How does this apply to us? I think there is a terrifying reality for any who find themselves not yet saved and on the cusp—the conscience is perishable. It is possible for one to be so closed off to the truth that they can come face to face with Jesus and feel nothing.
And what a terrible fate that is! My heart breaks for those who would shut their eyes to the truth and thus fail to receive God’s forgiveness, mercy, and salvation. Again, to quote Mr. Hughes. He urges us:
If you are not a believer, if you presently like to listen to God’s Word, if you have a reverence and fear for God, do not be content to simply go on hearing his words—do what his words call you to do! If you go on hearing the gospel but neglect it, you invite a fog over your eyes that in time will shut out all the light. Respond now while the gospel impresses you, for a day may come when it no longer does.
The example of Herod is an extreme one, but very much needed. It warns us not to trifle with holy things. It warns us not to neglect the promptings of the Holy Spirit. May we heed the words of the Psalmist.
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
FOR BELIEVERS
While it is impossible with the dwelling of the Holy Spirit to become spiritually dead. We can certainly be disconnected, out of tune, weakened. Paul warns of this grave reality by the example of Hymenaeus and Alexander.
holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Similarly, Paul urged Timothy to maintain good conscience and a pure heart.
The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
A good conscience is vital to a vibrant spiritual life. And what can help us maintain a healthy and good conscience? We should carefully determine what we are putting into our hearts. What are we filling our lives with? The junk of this world? Or the truth of God’s Word? Do we spend time meditating on the Scriptures, as we are exhorted to do? Or do we spend the majority of our days ingesting the junk the world peddles our way?
We must submit our conscience to the informing light of God’s Word, and thus enlightened we must obey it. We cannot neglect any conviction of what we are to do without lowering the whole level of our character. If there is something we are doing or saying, if there is an attitude we ought to have, if Scripture and conscience are calling to us, we must hear and change. If we resist, the moral shudder may become less and less, and the Word of God dimmer and dimmer. May it not be so with us. May we shine brightly in a world surrounded by darkness. And may we prove to be faithful imitators of God.
PRAY
