Jesus before Herod (Revised)

For your entertainment “Jesus”

Years ago there was a mockery done of the trial, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus called Jesus Christ Superstar A Rock Opera it was a play, then it was a movie and in the part where Jesus comes to meet Herod, Herod invites the people to come in to the show that never ends, like Jesus is an entertainer.

Have you ever been excited to meet someone famous or important —only to realize they weren’t there for the right reasons? Maybe they wanted entertainment, not truth. Maybe they wanted a performance, not a relationship.

Think about this have you ever seen someone treat something sacred like it was a show?

A wedding treated like a photo-op

Worship treated like a performance or concert

Truth treated like a debate to win

Lk23:8-12, we see a man who was very excited to see Jesus . But his excitement had nothing to do with repentance or faith. It was curiosity. It was spectacle. It was entertainment. As for Jesus, He says nothing.

Big Idea: When Jesus is treated as a spectacle rather than Savior, He remains silent —and that silence reveals the hardness of the heart.

Our Passage

Luke 23:8–9 NASB95

Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing.

Luke 23:10–11 NASB95

And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently. And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate.

Luke 23:12 NASB95

Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other.

What do you see, notice, what sticks out to you in this passage?

Why was Herod “very glad” to see Jesus (v.8)?

He had wanted to see Him for long time and hoped to see a sign performed by Him

What does Herod do in (v.9)? And how does Jesus respond?

Questions Jesus at some length, and Jesus answered him nothing

What do the chief priests and scribes do (v.10)?

They stood accusing Him vehemently

Then, how do Herod and his soldiers treat Jesus (v.11) ?

They treated Him with contempt and they mocked Him, and then sent Him back to Pilate

What outcome do you notice mentioned in (v.12)?

Herod and Pilate became friends that day, though previously they had been enemies.

Curiosity without Commitment

Luke 23:8 “8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see some miracle performed by him.”

Maybe you are wondering which Herod this is. This is not Herod the Great who tried to have baby Jesus killed. Nor is it Herod Agrippa I that dealt with Paul, this is Herod Antipas, the same ruler that imprisoned and executed John the Baptist.

HEROD’S LONG-STANDING CURIOSITY

He had been wanting to see Him for a long time.

He had heard reports (ref: Lk9:7-9)

Luke 9:7–9 “7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John has been raised from the dead, 8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and others that some prophet of ancient times had risen. 9 And Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he was wanting to see him.”

Herod was very glad to see Jesus, not because he seeks truth, but because he wants entertainment.

He hopes for a miracle on demand. Herod treats Jesus like a performer, not a King.

Application: It’s possible to be excited about Jesus for the wrong reasons—what He can do for us rather than who He is.

Think about do we approach Jesus for transformation or just fascinations? Do we come to worship expecting to be changed, or entertained? - - - - there is a spiritual danger: Curiosity can masquerade as interest in Christ while resisting surrender to Christ.

Today we live in a culture of spectators —sports spectators, streaming spectators, social media spectators. The danger is that Christianity can become something we watch rather than something we live.

Is it possible to be around Jesus without actually following Him?

Silence in the Face of a Hardened Heart

Luke 23:9 “9 So he questioned him at considerable length, but he answered nothing to him.”

HEROD QUESTIONED HIM AT LENGTH

Not with sincerity. Likely probing, testing, perhaps even mocking.

JESUS ANSWERED HIM NOTHING

Contrast with earlier His responses to Pilate. Silence is not weakness — it is judgment. Herod has already rejected God’s word through John the Baptist.

Also Jesus’ silence is not random. It fulfills prophesy. Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.” - - - - Even in this moment of mockery, Jesus is fulfilling God’s redemptive plan.

Application: Persistent rejection of God’s truth can lead to a hardened heart where God’s voice grows silent.

There is a danger in hearing truth repeatedly without responding.

A sobering thought: There comes a point when God stops answering the insincere.

Contempt, Hostility, Mockery of the King

Luke 23:10–11 “10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers also treated him with contempt, and after mocking him and dressing him in glistening clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.”

RELIGIOUS LEADERS ACCUSE VEHEMENTLY

Religious hostility and political manipulation

HEROD AND SOLDIERS MOCK JESUS

Treated Him with contempt

“Dressed Him in a gorgeous robe” —likely mocking His kingship

The Irony: They mock Him as King while standing before the true King.

Application

The world often mocks what it does not understand

Faithfulness to christ may invite ridicule.

Christ endured contempt without retaliation.

Think about this, what does this teach us about responding to mockery? How did Jesus respond? HE DID NOT AT ALL

Political Unity around Rejection

Luke 23:12 “Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other.”

HEROD AND PILATE RECONCILED

United not around truth, but around rejecting Jesus

JESUS BECOMES THE POINT OF THEIR ALLIANCE

Even unbelievers can unite in opposition to Christ

This is a sobering reality: Jesus unites hearts— but he also exposes them.

Application: The world may united against Christ. We must decide where we stand when cultural alliances shift.

Discussion/reflection questions

Where do we see “Herod-like curiosity” in our culture, or even in the church?

Why do you think Jesus remained silent before Herod but answered Pilate?

What are modern ways people treat Jesus as entertainment rather than Lord?

Conclusion

Illustration: A museum visitor can stand inches away from a priceless masterpiece and walk away unchanged. The problem is not the painting — it’s the viewer. In the same way, Herod stood in the presence of the Son of God and still saw only a show.”

Herod was excited to see Jesus

But he did not want repentance. He did not want truth. He did not want surrender. He wanted a show.

Jesus gave him silence.

In this passage we have seen three heart conditions.

Curious but uncommitted

Hardened and unresponsive

Mocking and dismissive.

The tragedy is not that Herod never saw a miracle. The tragedy is that he stood face to face with the Son of God —and walked away unchanged.

Major Take-away

“Jesus is not a spectacle to observe but a Savior to obey.”

Curiosity is not discipleship

Interest is not surrender

Exposure to truth is not the same as obedience to truth.

The question for us this morning:

When we encounter Jesus —- do we seek a sign? Or do we submit to the King of Kings the Lord of Lords?