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Luke 23:1–5 “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.””

Luke 23:6–16 “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. 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. Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.””

The accusations of the Pharisees… Have you ever thought about the accusations they made against Christ? They were all very week.

“We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place. Pilate is a Governor of the largest and most important city in the area. Don’t you think he would have been aware of it if Jesus had been causing riots through the region? That’s a clearly intellectually dishonest accusation.

The Pharisees interaction in John with Pilate tells it all for me.

John 18:28–31 “Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 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.””

A question with a question… When Pilate asks them the question, what has He done, they don’t answer Him, the respond with their own question. They are avoiding the question because they know whatever they have to say will be weak and not received well. They didn’t even have the personal conviction at first to speak out loud the false charges they were bringing against an innocent man.

Just trust us… Instead of answering, they essentially tell Pilate to trust them. Just us this man is guilty.

“If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.”

Trying to by pass due procees… They have already denied Jesus justice in their three shameful trials. No they are trying to rush Jesus through the Roman legal system without any due process at all.

Don’t worry about what He did… Just take our word for it, this man is guilty. There is no need to concern yourself with what He has done.

Pilates cleaver anaswer… Pilates response is actually pretty cleaver.

“Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

Putting the burden back on them… He clearly does not trust them. He puts the responsibility back on the shoulders of the religious leaders. Ok, if you know He is so guilty He is your problem. You handle it.

Galilean… When Pilate hears that Jesus is from Galilee he thinks to himself “Ah ha this is my way out of this mess the Jews have put me. Since Jesus is a resident of Herod's territory, I can send Jesus to him and Herod can do the work I want no part of.

Entertainment… Jesus wasn’t much more than entertainment to Herod.

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.

Imprisoned John… Herod is the same one who imprisoned John the Baptist and eventually had him beheaded. It leads me to believe the Herod’s fascination with John was very similar to his fascination with Jesus. Because of both Jesus and Johns powerful and unflinching representation of God he was drawn to them out of fascination.

Lk 23:18–25 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

Where was due process, justice, mercy?… Where was Mercy for the man who over and over again Pilate found no guilt in? What happened to Jesus’s due process? Where was His justice? Where was any semblance of mercy?

Pilate has reason after reason to release Jesus.

Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.”

“You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.””

Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”

Matthew 27:15–23 “Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!””

Matthew 27:24–26 “So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.”

Why condemn the innocent… What caused Pilate to condemn and innocent man instead of set him free?

Matthew 12:1–8 “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.””

The Law they were referencing… The Law the Pharisees were accusing the disciples of violating is one we should be familiar with. It’s one of the ten commandments.

Exodus 20:8–10 ““Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.”

The Law they were forgetting… The Pharisees are remembering some Law’s as they accuse the disciples, but forgetting others. One law they are forgetting in particular highlights what they are lacking in their judgement

Deuteronomy 24:19–22 ““When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.”

Not a law to harm, but to honor… Gods law’s are not designed to punish His children in an effort to honor Him. He understands His children need to eat. His people were not forbidden from eating on the Sabbath, just working. So when they could they were supposed to prepare their food the day before Sabbath so they did not have to cook it. That alleviated the need to cook during the Sabbath and freed them to spend time with God and each other.

Meals were day by day, meal by meal… The disciples are living day to day. They are a group of men following a traveling Pastor for lack of a better word, who lives on the faithfulness of God and the kindness of other believers. They are living meal to meal. They would not have had Sabbath food prepared. In fact they were traveling on the day of the Sabbath. They are not going to have anything prepared. These men are just eating, providing for themselves as best they can.

Looking at the problem from the wrong angle… The Pharisees were on the wrong side of the problem. They believed the problem was with the disciples. It was actually with the Pharisees.

The had all the rules and no mercy… They had a religious adherence to God’s laws, checking the box’s on the list of do’s and don’t’s, but a complete lack of mercy. Somewhere along the way they had forgotten that they too were guilty of sin. In no way shape or form are they any more righteous than the disciples who they are pointing their fingers at.

The law of justice… I find it no coincidence that the law God gave them right before this law about being merciful to those who are vulnerable, was a Law about justice.

Deuteronomy 24:17–18 ““You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow’s garment in pledge, but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.”

Justice and mercy go hand in hand. I would go as far as to say, any Law where there is not the possibility of mercy for the offender, is an incomplete Law.

If you think about it, isn’t that why Jesus Christ came? To deliver us from the judgement we deserved under the Law and grant us the mercy we needed?

Back to the scene of Jesus’s trial… Let’s return again to the scene of Jesus and Pilate. With the crowds of gathered for Passover and the Pharisees waiting to see what judgement Pilate would pass.

Pilates judgment... Pilate has passed judgement of on Jesus. Out of fear of the crowd rioting, out of fear Ceasar would believe He was a Jewish sympathizer and have Him removed, He turns Jesus over to be crucified.

The Pharisees judgement… The Pharisees’ passed judgement long ago on Jesus. In Matthew 12, one paragraph in your bible after the Pharisees accuse the disciples of violating the Sabbath, they were conspiring to have Him arrested.

Mt 12:14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

Pharisees poor job hiding their hatred… That’s somewhere in year two of His three year ministry. Out of their own jealousy and anger they decided over a year ago He was guilty. They were not even good at hiding. Pilate saw right through their charade.

The crowd’s indifference… The crowd consisted of two types of people. Those didn’t care enough to find out if Jesus was truly a criminal and those who knew He wasn’t and said nothing.

Jesus was denied Justice and mercy during each of His six trials.

Deliberate and willful failure to deliver justice to any innocent man is a sin.

Pastor Marks commentary… There are two types of sin as Pastor Mark Driscoll puts it. The sins of omission and the sins of commission.

Commission… The sins of commission are sins that you actively participate in. You willing engage in something God has prohibited.

Omission… The sins of omission are you commit by failing to participate. Knowing what Gods will is in a situation you simply decide to do nothing.

The quote I think of… There was quote that sprang into mind when I read these passages. It is probably one you are familiar with.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” It’s a quote routinely attributed to Edmund Burke.

Not the true author… The truth is Edmund Burke is not recorded as having said this. Another man is, John Stuart Mill.

The wisdom of God… This quote is great. In essences it is a Biblical level revelation of Gods truth. James talks about it in his letter.

James 4:17 “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

The silent witnesses of injustice… This is certainly what happened to the Lord during his many trials. There were many bad actors involved how many simply stayed quite? There was a crowd chanting crucify Him, what if instead there was a crowd chanting free Jesus, those who spoke out against what they knew was wrong.

God fearing men and woman could have stood up but chose not too.

Curiosity… Curious about John Stuart Mill I decided to learn more about him. He was a philosopher in England. In 1867 he gave the inaugural address at the University of St. Andrews that became the quote we know today. Only his actual words were deeper than the quote we know, the really capture what James said.

“Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.”

His autobiography… I wanted to know more about John Stuart Mill and found an autobiography. I hoped to learn he was a professing Christian with deep insight into Gods word.

His mental break… I learned that Mill was deeply concerned with the matters of the law, social justice and reform but did not profess God in any meaningful way. I learned at 20 Mill suffered what he called a “mental crisis”.

Here is what he wrote about that time:

[I]t occurred to me to put the question directly to myself: “Suppose that all your objects in life were realized; that all the changes in institutions and opinions which you are looking forward to, could be completely effected at this very instant: would this be a great joy and happiness to you?” And an irrepressible self-consciousness distinctly answered, “No!” […] I seemed to have nothing left to live for. (Autobiography, I: 139).

The question “Is my hppiness enough”… Mr. Mill asked himself the question: If suddenly everything I hoped for to better the world around me were to come true, if everything I wanted to happen suddenly happened all at once, would I be both Joyful and Happy?

His answer… Mr. Mill realized the answer to his question, was No.....

Lost his will to live… And when he answered that question he no longer had the will to live. This was a depression a hopelessness that said life held no real meaning to him, if the only purpose of His life was to satisfy himself.

If he got everything, he ever wanted life would not be any more meaningful then than it was now. Life was pointless.

A broken heart for his turmoil… This broke my heart when I read it. This man asked the question we should all ask ourselves, does life revolve around me, and if it doesn’t, what or who should it revolve around. John Stuart Mill realized that there was nothing on his own He could accomplish or do that would satisfy his soul. God blessed him with the revelation that his own life would never be enough to satisfy.

God the answer to the question… The answer to that question should drive men and woman to the Father and Jesus Christ the Son.

This broken man asked that question what’s the meaning of my life and for all I can tell it does not seem it ever drew him closer to God. He does not seem to have found meaning and purpose in life beyond himself.

This tragic decision was made by those present on the day Christ was unjustly tried. There were those present who knew what they were witnessing was wrong chose to do nothing. They asked the question is my life about me or is it about something bigger. Is there a truth and purpose to life that beyond myself. Instead of raising their voices for truth and justice they shrank back and chose the safety of silence. They were quite on a day they should have been loud. They were overcome by fear when they should have been bold. They answered the question, what’s the meaning of my life, with themselves. Like Mr. Mill I’m sure that in the end they learned that living for self is a very hollow life. There is no hope there. No real meaning. Only emptiness and a yearning for something greater and true.

Church, how will we answer the question? What’s the meaning and purpose behind me life?

Each of us has to answer it on our own. What's the meaning and purpose of your life? Any answer you come up with that does not center around God falls woefully short of the truth. How you answer that question determines the entire trajectory of your life, now and later.

Will you live for yourself, or will you find purpose in the one who gives you purpose? Will you be the center of your life, or will God?

Will you reject the lie, that your life is about you, and choose God and stand for truth, or will you believe the lies of the enemy.

Remember the Garden of Eden and the serpent speaking to Eve “Did God really say...”

Don’t believe the enemies lie, embrace Gods truth.

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”