The Innocent One

PRAY

INTRO: Jesus was sentenced to death in spite of his innocence. What are we to make today of Luke’s account of the Roman trial, when Jesus has been delivered over to Pilate by the Sanhedrin? The point for Luke seems to be showing just HOW Jesus was sentenced to death, even though he was truly innocent. But if an innocent man is sentenced to death, then someone has either perpetrated a grave error, or they are severely guilty of his death. We will see that it is unquestionably the latter.

Secondly, I want us to continue considering these things with a view to who God is. Last week we emphasized that in the sacrifice of Jesus God satisfied his perfect justice. The other side of that coin to recognize is that if God himself lovingly satisfies his own justice, then he is extending boundless mercy through Jesus to take the penalty that we deserve, because we are NOT innocent! So as we consider the culpability of the Jews and the Romans (and by extension our own culpability) in sending the Innocent One to the cross, let’s also drink deep of God’s mercy toward us—what Jesus willingly suffered for the sake of those on whom the Triune God has freely bestowed his grace.

Luke 23:4–25 ESV

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.” 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.” But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 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.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 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.

I want to show you from the text this morning how Jesus is three times plainly shown to be guiltless but yet is still sentenced to death. Juxtaposed alongside the guiltless Jesus who willingly suffers this injustice to fulfill God’s plan of making a way for salvation, we perceive the guilt of each player in being party to his death. It isn’t simply that they come off looking none too shiny. No, they are complicit in killing Jesus.

So first, we review where we ended last week to see that Pilate declares to the chief priests and crowds that Jesus is not guilty (in vv. 4-5), but the people are urgent in insisting that Jesus is an insurgent (revolutionary, an insurrectionist — someone threatening the peace and the established authority of Rome in the region).

Jesus Is Innocent (But the people are insistent that he is an insurgent) — vv. 4-5

We saw in our most recent study that Jesus is convicted by the Sanhedrin of blasphemy for admitting the truth of who he is (Lk 22:66-71). But these Jewish religious leaders need the Roman Prefect Pilate to authorize capital punishment (on behalf of Rome), so they bring Jesus to him on charges of insurrection (knowing that Pilate will have little concern for their accusations of blasphemy according to their religious faith).

The truth is, we have long known from Luke that they wanted to catch Jesus in something that he might say to get him in trouble, and they had long before this already committed themselves to finding a means to put Jesus to death. Now they see a way that has the appearance of following the rule of law to accomplish this end, and to free themselves from at least some of the responsibility in the eyes of the populace (many of whom had appeared to be loyal to Jesus).

Now these fickle crowds have quickly turned on him at the prodding of the chief priests, and even his most loyal followers have scattered in fear. - The response of the fickle crowds goes even better than the religious leaders could have anticipated.

So an innocent Jesus stands alone to bear this burden.

Again for a second time it is made abundantly clear (in vv. 6-16) that…

Jesus Is Innocent (Upon this even the highly suspect Pilate and Herod can agree) — vv. 6-16

When Pilate hears mention of Galilee, he perceives a politically expedient opportunity. Pilate tries to wriggle out of popular pressure and condemning an innocent man with political maneuvering, sending Jesus to Herod Antipas.

Herod Antipas was tetrarch over Galilee and Perea (which would mean that this Jesus from Nazareth could fall under his jurisdiction). Perhaps he could come up with some ruling, himself being a half-Jew, that would placate the Jews regarding Jesus.

Whether or not Herod was a devoutly religious Jew is certainly in doubt, but it isn’t surprising that he would be in Jerusalem for the feast (to look good for his subjects). It could have been as little as a 10-minute walk [Darrel Bock] for soldiers to escort Jesus over to Herod, whose palace when in Jerusalem was likely the old Hasmonean palace (Craig Keener, IVP Bible Background Commentary). [map - explain]

Now Luke also tells us (v. 8) that Herod is in fact glad to have the opportunity to question Jesus, not over any great concern about him, either religious or political, but because he has heard of his miracles and wanted to see him perform a sign. - Superficial interest, a mere curiosity for his entertainment. - Luke has already warned his readers in ch. 4 and again in ch. 11 what to think of sign-seekers. - It was the primary tactic Satan used to tempt Jesus: show me signs to prove you are the Son of God (4:1-13). It was the problem of the Nazarenes in their unbelief, that they wanted Jesus to do the same miracles in his hometown as he had performed elsewhere (4:23-24). It was the unbelieving problem of some in the crowds, as he gained popular attention, who even saw him perform great signs, like casting out a demon, but wanted yet more signs (11:14-16). And also in chapter 11 comes this warning from Jesus:

Luke 11:29 ESV

When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

Jonah was spit out on the third day, from a great fish who had swallowed him at God’s command, given a new lease on life to obey the Lord’s command to go to Nineveh. And then the Ninevites actually responded to God’s warning of judgment with repentance. So too the great warning this sign-seeking generation would receive is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead on the third day, and that they too must repent and believe in him in order to not come under judgment. - Herod is among these sign-seekers who will be judged unless he should repent and believe in Jesus.

But Herod can’t get what he wants out of Jesus—not even an answer, much less a miracle. - I believe this silence from Jesus is connected to what we just said about Herod being a sign-seeker who doesn’t have an ounce of spiritual sensitivity. John the Baptist already warned Herod to repent and change his ways, but for this courageous call to repentance, John was thrown in prison and eventually beheaded. Jesus is all too aware of where his own fate is headed, so there is nothing more to be said.

In fact, Jesus will remain silent throughout this entire section in Luke’s account. [A side application to note here is that suffering silently is not the automatic application for believers. Peter and Paul both make clear defenses at times, particularly for their ongoing presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and even in a couple of cases where they have been treated unjustly. But there will be times, Peter indicates, where we will suffer unjust treatment and there’s nothing more that can be done. In such cases, we look to what Jesus did here as an encouragement that we will be suffering like him in order to receive ultimate vindication like him… in him.]

1 Peter 2:21–25 ESV

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 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. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

[Back in Luke 23] There’s nothing more to be said, because Jesus knows Herod’s shallow, pleasure-seeking heart, and he knows the hard, self-righteous hearts of his accusers.

Just so, the chief priest and the scribes (v. 10) stand near in this questioning from Herod, laying it on thick, vehemently accusing Jesus. For Herod’s benefit, their accusations surely must include not only the charge of blasphemy but also the supposed threat to Herod and to Rome that Jesus claims to be the Messiah, who is a king.

Herod doesn’t seem to feel too threatened, and instead he and his soldiers subject Jesus to a new round of contempt and mockery. In this Jesus continues to suffer silently. - Many Christians across two millennia have seen in this a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:7-9 (the very text that Peter referenced in the passage we just read)

Isaiah 53:7–9 NIV

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

So Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate, clothed in some kind of bright regal robe as a mockery of Jesus’ so-called kingship (apparently a garment Herod is content to discard). Whether or not this is the purple (or scarlet) robe Mark and Matthew both speak of when the Roman soldiers will again mistreat Jesus, after the scourging and before the crucifixion, we do not know for sure, but it is quite possibly one and the same. They will twist together a crown of thorns and place it on his head, put a regal robe around him, and kneel to him in mockery (Mt. 27:26-31, Mk 15:15-20).

This gesture between these two political authorities, Pilate sending Jesus to Herod and then back again, seems to be the impetus of some kind of reconciliation and cooperation between the two (v. 12), who had previously not liked one another and mostly saw the other as a political rival. But here they are coordinating, each making a politically convenient gesture of deference to send Jesus to the other. This “friendship” probably couples their agreement on Jesus’ innocence and recognizing the real motivation behind his accusers, also with this inclination to make a mockery of Jesus’ kingship and goad the people with this same issue. (Pilate dubs him “Jesus who is called the Christ” in Mt 27 and the “King of the Jews” in Mk 15 in the questioning to the crowds as to releasing either Barabbas or Jesus.)

Before we move on, let me remind you: Pilate sends Jesus to Herod precisely because he has already concluded his innocence of the charges. Herod’s examination yields silence from an innocent Jesus who knows there is no point in challenging his accusers. And an innocent Jesus silently suffers unjust contempt and mockery. Finally in that section, there is some kind of reconciliation achieved between Pilate and Herod as a side benefit to their agreement on Jesus’ innocence.

Therefore, when Pilate receives Jesus back from Herod, he calls everyone together—the chief priests, and the rulers, and the people (crowds)—and he reiterates his verdict of Jesus’ innocence, adding now that even Herod has concluded the same. [reread vv. 14-15]

Tragically, Pilate’s solution (v. 16), even though Jesus is innocent, is to try to placate the people by punishing him harshly as a warning instead of killing him. - This would be a brutal scourging. (Out of sensitivity to the many children among us, I won’t go into further detail of the specifics.)

The bottom line is that an innocent Jesus remains in custody, maligned and falsely accused, shuffled about in these repeated trials, and severely mistreated, because those in power don’t have the spine or the concern to stand against popular demand and simply do what is right.

And this problem is only about to get worse, as we continue to see that (in spite of Jesus’ innocence, the people would rather…)

Jesus Is Innocent (But the people would rather release a known insurrectionist and crucify Jesus) — vv. 18-23

Our text in Luke oddly transitions from v. 16 to v. 18, and you may have a footnote on this in your Bible, because our oldest and best copies of the text do not have in them what some others had had, which was evidently a teacher’s inserted note of explanation from parallel accounts (Mk 15:6 & Mt 27:15 & Jn 18:39), that it was a tradition (a custom) for Pilate to release to the Jews someone of their choosing at Passover who was being held in prison.

(Rather than be alarmed by this correction in our Bibles after the uncovering of the Dead Sea Scrolls, we should be encouraged by the plethora of textual attestation we have for the NT canon, which allows us to be immensely confident in its accuracy. Which is critical, because we believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the word of God in its original form. So we’re thankful to know that the copies passed down to us, then translated into our own native languages, are really good representations of these inspired originals.)

So Luke dives straight into the evidence (vv. 18-19) that the crowds will not be pacified, and that despite Jesus’ innocence, they clamor for his crucifixion, even if it means the release of a known murderer and insurrectionist—Barabbas. The irony is thick, since Jesus is innocent of such accusation, and yet they call for the release of a man who is plainly guilty of that very thing—aiming to stir up the people against Rome, and clearly breaking Jewish law, God’s Law.

While all the Gospels show repeated attempts by Pilate to release Jesus, Luke goes out of his way to show us that this is the third time, and this third time itself contains three such attempts. But he is met with shouts of “Crucify him, crucify him!” from these crowds that have been incited by the religious leaders to do so, and to call for Barabbas’s release instead (Mk 15:11).

[reread vv. 22-25]

Therefore, even though Jesus is innocence, he is…

Jesus Is Sentenced to Death by Crucifixion (Injustice is served, but the people are placated and those in power maintain the status quo) — vv. 24-25

While we are aware of God’s sovereign will for this to take place concerning Jesus, Luke here emphasizes still the guilt of each party involved, and particularly the culpability of Israel. Luke makes quite plain how everyone is implicated in killing Jesus, especially prominent by virtue of being placed side by side with the guiltless, faultless, innocent Jesus.

And it isn’t as if the guilt remains only with spineless Pilate... and self-interested Herod... and the self-righteous Sanhedrin... and the fickle, fair-weather crowds. These players are indeed blind and hard-hearted, but they are representative of us all.

Conclusion: The Innocent One vs Guilty Humanity

The injustice served reveals the height of human folly and the depth of our depravity. Left to our own devices, our depravity is limitless. That’s why God has given us common grace in governments and families and so on to curb our basest sinful inclinations. But he yet solves the greater problem of our deepest need, to be forgiven of sin and made spiritually alive to worship him as he deserves.

The innocence of Jesus juxtaposed to our guilt is a reminder that God is both just and gracious, that he satisfies his own justice through Jesus and displays such mercy and grace to not punish us as we deserve but instead to favor us with choosing us to be his own children by grace through faith in Jesus.

Let me ask you, then, for each one here to be certain they have understood and responded correctly to what Jesus has done:

What is the judgment of heaven upon each one of us for our sin? (we are not innocent, but guilty) We must be eternally separated from God because of our sin.

What is the only means of forgiveness and restoration to God, of escaping the necessary sentence for our sin? Submission to the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Only those who perceive their guilt (their need) can be the beneficiaries of the mercy and grace that comes through the atoning sacrifice of Christ (when the innocent one took our guilt upon himself).

Final point of application:

What more can God say when men are blindly determined to have their way? What more can God say than what he has said through the innocent sacrifice from Jesus to pay our penalty and offer us forgiveness and redemption?

And this is stated so clearly not only for those who have need still to repent and believe, although it certainly is that! But this truth of the innocent one giving himself on our behalf is the ongoing comfort and courage for his people to persevere in love for him and in faithfulness to him:

[praise team come up while I read these lyrics]

1 How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in God's excellent Word! What more can be said than to you God hath said, to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

2 "Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 "When through the deep waters I call thee to go, the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow; for I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless, and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

4 "When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply; the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

5 "The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to its foes; that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake."

PRAY: Thank you, Lord. May you receive all the glory for it, forever and ever. Amen.

With your family or small group or on your own, read these additional NT texts and discuss how they further explain and expand upon our study in Luke 23.

1 Cor 2:7-8 (esp v. 8)

Acts 3:14-15 & 4:27-28

1 John 4:10 & 2 Cor 5:21

1 Pet 2:24

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