Johnnie Cochran was the famous defense attorney of OJ Simpson. Many of you will remember his closing arguments in that case, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.” He was once asked whom he would have liked to defense. Cochran’s answer is telling: “Jesus is the person I would like to have defended. I would have relished the opportunity to defend someone who was completely innocent of all charges and a victim of religious persecution. However, because of his mission here, he would have undoubtedly declined.”
The Greatest Week in History is a series of sermons devoted to the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. One third of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are devoted to the last week while one half of John’s gospel is devoted to this one week.
Now, there are many faces in the worst trial in history. Names like Judas, and Annas, and Caiaphas, and even some of Jesus’ friends like Peter, all form a fascinating lineup of infamous, evil characters in the unparalleled drama that unfolds around the crucifixion of Christ. This morning we meet three more: Pilate and Herod, and Barabbas. These three mens’ name are added to the Rogue’s Gallery that we’ve been accumulating in the drama of the murder of Jesus.
Today’s Scripture
Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 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.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 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. 8 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. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 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. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.”
18 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” (Luke 23:1-25).
The oldest known creed in the church is the Apostle’s Creed. Millions of people have cited the words of the Apostle’s Creed:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate…
Again, this creed is cited by millions of Christians around the world each week. Why does the Apostle’s Creed mention Pontius Pilate? The Creed mentions Pilate to highlight the importance of Jesus’ death.
Jesus before Pilate is one the most famous incidents in the life of Jesus and all of history. Traditionally, Jesus’ trials have been broken down between the religious phase of His trials and the civil phase. Jesus was first tried by the people of His own race and the leaders from within His tribe. Why two phases? There were two phases when they wanted to have Jesus executed, they had to bring Him to the politicians. For it was only the civil government, the Romans, who possessed the power to execute someone.
Let me offer a quick review. Jesus is arrested by a crowd of people led by Judas Iscariot in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is then take to Annas where he receives the first physical abuse. It’s now around three a.m. in the morning when He is then take to Caiaphas’ home where a group of the Jewish religious scholars convene to question and condemn Him. Jesus is then formally convicted by the entire Sanhedrin in the early morning hours. It’s now early on Friday morning (Good Friday) and Jesus is brought to Pilate in shackles.
Today, the civil phase begins. The story of Jesus’ trek between Gethsemane and Golgotha is known as the Passion. This is much like the place where Moses stood before the burning bush years before and took off his shoes … we are on holy ground. You really cannot truly understand the cross until you understand how Jesus got there and what took place on the day He was crucified.
1. Pilate’s Hesitant Verdict
Note the formal charge against Jesus is described in verse two: “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’” (Luke 23:2). This was a frivolous charge for inside of it was a mangled web of lies and deceit and half-truths. “Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate” (Luke 23:1). Be wary of being religious only for the men who wouldn’t rest until Jesus was killed were religious people. The gospel of John tells us these religious men wouldn’t enter Pilate’s house because they would be defiled. Here are men who are long on religion but short on morals.
1.1 The Pilate Stone
Many have wondered if Pilate really existed or was he simply a made-up guy in a made-up drama of so-called unjust trials of Jesus. In 1961, during excavations of the theater in the ancient city known as Caesarea by the Sea, a block of carved limestone was discovered. The inscription includes the words, “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judaea.” This inscription demonstrates that Pontius Pilate did exist. In fact, Pilate is a Roman governor of Judea from A.D. 26-36/37. Overwhelming, the spade of the archeologist teaches us to trust our Bibles.
1.2 Appeasement
Roman historians describe Pilate as greedy, inflexible, cruel and capable of resorting to robbery and oppression when he thought it necessary. Yet, in the sic different trials he had to undergo, Pilate was the only one who looked at the facts and declared Jesus, “Not guilty.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man” (Luke 23:4). After sending Jesus to Herod, and trying him a second time, Pilate continues to speak of Jesus’ innocence: “And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him” (Luke 23:14b). Not to be outdone, Pilate continues to plead the innocence of Jesus yet again: “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’” (Luke 23:22). Isn’t that the most interesting judgment you’ve ever heard from a judge? He’s completely innocent of all the charges, therefore I’m going to punish Him and release Him. At least three times, Jesus pleaded Jesus’ guilt. It’s at this point that the case against Jesus should be closed and Jesus should have been released.
So why did Pilate end up crucifying Jesus? Pilate acquiesced to the execution of Jesus that Judas handed Him over in the first place – the love of money. Pilate wanted to keep his position as governor. He compromised for political appeasement. Instead, Pilate sent Jesus off to Herod for the fifth part of Jesus’ twelve-hour long trial. Jesus is going to act as a boomerang on Pilate for He’ll send Him off, only to see Him return.
2. Herod’s Tragic Indifference
Pilate lacked the nerve to execute Jesus and so he attempts to send him to 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” (Luke 23:6-7). All of this started because Pilate learned Jesus was a Galilean. So off to Herod Jesus went.
Caesar Augustus once quipped and said your life expectancy is better if you’re one of Herod’s pigs than if you’re one of Herod’s children. This Herod, who is Herod’s son, Herod Antipas, was no different: “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. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate” (Luke 23:8-11). Herod is excited to see Jesus because Herod wants to see Jesus do a miracle. But all he gets from Jesus is silence. Later we learn from Pilate’s second trial of Jesus, that Herod finds no wrong in Jesus either: Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him” (Luke 23:15). Before Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate, we learn this tragic note: “And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate” (Luke 23:11). Both Rome and Jerusalem could have stopped the march to death, yet they fail to do so. The Prince of Peace is now a prisoner. He is repeatedly accused, falsely accused and soon to be unjustly condemned.
3. Jesus, the Innocent Replacement
Keep in mind, up to this moment, nothing has been proven against Jesus. He has not been found guilty of anything. Every trial He had undergone was illegal. And not one reliable witness had been brought against Him … not one. I believe Pilate, was “this close” to letting Jesus go and doing the right thing, but then he begins to listen to the crowd.
We’ve meet Herod and Pilate, but lastly I want you to meet a criminal, Barabbas. It’s here that Pilate comes up with an idea: “Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 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” (Matthew 27:15-17)? Barabbas was a real revolutionary, and he was in prison.
It was the custom at the Passover to free a prisoner. This is the ancient equivalent of our last-minute Presidential pardon. Pilate comes and says, “I don’t really want to have to kill this man, so I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you a choice. You want me to convict him, but let’s free a prisoner. Who shall it be? Jesus or Barabbas?” But his plan backfired on 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. 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’” (Luke 23:18-19, 25).
If anybody were to understand why Jesus died, it was Barabbas. Here was a murderer, robber, a rebel, and a thief. Again, if anybody were to understand the cross, it was Barabbas. Had it not been for Jesus, Barabbas would have been on that cross. He would have been the one to die. Barabbas was in jail for really doing the things Jesus was about to be punished for.
But Pilate’s plans backfired on him for he really places in front of the crowd two “Jesus’s.” Did you know Barabbas’ name was Jesus? We have in front of us two “Jesus’s.” Pilate says, “Which one do you want?” The Gospel of Luke is telling us this story because the story of Barabbas and Jesus is the story of you and me. When Jesus Christ is killed for the very sins Barabbas is guilty of and Barabbas is freed, what do you have a picture of? Do you not see it? Don’t you know an insult when you see it? The gospels say, “You’re Barabbas. I’m Barabbas” Barabbas is in prison, and he is getting ready to be crucified. He is thinking about horrible pain of it all. He’s thinking about the nails in the hands. And then he hears a crowd outside calling, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” He says, “Oh my gosh! It’s going to be any minute.” Then he hears the soldiers come in and open the door and the soldiers say, “You’re free.” It’s then that Barabbas thinks to himself, “How could I be free?” As Barabbas leaves, he looks back at Golgotha and says, “That’s my cross. Those are my nails. And that’s my death.” This is the gospel. The gospel is pictured in Barabbas. Not only does your sin go to Jesus, but His reward goes to you. Barabbas is now free because of Jesus. Jesus earned a reward that Barabbas now enjoys. You are Barabbas; I am Barabbas.
Conclusion
If you stayed close to the cross of Jesus, the power of sin would dissipate. The cross is God’s holy weapon to make was against your sin.
Pilate had a face-to-face encounter with Jesus. Today, you are here and you need to give your life to Christ. Pray with me right now. Today, surrender your life. If you prayed with me today, I invite you to come forward today.
