Luke Twenty-Three, part one

Reading: Luke 22.66-23.25

Scripture: Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. (Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.)

Observations: The events surrounding Jesus' sentencing is a perfect example of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." These rival authority figures joined forces to sentence Jesus to the cross. The council of religious leaders turned Jesus over to the Roman governor, Pilot. Pilot turned Jesus over to Herod, the ruler in Galilee, and Herod taunted and ridiculed Jesus and then sent him back to Pilot, who, in turn, turned him over the religious leaders and their mob who cried out for Barabbas, the insurrectionist murderer, to be released instead.

Unlike when he was brought before both the council and Pilot, Jesus defiantly stood silently before Herod, not wanting to dignify him with a response. Herod, the egotistical tyrant who murdered John the Baptist, took his opportunity to belittle the popular rabbi before sending him back to Pilot, his new friend. Pilot, the consummate politician, took the opportunity to increase his approval ratings with the mob.

Apply: I can't imagine the self-restraint it took for Jesus to remain silent before Herod. What did he have to lose? He knew he was headed to the cross, why not return insult with insult?
But Jesus refused to stoop to the level of those authority figures who were controlled by their vain self-interests.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for showing us how God's strength is made perfect through weakness, and how man's strength is so weak in comparison to your courageous sacrificial love.