March 25, 2018 Palm Sunday

I have read the story of Christ’s Passion and Death and Resurrection way over 100 times. The Old Story is always new however, because the Holy Spirit is always talking to me. And the Holy Spirit is always speaking to you, too.

Today I want to look again at the answers that Jesus gave when he was on trial. There were two trials, the first before the Jewish High Council (the Sanhedrin) and the second before the Roman governor Pilate. At both trials there were many false accusations and conflicting testimonies. They were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Jesus did not defend himself. He gave no answer until he was asked the right question. This dialog is Chapter 14:60-64 (Section 6 in booklet).

MK 14:60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.

Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"

MK 14:62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."

MK 14:63 The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. 64 "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death.

Of course Jesus truly is the Christ, the Messiah Savior sent from God, but the Jews did not believe him. Jesus had given many signs as evidence that he was, for example his teaching and healing and raising Lazarus from the dead. But they did not accept that evidence. The sign they wanted to see was the one that Jesus would give at the end of the world, namely,

MK 14:62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."

The Council thought these words of Jesus were blasphemy, a sin against God that deserved death. And so they took Jesus to Pilate so that he could execute Jesus for them. Again they brought many false accusations against Jesus. This false evidence did not convince Pilate, he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him (MK 15:10). Jesus gave no answer except when he was asked the right question. This dialog is Chapter 15:2 (Section 8 in booklet).

"Are you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate. "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

Pilate, being a Roman, did not understand the religious words “Christ or Messiah or Savior,” but he understood the political word “King,” and as such Jesus should be condemned as a rebel against Caesar but not as a rebel against God. So it is a charge of treason rather than blasphemy, both of which have the same punishment, death, either by stoning or by crucifixion. Pilate thought Jesus was innocent and tried to free him, but he gave into the demands of the Jews who shouted “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

But of course Jesus truly is the King of the Jews. He is a descendent of King David. But he had come, not to fight the Romans, but to fight Satan and Hell. And now he will be officially crowned with thorns and raised on the throne of the cross and certified in writing as “The King of the Jews.”

His final trial perhaps was on the cross. Or was it a trial against God the Father? Jesus asked Chapter 15:34 (Section 9 in booklet).

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Jesus had to wait three days for the answer. God had not forsaken his Son. He raised Him from the dead.

Peter was also on trial. He denied Jesus three times. How about us? There is an old question, “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” At that time would you boldly recite the Apostles Creed? Would you confidently say the Lord’s Prayer? Would you be swimming through life in the water of your Baptism? Would you be splashing other people? Would the forgiveness of sins by the death of Jesus on the cross give you freedom and joy and love and peace?

The Holy Spirit has given us this faith, and so we can confess with the centurion at the foot of the cross. Mark 15:39,

And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"