Jesus Before Pilate and Herod
1. After a night of extreme suffering Jesus was led in bonds before
Pilate so that He might be condemned to death. The Jews were so
determined to achieve this purpose that in a spirit of diabolical hatred
they brought false accusations against Jesus. Our divine Redeemer knew
well the deceitful hypocrisy of His accusers. He showed no resentment,
however, but bore witness to the truth
by His calm and brief replies. When He saw that it was useless to
insist, He remained silent, so that even Pilate was astonished. (Cf. Mt.
27:14) Let us study this scene and note the brutal hatred of the Jews
on one hand and the divine humility of Jesus on the other. Let us
consider how we behave when we are offended or calumniated. Perhaps we
flare up and hit back proudly and sharply. This shows that we lack real
humility and charity. “To him who strikes thee on the one cheek,” Jesus
taught, “offer the other also.” (Cf. Luke 6:29) Not only did He preach
this, but He also gave us the highest possible example. If anyone
accuses or offends us, there is nothing to prevent us defending
ourselves quietly and reasonably. We are not obliged to practise to the
full the heroism of St. Francis de Sales, who remained silent when he
was insulted and suppressed entirely his feelings of resentment.
Nevertheless, this is the ideal towards which we must tend. We should
never speak in a moment of anger when wounded self-love is boiling up
inside us. We should know how to make the sacrifice of remaining silent
for the time being and thinking humbly about the matter before replying
eventually in a spirit of Christian peace. We should follow the example
of Jesus, Who said: “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.”
(Cf. Mt. 11:29)
2. Pilate was struck by the inconsistency and
contradictoriness of the charges made by the Jews, and by the peaceful
behaviour of Jesus. “ I find no crime deserving of death in him,” (Cf.
Luke 23:22; John 18:38; 19:4) he declared openly. In the face of this
solemn declaration of Jesus' innocence, one would have expected to have
seen Him released. Unfortunately, however, people do not always act in
accordance with their express convictions. We have probably had this
experience ourselves on many occasions. We have experienced the truth of
Ovid's phrase: “Video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor.” (Ovid, Met.,
VII. 20, 21) We see, in other words, what is the better thing to do,
but we are attracted by the more evil. We see what we should do in order
to be humble, but we are proud in our behaviour. We see what we should
do in order to be charitable, but we are selfish. We see what we should
do in order to be just, but we behave unjustly. We see the way in which
we should resist temptation immediately, and we hesitate instead and
fall. We see that it is necessary to pray fervently, because by
ourselves we are capable of nothing; yet we are weak and careless. Let
us reflect and make serious resolutions which we shall certainly put
into practice.
3. Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, the ruler of
Galilee, which was the homeland of our Redeemer. Herod was a cruel and
sensual king. It was he who had given orders for the slaying of St. John
the Precursor. Jesus had said no more than was necessary in the
presence of Pilate, but He was completely silent in front of Herod, so
much so that the king decided that He was mad and sent him away. Perhaps
Jesus was silent because He did not believe that Herod was worthy of
His reply. It will be a sad day for us if Jesus does not speak in our
hearts any more. Let us never make ourselves unworthy of His words and
inspirations. Let us say with the Psalmist: “But not silent; Lord, be
not far from me.” (Ps. 34:22) Without Jesus we are lost for all
eternity.
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