Chapter 18 "The Trial" (Jesus Before Christianity)
This chapter is about Jesus' trial by Rome and the collaboration of the Jewish leaders with Rome. Nolan looks at the charges "which
they could have brought against Jesus, the charges which they actually
did bring against him and the real motives for wanting to destroy
him...Jesus could have been charged with deliberately breaking the
Sabbath or practicing magic (casting out devils by the power of Satan);
he was actually charged with claiming to be the Messiah-king; and the
real motive, according to Mark followed by Matthew, was envy or
jealousy..."
He points out that because these distinctions aren't maintained
consistently by the gospel writers, there is confusion about this. The
author also distinguishes between the part played by Rome and the part
played by the Jewish leaders in Jesus' sentencing and death: "Jesus was tried, sentenced and executed by the Roman court. But the
gospel writers, like all early Christians, endeavored to make it quite
clear that, in spite of this, the Jewish leaders were more to blame for
Jesus' death than the Romans."
In the confusing
reports by the gospel writers, there is one thing certain, which is that
Jesus' claim to be the Messiah or king of the Jews is the only thing
that He was charged with by Rome and it was Rome that carried out the
crucifixion. (The Jews had no authority to do this.)
Nolan
describes how ruthless Pilate was and why he was eager to be rid of
Jesus: Rome executed all "prophets and potential Messiahs" for fear of
an uncontrollable uprising against the government. The Jewish high
priest was appointed by the Romans for the purpose of helping to
maintain the peace, especially during the festivals in Jerusalem. Though
there are a couple of different reasons why the Jewish leaders sided
with Pilate, "...In either case the decision of the high priest and his
council was to collaborate with Rome. Political expediency demanded that
this man be handed over and allowed to die. To attempt to save his life
would be national suicide...they betrayed Jesus."
A
remarkable thing about Jesus' trial is that He never defended Himself.
No matter what He was accused of or who accused Him, He remained silent.
"Jesus
stood there without a word, putting everyone else to the test. The
truth of the matter is that it was not Jesus who was on trial. His
betrayers and accusers were on trial before him. His silence puzzled,
disturbed, questioned and tested them. Their words were turned back at
them and they condemned themselves out of their own mouths."
The
chapter ends with a summary of all those who were tested and judged by
the killing of Jesus:
- first, the High Priest Caiaphas and his associates who
collaborated with Rome to save their nation and their own skin and
positions rather than defend Jesus;
- next, the scribes, Pharisees and others
who knowingly rejected His 'kingdom' of the poor;
- then, the disciples of Jesus
who betrayed, denied, and forsook Him;
- finally, Jesus Himself was tested and tried severely in the garden before His
death...
"Jesus
alone was able to accept the challenge of the hour. It set him above
everyone else as the silent truth that judges every human being. Jesus
died alone as the only person who had been able to survive the test.
Everyone else failed and yet everyone else was given another chance..."
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