Putting Jesus on Trial

Read Mrk 15:1-20.

Jesus was put on trial, accused, and condemned.

From a human standpoint, all this took place because…

1. The Religious Leaders wanted glory—accusing Jesus, fearful of Jesus fame and popularity, hatred toward Jesus, wanted to destroy Jesus, falsely accused Jesus of blasphemy, leading the people to not pay taxes, attempting to replace Caesar as a King.

• Mrk 15:1 (ESV) And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate.
• Mat 12:14 (ESV) But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
• Mrk 12:38-39 (ESV) And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces [39] and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,

2. Pilate wanted power—curious about Jesus, unconvinced about Jesus’ identity, confused about the nature of truth.
   • Mrk 15:2-5 (ESV) And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” [3] And the chief priests accused him of many things. [4] And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” [5] But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
   • Pilate was a cruel, vindictive man who hated the Jewish community that he ruled.
   • He loved power and control. Because of this, he also feared the Jewish community. His position with Rome was precarious and he tried to placate the Jews when he could so that he would retain his position and his power. In 36 A.D., just a handful of years after this, he was removed from his position and shortly thereafter he committed suicide.

3. Barabbas wanted freedom—rebel, murderer, insurrectionist, condemned to die, name means son of the father, more than likely indifferent toward or even angry toward Jesus since Jesus apparently had no interest in setting the Jews free from the Romans, probably happy that Jesus is condemned to die in his place.

• Mrk 15:6-7 (ESV) Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. [7] And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas.
• Barabbas thought that overthrowing the Romans would bring freedom. The right kind of politics or the right kind of political leader. He was willing to kill someone else in order to gain his personal freedom.
• Jesus took his place on the cross and he gained his physical freedom, but spiritually speaking he was still guilty. He was still in bondage.
• Rom 8:20-21 (ESV) For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope [21] that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
• Barabbas’ name means “son of the father.” The true and innocent Son of the Father died in the place of the guilty and condemned “son of the father.”
• “These are some of the most ironic verses in all of the Bible. The true Son of the Father, sinless and innocent, will be beaten and crucified. The other son of the Father, Barabbas, sinful and guilty, will be set free because Jesus became his substitute!” Daniel Akin

4. The crowd wanted this world—mob mentality, stirred up against Jesus by the chief priests, elders, and scribes, crying out for Jesus to be crucified and for Barabbas to be released, led by emotion, possibly some in the crowd were the same ones who just days before were praising Jesus during his entry into Jerusalem. “What’s in it for me?” mentality. If Jesus isn’t pleasing me and giving me what I want then I have no use for him. Some possibly have the mindset that they thought Jesus was their political Messiah. If he is not the one to set us free from the Romans then maybe we can get Barabbas set free because we know he’s willing to lead us to freedom from Rome.

• Mrk 15:8-15
• 1Jn 2:15 (ESV) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
• The crowd wanted freedom and prosperity and pleasure and contentment and rest and control. They wanted all that the world had to offer and Jesus is simply a means to an end. Jesus is the “genie in a bottle.” They didn’t really want Jesus. They wanted what they thought Jesus could give them. And when he didn’t meet their worldly expectations… “Crucify him!”

5. The soldiers wanted their own desires— Mocking, cruel, hateful. The Roman soldiers lived in a dark world where they derived pleasure from others pain. They are a representative picture of the evil desires of this world.

• Mrk 15:16-20
• The soldiers mocked the Lord.
• They placed a crown of thorns upon his head.
• Jesus carried the curse of the Fall to the cross.
• They beat the Lord and spat upon the Lord.
• They unleashed their sinful desires upon the Lord
• The soldiers are a picture of desiring Lordship of our own lives over the Lordship of Jesus.
• 2Pe 3:3 (ESV) knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
• 1Jn 2:16-17 (ESV) For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. [17] And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Our world today tries, accuses, and condemns Jesus for the same reasons today. We don’t want his Lordship; we want our glory. We don’t want his Lordship; we want our power. We don’t want his Lordship; we want our freedom. We don’t want his Lordship; we want our world. We don’t want his Lordship; we want our desires.

The chief priests hated Jesus for his fame and tried to discount him as a devil. Pilate was a cruel coward who loved power more than truth and didn’t recognize truth when He was staring him in the face. Barabbas was filled with hatred and violence and longed only for freedom, but missed out on the true freedom that Jesus gives. The crowd desired a temporary kingdom rather than the eternal King and his kingdom. The soldiers lived in the darkness of sin and couldn’t see the light of life standing right before them.

Do some self analysis for a moment.

• Are there areas in our lives where self gets in the way and we want our glory more than the glory of Jesus?
• Are there times in our lives where we fight to have control or power and when life is not in our control, we get out of control?
• Where are we looking for freedom? Is our freedom found in a relationship, a job, a political system or leader?
• Do we live in contentment and peace or do we think the world owes us more?
• Where do we turn to fix the brokenness of our lives? Do we mock Jesus by looking to ourselves or to any other thing in creation, rather than the God who created us, loved us, and died for us to heal us and to restore us and to free us and to satisfy us?

Let me show you the final outcome–Php 2:6-11 (ESV) who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. [8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

One day the religious leaders, Pilate, Barabbas, the crowd, and the soldiers will all bend their knees and confess with their tongues that this one that they tried, accused, and condemned truly is Lord.

We must all come to the place where we see Jesus for who he truly is and bow our hearts and lives to him—we surrender to his Lordship in our lives.

Of all the images in the text, I want you to think on this one. Consider Barabbas again for a moment. His name literally means “son of the father.”

• “These are some of the most ironic verses in all of the Bible. The true Son of the Father, sinless and innocent, will be beaten and crucified. The other son of the Father, Barabbas, sinful and guilty, will be set free because Jesus became his substitute!” Daniel Akin

Jesus, the sinless Son of the Father died in our place. The holy, perfect Son became the substitute for our sin, guilt, and shame. He is the all-sufficient Savior that satisfies every longing of our broken souls. That desire for glory is surpassed by the radiance of his glory. That desire for power is broken by his majestic might. That desire for freedom is fulfilled as he breaks the shackles of our sin. That desire for the things of this world is replaced by a longing for the eternal King and his kingdom. That desire for the pleasures of this world is eclipsed by the satisfaction that comes through knowing Jesus, who loved us and died in our place.

The question for us is—will we by faith confess him as Lord now or will we confess him as Lord when we are tried, accused, and condemned?