JESUS ON TRIAL
Jesus was tried twice – once by the Jewish authorities and once by the Romans.
SANHEDRIN
‘Christ’ is the Greek version of the term ‘Messiah’. This means the ‘anointed one’ and was understood by most Jews to be a supernatural figure, whose coming would start a new age in which their oppressors would be vanquished. The High Priest uses the term ‘Blessed One’’ for God, as many devout Jews did not like using the name of God directly – it was too holy and they were too sinful! Jesus himself addresses God as ‘Abba’ (‘Father’) as he does when praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. This was a much more familiar form of address. In all sorts of ways Jesus’ teaching and practice did not fit with those of the religious establishment – no wonder he got into trouble!
PETER
No doubt Peter was being quite brave by making some effort to stay close to Jesus but, unlike Jesus, when asked a direct question he angrily denies his friend: ‘He denied it again with an oath: “I don’t know the man!“’ (Matthew 26:72).
One of the things that gave him away was his strong northern accent. Both Jesus and Peter came from Galilee, an area far to the north of Jerusalem. ‘Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away’ (Matthew 26:73). Perhaps we should think of both Jesus and his disciples as speaking with the equivalent of a strong Geordie accent!
PONTIUS PILATE
There were many Jewish rebels against Roman rule at this time. Perhaps Pilate’s question suggests that the Jewish authorities had claimed to him that Jesus was one of these rebels. Maybe, in asking the crowd whether he should crucify this ‘King of the Jews’ he was cynically testing the crowd’s loyalty to Rome – would they dare to vote for someone who was accused of rebellion? Maybe, as some have thought, he was not very interested and simply ‘washed his hands’ of the whole business. Who knows!
BARABBAS
Who was Barabbas? There is some evidence that Barabbas’ full name was Jesus Barabbas – Jesus was a common name! As, indeed, was Barabbas, which simply meant ‘Father’s Son’! Mark says that Barabbas was ‘in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. ’ (Mark 15:7).
