Breaking the Word

…Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say so."  And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?" But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished.  And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called (Jesus) Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, "Which one do you want me to release to you, (Jesus) Barabbas, or Jesus called Messiah?" For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him." The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They answered, "Barabbas!" Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus called Messiah?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" But he said, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the louder, "Let him be crucified!"  When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood. Look to it yourselves." And the whole people said in reply, "His blood be upon us and upon our children." Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified… (Mt 26:14-27:66)

Jesus was questioned by the governor. Jesus did not reply to his question. The chief priest and the elders accused him of many things for which Jesus was silent. Jesus’ silence greatly amazed the governor. Silence could never be an answer. Since the whole story was fabricated, Jesus’ answer, be it positive or negative or anything, would affirm or deny the wrong statement. It would in no way reveal the truth.

The choice of the people was also amazing. The people were asked to choose between Jesus the Messiah or Jesus Barabbas. The people chose the wicked man. Rather the people allowed the wicked man to go free and condemned the righteous. So by condemning the righteous and putting him to death the sinner went free. It could be an indirect way of saying that the sinners (we) go free at the death of the righteous man Jesus.

Right through the whole story Jesus was proclaimed innocent. Pilate’s wife sent message saying to have nothing with Jesus’ condemnation. Matthew dealt with this theme right through his gospel. Pilate’s interrogation was regarding the innocence of Jesus. He wanted to release him because he knew that Jesus was innocent. Veronica knew that he was innocent and the women from Jerusalem acknowledged that he was innocent. 

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, "What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation." But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish." He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to kill him. So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim, and there he remained with his disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves. They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?"  (Jn 11:45-56)

Jesus performed mighty deeds. They were the works of God. God worked in and through Jesus. Some of these who witnessed these events became believers ad they also followed him. They recognized good in the deeds of Jesus and thee believed in the source of Good.

Those who did not believe in him tried to interpret it differently till now. Some aid he was possessed others said that he was doing the mighty deeds through the leader of Satan. Now they were trying to annihilate him because they thought that greater evil follow his actions. How could evil come of good actions?

The non believers of Jesus gathered together to scheme his death. One of them even prophesied that it was better for him to die so that the nation might be saved. But God made use of their wicked scheme to bring good out of it. Jesus’ death became the source of salvation of the world.