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who have pointed out the many undoubted irregularities of His trial. Let us look however
at the reactions of some of those involved. Judas Iscariot, whether spurred by avarice or
a mistaken thought to push our Lord into vindicating His claims, was nevertheless
deceived by Satan. We need at all times to test our more important plans in quiet prayer
with the question "does this meet the will of God or is it likely to offend?". Peter for all
his vehement brave intentions failed our Lord on that occasion. It is significant that the
action of our Lord healing the ear of Malchus and the request in verse 8 to let His
disciples go, saved them physically at that time, but the advent later of the Holy Spirit
sealed the work of `keeping' those the Father had given Him. We too can be protected
and transformed like Peter if we allow the Spirit of Truth free rein in our minds and then
in our lives. To read Peter's epistles and in Acts, his stand against the Jewish rulers, is to
make one astonished that this was the same supine man that stood in the court of the
high priest. The priests Annas and Caiaphas appear to us to be all too reprehensible but
the Apostle Paul graciously says:
". . . . . I bear them (Israel) record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to
knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to
establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the
righteousness of God. for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone
that believeth" (Rom. 10: 2-4).
Our Lord charges them with the offence of not listening to and receiving His words
that he had daily proclaimed in their buildings. These leaders were satiated with all their
law and especially what their own colleagues, the rabbis had had to say about the law.
They had had endless discussions on how to fulfil the law in all the intricacies they had
loaded upon it. They had failed to see the purpose and righteousness of God behind the
letter of the law. The tendency to rely on the dicta of past presumed authorities for
Scriptural interpretation is evidenced in theological treatises from the early centuries
onwards and even to today strangely enough. Let such ancient expressions of opinion be
read with care. We have the Spirit of Truth at our side and with patience, faith and prayer
we shall find that this is God's planned way to teach us.
Pilate was unencumbered by the Jewish laws. He could no doubt see through the
illegality and trickery of the priests. Pilate could find no fault in our Lord. The kingdom
of which Christ came to be King, Pilate could see was of a kind and extent that did not
touch his temporal responsibilities to Rome. We wonder how sincere was his question
"What is truth?" (18: 38).
We do well to weigh up the words of Christ to Pilate:
"Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into
the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth
My voice" (18: 37).
Christ could at that solemn moment specify two vital purposes of His human birth and
advent. (1) To be King of the Jews, and all those that could then, and will in the future,
be involved in world discipleship and teaching. (2) To be a witness to the Truth. Those
who "are of the truth" hear His voice. Faithful practice and inspired tuition seem to run