In his account of the trial of Jesus, the evangelist shows that He is not an ordinary man: people's attitude toward Him always touches the very core of their being. Judas' betrayal in the end becomes a betrayal of himself: despairing of Jesus, he perishes from his own despair and from his inability to believe in forgiveness. Pilate's trial of Jesus turns out in the end to be a trial of Pilate himself - his name is now associated with perhaps only this one episode of his life. In the Jews' cry, 'His blood be on us...' the evangelist may see a foreshadowing of Jerusalem's destruction during the Jewish War of the 70s in the first century and of the sufferings to come for his compatriots.

Historically, Christians have often used these episodes to shift responsibility for Christ's death onto someone else, for example by trying to justify antisemitism with the idea that Jews were supposedly cursed for 'deicide,' or by turning Judas into the absolute embodiment of world evil, and reaching other absurdities. Meanwhile, in their search for an enemy, they passed and still pass by Jesus Himself, the meeting with whom already, in itself, brings judgment, death, and life...

Pilate's trial became, perhaps, the most famous trial in the world. Meanwhile, for Jesus' accusers it was probably a completely routine matter. Well, the Sanhedrin condemned yet another freethinker, another "messiah" - He was not the first, He would not be the last... Well, Pilate crucified yet another disturber of the peace - he had hundreds of such rebels to his name, Barabbas alone would be enough as an example... They were simply doing their job: trying to keep under control the "hot spot" of the Roman Empire, to preserve power, position, and authority, without thinking too much about things so alien to politics as justice, truth, and faith. But for Christians this morning became the center of world history, because the one condemned was not just anyone, but the promised Righteous One, the Christ.

Christ does not answer the questions of His accusers. First of all, of course, because there is no point in answering those who will certainly interpret any answer with bias. But this reason cannot be exhaustive, since not only Christ's words but His whole behavior was a sermon. The way He carries Himself before His accusers brings to mind not only His own words about not casting pearls, but also the Third Commandment, with which those words are connected. Therefore, to reveal the highest truths before biased accusers is the same as knowingly handing them over to be mocked.

In recent years one has often heard, in and out of place, the repeated phrase: "By silence God is betrayed." But Christ's silence shows that this principle should not be absolutized.

Pilate also is incapable of understanding Christ. This is not only because of his pagan mentality; after all, many pagans were able to respond to the preaching of the Gospel. More important is the fact that Pilate was used to being guided by the rules of this world, and they hinder the perception of everything that goes beyond practical advantage. But the people, prompted by the chief priests and demanding Barabbas's release, are guided by the same rules. Barabbas looks like a hero in the eyes of the people; his actions appear more understandable than Christ's preaching. And so we see Christ sent to die instead of Barabbas.

If the thought that Christ suffered for our sins ever begins to sound abstract to someone, it is worth remembering that He was sent to the cross intended for another man. The salvation of humanity began with a chance given to Barabbas, and now each of us is a pardoned Barabbas.

That day words came from the crowd about the blood lying on those gathered before Pilate and on their children. In the centuries that followed, people calling themselves Christians would more than once use these words to inflame their own thirst for bloodshed. But the evangelist did not mention them in order to call for revenge. Every person who commits lawlessness takes part in Christ's crucifixion. This means that all are guilty of shedding His blood.

Yet it was precisely for us, who crucify Him, that He went to the cross.