NOTES for Luk 23:1-25

In Luke's account of Jesus' interrogations and trial, Jesus Himself takes almost no part in the proceedings. The Jewish elders, Pilate, and Herod search in vain for the formal elements of a crime. Is Jesus laying claim to the Jewish throne? Apparently not... to Herod's throne? Not that either... What, then, is He guilty of? On what grounds can He be killed?

It seems that this question, in one form or another, always arises when a person tries to settle his relationship with God, with Christ. One does not want simply to abandon faith for no reason at all. It remains to find a pretext: believing in God is unfashionable, boring, troublesome, useless, foolish; there is never time for it... These are, of course, the most primitive arguments; there are more serious ones.

But the fact remains: if Christ has to be removed from one's life, it is always possible. For now, the judge's seat is beneath us, and for as long as we are free to decide, He remains silent...