The seven trials of Jesus Christ are a source of great motivation for us, and a cause for our deepest respect. Many times, when the darkness has gathered around me, I have remembered Jesus, standing calmly before the assembled San Hedron, confident in His mission, unwavering in His resolve. One simple phrase echoes through my thoughts over and over again..."as a lamb is dumb before the shearers, so he opened not His mouth." Simple enough a concept to understand, but how easy for the man who lived those harrowing hours? How many of us, even the most comitted, the bravest of us, would have stood passively as man after man confronted us and hit us full force in the face? Not a glancing blow, or a blow hitting a moving object, but a blow delivered by men who set themselves, spread their feet, drew back and delivered a clenched fist to the unprotected face. As time wore on, and Jesus remained silent, they became enraged, goaded by the guilt they must have felt, for what they were doing was in violation of every law of jurisprudence. He became an object of their hatred, their loathing of their own wreched part in that debacle. In some way, they transfered the blame to Him, as though His mere presence had caused them to act in so despicable a manner. They cursed Him, spat on Him, insulted Him....used every trick they could conjure to force a confession from His smashed lips, and thus...somehow justify what they were doing to him. In all those torturous hours, without food or water, without even a short respite, a chance to sit and rest a moment, Jesus said only one thing; "Before Abraham and Jacob were, I am". You can well imagine, even the most passionate speakers that night must have come to a moment when they looked at this man, standing in a pool of His own blood, His face pulverized beyond recognition, and felt a wave a nausea...disgust with themselves for what they had done. So it is with men, that even the most desperate of us cannot deny a grudging respect for extraordinary courage. Whatever else they may have felt, they could not turn aside the fleeting moment of awe, as they gazed at the man from Nazereth. Never before had they encountered such a man, for most were bleating for mercy without delay. Most would say anything, do anything, to avoid suffering or public humiliation, even confess to a crime thay had not done. But this man, like no other. Surely His suffering must have finally become such a weight for them to bear they hurried the conclusion before getting a confession. Not that they were repulsed by blood and agony...but the way the Nazerine bore them; head high, back straight, asking no man for mercy, offering no explanation, when He could have spared Himself easily, with a few well chosen words. After a diversion to Herrod's palace, where the King insisted that Christ do some magic tricks for his entertainment, Jesus was taken to the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontias Pilate. What happened there is even more compelling, if it is possible; for Jesus was taken to the basement of the huge stone edifice and His hands were bound by ropes, the He was spread eagled and scourged. But let's not pass this by without an examination of the process. The Romans always "softened up" a prisoner before they questioned him. This was done with a "scourge", a type of whip made with a one foot handle, about as big around as the grip of a ball bat. To one end, a dozen thin strips of rawhide, about 18" long, were tied, and to the other end of the strips, they tied sharp pieces of glass, metal and bone. Each time the scourge was raked across the exposed back, the flesh was gouged and sliced away, and if this torture lasted for any time at all, there would be no flesh left, leaving the spine and ribcage clearly visible. Yet, "As a lamb was dumb before the shearers, so He opened not His mouth." There is more to the interview, conducted by Pilate, than is written, but I will focus on that short discussion for one purpose, to reveal, or suggest, what may have happened. Pilate conducted himself in a very strange manner following his confrontation with Christ; Why? Why did this very ambitious Roman willfully endanger everything he had strived for? For this is exactly what he did when he "washed his hands" of the matter before thousands of witnesses. Why did he place his political future in such peril, for the mere person of a lowly Jew? You must realize, that Pilate was in Judea to feather his own political nest. The Jews had long been a volitile problem for Rome, rebellious, defiant. Any man who tamed the Jews would certainly gain the favor of Ceasar, and this was Pilate's intention. He had curried the favor of the San Hedron, the dominant political body in Judea, and formed an alliance with Herrod, a close friend of Ceasar. He was a shrewd opertive in the social jungle of the ancient world. Pilate was also a brave man, with noteworthy military feats to his credit. Irregardless of his mercenary motivations, he was a man who admired courage. It is this dimension of Pilate's charactar which I believe was stirred as he spoke to Christ. He had seen many men after the scourge. He could hear their screaming long before he saw them face to face, especially when his soldiers rubbed salt into the open wounds. What was it that excited that all but dormant remnant of Pilate's honor? We can only speculate, but I think it was the regal bearing and composure of a man he had never met, but a man he would never forget from that day forward. He was appauled at his first glimpse of Jesus, for His face was swollen, and caked in dried blood. His eyes must have been mere slits. But our Lord approached the governor with deliberate steps, and stopped before him, head high. Pilate was shocked, for he had heard no whimper from this man as he heard the scourge do its' grisly work. He accused Jesus of the crime the San Hedron had conveniently supplied, treason. But, for only the second time in seven days, Jesus spoke; "My kingdom is not of this world", He answered. Pilate gave over the Nazerene to his soldiers, and went to the sprawling veranda and the thousands of spectators beyond. But rather than denounce Christ, in the manner he had imagined he would, he dipped his hands into a laver of water and towelled them dry, saying these words; "I find no guilt in this man." The ordeal our Lord endured on the cross is the cause of our great love and esteem for this man, but it eludes the minds of most Christians that those seven days prior to His crucifixion are a demonstration of valor and poise unparalled in human history. This is the legacy He leaves to us, courage in the face of adversity, silence in the face of injustice, composure in the midst of agony, forgiveness in the face of sin, love in return for hatred. And the truly awesome message that comes from the scriptures; "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." (1Pet 4:13) Our inheritance of glory from the Father, great riches in eternity, made superior to angels, Royal Family; We have also inherited the priviledge of enduring suffering in His name, for suffering will befall us in any case, and why not for an eternal cause? Why not for a cause that yields honor and rejoicing when we depart this life? Perhaps the greatest gift Jesus Christ has left us is the honor of standing, in some small measure, in His shoes, and when the lead is flying and folks a' dying..."as a lamb is dumb before the shearers, so we opened not our mouths." I can only speak for myself, that if it is my good fortune to conduct myself in this life with virtue, borne of bible doctrine, and I am given the priviledge of facing great hardship, that those words may be said of me one day. [ HOME ]