When morning came the chief priests, having made their plan with the elders and lawyers and all the Council, put Jesus in chains; then they led him away and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He replied, "The words are yours." And the chief priests brought many charges against him. Pilate questioned him again: "Have you nothing to say in your defence? You see how many charges they are bringing against you." But, to Pilate's astonishment, Jesus made no further reply. Mark 15:1-5
In the previous two verses St. Mark relates that while spending the night in jail, Jesus was spit on, blindfolded, insulted and punched. Like Abu Graib: a disgusting display of power. The most awful things happen in prisons. I expect Mark does not reveal the worst of it.
Then, first thing in the morning, the religious leaders, who have been up all night (and gotten their concocted story straight: "This is what we'll say...") now lead Jesus in chains (how ridiculous!) off to Pilate. They have to get Pilate involved because they are an occupied people, Rome is in charge, and Rome has taken to itself authority over executions. So, the religionists need to convince "Rome" that everyone would be better off without Jesus.
The Flemish painter, Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), has given us this painting titled, Jesus Before Pontius Pilate. He has captured the scene through contrast: the gentle and calm beauty of Jesus surrounded by an assembly of human beings in their most stupid, degraded ugliness - their inner foulness breaking through their outer form. They are the disfigured faces of bullies, liars, death-planners, death-approvers, soul-less power-persons. Pilate, ready to wash his hands of the whole matter, already looks like a corpse. Notice the figures on the left (armored and weaponized) go from lighter, to darker, to darkest. There are souls like that.
At first, these mobsters tell Pilate that Jesus has blasphemed (made himself out to be divine, or something close to that). But Pilate wouldn't have cared - he wasn't interested in religion. So they had to get Pilate to see that Jesus was a dangerous threat to Rome's power. That's why they add, "Well Pilate, the real problem is that this man has said we don't need to pay taxes to Caesar, and that he's really the king, and not Caesar." This gets Pilate's attention, but only because he's afraid if Caesar gets wind of any insurrection, his outpost job will be on the line. Remember, the first task of any institution is to preserve its prestige and power. That's the real evil trapping Jesus.
But Pilate understands what's actually going on - what a charade this is. He knows Jesus isn't a serious threat to the empire. Jesus had said, "My Kingdom is not of this world." And in a few verses Pilate will share with Jesus that he knows the real problem is that the religious leaders are envious of Jesus. Indeed, Jesus was more popular than they.
What's strange here is that Jesus doesn't respond to Pilate's questions - he remains silent. Jesus knows himself. Silence can be an answer, and Jesus' silence reveals that he is answerable only to God. Why do so many Christians not believe this and instead fall into line with the power-deciders. I notice how quick so many Christians are to accept what military people and politicians have to say. Their word is truth. Do we give greater fealty and glory to admirals, politicians, political platforms, generals and "war heroes" than to our own saints? Especially if those saints are peacemakers who follow Christ's commandment, "Love your enemies."
Pilate doesn't dislike Jesus, but he's caught in a predicament and Jesus isn't talking. He's hoping Jesus will talk more so maybe he can find a way out of his problem. That's why Pilate is "astonished" - Jesus isn't doing anything to save himself. Jesus knows where the only real power is - and it's not in Caesar's empire.
A final thought about the silence of Jesus. We live in a culture that can't stop talking. There is almost no rest from words. Empty words. Dishonest words. Vain and arrogant words. Pandering, television words that only care about our buying some product. I have recently started to mute commercials with a click of the remote. The silence feels bless-ed!
The Flemish painter, Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), has given us this painting titled, Jesus Before Pontius Pilate. He has captured the scene through contrast: the gentle and calm beauty of Jesus surrounded by an assembly of human beings in their most stupid, degraded ugliness - their inner foulness breaking through their outer form. They are the disfigured faces of bullies, liars, death-planners, death-approvers, soul-less power-persons. Pilate, ready to wash his hands of the whole matter, already looks like a corpse. Notice the figures on the left (armored and weaponized) go from lighter, to darker, to darkest. There are souls like that.
At first, these mobsters tell Pilate that Jesus has blasphemed (made himself out to be divine, or something close to that). But Pilate wouldn't have cared - he wasn't interested in religion. So they had to get Pilate to see that Jesus was a dangerous threat to Rome's power. That's why they add, "Well Pilate, the real problem is that this man has said we don't need to pay taxes to Caesar, and that he's really the king, and not Caesar." This gets Pilate's attention, but only because he's afraid if Caesar gets wind of any insurrection, his outpost job will be on the line. Remember, the first task of any institution is to preserve its prestige and power. That's the real evil trapping Jesus.
But Pilate understands what's actually going on - what a charade this is. He knows Jesus isn't a serious threat to the empire. Jesus had said, "My Kingdom is not of this world." And in a few verses Pilate will share with Jesus that he knows the real problem is that the religious leaders are envious of Jesus. Indeed, Jesus was more popular than they.
What's strange here is that Jesus doesn't respond to Pilate's questions - he remains silent. Jesus knows himself. Silence can be an answer, and Jesus' silence reveals that he is answerable only to God. Why do so many Christians not believe this and instead fall into line with the power-deciders. I notice how quick so many Christians are to accept what military people and politicians have to say. Their word is truth. Do we give greater fealty and glory to admirals, politicians, political platforms, generals and "war heroes" than to our own saints? Especially if those saints are peacemakers who follow Christ's commandment, "Love your enemies."
Pilate doesn't dislike Jesus, but he's caught in a predicament and Jesus isn't talking. He's hoping Jesus will talk more so maybe he can find a way out of his problem. That's why Pilate is "astonished" - Jesus isn't doing anything to save himself. Jesus knows where the only real power is - and it's not in Caesar's empire.
A final thought about the silence of Jesus. We live in a culture that can't stop talking. There is almost no rest from words. Empty words. Dishonest words. Vain and arrogant words. Pandering, television words that only care about our buying some product. I have recently started to mute commercials with a click of the remote. The silence feels bless-ed!
