The Gospel of Mark: Before Pilate

As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.” Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, “Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.” But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed. ~ Mark 15:1-5



The Jewish leaders condemned Jesus for blasphemy, but that wouldn't be enough for Rome to convict him.

King of the Jews - which Jesus alluded to when he acknowledged being the "Son of the Blessed One" - was indeed enough. With Rome in charge, calling oneself a king was treason.

So while the condemnation by the religious leaders on a charge of blasphemy was tenuous, treason was not.

Jesus was accused by the government of treason.

This innocent man would be sentenced to death by the law of the land. 

Whatever you might think about capital punishment, remember this: innocents are convicted by the government as much today as they were 2000 years ago.

And some of those innocents are killed by that same government.

Just as Jesus was by his.


Holy God, thank you for the gospel - the good news - of your Son. Open my mind and heart to this good news and enliven me with your Spirit of servanthood that I might share this good news with a world in need. Amen


Engagement Questions:

Do some online digging about innocent men and women who have been on death row and either executed or later exonerated after serving time. A place to start is with the Equal Justice Initiative here: 
https://eji.org/issues/death-penalty/

and here are some stories: https://stories.avvo.com/crime/murder/8-people-who-were-executed-and-later-found-innocent.html

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