#1445 Luke 23 Part 2 Bonding Agent

 

6 Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem in those days.

Jesus Before Herod

8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he rejoiced greatly; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. 9 And he questioned Him at some length, but He answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, vehemently accusing Him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a bright robe and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other. Luke 23: 6-12 LSB

Luke 23: 6-12 Herod

Now when Pilate heard this - The Sanhedrin had just accused Jesus of stirring up the people all the way up to the region of Galilee, so he asked whether the man was a Galilean. Sometimes this is probably out of respect for jurisdiction or the ruler of said place, but Pilate and Herod did not like each up until this point. Pilate doesn't find anything in Jesus worthy of the sort of discipline the Sanhedrin are asking for, and so like politics and work, he passes the buck, this is Herod's problem. Pilate is not a man of integrity though, yet he is adverse to this, probably not liking the Sanhedrin, and later his wife will also counsel him against harming Jesus.

…18For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. 19While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.” 20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.… Matthew 27: 18-20

V.8 For he had wanted to see Him for a long time - Why? He thought of Him like David Copperfield or Chris Angel, someone who could do tricks like Pharaoh's magicians. It is sad, but most of the interest surrounding Jesus is superficial like this, desiring to be entertained or fed, not repent. Sin is so dark it causes the soul not to recognize it's need, it always looks for something other than the remedy that God provides. 

25When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?” 26 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”… John 6: 25-27

V.9 But He answered him nothing - Jesus was truly the Lamb of God, down to every minute detail of Holy Scripture. He doesn't try to vindicate Himself here, gain a powerful ally by performing some signs, no, the Authority that has decided this matter is above all that, the eternal will of God. 

…6We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. 8By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people.… Isaiah 53: 6-8

V. 10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, vehemently accusing them - Everyone was in town for the Passover, including Jesus' enemies. After all they thought this had more to do with their traditions then it did with Him, though He stands before them as the culmination of this very thing. They are ravenous though and continue to follow Him from one trial to another, 3 religious and 3 Civil. This is trial number 5. 

V. 11 After treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a bright robe and sent Him back to Pilate - Neither Pilate or Herod are huge fans of the Jewish leadership, and probably resent being told how to do their job, but Jesus didn't do any miracles for Herod, no side show, so now the boys provide one on their own. Dressing Jesus like a king, calling Him the King of the Jews, this takes a jab at both Jesus and the Sanhedrin. It is a wonder, I mean look at this Guy, He claims to be the Son of God but he can't handle these mere mortals, of all the things wrong in the world, of all the things the Pharisees could be upset by, why Him?

After treating Him with contempt - Contempt is an ugly word in English which means a lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike. The Greek verb exoutheneo means they treated Jesus as of no account ("count Him as nothing!"), making light of Him as One who had no merit or worth! (contrast Rev 5:9,12+) They disdained the Holy One of Israel! They had no use for Jesus (or so they thought), Who they regarded as beneath them. O, how wrong they were! And they will have all eternity to experience the gnawing feelings of regret and remorse for their horrid contempt of the One Who could have been the Savior of their souls!

Had these reprobates known the Scriptures, they might have seen that their treatment of Jesus had been prophesied hundreds of years earlier in Isaiah when he wrote "He was despised (bazah = treated with contempt, as worthless, despicable!) and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like One from Whom men hide their face He was despised (bazah), and we did not esteem Him ("considered Him insignificant")." (Isa 53:3+) Despised is repeated in Isaiah's passage, giving us a sense of the degree of disdain the Jews would have for their Messiah! Woe!

Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Note the contrast in the verse. Herod sat there as King "with his men of war" surrounding him, and Jesus stood there beaten and battered in torn, ragged clothes. Herod, judging by appearance, counted the Man who claimed to be the Son of God as nothing. This Man and His claim did not matter, not to Herod. (Borrow Luke Commentary) - Precept Austin

V. 12 Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day - They found something to bond over, both loved a good joke, both couldn't stand the whiners that brought Jesus to them. Herod's father tried to kill Jesus as an infant, but seeing Jesus, he was unimpressed. 

…4saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.” 5For with one mind they plot together, they form an alliance against You— 6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites,… Psalm 83: 4-6

…26The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’ 27 In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. 28They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen.… Acts 4: 26-28

Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day - Now the focus of their enmity is directed against Christ resulting in their newly minted friendship. It is a tragic commentary on these two pagan rulers that their friendship was cemented by a common rejection of Christ. Is this not still true that worldly men are brought together because of their hatred of the other worldly Christ. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

For before they had been enemies with each other - The nature of their prior enmity is unknown.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend - This is an ancient proverb which suggests that two opposing parties can or should work together against a common enemy. The earliest known expression of this concept is found in a Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, the Arthashastra, which dates to around the 4th century BC, while the first recorded use of the current English version came in 1884.

J C Ryle comments that "The incident before us is a striking emblem of a state of things which may always be seen in the world. Men of the most discordant opinions can unite in opposing truth. Teachers of the most opposite doctrines can make common cause in fighting against the Gospel. In the days of our Lord, the Pharisees and the Sadducces might be seen combining their forces to entrap Jesus of Nazareth and put Him to death. In our own times we sometimes see infidels and idolaters—worldly pleasure-lovers and bigoted ascetics,—the friends of so-called liberal views and the most determined opponents of all changes—all ranked together against evangelical religion. One common hatred binds them together. They hate the cross of Christ. To use the words of the apostles in the Acts: “Against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, are gathered together.” (Acts 4:27.) All hate each other very much, but all hate Christ much more. The true Christian must not count the enmity of the world a strange thing.(cf Jn 15:18, 19, 20) (Luke 23 - Ryle's Expository Thoughts on the Gospels)

John MacArthur writes that "Herod’s life ended in disgrace: Herodias would ultimately prove to be Herod’s downfall. After Emperor Caligula granted Herodias’s brother Agrippa I (Acts 12:1) the title of king, she demanded that Herod go to Rome and obtain the same title. (The gospel references to him as king [Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:14, 22] reflect informal popular usage of the term.) But before Herod and Herodias reached Rome, a messenger from Agrippa accused Herod of wrongdoing. As a result, Caligula deposed Herod who, accompanied by Herodias, was banished permanently to a city in what is now France. Antipas and Herodias are reminiscent of another ill-fated couple, Ahab and Jezebel. “Like Ahab,” writes D. A. Carson, “Antipas was wicked but weak; and Herodias, like Jezebel, wicked and ruthless” (Matthew, in Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984], 8:338). Antipas’s weakness coupled with Herodias’s ruthlessness ensured that eventually their sins could only bring disastrous consequences. (See The MacArthur New Testament Commentary) - Precept Austin