The Innocence of Jesus

by Bill Cavendar
via Guardian of Truth XXIX: 3, p. 67, February 7, 1985

The Bible records six different trials that Jesus endured after He was seized in the Garden of Gethsemane. There were three Jewish trials:

1. Before Annas (John 18:13,24);
2. Before Caiaphas, aided by a group of priests and the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65; John 18:14-28);
3. Before the Sanhedrin, near the dawn of day (Matthew 27:1-2; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66-71).

Then there was the first trial before Pilate (Matthew 27:1-2; Mark 15:1; Luke 23:1-7; John 18:28-32). Pilate acquitted Jesus; the Jews made further charges against Him, so Pilate sent Jesus to Herod upon learning that Jesus was of Galilee (Matthew 27:11-14; Mark 15:2-5; Luke 23:3-7; John 18:33-38). Before Herod, Jesus was mocked but not condemned as being guilty (Luke 23:6-12). Before Pilate the second time, Jesus was sentenced to death at the instigation of the Jewish rulers and was taken away to be crucified.

During the two trials before Pilate, Jesus was proclaimed to be innocent seven times by Pilate, in Pilate's words and actions. Consider these, please:

1. After his first conversation with Jesus, Pilate said, "I find no fault in this man" (John 18:29-38; Luke 23:4).
2. After Jesus returned to Pilate from Herod, Pilate said, "Behold, I, having examined him before, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod ..." (Luke 23:6-15).
3. After offering to release a prisoner to the Jews, and offering to scourge Jesus and then release Him, Luke records, "And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him ..." (Luke 23:22).
4. When he washed his hands before the multitude, declaring the innocence of Jesus, Pilate said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person" (Matthew 27:24).
5. After Jesus had been mocked, whipped, and the robe put on Him, Pilate said, "Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him" (John 19:4).
6. When Pilate gave permission for His crucifixion, he said, "Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him" (John 19:6).
7. After Pilate learned of Jesus' claim to be the Son of God, he talked with Jesus for the last time. John records, "Upon this Pilate sought to release him..." (John 19:7-12), thus declaring, in fact, the innocence of Jesus for the seventh time.

Yet this moral coward, whose name has lived in infamy for, lo, these many centuries, delivered up to a felon's death the only truly innocent man who ever lived on earth, the only one who truly and legally deserved to live and not to die.

But what of those moral cowards, men claiming to follow Him and to believe His claims and words? What of them? What is the difference between Pilate, the Roman, and John Doe, the Christian, who crucifies the Son of God afresh and puts Him to an open shame by sin, ugliness, bitterness, hatred, arrogance, transgression, and apostasy (Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-31)? What of them?