That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.
Jesus unites two feuding politicians. It is said that politics makes strange bedfellows. Never truer than the reconciliation of Pilate and Herod over the trial of Jesus!
By all rights, Herod is the true king of Israel. Not the occupying force ruled by Roman Pilate. It is only natural they should be bitter political rivals.
Ambitious, power-hungry, ruthless! There isn’t much to commend either of these two leaders. But now they have a mutual problem – Jesus
Pilate sees the effort to condemn Jesus as mere religious infighting. Not worthy of Rome’s attention. When he learns that Jesus is a Galilean, he tosses the political hot potato to Herod’s jurisdiction.
Herod gladly accommodated, because he wanted to meet Jesus and to see one of the miracles all the people were talking about.
However, none of the many accusations leveled against Jesus found any resonance with Herod. He asked Jesus many questions to no avail, had Him beaten and sent back to Pilate’s court.
It’s still happening today. Opposition to Jesus unites disparate interest groups and creates strange friends.
This is actually the result of a much larger process. God, through Jesus is dividing people. Those who are for Him and those who are against! There is no middle ground!
Both Pilate and Herod found themselves on the same side, but on the wrong side. One axiom explains their newfound friendship - The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
However, students of Jesus are taught to love even their enemies. But it is also true - any friend of Jesus is a friend of every other student of Jesus.
Very well written thoughts, Denny.
ReplyDeleteThis is what my mind kept coming back to when thinking about these verses:
Neither Pilate nor Herod really saw a reason to condemn Jesus. Pilate plainly stated "I find no fault in him." Herod was looking forward to seeing him, although he didn't perform miracles for Herod, Herod didn't find a reason to do anything with Jesus, either.
Maybe it was the shared experience of seeing someone as not guilty yet having this crazed mob wanting to kill him and the complexity of the situation thye shared that brought them together.
I wonder if they ever discussed what they thought should have happened. Or if they ever expressed regret for letting what eventually unfolded take place.
Then again, Jesus died for our sins, too. How often do we show real regret over our sins compared to the times our sins don't impress us as being a very big deal?