The Trial of Jesus Christ and The Last Supper

The account by Luke Chapter 22, verses 47-71; Chapter 23, verses 1-24, very likely adapted from Mark, adds a few details, and differs slightly in some of Marks items.� �Jesus heals the ear that was cut off, identifying the victim as the servant of the High Priest, and identifying it as the right ear.� Luke adds a few additional words to Jesus response to the question of whether he is the Son of God.

What occurs next differs from Mark.� �After this initial confrontation with the High Priests (without the chief priest losing it), Jesus is immediately led off to Pilate. The time-line of events is not clear. Among the charges added is that Jesus is perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.� This is patently false, since earlier in the Gospels Jesus has said that one may render unto Caesar that which is Caesars.� Pilate, as in Mark, asks if Jesus is the King of the Jews, and Jesus again answers, Thou sayest it.� Pilate then says the famous words that occur in every Good Friday service, I find no fault in this man.

Luke describes the crowd as more fierce, telling Pilate that Jesus had been spreading his sedition all the way from Galilee.� �In a sudden stroke of political expediency, Pilate decides to send him to Herod Antipas, King of Galilee, who happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.

This is a new wrinkle in the story.� �Herod had evidently heard of Jesus, and wanted to see him perform a miracle.� He questions Jesus, gets no answers, while the chief priests and scribes are vehemently accusing Jesus.� The scene was most chaotic.� Herods men mock Jesus, dress him in a gorgeous robe, and send him back to Pilate.

An odd detail is added at this point.� �Luke says that Pilate and Herod ceased their enmity with one another and were made friends together.� Perhaps Luke is attempting to depict Herod and Pilate as reluctant co-conspirators in the ultimate fate of Jesus.� It seems to be an unnecessary detail to the story.

However, it has one point of relevance.� Pilate again says that he can find no fault in Jesus, and points out that Herod also found nothing that would require execution.� He tells the noisy crowd I will therefore chastise him, and release him.� This will not do for the crowd, who cry out for the release of Barabbas (not mentioned by Luke before this point) and the crucifixion of Jesus.� Pilate again protests, but the crowd was insistent.� And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.