The 6 Trials Of Jesus

THE 6 TRIALS OF JESUS

Ever hear of double jeopardy?  It is defined as "the act of putting a person through a second trial for an offense for which he or she has already been prosecuted or convicted."  Ever hear of sextuple jeopardy, or the act of putting someone through 6 trials for which they have already been prosecuted?  Outlandish, you say?  It happened to Jesus!  That's right!  He went through 3 civil Roman trials and was found not guilty, and 3 religious Jewish trials, and was convicted!  Let's find these trials in the bible, and then you can see what I'm talking about!  We'll start with the first three, the Jewish trials, and then we'll look at the last three, which were Roman trials, and see what happened...

The first trial is found in John 18:12 - 14; "Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound Him, and led Him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.  Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people."  So Annas was Jesus' first judge, and his decision was death to Jesus.

The second trial is found in Matt. 26:57 - 68; "And they that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  But Peter followed Him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.  Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put Him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none.  The last came two false witnesses, and said, 'This fellow said, "I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days."  And the high priest arose, and said unto Him, 'Answerest Thou nothing?  What is it which these witness against Thee?'  But Jesus held His peace.  And the high priest answered and said unto Him, 'I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God.'  Jesus saith unto him, 'Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.'  Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, 'He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses?  Behold, now ye have heard His blasphemy.  What think ye?'  They answered and said, 'He is guilty of death.'  Then did they spit in His face, and buffeted Him; and others smote Him with the palms of their hands, saying, 'Prophesy unto us, Thou Christ, Who is he that smote Thee?'"  I see a legal problem in most legal systems here today compared to then; notice the father-in-law judge sent Jesus to the son-in-law judge?  Bad enough the judgeships are in the family here, but to send the same prisoner to both judges for verdict, surely this would've been thrown out of most court systems that exist today!  Okay, in this trial, Jesus is charged with blasphemy, and yet, Jesus has 4 more trials to go!  Let's look at the next one...

Matt. 27:1 - 2 has Jesus this 3rd time in front of the Sanhedrin as His judge; "When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death: And when they had bound Him, they led Him away, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor."  At this point, the decision was to make the death sentence legal, but Jesus yet had 3 more trials to endure!
Now begins Jesus' first civil trial, and His judge is Pilate; this trial takes place in John 18:28 - 38.  "Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.  Pilate then went out unto them, and said, 'What accusation bring ye against this man?'  They answered and said unto him, 'If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up unto thee.'  Then said Pilate unto them, 'Take ye Him, and judge Him according to your law.'  The Jews therefore said unto him, 'It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He spake, signifying what death He should die.  Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto Him, 'Art thou the King of the Jews?'  Jesus answered him, 'Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of Me?'  Pilate answered, 'Am I a Jew?  Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered Thee unto me: what hast Thou done?'  Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from hence.'  Pilate therefore said unto Him, 'Art Thou a king then?'  Jesus answered, 'Thou sayest that I am a king.  To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.  Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice.'  Pilate saith unto Him, 'What is truth?'  And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, 'I find in him no fault at all.'"  What irony that His own people should condemn Him, but the heathen ruling nation find Him innocent!  On hearing that Jesus was a Galilean, he then sent Jesus to Herod for His 5th trial!

"When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.  And as soon as he knew that He belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.  And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see Him of a long season, because he had heard many things of Him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by Him.  Then he questioned with Him in many words; but He answered him nothing.  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.  And Herod with his men of war set Him at nought, and mocked Him, and arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him again to Pilate.  And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves." (Luke 23:6 - 12)  Initially, Herod and Pilate didn't get along; no love lost between the two, personality clash...all covered over because Pilate gave Herod the opportunity to see the King of the Jews he had heard of so much.  Nevertheless, Herod had no guilty verdict for Jesus, either.  He just had his fun of Him and sent Him back to Pilate!

Once again in Pilate's hands, Jesus was once again found not guilty, but Pilate felt forced to turn Jesus over to the Jews for crucifixion in John 18:39 - 19:6.  "'But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?'  Then cried they all again, saying, 'Not this man, but Barabbas.'  Now Barabbas was a robber.  Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged Him.  And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe, and said, 'Hail, King of the Jews!'  And they smote Him with their hands.  Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, 'Behold, I bring Him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in Him.'  Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe.  And Pilate saith unto them, 'Behold the man!'  When the chief priests therefore and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, 'Crucify Him, crucify Him.'  Pilate saith unto them, 'Take ye Him, and crucify Him: for I find no fault in Him."

And so ended the 6th and final trial of Jesus; He endured 6 judges and their judgments, and one of those judges He was subjected to twice, and twice Pilate found no guilt in Him!  Sadly, the Jews of that day indeed took Him up to Calvary and had Him crucified, but for us, it was a great day!  You see, if He had not gone to the cross on His mission from the Father, we would not have a perfect sacrifice for our sins!  Today we have as a result of His sextuple jeopardy and condemnation by the Jews a covering of all our sins in His precious blood shed on the cross!  For His sacrifice of His life we have salvation through no other name under heaven!  "This is the Stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the Head of the corner.  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:11 - 12)  Though it took 6 trials for Jesus, He endured all that and so much more that we should believe in Him and be free of condemnation!  "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. 8:1)