July 11 2025

Friday July 11

Jesus the Man

Luke 23

6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. 7 And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. 8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. 9 Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. 11 Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.

Welcome to Pastor's Chat today. We're continuing to look at Luke 23, and today we're focusing on verses 6-12. Jesus had three unfair trials before the Jews; before Annas, the father-in-law of the high priest Caiaphas, and also Caiaphas at his house, and then before the Sanhedrin. Now, in the early morning hours between six and nine o'clock on Friday morning, Jesus is taken before Pilate. Pilate has his first trial with Jesus and finds no fault in Him after questioning Him personally in the praetorium.

When Pilate hears that Jesus is from the region of Galilee, he knows that's Herod, King Herod's jurisdiction. King Herod Antipas, who murdered John the Baptist, had longed to see Jesus because he had heard of the miracles Jesus had done and wanted to see Him perform a miracle, like a trick. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. I love the scripture here because it capitalizes the "M" in the Man Christ Jesus. Yes, there was no man like this Man, the Man Christ Jesus.

As soon as Pilate knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at the time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.

The chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. You can imagine this crowd of chief priests, scribes, and Sanhedrin following Jesus to where Herod was in Jerusalem. I can imagine Herod waking up this morning, having his breakfast, and suddenly all this is going on. Here comes this crowd of Pharisees, chief priests, and Sanhedrin, bringing Jesus with them.

Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt, mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. That very day, Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other. Both Pilate and Herod had the opportunity to try Jesus. What's interesting is that Jesus was not truly on trial before Pilate and Herod; rather, Pilate and Herod were on trial before Jesus. Obviously, they failed the test. They did not receive Jesus as the Christ. Neither did they find Him guilty, as Pilate later said that even Herod found no fault in Him (v. 15).

Even though Herod mistreated Jesus and had his men mock Him as a the King of the Jews, Jesus the Man did not respond to them. I believe they did this because Herod and his crowd hated the religious hypocrites, the Pharisees. Even the lost world doesn't like religious hypocrites. They mocked Jesus because He was supposedly the King of the Jews, putting a beautiful robe on Him to make Him look like a king.That day two men became friends because they had a common enemy, the Jews, and a common purpose: Jesus needed to be condemned, and the Jews wanted Him condemned and it was an opportunity to show distain for the religious hypocrites.

Today, what stands out to me the most is that Jesus is the Man, the Christ Man, the God Man. Oh, my friend, He’s the Man who took on flesh so that through death He could become our sin on an old rugged cross. Romans 8:3 tells us: “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.” I love how Hebrews 2:14 puts it: “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil”.

I invite you today to trust Jesus, to put your hope in this Man. There’s no man like this Man, the Man Christ Jesus. “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

God bless!