The Greatest Love Story Ever Told
FRIDAY
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told
FRIDAY
In our last story, Jesus and His disciples were in the garden called Gethsemane. Jesus had been praying to His Father in heaven.
Not long after returning for the third time to His sleeping disciples, Peter, James and John, Jesus said to them, “Rise, let us be going; for he that will betray me is near.”
They were on their feet before Jesus finished speaking, and at the same moment saw Judas coming toward them, and with Judas was a crowd of men armed with swords and sticks, and carrying torches.
Judas had been busy since he had left his friends in the upper room. He must have seen Jesus and the disciples leave the house, and had followed them until he was sure where they were going. Judas knew this garden well, for he had often been there with Jesus and the other disciples.
As soon as Judas was sure that Jesus and His disciples were going to the garden of Gethsemane, Judas rushed to tell the priests and the Pharisees that now was the time to seize Jesus, for there was no one with Jesus but a few disciples. The rulers of the Children of Israel quickly gathered together a band of men, armed them with swords and sticks, and put Judas at the head of this company, or group of men. Then Judas led the armed men to the place where he had so often sat and listened to the words of Jesus.
Judas had given the armed men this sign, “The man whom I kiss is the one you want; hold him fast.”
As this group of men drew near Jesus walked toward them, and Judas kissed Jesus, saying, “Hail, Master.”
Jesus did not push him away; He did not even speak unkindly to Judas; but looking with eyes full of sorrow and pity at the man He had chosen for a friend, Jesus said, “Judas, do you betray the Son of man with a kiss?”
The disciples, who were now wide awake, saw that Jesus was in danger. They had two swords among them, and Peter said, “Lord, shall we strike them with our swords?”
Without waiting for an answer, Peter struck a servant of the High Priest, and cut off his ear. Jesus said, “Put up your sword into its place, Peter. Do you not know that I can, even now, pray to my Father, and he would give me a great army of angels? But I must finish my work. I must die to save the world.”
Jesus then touched the ear of the man and healed it.
Then, turning to the armed men, Jesus asked, “Whom Do you seek?” They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus responded, “I am he.”
The men were so astonished to have Jesus give Himself up without trying to defend Himself or let His disciples defend Him, that they fell backward. Again Jesus asked, “Whom do you seek?”
And again they answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus then said, “I have told you already that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these, my friends, go. Why did you come out as against a thief, with swords and clubs? I sat with you every day in the temple, and you did not lay a hand on me.”
They now took hold of Jesus, bound Him, and led Him away. Though all the disciples had boasted that they would never leave Jesus, every one of them ran off and left Him alone with these cruel men.
They took Jesus first to the house of Annas, the High Priest, and then to Caiaphas, Annas’ son-in-law, who was the one who really did the work of the High Priest at this time. Caiaphas was the man who had said that it was better that Jesus should die, and was one of those who had tried the hardest to stop the teaching of Jesus.
Peter and John had by this time come back to see what was being done with Jesus. John, who was known at the palace of the High Priest, was allowed to go inside; but Peter could go no farther than the outside door. John went out and spoke to the woman who had charge of the door, and asked her to let Peter come in also. As she showed Peter in, the woman asked, “Are you not one of this man’s disciples?”
Peter said, “No, I am not.”
Then Peter went in and stood at the fire with some of the servants to warm himself, because it was cold.
All this time Jesus was standing before Caiaphas, who was asking Jesus questions about His disciples and about His teaching. Jesus said, “I have taught where every one who wished to do so could hear me; I have said nothing in secret, but have taught in the synagogue and in the temple where all the Jews come together. Why do you ask me what I have taught? Ask those which heard me, what I have said to them.”
When Jesus had spoken these words, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Why do you answer the High Priest so?”
Jesus said, “Did I say anything wrong? If I did, tell us what it was; but if not, why did you strike me?”
The chief priests tried hard to find someone who could tell of some law which Jesus had broken, or of something wrong He had tried to teach. But they could not do it until at last they found two or three men who were willing to tell lies about Jesus. But, the stories of these men did not agree, so there was nothing to prove Jesus guilty.
Caiaphas stood up, and looking at Jesus, asked, “Have you nothing to say about these stories which they tell of you?”
Jesus did not answer. The High Priest then said, “Answer me. Are you the Christ, the Son of God?”
Jesus said, “I am.” Upon hearing these words, Caiaphas said to the rest of the council, “We do not need to hear anything more, for we ourselves have heard what the man has just said. What do you think of him?”
They all shouted, “He is guilty; he must be put to death.”
Now all this happened early Friday morning, before the sun rose, though by law the Sanhedrin could not try a prisoner until after sunrise. So they had to wait till that time before a vote could really be taken. Jesus was put in the charge of some officers, who treated Jesus so badly that we cannot bear to think about it. They blindfolded Jesus, then struck Him, and asked, “Tell us who struck you.”
They spit in Jesus’ face; they said everything they could think of to make fun of Him and hurt His feelings.
As soon as the sun rose, which was about six o’clock, the officers led their prisoner, Jesus, into the regular courtroom. To get to the courtroom the officers had to lead Jesus through the porch where Simon Peter was standing with some of the servants. When we last saw Peter, he was warming himself at the fire; but after he was warm he had gone out into the porch to wait until the trial was over.
He had been there only a short time when a girl said to the others, “This fellow is one of the men who was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
Peter, who knew that those who were around him were unfriendly to Jesus, was afraid to say he was a disciple of Jesus. Peter said, “I do not know the man.”
About an hour later a man who had been watching Peter carefully, said, “This fellow must have been with Jesus; for I saw him in the garden with him, and you can tell by the way he speaks that he came from Galilee.”
Again Peter said, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.”
Just then the cock crowed, and Peter, who but a few hours before had boasted that he would go to prison with Jesus, or even die for Him remembered what Jesus had said when Peter made that boast. Jesus had said to Peter, “I tell you that, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.”
Now just at the moment when Peter said, “I know not the man,” Jesus, who was being led to the courtroom by the officers, passed through the porch and heard what Peter, His friend and disciple, said. As Peter raised his eyes, Jesus turned and looked at him. It was the same loving face that had looked at Peter for the last three years, but with such a sad and grieved look that it almost broke Peter’s heart. Peter never forgot that look. It was too late to be sorry, but Peter went out and wept bitter tears.
The court was now ready to quickly take the vote. The question was asked of Jesus, “Are you the Christ? Tell us.”
Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me; and if I ask you, you will not answer me, or let me go. The time is coming when the Son of man shall sit on the right hand of God.”
Then they all said, “Are you the Son of God?”
Jesus told them that He was, and that, at the end of the world, they would see Him, with the angels, coming in power to be the judge.
They said, “That is enough; he has spoken blasphemy; we do not need to hear anything more.”
The vote was then taken, and it was decided that Jesus should die.
Now, as they could not put Jesus to death without permission from the Roman Governor, and since no other punishment but death would satisfy them, they made their plans to take Jesus at once to the Roman courtroom, where Jesus should be judged by Pilate, the Roman Governor.
Pilate lived away from Jerusalem most of the time, but he happened to be in the city now, for so many strangers came to the Passover feast every year, that Pilate thought it was best for him to be on hand in case there was any trouble for him to settle. The whole multitude rose and followed the officers who led Jesus through the streets to the courtroom which was in Pilate’s house.
Judas had known all that was going on, and when he saw that the vote had been taken, and that Jesus was really going to die, Judas was sorry for what he had done, and tried to undo it. Judas brought back the money that had been given to him for betraying Jesus, and offered it to the chief priests and scribes, saying, “I have been very wicked and have betrayed a man who has done no wrong.” They said to Judas, “What is that to us? that is your business.”
They would not take back the money, and, much as Judas loved money, he did not want that which had cost Jesus’ life. Throwing it down on the floor, he went out of the room, very miserable and unhappy. By his mean act Judas had gained thirty pieces of silver, but in gaining it he had lost his own soul. He was never seen alive again. The Bible says Judas went out and hanged himself.
The priests were not willing to put the money into the temple boxes, because, as they said, it was “the price of blood.” So as they did not know what else to do with it, they bought a piece of land, which they used as a burial ground for strangers, whom they did not wish to bury in their own tombs.
Jesus was led into Pilate’s house, but the priests and scribes stayed outside. It was Passover week, the week when they made a great show of being holy. Though they were wicked enough to want to kill Jesus, a good man, they were not wicked enough to step into the house of a Gentile. So Pilate came out to them, asking, “What has the man done? What charge have you to bring against him?”
They answered, “If he were not a wicked man, we would not have brought him to you.” Pilate said, “Take him to your own court, and judge him by your law.” The only thing they could prove in their own court, as we know, was that Jesus called Himself the Son of God; but they knew that Pilate would laugh at such a charge as that, and so they had to make up some other story to tell Pilate.
So, they said, “We found this fellow trying to lead the people into disobedience, telling them not to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying he himself is their king. We think that he ought to be killed, but it is not lawful for us to put any man to death.”
Were they telling the truth? Do you remember from our stories what Jesus did say when He was asked about paying taxes to Caesar?
While Pilate was outside, talking to the people, Jesus stood in the courtroom. Pilate now went back to Jesus, and asked Him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus said, “Do you ask this question because you want to know, or because these people say that I am?”
Pilate said to Jesus, “Am I a Jew? The chief priests of your own nation have brought you to me. What have you done?”
Jesus said, “I am not the king that you mean; if I were, my servants would fight for me, and I should not be given up to the priests. Mine is a very different kingdom; it is not of this world.”
Pilate asked, “Are you, then, a king?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, I am a king. I came into the world for the purpose of ruling men; I came to teach them the truth, and every one who is true believes my words.” Pilate then asked Jesus, “What is truth?” But, without waiting for an answer, Pilate went back to the Jews who still stood outside, waiting patiently for Pilate to return. Pilate found no reason why they should want to harm this gentle, loving man, who showed so plainly that He did not want to make any trouble. So Pilate said to the chief priests and scribes, “I find no fault with the man.”
They cried out, “He is stirring up the people with his teachings throughout all Palestine from Galilee to Judea.”
When Pilate heard them say “Galilee,” he saw a chance to clear himself from deciding what should be done. He was glad of the chance, and asked, “Is the man a Galilean? Then he must be taken to Herod.”
Herod, the ruler of Galilee, was also in Jerusalem at this time, because he had come to the feast. Herod was very glad to see Jesus; he had wanted to do so for a long time, because he had heard so much about Jesus. Herod had heard of Jesus, and hoped He would work some of His wonderful miracles for Herod to see.
Herod asked questions of Jesus, and the priests and scribes told the same wrong stories about Jesus that they had told Pilate. But Jesus stood there, neither answering the questions nor denying the stories. Herod and his soldiers laughed at the idea of this prisoner, Jesus, being a king, and began to make fun of Jesus. Then Herod sent for a king’s robe, put it on Jesus, and sent Him back to Pilate, the Governor of Judea.
Again Jesus stood before Pilate. Pilate went out once more to the people and said, “You have brought this man to me, and you say he is stirring up the people to disobey the Roman government; but I have examined him, and so has Herod, and neither of us thinks that he has done anything worthy of death. Therefore I will have him whipped, and then let him go.”
The rulers of the Children of Israel showed that they were not satisfied. It was the custom at the Passover feast for the governor to set one prisoner free; and to please the people the choice was usually left to them. At this time there was a very wicked man in prison, named Barabbas, who was both a murderer and a robber. Pilate now said, “Whom do you want to have me set free, Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Christ?”
They all cried out, “Barabbas!”
Pilate, who wanted to set Jesus free, spoke again, “What shall I do with him whom you call the king of the Jews?” The people cried out, “Crucify him!”
Pilate asked, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they only cried louder, “Crucify him!” They meant, “Let Jesus die on the cross,” and that was the most cruel punishment ever known. The body was fastened to a heavy wooden cross by big nails, which were driven through the hands and feet, and the pain was terrible. The cross was put in an upright position, and the prisoner was not taken down until he was dead. It was too dreadful a punishment for the most wicked man that ever lived.
When Pilate saw that they were determined, and that he could not make them do what was right, he called for water, and, washing his hands before them all, Pilate said, “I am not guilty of doing this great wickedness. You must take it upon yourselves.”
Rulers of the Children of Israel, and some of the people, glad to know that Pilate would let them have their way, said, “Let the blame rest on us, and on our children, forever.”
The blame did rest on them and their children, and punishment came very soon. Forty years later, when the Roman army left Jerusalem, their once beautiful city, not a single building was left standing, and all the people who were not killed at the time were driven away from their homes. Many of them were taken captive by the Romans, and afterward put to death.
Then Pilate set Barabbas free, and sent Jesus away to be whipped, as was always done before a man was crucified. The soldiers hurried Jesus away, and, after they had whipped Him, began to make fun of Jesus as Herod had done. Because purple was the king’s color, they found an old purple robe, which they put upon Jesus. They made a crown out of some thorns, and pressed it down upon Jesus’ forehead until the blood came. They bowed before Jesus, as if He were a king, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!”
They struck Jesus on the head, and spit on Him.
When they had finished all they wanted of this cruel mocking, they took Jesus back to Pilate. The Governor determined to once more try to make the rulers of the Children of Israel and the crowd willing to let him set Jesus free. Pilate went out with Jesus before the people, and said, “I bring him out to you that you may know that I find no fault in him. Behold the man!”
Jesus showed how much He had already suffered; was it not enough to satisfy the crowd and the wicked rulers of the Children of Israel? No; again the people cried out, “Crucify him!”
Pilate said, “Then take him and crucify him; for I find no fault in him.”
But both Pilate and the rulers of the Children of Israel knew that they could not put a man to death without the permission they were trying so hard to get.
The crowd and rulers of the Children of Israel then said, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die; for he made himself the Son of God.”
Pilate was still more afraid. He did not dare to crucify the Son of God. He was afraid for another reason, too; because, while he was in the courtroom, his wife had sent this word to him, “Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have been troubled all day because of a dream that I had about him.”
So Pilate again turned to Jesus, and asked, “Who are you?” But Jesus, the prisoner, made no answer. Pilate then said, “Will you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to crucify you and to set you free?”
Now Jesus did speak, and said, “You could have no power at all against me, except it were given you from above. Those who gave me up to you have sinned more than you have.” Pilate then made up his mind to let Jesus go free.
The crowd and rulers of the Children of Israel saw that Pilate was about to let Jesus go, and they cried out, “If you let this man go free, you are no friend to Caesar; for whoever calls himself king speaks against Caesar.”
Hearing this cry, Pilate changed his mind once more. If the crowd and rulers of the Children of Israel complained of Pilate to the Emperor, another Governor might be put in Pilate’s place. Pilate would rather do wrong than have that happen.
Once more Pilate tried to make the crowd and rulers of the Children of Israel pity Jesus. So Pilate said to them, “Behold your king! Shall I crucify your king?” They shouted back, “We have no king but Caesar.”
What an answer from those very people who hated to be under the Roman power, and were so very unhappy because they were obliged to obey the Roman Emperor.
There was nothing more that Pilate could do, unless he was willing to give up his position for the sake of doing what was right. However, Pilate was not willing to do that. So he gave the order that Jesus should be crucified.
