Peter stood by in the shadows, watching as the mock trial played out. Inside his heart and stomach were churning. He was living out the same struggle of so many of us. Did he act for himself or stand up for Christ? Did he mask the truth for fear of his life, or tell the Truth and face possible death?
One wonders whether Peter’s decision to deny the Truth was cognitive or not. An element of the “fight or flight” instinct kicked in, but only emotionally. Physically, he stayed, and he was torn in two.
How many times have we denied our Lord?...Dare we stay and watch the trial play out? Dare we stay and allow ourselves to be torn in two?
The Lenten journey invites us to stay and allow ourselves to feel the pain of being torn between ourselves and Jesus. It calls us to watch and wait in the shadows, for we are Peter and Peter is us. Remember, Lord had mercy for Peter, and has mercy for us...on the other side. For now, we wrestle with the Truth of our self-absorption.
Imagine being Peter in that moment. What does it feel like? Really feel it and weep.
Pilate didn’t have a dog in this fight, but for the risk of a revolt in a city that was teaming with outsiders come for the Great Feast of the Passover. Pilate is an interesting character, for he was caught between a rock and a hard place.
On the one hand, he saw the innocence of Our Lord. He knew this was all a way of taking care of a nuisance for the Jews and didn’t want anything to do with it. And yet, he also knew the power of the Jewish leaders. They indeed held the reins, and they could make life a living hell for him and many.
So Pilate pulls Jesus aside and asks, “Are you a King?” To which Jesus pegs him. “Do you ask this or did you hear it from them?”
Getting philosophical, Pilate warns Jesus that he held Jesus’ life in his hands, to which Jesus says boldly, “You wouldn’t even have such power, were it for me.”
Like Peter, Pilate too struggles with what to do. Does he act for self and allow the powers of the city to rule, or does he speak the Truth? Does he rule as he knows he should, or does he take the easy road? After all, he doesn’t have a dog in this fight.
Pilate decides to make an example of Him but not kill him. His judgment, at least at this point, is for life. In a way, he takes the middle road. He doesn’t decide for truth but doesn’t stand against the lies either.
Think of a time when you chose the middle road, knowing that such a decision was wrong. Pray a prayer of forgiveness, and if need be, seek out the one(s) for whom you did not act.
The power of the ruler, Pilate, was passed on to those who would carry out the punishment. It is one thing for a single ruler to punish, it is another for a mob to do so, for collective power can easily and quickly evolve into “mob mentality.”
It began with the scourging. Bones and steel-tipped whips digging into Jesus’ flesh, and slowly, deliberately beating Him down. It was as if with each strike, a piece of the world’s sin was made evident to Christ in a painful and overwhelming way. Strike by strike His life was pulled from Him...and us.
But that wasn’t enough. No, as the beating escalated the soldiers began to enjoy it. Their minds were united and evil came live. The adrenaline and blood flowed, and their minds raced. “If he is a King, he must have a crown!” Seeing a thorn-filled vine, they wove it together in such a way that it would encircle his head. Then with force, deliberation, and masochistic pleasure, they pushed it into his skull.
The King is crowned and with this coronation, he is prepared for the walk which would crown him the King of all.
The scourging pulled away pieces of the King...his life and his pain. The crown puts an exclamation point to his humiliation, and evil attempts to settle on him. Sin chips away at us, and eventually it settles on us. In order to fulfill His destiny, Jesus had to go through the pain. The same is true with us. What are you avoiding? What do you need to go through as you make your way toward the Cross?
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