An Innocent Man

     An innocent man died the other day. A mock trial was held. The prosecutors produced witnesses who committed perjury. The defendant was not allowed a line of defense and no lawyer would take his case. He was held without bail and was not given the opportunity to call home nor anyone who would plead his case for him. At the time of his arrest he was with his friends; all of whom disappeared and could not be found to be held as co-defendants.

     His accusers in this mock trial smacked him in the face and spit on him, taunting him with their statements. Though he was oft asked who it was that he believed to be hitting him, he never replied, which set off their blood-lust even more against him. In a matter of hours he was brought before a judge who believed him to be innocent but condemned him anyway because of the uproar of the crowd who believed him to be guilty.

     He was taken by the guards who amused themselves at his expense. A leather whip, whose laces were studded with shards of glass and sharp metal, was repeatedly used on him. Sharp spikes were imbedded forcefully into his head, causing his swollen face to become, if possible, even more bloody and unbearable to look upon. They mocked his stature in the surrounding communities and pretended to be in awe of him.

     Forced to carry the method by which he would be slain, his weary and beaten body gave out beneath the physical and emotional weight of it. Some poor soul was taken from the crowds that lined the streets to carry it for him. Removing his clothes, they attached the him him to the hanging tree with metal studs; whereupon they began to gamble for his clothes, for they were very handsome, though he no longer was.

     Made fun of in life, he was allowed no release from this in his death. And anyone who wanted to was allowed to watch his execution. Most were relieved. But his poor Mom had to watch him suffer and die, too. Some of his friends watched him die and he asked one of them to take care of his Mom later, which he did. But when he had died, the excitement of the day died down and everyone just walked away.

     How could this happen in any civilized culture? No lawyer, no line of defense, no way out. Unless he denied everything he was accused of; yet, how could he when it was all true?

References:

Matthew 26:56-68; 27:1-50. Mark 14:50-65; 15:1-37. Luke 22:39-71; 23:1-49. John 18 & 19. Isaiah 53.