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.
