let us turn again to God's word
and the portion that we have just read in Luke and there in verse 66 of chapter
22 we see Christ before the Jewish council as soon as it was day
we are told the elders of the people and the chief priests
and the scribes came together and let him unto their counsel. And last time we were considering
this portion and that mockery of a trial that the Lord Jesus
Christ had to endure before his own. He came unto his own and
his own received him not. In fact we are told in other
of the Gospels how the chief priests and elders and all the
council sought false witnesses against Jesus to put him to death. They were determined with regards
to the outcome they were bent upon his death, his crucifixion
as we see in the ensuing portion that we've read when the Roman
governor Pontius Pilate sets him before them and tells them
plainly that he can see no cause of death in him, he's an innocent
man. Yet their cry constantly is crucify
him, crucify him. They were determined then that
they would be rid of him. They accused him, remember, of
Blasphemy. In verse 70 they said, Art thou
then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say
that I am. And it was this that was such
a great offence to them. Calling himself the Son of God,
they said, he made himself equal with God. And that was blasphemy
in their eyes. What need we any further witnesses,
they asked. For we ourselves have heard of
his own mouth. It was a mockery of a trial then
that the Lord Jesus Christ was having to undergo and yet it
was necessary that these things should be. His death was no ordinary
death of course, his death was really a judicial death. But we do have also something
of a contrast as we noticed last time in what the Lord Jesus Christ
says as he answers us in verse 69 hereafter shall the son of
man sit on the right hand of the power of God that day would
come when they would see him seated in glory not now the throne
of grace but there would be a throne of judgment and from that throne
he would be judging the living and the dead And so he would execute that
judgment that the father had committed into his hands. But
how different. As we said last time, his judgment
would be a righteous judgment. Shall not the judge of all the
earth do right? For their judgment is such a
mockery. But his would be that that is
right, and equitable, and true, and righteous. but we're considering
something of what the Lord Jesus Christ himself is having to endure
in these verses. This is after those sufferings
that he underwent in the garden, the agonies of his soul as he
wrestles in prayer with the father concerning that death that he
knew he must die, and that cup that he must drink that then
he dregs on. But before he comes to die, before
he comes to that crucifixion, which he knew was the very purpose
of his coming into this world he has to undergo all the mockery
of this trial and it's not only before the Jewish council as
we come to chapter 23 we're told that the whole multitude of them
arose and led him onto pirates they bring him now before the
Roman authorities because They have no authority to execute
it themselves, the Jewish Council. This power belongs on to the
Roman governor Pontius Pilate. So they set him before Pilate
and they bring their accusations against him. But we see how Christ
is really being passed from pillar to posts because then what do
we read here in chapter 23 and verse 6 when Pilate heard of
Galilee he asked whether the man were a Galilean and as soon
as he knew that he belonged on to Herod's jurisdiction he sent
him to Herod who himself was at Jerusalem at that time he's
taken from the Jewish council, he's taken before Pontius Pilate
But now Pilate brings him before Herod and it's this judgment
before Herod that I want us to consider this morning. We turn
then really to the portion at verse 8 to verse 11 in Luke chapter
24. Verses 8 to 11. And when Herod saw Jesus he was
exceeding glad For he was desirous to see him of a long season,
because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have
seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in
many words, but he answered him nothing. And when the chief priests
and scribes stood and vehemently accused him, and Herod with his
men of war set him at nought and mocked him and arrayed him
in a gorgeous robe and sent him again to Pilate. Considering then this portion
and particularly what we are told here in verse 9 we are told
how Herod questioned him and how the Lord responded Then he
questioned him in many words, but he answered him nothing. How solemn are the words that
we have here at the end of verse 9 concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. He answered him nothing. When
the Lord is silent to a man and has nothing to say to that man,
and solemn is the Lord as we come unto the sound of his word
has nothing to say to us personally and particularly or that we might
be those who do truly long that he would come and speak to us
and manifest himself to us and grant to us that revelation that
we might be those who bear that mark of his sheep that we we
know his voice and we hear that voice and we follow him First
of all, as we turn then to this portion this morning, I want
us to consider something of Herod's curiosity. How curious this man
was. And are we not told that, here
in verse 5, when Herod saw Jesus he was exceedingly glad. for
he was desirous to see him of a long season because he had
heard many things of him and he hoped to have seen some miracle
done by him. There is a curiosity here. But
how dangerous it is if we are those who are simply curious
with regards to Christ and the things of Christ and the things
of the Gospel and what he said in the scriptures concerning
him and what we can come to understand of him. but our interest is nothing
more than mere curiosity. We see then here something of
the desire of King Herod. He was desirous to see him of
a long season, we are told, because he had heard many things of him. We know that the Lord Jesus Christ
did in fact minister a great deal in Galilee. This was the principal scene
of his ministry. He was all over the Holy Land,
as we call it, but often times he was there in those northern
regions. In the very opening chapter of
Mark's Gospel, where we're immediately introduced to the ministry of
Christ, we're told at verse 28, Galilee. This seems to have been
the principal place in where the Lord Jesus Christ was ministering.
He preached, we're told, elsewhere in the synagogues of Galilee. And this was that region, you
see, where Herod had jurisdiction. This is why Pilate had sent him
before Herod, because The ministry of Christ was there in Galilee
which belonged on to Herod's jurisdiction as we are told in
verse 7. Many times then Herod must have
heard of it but he had never troubled himself to go and hear
anything of this great teacher who the people recognized as
one who was sent from God. Now Herod we know was responsible
for the imprisonment of John, John the Baptist, and also for
the death of John the Baptist. We're told of that incident that
led to the death of the Baptist, who was of course the great forerunner
of the Lord Jesus Christ. That was the ministry of John
the Baptist to prepare the way for the coming of Christ, the
Messiah, in the 14th chapter of Matthew and there at verse
3 we're told of Herod the same Herod that we're reading of here
in Luke 23. Herod had laid hold on John and
bound him and put him in prison for Herodias sake his brother
Philip's wife for John said unto him it is not lawful for thee
to have her and when he would have put him to death He feared
the multitude because they counted him as a prophet. And when Herod's
birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them
and pleased Herod, whereupon he promised with an oath to give
her whatsoever she would ask, and she being before instructed
of her mother said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. And the king was sorry nevertheless
for the oath's sake, and then we sat with him at meat, he commanded
it to be given her and he sent and beheaded John in the prison
and the head was brought in a charger and given to the damsel and she
brought it to her mother and they were told how John the Baptist's
disciples came and took away the body of John and buried his
body. And it was, interestingly, after
that particular incident that we're told that the Lord's ministry
was ever more prevalent in that region of Galilee. John had fulfilled
his particular ministry in preparing the way for the coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ and now Christ's ministry is exercised fully there
in Galilee. In Matthew 4 verse 12 we read
that when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison he
departed into Galilee and leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in
Capernaum which is upon the sea coast in the borders of Zabulon
and Naphtali that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by
Esaias the prophet saying the land of Zabulon and the land
of Natalim by the way of the sea beyond Jordan Galilee of
the Gentiles the people which sat in darkness saw great light
and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light
is sprung up and it's John's being laid hold of by erred and
taken and imprisoned and subsequently executed that opens up the way,
as it were, for the Lord to engage in this aspect of His ministry.
There in Galilee, Galilee of the Gentiles, on the borders
of the nation of the Jews, and there Christ is ministering
and this is that particular region that is under the government of Heaven, it's his
jurisdiction. He is the one who has authority
in that particular region. And as Christ is exercising that
ministry, it's interesting to observe how that initially Herod
imagines that John the Baptist has risen from the dead. When
he hears of this great teacher, this is what he thinks. There
in Matthew 14. At that time Herod the Tetrarch
heard of the fame of Jesus and said unto his servants, this
is John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead. and
therefore mighty works to show forth themselves in him this
is something then of the background to this particular man and what
we are told here in verse 8 of Luke 23 concerning him when Herod
saw Jesus he was exceedingly glad for he was desirous to see
him of a long season because he had heard many things of him
and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him here is Herod's
desire then, he wants to see this man and now the opportunity
is afforded to him as he is there at Jerusalem at this particular
season, the season of the Passover and then we have the demand that
he makes of the Lord Jesus in verse 9, then he questioned with
him in many words he made requests and demands on the Lord Jesus
Christ as he is brought before him. But it is interesting to observe
the response of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is instructive to
see how Christ handles this particular man. We have that very solemn
word then at the end of verse 9, but He answered him nothing. Though he questions him in many
words, he is full of questions. But you see, the Lord looks upon
the heart. The Lord knows the heart of this
man. And he will not answer the questions that he comes and the
demands that he makes of the Lord Jesus. He was very different,
was he not, when we consider the way in which the Lord dealt
with the blind man, Bartimaeus, just a few chapters previously
we read of that particular incident at Jericho where that certain
blind man sat by the wayside begging and when he heard the
multitude pass by and asked what it meant and was told that Jesus
of Nazareth passed by how blind but he may has cried out Jesus
our son of David have mercy on me And though there were those
rebuking him and telling him to keep silence, but the more
they would silence him, so much the more we are told, he would
cry out, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And in the Lord's
response, Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought unto him, And
when he was come near, he asked him saying, What wilt thou that
I should do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may
receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive
thy sight, thy faith that saves thee. And immediately he received
his sight, and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people,
when they saw it, gave praise unto God. Here is a notable miracle
here. as the Lord gives sight to the blind man. But how different,
how the Lord will hear his prayer and answer his prayer. This is
the way of Christ. Those who come in sincerity,
begging of Him, seeking Him, calling upon Him, He will hear
them. He will answer them. Though the multitudes there would
have silenced Bartimaeus, not so the Lord. He stood and he
commanded that they should bring that blind man to him and then
he asked him quite specifically what will thou that I should
do unto thee but the Lord's reaction here to Herod is so different,
he is a proud man he is a man who is inquisitive, yes but that's
all it is there's no real soul desire in this man we need to
be aware of a mere curiosity with regards to the things of
Jesus Christ are we those who have a sincere desire to know
him as it is said in scripture ye shall seek me and find me
when ye shall search after me with all your heart we need to
be those who are truly whole hearted in seeking after him the Lord's reaction then is interesting
and instructive. Though Herod has many words to
say, many questions to ask, he answered him nothing at all. He did not say a word to him. It's just curiosity. He wants
to see a miracle. That's what it says. He hoped
to have seen some miracle done by Him. Many want to see miracles.
They want to see some mighty works. We know that there were
those even at the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ who demanded
that He should come down from the cross and if He would come
down then they said they would believe in Him. We have the account
there in the Gospel of Matthew in chapter 27 and verse 39 and the following verses. How
those that passed by reviled him and were wagging their heads
saying, Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in
three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come
down from the cross. Had he not said, you see, in
John chapter 2, that he was able to raise up the temple again,
he was speaking of the temple of his body, they thought he
was speaking of the temple in Jerusalem. And they remind him
of that. Thou that sayest, in three days he would raise
the temple, say thyself, if thou be the son of God come down from
the cross likewise also the chief priest mocking him with the scribes
and elders said he saved others himself he cannot save if he
be the king of Israel let him now come down from the cross
and we will be leaving or if you do some miracle we will be
leaving they want to see some mighty work some intangible,
so that they might believe in it. And it was the same with
this man Herod you see, his desire was to see some mighty deed,
some miracle performed by the Lord Jesus Christ, but it was
not to be. Many times in Galilee this man
had had the opportunity to have heard the Lord Jesus Christ,
but he had never troubled himself. and now the opportunity comes
but it's too late how important it is that we we're
not those who put off the opportunity that the Lord comes, the Lord
is about us as if he were ministering amongst us or that we're not
like this man Herod did He has a desire but it's not
a sincere desire. So besides seeing something of
the curiosity of this man as he's spoken of here in verse
8 in particular we must also take account this morning of
the way in which this man is condemned. The Lord answered him nothing. That was part of the terrible
condemnation that came upon King Herod. Christ would not speak
to him. Christ would not perform at his
demand. Here is a man, you see, who sadly
is guilty of really reproaching the Lord Jesus Christ. That's
what we're told in the 11th verse how together with his men of
war he sent Christ at Lourdes and mocked him and arrayed him
in a gorgeous robe and sent him again to Pilate. Observe just what it says, he
sets in at Lourdes solemn words They saved the Lord Jesus Christ,
but they made nothing of Him. Matthew Henry's remark here is
that this is a horrid wickedness, to make of nothing Him who was
the Maker of all things. That's what they do, when they
ridicule Christ in this fashion. He is the one who is their creator
and their sustainer. By him all things were made.
By him all things consist. And yet in their wickedness they
sent the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact they lead the way in showing the Romans how they should treat him it's
Herod and his men of war who first of all arrange him in this
gorgeous robe and send him again back to Pilate and the Romans
do as it were take a lead from what these people are doing they
follow their example as it were in Matthew 27 verse 27 then the
soldiers of the governor that is Pontius Pilate the soldiers
of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered
unto him the whole band of soldiers and they stripped him and put
on him a scarlet robe and when they had splattered a crown of
thorns they put it upon his head and a reed in his right hand
and they bowed the reed before him and mocked him saying hail
king of the Jews and they spit upon him and took the reed and
smote him on the head and after that they had mocked him they
took the robe off from him and put his own garment on him and
led him away to crucify him It's the men of war, the soldiers
who are associated with Herod who are first in this. What a terrible sin it is that
these are guilty of. And the Lord, He answers nothing. Always like the sheep done before
His sheep, His shepherds, who opens not His mouth. like a lamb
to the slaughter. And then we see how in all of
this there is some reconciliation, not that true reconciliation,
that reconciliation between God and the sinner. This is the great
work that the Lord Jesus Christ has come to accomplish, is it
not, by his death upon the cross. to reconcile those who are in
that state of alienation, enemies of God, because of their sins.
There is reconciliation, is there not, by the shedding of that
precious blood. The great work of redemption. But what do we read here? We
read about these two who sit in judgment upon the Lord Jesus
Pilate and Herod Word of this season, make friends. In verse 12, the same day Pilate
and Herod were made friends together, but for before they were at enmity
between themselves. Fair reconcile. We don't know, we're not told
what the cause of that breach was between these two rulers. the one there in the region of
Galilee, the other one about Jerusalem. We can speculate,
we are certainly told previously here in chapter 13 of the Galileans,
whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. Maybe
Pilate had intruded into that region which was the jurisdiction
of Herod and Herod had been offended by what Pilate had done in the
region of Galilee. Maybe that's what had caused
there to be this enmity between these two men but that's merely
speculation. We're simply told that there
had been some enmity but now at this solemn occasion these
two men are reconciled together. And how are they reconciled?
They are reconciled in this that they sit in judgement upon the
Lord Jesus Christ. In Acts chapter 4 where we see
the church at prayer, at the release of Peter from the prison. We see how in their Prayer there,
they make reference to this particular incident. Acts 4 and verse 25 following. This is part of the prayer. Who by the mouth of thy servant
David hath said Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine
vain things? The kings of the earth stood
up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and
against His Christ. For of a truth against Thy holy
child Jesus, whom Thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate
with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together. For to do whatsoever Thy hand
and Thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold
their threatenings and grant unto thy servants that with all
boldness they may speak thy word by stretching forth thine hand
to heal and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy
holy child Jesus. And we are told that when they
had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and so forth.
But you see how in the course of their prayer they actually
referred to these who were the judges of the Lord Jesus Christ
both Herod and Pontius Pilate and the Gentiles and the people
of Israel were gathered together and they united in this the Jewish
Council Herod, Pontius Pilate they united in this even in putting
to death condemning the Lord Jesus Christ, although they have
to acknowledge his innocence. There is no just cause why this
man should thus suffer and bleed and die. It's in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ
that these two men, Pontius Pilate and Herod, the Tetrarch, are
united. It reminds us, does it not, of
that great truth that all distinctions in life fall before this. This is a great divide between
men, whether we are for Christ or whether we are against Christ.
They are united in that they are against Christ. We know that the Lord Jesus Christ
is that one who ever brings and causes a division amongst men. We are told several times in
John's Gospel of that division. There was a division amongst
the Jews because of him, it says. Or there is a division amongst
the people because of his sayings. His ministry is that that discriminates
and distinguishes. and distinguishes one from another
and so we see it here these two are set against him and as they
are against him so they are united together he that is not with
me says Christ is against me and he that gathereth not with
me scattereth abroad We have to ask ourselves which side of
that great divide do we stand upon? Are we those who are for
Christ? Or those who are against Christ? When he is spoken of in prophecy back in Genesis when
Jacob comes to bless his sons, remember the blessing that is
pronounced upon Judah? and in that blessing that is
pronounced upon his son Judah we have that prophecy concerning
Shiloh the Lord Jesus Christ unto him shall the gathering
of the people be here the people are gathered and they are gathered
against him and amongst them Herod and Pontius Pilate united
but are we those who rather than being gathered against him are
gathered for him unto him shall the gathering of the people burn. For this is the awful condemnation
that comes upon King Herod the Tetrarch. The Lord Jesus Christ refuses
to answer him. He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes
stood and vehemently accused him, and are still laying accusations
against him. And what does Herod do with his
men of war? He seeks to please them, he sets
the Lord Jesus Christ at naught, he mocks him, he's arrayed in
this gorgeous robe, and then they send him back to Pontius
Pilate. And then there's that reconciliation
between these two who were previously at Edmonton. God willing, we'll
go on next time to consider something of how the Lord Jesus Christ
is tried before the Roman governor. He is the one, of course, who
has the ultimate authority, the power to put this man to death
or to release him. And although he was, it would
seem, ready to release him, yet he's a weak man. And instead
of doing that, that he's right before the law, that that is
right before God he falls in with those vehement demands of
the Jews who were determined upon his crucifixion and all
of this I say so much of the sufferings that the Lord Jesus
Christ had to endure for as we come before the Lord then might
we not come as this man Herod did here he is he now has the
opportunity many times before he could have gone to hear Christ
and to hear the preaching and the teaching of the Lord Jesus
Christ, but he never troubled himself. He would put that matter
off. Did he think in terms of some
more convenient season like Felix did there at the end of the Acts?
Well, now the opportunity is afforded him. And he was exceeding
glad with hope. He was desirous to see him of
a long season. because he had done many things
of him and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him and
he has many things that he can question Christ about many demands
to make of the Lord Jesus Christ he questioned him with many words
it seems but the Lord answers him nothing at all just curiosity
but not real, true, sincere seeking after the Lord Jesus Christ.
That is the mark, is it not, of those who are truly being
gathered unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Or they have such a desire,
such a hunger, such a yearning, such a longing to know Him, and
they wait upon Him, and they do not wait in vain. He comes
to such as that. He will hear the crying, of all
those who come in that spirit that humble spirit of begging
mercy of him though he will refuse one such as Herod the Tetrarch
a proud king oh God grant that we might come then in that right
spirit to seek after the Lord Jesus Christ and as we seek him
know what it is to be those who find him the Lord bless his word
to us I was in heat this morning at
number 95. The tune is St Bernard number
219. And did the holy and the just,
the sovereign of the skies, stoop down to wretchedness and doubt,
that guilty worms might rise. Number 95. And did the holy and the just,
the sovereign of the skies, stoop down to wretchedness and dust,
that guilty worms might rise. Yes, the Redeemer left His throne,
His radiant throne on high, surprising mercy love unknown. He took the dying praetor's place
And suffered in his stead of grace, the man, the Savior,
blest. Dear Lord, what heavenly wonders
dwell in thy atonement. that from hell and rebels brought
to God. What glad returns can The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you
all. Amen.