Luke 23: 1-25, Pilate, Herod, Pilate

Now that the religious leaders have caught Jesus in "blasphemy", they continue with their plan to have him executed.  But that requires the permission of the Romans....

Luke 23: 1-7, Before Pilate
Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."

So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" 

"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."

But they insisted, "He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here."

On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

Pilate seems unperturbed by Jesus's claim to be the king of the Jews. Jesus has made no earthly claim to power and Pilate seems to recognize the political jealousy that has led to this trial. In this round, at least, Pilate has no interest in making a decision. Seizing a political opportunity, he passes the case to Herod.

Luke 23: 8-12, Over to Herod
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.

The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.

That day Herod and Pilate became friends--before this they had been enemies.

In Jesus Christ, Superstar, Herod supposedly says, "Prove to me that you're no fool, walk across my swimming pool."  Those lyrics hit at the spirit of Herod's inquiry – he hopes for some splashy demonstration of magic.  But Jesus will not play.  Herod, however, is controlled by the people and their allegations (Herod pretends to be a Jew) and so Herod keeps Jesus in chains and passes him back to Pilate.

King Herod, described in this chapter, is Herod Antipas.  He is the son of Herod, the Great,  the Herod that massacred the innocent children of Bethlehem in Matthew 2.  (A third Herod mentioned in the New Testament is Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod, the Great.)

Luke 23: 13-16, Pilate waffles
Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him."

Pilate sees no reason to continue the farce and so attempts to announce his decision. He plans to have Jesus whipped, in an attempt to mollify the angry leaders.

According to the NIV footnotes, some manuscripts add another sentence, verse 17: "Now he was obliged to release one man to them at the Feast."

Luke 23: 18-25, The crowd wins
With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again.

But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"

For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him."

But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed.

So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

The injustice is clear.  A terrorist and murderer is set free while the innocent Messiah is to be executed in his place.  Barabbas is the first of many who are set free by the death of Jesus.  It is not recorded whether Barabbas is ever aware of this trade.