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False Charges and Accusations Luke 23:1-3
False Charges and Accusations Luke 23:1-3
(1) Then the whole body of them got up and brought Him before Pilate. (2) And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King." (3) So Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" And He answered him and said, "It is as you say." Luke 23:1-3
Yes, Jesus was tempted in all points like as we, but He, unlike us, did not yield and sin. One of the tests of our character AND our faithfulness in imitating Jesus is how we handle false accusations and gossip. Peter wrote about this very thing in 1 Peter 2:21-23! (yes, you need to go read this! Now!)
The charges against Jesus have a strange paradox: one is false the other is true but with nuance of meaning. The false charge was that Jesus forbade paying taxes to Caesar (cp. Jesus' actual stance as recorded in Luke 20:21-25).
The second charge of claiming to be King was true, except as Jesus will elaborate for Pilate, His kingdom was not of this world and hence not a political threat to Caesar. (Jesus’ answer in John 18).
Interestingly, Pilate actually handled this in a rather good method: he asked the accused – he went to the source! This led him to declare that, according to Roman law, he found no guilt in Jesus.
BUT, Peter makes the application to US, that we must personally handle such false accusations and gossip against us in the same way that Jesus did. Read and reread Peter’s statement (1 Peter. 2:21-23).
AND, before this even happens to us, let us live in such a way that such charges are simply untrue on the very appearance, that anyone that knows us will know we don’t do such things. We must simply ‘live down’ all such accusations. In word and deed, our lives are to glorify God. Is yours? In what ways do you need to grow and be a better disciple?
Hugh DeLong
1 Peter 2:21-23 (21) For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
(22) who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
(23) and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
