0292. Herod Mocks Christ

Herod Mocks Christ

"And Herod with his men of war set Him at nought, and mocked Him, and arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him to Pilate" (Luk_23:11).

This final scene occurred on the day of the crucifixion. Herod appears on the scene mocking Christ, and then, as far as the Bible is concerned, he passes off the stage of action, and is seen no more. Herod had gone his limit: God seemed to say, "Cut him down, why cumbereth he the ground."

"As soon as Pilate knew that Christ was of Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, for Herod was in Jerusalem at that time." Pilate’s purpose was, perhaps, twofold. (1) He heard some one in the crowd say that Christ was from Galilee, and he felt that it would afford a splendid opportunity for him, Pilate, to shift the responsibility of a decision in the matter of Christ, onto other shoulders. (2) He may have known that Herod had for a long time desired to see Christ; and, as there was a long standing dispute between Pilate and Herod, he felt that he had an opportunity to assuage their differences–However that may be, "When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous of a long time to see Him," and, "he hoped to see some miracle done by Him."

Immediately Herod set about to satisfy his curiosity, and to torment the Lord. "He questioned Him, many things." Christ, however, stood like a sheep before its shearers, dumb–"He answered him nothing." "Then, Herod, with his men of war set Him at nought." They arrayed Him "in a gorgeous robe, and mocked Him."

Herod kept this up for some time, but the quiet mien of Christ seems to have startled him, and suddenly he gave orders to remove Christ at once, and to take Him back to Pilate.

The actions of Herod at this time, seem almost unbelievable. Even Pilate gave much consideration to the Lord as He stood in his judgment hall; indeed, Pilate would have delivered Him, had he not feared the Jews and felt for the safety of his throne.

Step by step follow the trail of Herod, the Christ-rejecter as it stands before us.

1. He hears John preach, and does many things.

2. He puts John into prison, for Herodias’ sake.

3. He beheads John, and delivers his head in a charger.

4. He fears that John is risen from the dead.

5. He seeks to kill Christ and is called by Christ, "That fox."

6. He arrays Christ in gorgeous robes, and mocks Him.

Thus, step by step, rapidly sometimes, do men drift away from their earlier convictions of truth, down toward their final rejection of a loving Lord.

We have wondered that if the final story of the rich young ruler was told, if it would not portray some such an experience as that of Herod. The rich young ruler came running to Jesus and then went away sorrowful, for he was a man of great possessions. Perhaps, his future days might well be described by such an one as the rich man of Luke 16, who was clothed with purple and fine linen and who fared sumptuously every day, while Lazarus desired to eat the crumbs that fell from his table. Then the rich man died, "and in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torment."

When the story of all Christ-rejecters is finally told, we will have some sad stirring data, that will reveal the heinousness of the human heart.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR