Unfair Judgment

Today’s audio reading on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/46eXLCcdZhIzVRvXi8lJOY

The chief priests and the entire high council were trying to find witnesses who would lie about Jesus, so they could put him to death. But even though they found many who agreed to give false witness, they could not use anyone’s testimony. Finally, two men came forward… (Matthew 26:59-60)

The notion of the cross means that the one hanging there has done wrong and is being justly executed. In simple words, the person on the cross did bad stuff and was paying the ultimate price. To get to that point, in order to be put on a cross, the criminal had to be tried and found guilty and then handed over to fulfill the death penalty.

But the cross (i.e. the cross of Jesus) means that the kangaroo court has been in session.  The judgment was rendered as unfair, ridiculous, over-the-top, out-of-bounds. Any defense lawyers in the house? We don’t know of any taking up Jesus’ case. Seems Jesus wasn’t told “You have the right to remain silent” (although for the most part he did); “the right to have a lawyer present during questioning; if you can’t afford one and so desire, one will be appointed for you.” True, first century Palestine was perhaps not known for criminals receiving due process, of which there were no Miranda rights as in the USA, but we do know this entire process was a sham. Jesus’ so-called trial was totally rigged and the verdict rendered without recourse or appeal. He was executed for saying that he was the Son of God. The prosecution produced false witnesses, looking for false evidence, looking for anything that would convict him. But surprise! There was none. They did find two who came forward to deliver the astonishing news, “This guy said he can tear down the temple and rebuild it in three days!” (Talk about being misunderstood!) Simple question: If the judges took that at face value, why didn’t they commit him to the mental hospital instead of the gallows?

From a different perspective, I deduce that it’s unfair judgment that Jesus was the one who died, when really it was me who should have died. That’s really the unfair bit rather than that the trial was full of malarkey. Quoting from the 1970’s musicalproduction Celebrate Life:

“It should have been me; it should have been me! Instead I am free, I am free!”

“Father, I give you thanks today that for me to have abundant life, Jesus endured unfair judgment.”