By His Wounds: The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus Before Herod

In this part, it was a bit harder to write. I had a hard time coming up with accusations that the Romans and Pharisees could say about Jesus. I hate to ask it, but any ideas? I can't keep saying the same stuff over again. And any more comments? Reviews? And POVs you would like me to try and weave in here? Review and let me know! Thanks for reading!

—————————-

Jesus before Herod

The palace of the Tetrarch of Herod was not that far from where Pilot stayed. A Roman messenger had been sent ahead, so Herod knew they were coming. And he was excited. He'd heard about Jesus of Nazareth from a handful of random people, not to mention his slaves and soldiers. He'd also heard of John the Baptist, of course. Who hadn't? John had spoken of this wonderful, majestic Messiah that was foretold of coming, and apparently Jesus of Nazareth was him. John had been beheaded because of Herod. Maybe Jesus could answer some of Herod's questions. He sure had questions about this Messiah's power.

Herod lounged on cushions, his lady slaves and soldiers surrounding him. The high priests entered his palace, and a beaten man stumbled forward, with chains around his neck and ropes tied tightly around his wrists. He didn't look up.

"This is Jesus of Nazareth?" Herod asked.

Caiphas said, "Yes. He—"

Herod scoffed. The slaves laughed. This man seemed like an ordinary man from the streets! Beaten, bloodied, and exhausted, this wasn't exactly a very Messiah looking man.

That high priest Caiphas began again. "He is a criminal. A blasphemer, King Herod. He is guilty of threatening to destroy the sacred Temple, along with—"

A man spoke up in the back, "Along with casting out demons, with the help of demons!"

"And telling us to eat his body and drink his blood!"

"And eating with tax collectors!"

Herod hardly listened. He stood himself up, smiled at his lady servant, and walked over to Jesus, all while accusations were screamed at him.

He eyed Jesus. "Look at me."

Jesus didn't.

"Do you not know I am a king?" Herod whispered. "Are you a king?"

No answer. Jesus almost looked as though he was sleeping.

"Do you perform miracles? Will you do a little miracle for me?"

Jesus glanced up, stared Herod in the eye, then dropped his head back down to his chest.

"Why do you not answer your king? Are you a criminal? What have you done to be called a criminal? Do you not know that I can sentence you to the death penalty? Why are you silent? Work a miracle for me! Preach to me! Be the Messiah you say you are! John the Baptist says you are! Do you wish to be beheaded like your cousin John? Answer your king!"

Still no reply!

Herod continued to pound Jesus with questions.

After many minutes, Herod, quite angry, turned to Caiphas. "Get this poor excuse for a Messiah out of my sight. He is pitiful. Much too pitiful to be any sort of king."

"But, sir," Caiphas pleaded, "his crimes!"

"I said get him out of my sight and out of my palace! He is a mad man, not a criminal."

Herod's soldiers dragged Jesus out of the palace, but the high priests stayed behind, pleading for Herod to condemn this man to death for his sins. But Jesus had committed no sins. Not one.

During this argument between Caiphas and the king, more than two hundred soldiers surrounded Jesus and laughed at him. One took a sack-cloth, cut a hole in it, and threw it over his head. Another grabbed a robe of Herod's and clothed him with it, which then sent a train reaction for the other soldiers to bow down to him, saying, "Praise the king! The pitiful little Messiah, adorned in a cloth and a robe!"

Lining up, each and every soldier took turns punching Jesus, spitting on him, and ramming him into the rock wall. Some held sticks and struck him upside the head. Nearly every time, Jesus stumbled backwards. And when he did, the soldiers pushed him harder against the wall, cracking his head nearly open. Blood trickled from his crown, dropping on the robe that weighed down his frail body.

Jesus looked upon them with compassion, pleading silently with them to have a change of heart and realize what they were doing. Beating the Son of God! Jesus knew it had to be done, but he wished with all of his heart that those who beat him would instead turn their hearts and souls to him so they could be forgiven and one day enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Moaning and groaning in pain, Jesus tried to stop the flow of tears down his cheeks. The more he showed his misery, the more the soldiers beat him, mocked his pain, and spat upon his face.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jesus spotted the small assembly of angels that wept for him. They hugged and cried, those angels from Heaven did. Cried for him, the pain he was enduring, and the pain that was still to come.

Jesus knew that if he thought about all he still had to go through...he wouldn't be able to do it.