Six Trials of Jesus – Truth Then and Now ‘Though they found no grounds for the death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him killed.’
by Michael Stevens
Word Count: 870
“Though they found no grounds for the death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him killed.”
— Acts 13:28 (CSB)
When courts become weapons, justice doesn’t just disappear—it’s executed in plain sight.
Today, we’re witnessing a dangerous shift. Legal systems meant to uphold truth are being leveraged to punish dissent. Courts are no longer always neutral. Political opponents are investigated, indicted, or impeached based more on strategy than substance. It’s not just legal warfare—it’s narrative warfare.
This isn’t new.
It happened in Jerusalem two thousand years ago.
Six trials—three religious, three Roman.
All of them illegal, unjust, and predetermined.
The accused? Truth Himself.
Trial 1: Midnight Manipulation – Annas
John 18:13
Jesus was first taken to Annas, the former high priest who still held power behind the scenes. Held at night. No charges. No witnesses. No transparency.
The goal? Pressure. Probe. Prejudge.
No verdict. Just venom.
Trial 2: Bought Lies – Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin
Matthew 26:59-60
They brought in false witnesses—paid and coached—but even they couldn’t agree. Then Jesus told the truth: He was the Christ, the Son of God. For that, they tore their robes and declared Him guilty.
Truth was the crime.
Trial 3: Legal Cover-Up – The Morning Council
Luke 22:66
Jewish law forbade capital decisions at night. So, to mask their midnight railroading, they reconvened at dawn for a legal stamp.
They used daylight to cloak the darkness.
Trial 4: The Governor Blinks – Pilate’s First Hearing
John 18:38
Pilate saw through the plot. He found no guilt in Jesus. Still, he asked, “What is truth?”—the most important question ever asked.
But he didn’t wait for the answer.
Truth stood silent before him, and he blinked.
He knew the truth—and buried it.
Trial 5: The Entertainer – Herod Antipas
Luke 23:11
Herod wanted a miracle. A sign. A show.
Jesus gave him silence.
So Herod mocked Him, dressed Him in royal robes, and sent Him back like a joke.
The King mocked the King.
Trial 6: Mob Justice – Pilate’s Last Try
Mark 15:15
Pilate offered the crowd a choice—Jesus or Barabbas.
The people chose the violent criminal.
Pilate washed his hands, hoping to cleanse his conscience.
But you can’t wash away cowardice.
The crowd chose rebellion over righteousness.
From Jerusalem to Today
What Jesus faced wasn’t just an isolated miscarriage of justice. It was a blueprint.
Behind-the-scenes influence. Political cowardice. Crowd manipulation. The perversion of law under the banner of legal procedure.
It’s all back.
We now live in an age where:
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Trials are televised and weaponized.
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Prosecutors selectively apply the law.
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Judges are pressured by public opinion.
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Evidence matters less than narrative.
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Verdicts are determined before facts are heard.
The system still looks the same—robed judges, sworn oaths, gavels on wood—but something vital has eroded.
And the question Pilate asked still haunts:
“What is truth?”
It was never a theoretical question.
Pilate was face-to-face with Truth in the flesh.
But like many today, he turned away—choosing safety over surrender.
The Bible Saw It Coming
Long before headlines, God had already described the age:
“Do not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked to be a malicious witness.” — Exodus 23:1
“They acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.” — Isaiah 5:23
“Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—both are detestable to the Lord.” — Proverbs 17:15
“Can a corrupt throne be your ally…? They band together against the life of the righteous.” — Psalm 94:20–21
These aren’t just verses.
They’re warnings. They read like front-page news.
Lawfare and the Loss of Conscience
What do we call it when truth becomes inconvenient?
When does the process become a punishment?
When the goal isn’t justice but humiliation?
We call it what it is: Lawfare.
And it’s dangerous.
Not because it harms the guilty, but because it punishes the innocent.
It silences the truth. It conditions the public to believe the process alone proves guilt.
This is precisely what Jesus endured.
False charges. Hostile courts. Weak rulers.
A manipulated crowd.
And yet, He never fought back.
He didn’t call down angels.
He didn’t argue His innocence.
He knew the cross was coming.
And He chose to walk toward it.
The Verdict Was Never About Him
Jesus wasn’t truly on trial.
We were.
Our guilt. Our rebellion. Our pride.
And the astonishing reality is this:
The Judge stood condemned for the guilty.
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth… like a lamb led to the slaughter.” — Isaiah 53:7
He took the verdict we deserved so we could receive the pardon He earned.
The courts of man condemned Him.
The justice of God raised Him.
And Truth still stands before each of us.
So, What Will You Do with Truth?
The question wasn’t just for Pilate. It’s for every generation.
Not what is truth.
But what will you do with Truth?
You can ask like Pilate and walk away.
Or you can follow Truth—through the courts, the crowd, and the cross.
Quote to Remember:
“There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.”
— John Calvin