Kangaroo Court For Christ Jesus

John 18:19-38

Who has ever heard the term Kangaroo Court? A kangaroo court is a judicial tribunal or assembly that blatantly disregards recognized standards of law or justice, and often carries little or no official standing in the territory within which it resides. The term may also apply to a court held by a legitimate judicial authority who intentionally disregards the court's legal or ethical obligations.

A kangaroo court is often held to give the appearance of a fair and just trial, even though the verdict has in reality already been decided before the trial has begun. This could be because of the biases of the decision-maker, or because the structure and operation of the forum result in an inferior brand of judgment. A common example of this is when institutional disputants have excessive and unfair structural advantages over individual disputants.

Apparently the term comes from the notion of justice proceeding "by leaps", like a kangaroo – in other words, "jumping over" (intentionally ignoring) evidence that would be in favor of the defendant. Another possibility is that the phrase could refer to the pouch of a kangaroo, meaning the court is in someone's pocket.

With that in mind lets look at our Scripture this morning.

John 18:19-38
19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

20 "I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said."

22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded.

23 "If I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?" 24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest. 

25 As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his disciples, are you?"

He denied it, saying, "I am not."

26 One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, "Didn't I see you with him in the olive grove?" 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

28 Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?"

30 "If he were not a criminal," they replied, "we would not have handed him over to you."

31 Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law."

"But we have no right to execute anyone," the Jews objected. 32 This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.

33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

34 "Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"

35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"

36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate.

Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

38 "What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him.
NIV
 

1. Christ Jesus, Annas (vs. 19-24), and Caiaphas (vs.28)

Christ Jesus was taken to Annas, a wily, powerful, ecclesiastical politician, who had been high priest from a.d. 6 to 15, when the Romans deposed him. The high priesthood had been the most powerful office in Jewish Palestine until the Roman period.  

According to Jewish law the high priest was entitled to rule for life; so many Jews no doubt considered the Roman disposition of Annas invalid. This let him continue to rule from the background and to command great respect. He was the “godfather” and power behind the high priestly throne. Four of his sons had been high priests over the years and his son-in-law, Caiaphas, held the post at this time. 

Annas, who is here referred to as the “high priest” because of his control of the office, now asked Christ Jesus about His disciples and His teachings. This is the only question the Jewish establishment puts to Christ Jesus during the trials in John's Gospel. 

If this is meant to be a trial, then what Annas is doing is illegal. Jewish law provided strict safeguards for the accused. For example there were suppose to be a total of twenty three judges present? Also the judges could not ask questions that when answered by the accused would incriminate themselves. Another safeguard was that a case had to be established by witnesses which the accuser must bring forth. None of which Annas has done.

In response to Annas' questions, Christ Jesus declared that none of His teaching had been secret or hidden: “I spoke openly … I always taught in the synagogues … in secret I have said nothing” (v. 20). Those who heard Christ Jesus could testify that He shared the truth openly. In this bold challenge to the high priest Christ Jesus was completely within His rights. 

Some officer, perhaps an ordinary guard, struck Christ Jesus with his hand, another illegal act. Christ Jesus once more points out He had done nothing wrong, when He asked the Guard why he struck Him. 

Done with his illegal interrogation Annas sent Christ Jesus next door to Caiaphas. Here in John’s record, the official role of the Jewish leaders in the interrogation of Christ Jesus was minimized. We do not see them pass official judgment on Christ Jesus. We are not certain, according to John's Gospel, that there was even an attempt to call the Sanhedrin together to make any kind of decision. 

Yet by making the case against Christ Jesus political, by insisting that He is a dangerous challenge to Roman authority, the Jewish leaders force Pilate to pass judgment eventually. 

What a lesson these verses contain. Christianity is not and never was a secret sect or a covert cult. If Annas wanted to find out what Christ Jesus had been teaching, hundreds if not more could verify His message. Nothing has changed in this respect. Many today would like to keep the saving message of Christ Jesus out of the public square, but it was never meant to be so. You all have heard the old saying is, “You should never discuss politics or religion.” But that is just not so, you should always be ready to talk about Christ Jesus in season or out of season. Today more than ever the message of Christ Jesus needs not to be confined to just the four walls of the church, though many say otherwise. Today more than ever the world needs to hear the saving message of love and redemption that can only come through Christ Jesus. Today you Christian brothers and sisters must be willing to teach, to tell the Good News.

Now John introduced the longest trial narrative involving Pilate in the Gospels.

2. Pilate Becomes Involved (vs. 28-33)

By now it was approximately 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning, and the Jews were already on the move. They bound Christ Jesus and took Him to the Praetorium, Herod the Great's old palace used by Pilate when he came to Jerusalem from Caesarea during feasts. 

As the Roman procurator, Pilate, who was charged with the administration of Palestine from a.d. 26 to a.d. 35, was brought into the drama. He was responsible to the emperor to keep order among these troubled and restless people in Palestine and see that the taxes for Rome’s coffers were collected. The movies always portray Pilate a waffling kind of guy. But make no mistake this was a dangerous man. On five occasions Pilate slaughtered Jews, earning him such a violent reputation in Jerusalem that the emperor Tiberius finally pulled him back to Rome. 

Being the procurator of Palestine was not an easy job. There were the constant challenge of radical groups, particularly the Zealots and the Essenes. And the feast of the Passover with thousands of pilgrims crowded into Jerusalem was always an explosive time. The last thing Pilate wanted to do was to take part of Jewish religious affairs. So when this strange man Jesus was brought to his quarters in the wee hours of the morning by these Jews, he must have been suspicious. Pilate knew something was up, but he did not know what. That “what” was a “who”. The “who” is Christ Jesus, and people still have to deal with Him today. You either except Him as Lord and Saviour or you do not. There is no in-between.

3. The Charges – (vs. 29, 30)

The Jews had already made up their minds that Jesus must be killed by Roman authority. Pilate must have felt the pressure of their tainted self-righteous motives. No wonder he told them to take care of the whole affair, to judge Him by their own laws (18:31). 

Then that classic line, "If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you." If that is not enough they tweak the truth again by saying they have no authority to put Christ Jesus to death for His wrongs. 

But what are the charges?

• He threatens to destroy the temple (Matt. 26:61)
• He is an evildoer (John 18:20)
• He perverts the nation (Luke 23:2)
• He has forbidden the Jews to pay taxes (Luke 23:2)
• He is a revolutionary agitator (Luke 23:2)
• He makes himself king (Luke 23:2)
• He claims to be the Son of God (John 19:7)

Pilate now listened to the Jewish leaders, and here he became directly involved even though he did not want to. And even though he was having trouble understanding these petty charges. 

Had the Jews taken Christ Jesus like Pilate wanted them to, they would have stoned Him. In asking that the Romans put Christ Jesus to death, the Jews had unknowingly fulfilled His prophecy of His own Crucifixion (12:32).

4. No Guilt Found – (vs. 33-38)

Pilate’s first question to Him is, “Are You the King of the Jews?” (vs. 33). How could this broken and beaten man before him be a king? But if he thought he was then maybe he was a threat to Rome. When Pilate insisted this was the charge the Jews had brought against Jesus, he asked, “What have You done?” (vs. 35).

“Yes I am a king and no you have nothing to fear.” Christ Jesus makes a simple, yet profound statement about His “kingdom.” His kingdom is not centered in Jerusalem and there are no plans to overthrow Rome. If that were the case, Jesus’ disciples would have physically resisted arrest in the garden, which is the way of all earthly kingdoms (18:36).

No, Christ Jesus' kingdom comes from above. It is spiritual and everlasting with no geographic boundaries. Yet it challenges and judges every earthly power, otherwise He would not be standing before Pilate. Okay then. If not an earthly kingdom then who are the residents of this kingdom? “Everyone who is of the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 

After his examination Pilate still found no grounds to execute Christ Jesus. He said to the Jews, “I find no guilt in Him.”

Conclusion: As you look at Malchus, Peter, Annas, and Pilate you may ask yourself where do you find a personal likeness? Do you see yourself in Malchus, an innocent bystander just watching the proceedings? Maybe you see yourself in Peter, who denied the Saviour and warmed himself by the enemies' fire? What about Annas, who illegally put Christ Jesus on trial? Or maybe you are like Pilate, confused and wanting to be rid of religious hassles as quickly as possible?

If you find yourself in one of these camps, then it is time to move. It is time to move out of the darkness and into the light, to move from deceit and deception and into the truth. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32