You are the Judge

Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.

‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ asked Pilate.

‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied.

The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, ‘Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.’

But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

‘Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?’ asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to get Pilate to release Barabbas instead.

‘What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked them.

‘Crucify him!’ they shouted.

‘Why? What crime has he committed?’ asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him!’

Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

- Mark 15:1-15

As we approach Easter, we are invited to step into the story of Jesus' trial and crucifixion—not as distant observers, but as participants. By situating ourselves in this story, role-playing key characters in the Gospel of Mark, we’re challenged to consider the competing claims of truth presented by the Jewish leaders, the Roman authorities, and Jesus himself.

The passage from shows us Jesus standing before Pilate, silent in the face of false accusations. The crowd, stirred by the chief priests, demands the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus. Crucifixion was not just execution—it was total humiliation, a public declaration that a person’s life and message were utterly worthless. For the Jewish people, it carried an added spiritual horror: to be hung on a tree was to be cursed by God.

The sermon guides us to imagine the perspectives of three groups:

• The Jewish Leaders: Motivated by fear of losing control and influence, they saw Jesus as a blasphemer and a threat to the religious system. Their “truth” was about protecting tradition and power—even at the cost of an innocent man.
• Pilate and the Roman Authorities: Representing the power of empire, Pilate ultimately chose political convenience over justice. His truth was that might makes right, and public order must be preserved.
• Jesus: Silent yet resolute, Jesus embodied a truth that was not about dominance but about love, peace, and human flourishing—even if it led to the cross.

Each viewpoint presents a different “truth,” and each leads to different consequences. The leaders' choice led to the destruction of the temple. Rome’s path of violence ultimately collapsed. But Jesus’ way, vindicated in resurrection, leads to transformation—a new kind of humanity.

The sermon concludes by challenging us: Whose truth are you living by? Where are your choices leading you? Jesus invites us to build our lives on solid ground—a foundation of wisdom, love, and eternal hope.