A Mockery of Justice - Thank goodness
For many people, the Easter season is more than eggs and new clothes. It's about the central belief of Christianity - the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Most of us give some thought during this time to what happened almost 2,000 years ago. We know the story by heart. Since it involves a trial and punishment, its not surprising that parallels are drawn with the criminal justice system. In one post, the author provides an excellent description of the many infirmities in the proceedings leading up to the crucifixion. The conclusion of the post is that it was the ultimate mockery of justice.
You can't really argue with that; but I think you lose some of the impact of the story by comparing it to a criminal trial. No doubt it involved accusations and condemnation. However, the story had already been foretold thousands of years ago. Jesus faced what he had been placed on earth to do. We feel sorry for people who are unjustly treated, but in this case we can't separate the ultimate result from his suffering. By his suffering and crucifixion, he opened the gates to heaven for us all. Had Pontious Pilate had a backbone, or had he crowds recognized what was happening, our hope for eternal life would be in vain. I don't have the answers for how much of a choice everyone had, or whether they are ultimately accountable. All I know is that out of all this pain and suffering, we gained the possibility of eternal life.
So yes, it was a mockery of justice. For our sakes, thank goodness.
You can't really argue with that; but I think you lose some of the impact of the story by comparing it to a criminal trial. No doubt it involved accusations and condemnation. However, the story had already been foretold thousands of years ago. Jesus faced what he had been placed on earth to do. We feel sorry for people who are unjustly treated, but in this case we can't separate the ultimate result from his suffering. By his suffering and crucifixion, he opened the gates to heaven for us all. Had Pontious Pilate had a backbone, or had he crowds recognized what was happening, our hope for eternal life would be in vain. I don't have the answers for how much of a choice everyone had, or whether they are ultimately accountable. All I know is that out of all this pain and suffering, we gained the possibility of eternal life.
So yes, it was a mockery of justice. For our sakes, thank goodness.
