The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
The Cacophony from Hell
Luke 23:13-25 records Jesus’ second appearance before Pilate. The first time He stood before Pilate, the chief priests and scribes of Jerusalem brought charges of political activism against Him, knowing that Pilate would not hear the case based on their religious accusations of blasphemy against a God the Procurator did not believe in:
“Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people and said to them, ‘You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him. No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. And behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.’
But they cried out all together saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.
Pilate, wanting to release Jesus (He was obligated to released one prisoner because of Passover), addressed them again but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!”
And he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death. Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder; but he delivered Jesus to their will.”
For no legal reason the people demanded Jesus’ death by crucifixion, even though two Roman government officials had determined He was guilty of nothing requiring a death sentence. When I read this passage, I am reminded of C. S. Lewis’ scene of Aslan’s torture and death in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Every sort of evil and foul creature, minions of Aslan’s enemy, romp about the disfigured, bound, and muzzled lion. A cacophony from Hell, they jeer and taunt him while kicking and spitting on him. The White Witch approaches to kill him saying, “…did you think that by all this you would save the human traitor? Now I will kill you instead of him as our pact was and so the Deep Magic will be appeased’” (C. S. Lewis, 1970, 152).
In the scene, C. S. Lewis presents an allegory of Christ’s crucifixion. Demonic hoards, minions of God’s enemy, clamored for Jesus’ crucifixion through the people of Israel who were in Jerusalem that day for the Passover Feast. The deed was done; Christ died on the cross to satisfy the “Deep Magic” of necessary redemption. But He also rose again, the victor over all that Satan had tried to destroy of God’s plan. Used of God, Satan was the tool by which God silenced the cacophony from Hell and established salvation for sin-prone human beings.
