What's Missing?

If you are ever a defendant standing before a judge in a court of law one of the first things that they will do is to read the charges filed against you. Regardless of whether you are innocent or guilty, before you ever get to say anything in your defense you will hear what claims are being made against you to establish what laws may have been broken.

After Jesus was arrested the religious leaders held their own trial. Many false witnesses were called, but their testimony against Jesus contradicted one another. Late into the night the high priest stood before Jesus and charged Him under oath, “Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God” (see Matthew 26:63). When Jesus said he was the high priest tore his robes and cried out “Blasphemy!” and found him worthy of the death sentence.

Early the next morning they took Jesus to the governor Pilate. After hearing the charges Pilate soon knew that it was out of jealousy that the religious leaders had brought Jesus to him. Pilate believed he had found a fair solution. According to tradition a prisoner was released each year during the Jewish Passover celebration; therefore Pilate would let the crowd choose between Jesus and Barabbas a convicted murderer. To Pilate’s surprise the crowd asked for Barabbas to be released.

"What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked.
They all answered, "Crucify him!"
"Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"
Matthew 27:22-23 (NIV)

Did you notice what was missing here? Read this exchange again because something is not right in this court of law. No legal charges were made against Jesus. Pilate asked plainly what crime Jesus was guilty of that deserved death. No answer was given, only an angry crowd stirred up by the religious leaders asking for Jesus to be crucified. The transcript of Jesus’ trial before Pilate only confirms that Jesus was innocent.

"He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth."
1 Peter 2:22 (NIV)
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

Let the record show the innocent died for the guilty. The proof is found in what's missing.