FALSE ALLEGATIONS IN THE BIBLE PART 2

The trial of Jesus himself has to be the most shocking direct reference Scripture makes to false allegations:

Luke 23:2 - "And they began to accuse him, saying, 'We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.'"

This, of course, was the council of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law speaking to Pilate after Jesus's arrest. 

Consider the following about the false allegations that the Son of God himself endured:

1) Multiple people banded together to bring the charges. If you were in the crowd, you probably would have been thinking, "Surely not all these people could be mistaken or lying, right? Jesus MUST be in the wrong."

2) Part of the accusation was simply the accusers' own negative opinion of Jesus: "We have found this man subverting our nation." This is what they led with! In effect: "We don't like what he's been doing or the way he is doing it."

3) Part of the accusation was an outright lie: "He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar." We know from Scripture the opposite was true. But his accusers knew their audience - Pilate - would be very concerned with a Jew who was badmouthing Roman taxes. So they lied. 

4) Part of the accusation was true, but spun in the most negative light: "He claims to be Messiah, a king." Yes, there was talk of Jesus being a king, but not in a way that would be threatening to the Roman government directly. This was, in fact, the part of the accusation that Pilate immediately picked up on: "So Pilate asked Jesus, 'Are you the king of the Jews?'" (Luke 23:3) Of course the accusers had completely misrepresented the nature of Jesus's kingship, but, to be fair, they didn't really understand who Jesus was, nor did Pilate. 

5) They were out to destroy Jesus and laid the accusations on as thick as possible to make sure the presiding authority would act to condemn Jesus.

6) It worked. The authorities were confused and the public was worked up. As a result, Jesus was convicted and sent to the cross.

7) Every step of the way, the accusers were convinced of their own righteousness. As far as they were concerned, they were doing God a favor and righting some terrible wrongs.

If you think Jesus's suffering began with the physical abuse he endured - the whipping, punching, nailing to a cross - I would maintain that his suffering began with the emotional abuse of these false allegations and a sham trial. 

Can you imagine what it was like to see friends scatter, to feel helpless against a tide of negative opinion based on lies and misrepresentations, knowing in your gut that you already stood condemned by the authorities?

Believe me, it's a special kind of suffering.