Written by Jason Montoya. Posted in Christian Faith.

For Herod's Amusement - From The Garden To The Cross

Welcome to another special edition of the Share Life podcast. We're in an ongoing series, as part of the discovery process for my next book project, From The Garden to the Cross: How Jesus' Harrowing Mission Shows Us The Way.

In this discussion, we're reflecting on the moments where Jesus was presented to Herod Antipas after Pilate's initial investigation of the charges against him.

For those just now following along, this event takes place after Jesus' agonizing prayer in the garden, his arrest, betrayal by Judas, a night of scheming to find a way to sentence Jesus to death by the religious leaders, the three denials by Peter, the death of Judas, and Pilot asking Jesus about Truth.

In this episode, we read and discuss my harmonization of the story from the different accounts of Jesus' life, and then, we explore the story through the following questions: What we can learn about Jesus, humanity, and ourselves from this monumental moment in time? How does this event apply to our lives today?

Some topics of the discussion include:

The desire for entertainment during that point in history contrasted with the overwhelming amount of entertainment we have today.
How the passion story showcases humanity's trophy case of sins.
How we can easily look down upon the characters in the stories but fail to realize how the human condition can quickly lead us to take the same actions.
The unique response of Jesus to remain silent during his time with Herod.
The waffling decision-making of the powerful people in this story.
How the way Jesus sees these people in the story is a way we can see others, especially those that are broken (because that's all of us).
The importance of setting and enforcing boundaries.
About Jesus' foresight into the suffering that was to come, and his likely awareness of Herod before he had ever been brought before him.
The inevitability of Humanity's sin and Jesus' crucifixion clashing, all part of God's plan.
The power of allowing the scripture to let us see ourselves in the brokenness of other people.
How the spine of men is as thin as a single slice of paper.

Fellow Conversation Participants

Today I'm joined by Jim, Ivan, and Craig.

Jim Karwisch: He's leveraging Personal Narratives to help organizations and individuals master their stories and fuel their success. Visit his website here. You can also check out a previous episode of the podcast where I interviewed Jim about how narratives drive us during difficult times. Connect with Jim on Facebook, Linkedin, or Twitter.
Ivan Alfaro is an experienced investor that empowers everyday people to build wealth through real estate. Read my previous Inspirational People interview with Ivan here. Connect with Ivan on Linkedin or Facebook.
Craig Haynie is a land developer focused on helping families achieve their dreams of living on their own property. He is also the founder of CablesandKits.com and wrote the introduction to my second book for small business owners. Check out my past Inspirational People interview with Craig here. Connect with Craig on Linkedin or visit his blog here.

I'm grateful for their participation in this episode and for helping to make the book better.

Listen to the Discussion

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Watch The Conversation

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My Harmonized Account of Jesus Brought Before Herod Antipas For Reference & Study — An Excerpt From The Book

Luke 23:7-12,15

When Pilate learned Jesus was Galilean, he sent him to Herod Antipas (who had John the Baptist beheaded) since Jesus was under his jurisdiction and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem.

Delighted by his presence, Herod finally got his wish to meet Jesus. He was hoping to witness a miracle or sign like the stories he heard about, but Jesus refused to answer any of his many questions or perform any act.

All the while, the religious leaders continued shouting their hostile accusations at Jesus. Offended by Jesus’ silence and inaction, Herod joined in and verbally chastised him. Herod’s soldiers joined in on the mockery and ridicule. Then, they dressed Jesus up in a royal robe and sent him back to Pilate.

Enemies before that day, Herod and Pilate became friends. Both Pilate and Herod determined Jesus was innocent of his charges and didn’t deserve the death sentence campaigned for by the religious leaders.

Hero Photo: Herod Sending Christ back to Pilate by an unknown 17th-century artist and Sébastien Le Clerc I courtesy of the National Art Gallery

From The Garden To The Cross, Podcast - From The Garden To The Cross, Ivan Alfaro