Jesus is brought before Pilate, afterwards before Herod; Barabbas is preferred to Him

Consummatum est. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

Our Lenten meditations continue with posts taken from a Simple Exposition of the Circumstances of the Passion of Jesus Christ (1761) by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori.

I have inserted references in the text to numbered footnotes. These references are not hyperlinked but may be found by scrolling to the end of the relevant paragraph.

Totus tuus ego sum et omnia mea tua sunt. Tecum tutus semper sum.
Ad Jesum per Mariam.

This grace I ask of thee to-day: obtain for me a continual remembrance of the passion of Jesus, and of thine also, and a tender devotion to them.

Jesus is brought before Pilate, afterwards before Herod; Barabbas is preferred to Him

Jesus taken to Pilate. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

And when the morning was come, the chief priests and the ancients of the people took counsel against Jesus, that they might put Him to death. And they brought Him bound, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate, the governor.[1]

In the morning the chief priests again declared him deserving of death, and then brought him before Pilate, in order to have him condemned to the death of the cross.

[1] [1] And when morning was come, all the chief priests and ancients of the people took counsel against Jesus, that they might put him to death.
Mane autem facto, consilium inierunt omnes principes sacerdotum et seniores populi adversus Jesum, ut eum morti traderent. [Matt 27]

Jesus before Pilate. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

After having asked many questions as well of the Jews as of our Redeemer, Pilate felt convinced that Jesus was innocent, and that the accusations were all calumnies. Hence he went out and told the Jews that he found no grounds for condemnation against him. He went out again to the Jesus and said to them, I find no fault in Him.[2]

[2] [38] Pilate saith to him: What is truth? And when he said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them: I find no cause in him.
Dicit ei Pilatus : Quid est veritas? Et cum hoc dixisset, iterum exivit ad Judaeos, et dicit eis : Ego nullam invenio in eo causam. [John 18]

Herod. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

But afterwards, seeing that the Jews were so intent on the death of Jesus, and hearing that he was from Galilee, Pilate, in order to get rid of his embarrassment, sent Him away to Herod [3] Herod was delighted to see Jesus Christ in his court; he hoped that our Lord would perform some miracles in his presence. Hence he proposed many questions to him, but Jesus remained silent, and gave no answer, thus reproving the vain curiosity of the haughty ruler. And he questioned Him in many words. But He answered him nothing.[4]

Miserable the soul to whom the Lord speaks no longer! My Jesus, this I have deserved, because I have been deaf to Thy merciful inspirations, by which Thou hast so often called me to Thy love. I have deserved that Thou shouldst speak to me no longer, and that Thou shouldst abandon me; but no, my dear Redeemer, have pity on me and speak to me. Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.[5] Tell me what Thou willest from me; I wish to obey Thee, and to please Thee in all things.

[3] [7] And when he understood that he was of Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him away to Herod, who was also himself at Jerusalem, in those days.
Et ut cognovit quod de Herodis potestate esset, remisit eum ad Herodem, qui et ipse Jerosolymis erat illis diebus. [Luke 23]

[4] [9] And he questioned him in many words. But he answered him nothing.
Interrogabat autem eum multis sermonibus. At ipse nihil illi respondebat.  [Luke 23]

[5] [10] And the Lord came and stood: and he called, as he had called the other times: Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.
Et venit Dominus, et stetit : et vocavit, sicut vocaverat secundo : Samuel, Samuel. Et ait Samuel : Loquere, Domine, quia audit servus tuus. [1 Kings 3]

Jesus & white garment. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

But Herod felt indignant at the silence of Jesus; regarding him as a fool, he ordered him to be clothed, through decision, with a white garment, and despised him with all his court; after having thus treated him with contempt and mockery, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod with his army, let Him at nought; and mocked Him, putting on Him a white, garment, and sent Him back to Pilate.[6] Behold how Jesus, clothed with that mock garment, is led through the streets of Jerusalem.

O my despised Saviour, Thou wouldst submit even to the ignominy of being treated as a fool! O Christians, behold how the world treats the Eternal Wisdom! Happy the man who delights in being treated by the world as a fool, and wishes to know nothing but Jesus crucified, loving suffering and insults, and saying, with St. Paul, For I judge not myself to know anything among you but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.[7]

[6] [11] And Herod with his army set him at nought, and mocked him, putting on him a white garment, and sent him back to Pilate.
Sprevit autem illum Herodes cum exercitu suo : et illusit indutum veste alba, et remisit ad Pilatum. [Luke 23]

[7] [2] For I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Non enim judicavi me scire aliquid inter vos, nisi Jesum Christum, et hunc crucifixum. [1 Cor 2]

The Jews had a right to demand of the Roman governor the liberation of a criminal at the Paschal solemnity. Hence Pilate proposed to them Jesus and Barabbas, saying, Whom will that I release you, Barabbas or Jesus?[8] He felt certain that the people would prefer Jesus to Barabbas, who was a wicked man, a homicide, a public robber, and an object of universal abhorrence

[8] [17] They therefore being gathered together, Pilate said: Whom will you that I release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus that is called Christ?
Congregatis ergo illis, dixit Pilatus : Quem vultis dimittam vobis : Barabbam, an Jesum, qui dicitur Christus? [Matt 27]

Crucify Him! JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

But the people, instigated by the heads of the synagogue, instantly and without deliberation demanded Barabbas: But they said Barabbas.[9] Being astonished and at the same time indignant at seeing so great a miscreant preferred to an innocent man. Pilate said, What shall I then do with Jesus? They say all, Let Him be crucified.[10] Pilate then said, What evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let Him be crucified.[10]

My Lord, this I have done when I have committed sin. I had then the choice of loving Thee or a vile pleasure; and I have answered, I wish for the pleasure, and care not to lose God. This I then said, O my Lord, but I now say that I prefer Thy grace before all the pleasures and riches of the world. O infinite good, O my Jesus! I love Thee above every other good; I wish for Thee and for nothing else.

[9] [21] And the governor answering, said to them: Whether will you of the two to be released unto you? But they said, Barabbas.
Respondens autem praeses, ait illis : Quem vultis vobis de duobus dimitti? At illi dixerunt : Barabbam.  [Matt 27]

[10] [22] Pilate saith to them: What shall I do then with Jesus that is called Christ? They say all: Let him be crucified.
Dicit illis Pilatus : Quid igitur faciam de Jesu, qui dicitur Christus?
[23] The governor said to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying: Let him be crucified.
Dicunt omnes : Crucifigatur. Ait illis praeses : Quid enim mali fecit? At illi magis clamabant dicentes : Crucifigatur.  [Matt 27]

As Jesus and Barabbas were proposed to the people, so it was proposed to the Eternal Father to save his Son or sinful man. The Eternal Father answered, Let my Son die and let sinful man be saved. This the Apostle has declared: He that spared not even His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.[11] The Father would not spare his own Son, but consigned him to death for us all. Yes, said our Saviour, God has so loved the world that for its salvation he delivered up his only-begotten Son to torments and death, God so loved the world as to give His only-begotten Son.[12] Hence, the Holy Church exclaims, “O wonderful condescension of Thy mercy in our regard! O inestimable love of charity! To redeem a slave Thou hast delivered up Thy Son!”

O admirable condescension of Thy mercy, O my God! O inconceivable tenderness of love! To ransom a slave, Thou hast condemned Thy Son! O holy faith! How is it possible for him who believes this not to be all fire in loving a God who loves men so tenderly? Oh that we had always before our eyes this infinite charity of God!

[11] [32] He that spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath he not also, with him, given us all things?
Qui etiam proprio Filio suo non pepercit, sed pro nobis omnibus tradidit illum : quomodo non etiam cum illo omnia nobis donavit? [Rom 8]

[12] [16] For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.
Sic enim Deus dilexit mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum daret : ut omnis qui credit in eum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam aeternam. [John 3]