Easter Special 03 - The Unblemished Lamb.

As was instructed through Moses to My chosen people around 3500 years ago, sacrificial lambs were to be offered in the place of the people in order to pay the price for their sins. The lambs chosen were to be WITHOUT blemish or defect. Perfection in exchange for Imperfection. Perfection in place of Imperfection.

Fast forward around 1500 years… It was now the wee hours of the night before My crucifixion.

The Roman soldiers, their commanding officer and the Temple guards had arrested Me. I was tied up and brought before Annas, who was the previous high priest. BAM! I felt the palm of a hand across My face. I said, “If I have spoken anything wrong, testify of the wrong.” In other words, bring forth their evidence or witnesses to prove My wrongdoings, if any. They couldn’t. So Annas had Me sent to Caiaphas, his son-in-law, who was the current high priest.

I could see Caiaphas in front of Me. The scribes and the elders were gathered together with him. They had obtained false testimony against Me. Their intention? So that they could put Me to death! Even though many false witnesses came forth, they couldn’t find anything against Me, as their testimonies contradicted each other! As a last ditch effort, they produced two witnesses that basically said that I claimed to be the Messiah. Pressing Me for an answer to the claim and whether I am the Christ, what else could I say… , except the truth. Caiaphas then went all dramatic! What with the tearing of his robes and all… Funny fella. So, they still couldn’t pin any false testimony against Me. But for speaking the truth, I was adjudged Guilty, guilty for being a blasphemer! BAM! I could feel the palms of hands across My face. Not to mention the punches on Me, and the showers of spit upon My face. It was a long, long night indeed, and morning was drawing near. Unlikely to get any sleep in for tonight, I reckoned.

As soon as it was morning, I was led into the Sanhedrin council. They asked Me, “Are You the Christ?” This was becoming a very familiar question indeed! And My answer remained the same, “I am.” You could imagine their reaction to that reply!

The Sanhedrin then brought Me to My next trial, the fourth trial in a row. But this time, a Roman trial. Why a Roman trial, one might wonder? Because only the Roman authority could sentence a person to death, by crucifixion.

I had arrived. The Praetorium of the Romans. Pontius Pilate asked Me, “Are You the King of the Jews?” I answered, “It is as you say.” Finding no fault in Me, Pilate went out to the Jews outside the Praetorium and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.” But they would have none of that innocent stuff!

The unblemished Lamb was right before the eyes of My chosen people, yet they could not see It, time and time again.

Pilate later found out that I was from Galilee (which was under Herod’s jurisdiction). As Herod was in Jerusalem at that time, I was sent to him. Do you think that Herod would be interested in finding out the truth? He was actually more interested in wanting Me to perform miracles for him to see rather than finding out about the truth! So, I answered him nothing. Not afar off, the chief priests and scribes were standing, vehemently accusing Me. But Herod came to the conclusion that there was no guilt in Me. Before sending Me back to Pilate for My sixth and final trial, Herod and his soldiers mocked and ridiculed Me, and put a royal robe on Me.

Here I was then, back at Pilate’s place. Pilate said to the chief priests, the rulers and the people, “Having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him.” (As per the practice for that time, it was necessary for Pilate to release one man at the Passover feast.) But they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release Barabbas to us.” Pilate, wishing to release Me, again called out to them. But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Then Pilate said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason to sentence Him to death. So, I will have him flogged, and then I will release Him.” But they were insistent on crucifying Me, and their voices prevailed.

And so, I was delivered to their will.

Without realizing it, they had sacrificed the unblemished Lamb of God. Perfection in exchange for Imperfection. Perfection in place of Imperfection.

Reference: Exodus 12, Leviticus 23, Numbers 6, Numbers 28, Matthew 26 – 27, Mark 14 -15, Luke 22 – 23, John 18 – 19.