The Blindness of Evil
by Rev. Kirby Williams
The irony of how the agents of evil blindly drive Jesus to the Cross and their own destruction.
Text: Luke 23:4-16
Date: 04/18/2025, the Good Friday service.
Series: "Good Friday" Part 16
Occasion: Good Friday
Description:
In this message we continue our lengthy "once-a-year" series harmonizing the various Gospel accounts of Jesus' activity on Good Friday. In this episode we will study, primarily from Luke's Gospel, a unique interlude in the trial before Pilate. After interviewing Jesus, Pilate publicly establishes His innocence. But when the Jews double down on their accusations, he sends Jesus to Herod Antipas because Jesus fell under his jurisdiction. But when Jesus would not perform for Herod, he lampooned Him and returned Him to Pilate without a verdict. We will analyze the three clearly defined actors in this scenario-- the secular government of Pilate, the false religion of the Jews, and the hedonistic frivolity of Herod-- as agents of satan and his network of evil. But the great irony of the story is that by driving Jesus to the Cross, all of satan's nefarious agents are ultimately accomplishing God's Providential will. We will see how blind to the truth satan and all his evil agents are, both to the salvation that is only available through Christ, and their own destruction which they are actively working to bring about!
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I. Introduction, John 8:44-45.
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 23:4-16; John 18:38b.
A. Context, John 18:36-38a.
B. Blind to the truth.
1. Pilate's pragmatism, vs. 4-7; John 18:38b.
a. Pilate declares Jesus innocent, vs. 4, John 18:38b.
b. The Sanhedrin's angry response, vs. 5.
c. Passing the buck, vs. 6-7.
2. Jesus before Herod, vs. 8-12.
a. A licentious, frivolous man, vs. 8.
b. Lampooning the King of kings, vs. 9,11a.
c. The bitter blindness of the Sanhedrin, vs. 10.
d. Pilate and Herod become friends, vs. 11b,12.
3. Pilate's verdict of "not guilty", vs. 13-15.
a. Jesus' innocence, vs. 13-14.
b. The testimony of two witnesses, vs. 15a, Deut. 17:6.
4. A "peace offering" and Providence, vs. 15b, 16.
C. The blindness of evil.
1. The blindness of pragmatism, Psa. 2:1-6.
2. The blindness of shallow licentiousness, Luke 17:26-30.
3. The blindness of false religion, John 8:45; Rom. 2:3-5.
III. Conclusion: The ultimate irony, Acts 2:22-24.
