Herod and Pilate - a friendship made in - where?
TurquoiseTastic
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in Kerygmania
In Luke 23 8-12 Herod is unimpressed with Jesus and sends him back to Pilate. Luke says in verse 12 that Herod and Pilate became friends after this. My question - why? And why does Luke mention it?
Comments
I can't see it myself: they're very different characters. I have a lot of time for Pilate, and tried to bring out his integrity and dilemma when I played him several times in Passion plays many years ago.
Jesus was a Galilean. By sending Jesus to Herod, Pilate was essentially saying:
“This man is from your territory. I acknowledge your authority.”
That mattered. Pilate and Herod had a history of tension—Josephus tells us Pilate had previously offended Herod by killing Galileans in the Temple. So Pilate’s gesture was a political olive branch.
When Herod sent Jesus back Herod didn't challenge Pilate's authority, Herod did not interfere with the trial.
Both men found a common cause in neutralizing a perceived nuisance. Both saw Jesus as politically insignificant, maybe religiously odd, but not worth a revolt or crackdown.
Luke loves irony. The two become friends not because of justice, but because they both agreed Jesus was harmless.
Herod and Pilate didn’t become friends because they liked each other.
They became friends because Jesus gave them a moment of shared political convenience, and Luke uses that moment to underline the tragic absurdity of the trial.
(This is just an interpretation, my interpretation. There may be others)
That all makes a lot of sense to me @Gramps49 . You say "Luke loves irony" - do you have other examples in mind?
The story of the shepherds. Socially marginal, Would have been unable to testify in a court. Yet they receive the angelic choir and proclaim the Messiah's birth. They become the first witnesses to the new age. Luke 2:8-20
There is the story of the Pharisee and tax collector. The righteous man prays a self-congratulatory prayer. The sinner can barely lift his eyes. Yet who is justified? The sinner. Luke 18:9-14
The story of Zaccheaus. He climbs a tree to see Jesus. He welcomes Jesus joyfully. He repents with extravagant generosity. The little man sees, but the crowd--who should understand--grumbles. Luke 19:1-10
The thief on the cross. The religious leaders mock Jesus. The soldiers mock Jesus One of the criminals also mock Jesus, but the one thief, the last person you would expect, recognizes Jesus' innocence and kingship. The final confession of a condemned man gives him paradise. Luke 23:39-43
The resurrection story. The woman see the empty tomb. The disciples dismiss the story as an idle tail. Luke 24 1-12
Just some of the examples.
In addition to the points of Gramps. In the first verse it says Herod had wanted to meet Jesus for a while.
So even if the meeting was a bit of a let down with no magic tricks, it wasn't Pilates fault. So as well as the political overtures of the olive branch, it was a nice present in itself.
(Though the "king of the Jews" plaque must have been an irritation if Herod had known)
And Pilate seems to think he can use Herod's words (or put words in his mouth). So he seems to have got enough out of it as well. With again the political respect looking nice.
(Though I think he would have been reasonably ok with other outcomes)