Solomon was arguably the wisest king in the Bible (1 Kings 4:29–30), yet when it came to fully doing God’s will, he became weak because of sin (1 Kings 11:1–4). Aside from building the temple, which his father David had instructed him to do (1 Kings 6:1; 1 Chronicles 22:6–10), his life shows that wisdom does not always equal obedience.
He was born into wealth and did not have to fight many wars during his lifetime (1 Kings 4:20–25). He was given extraordinary privilege—even a “blank check” when God told him to ask for whatever he wanted (1 Kings 3:5). Yet, in the end, his own heart became his undoing.
Now we turn to Luke 23.
In Luke 23:1–3, Jesus is brought before Pontius Pilate. He is accused of misleading the nation, opposing payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ, a king.
Pilate found no fault in Jesus (Luke 23:4). Even his wife warned him because of a troubling dream about Jesus (Matthew 27:19). Despite both personal conviction and external warning, Pilate could not stand firmly for justice.
He recognized the truth, but he lacked the courage to uphold it.
In Luke 23:6–7, Pilate attempts to shift responsibility by sending Jesus to Herod. This was not true justice—it was avoidance.
Herod, who had previously killed John the Baptist (Mark 6:16–27), desired to see Jesus perform a miracle (Luke 23:8). But Jesus answered him nothing (Luke 23:9). Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him (Luke 23:10), just as the devil accuses believers (Revelation 12:10).
By this point, we are confronted with a deeper question:
Do we see ourselves as sinners, or as those made righteous in Christ?
Scripture tells us that in Christ, we are made the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). While we acknowledge that sin once defined us, it no longer defines our identity. We are called to see ourselves as He is (1 John 4:17), not as we were.
In Luke 23:12, Pilate and Herod—previously enemies—became friends over the matter of Jesus. As Scripture says, “Can two walk together unless they agree?” (Amos 3:3). Their agreement, however, was not rooted in truth, but in compromise.
Pilate made repeated attempts to release Jesus (Luke 23:13–16, 20, 22), but the crowd cried out, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas!” (Luke 23:18).
Barabbas was a criminal (Luke 23:19), yet the people chose him over Jesus.
This reflects a painful truth: humanity often prefers what reflects its fallen nature rather than what convicts it.
Proverbs 17:15 says, “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.” Yet this is exactly what happened at the cross—we condemned the innocent and released the guilty.
Even so, through this unjust act came our redemption.
Jesus Himself struggled in the moment, praying, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). His sacrifice was not casual—it was costly.
But this raises an important reflection:
Human nature often resists righteousness because it requires sacrifice.
The people of Israel once desired a physical king rather than God’s direct rule (1 Samuel 8:6–7). They wanted strength they could see—a king like Saul—rather than a priestly, surrendered model.
Yet God’s ideal points us toward something deeper: a King who is also a Lamb—both ruler and sacrifice (John 1:29; Revelation 5:5–6).
Even today, many prefer power over submission, strength over surrender.
We see this again in Pilate. Though he knew the truth, he feared losing his position (John 19:12–13). In Luke 23:23–24, he finally gives in to the crowd and sentences Jesus to death.
This shows us the dilemma of humanity:
Knowing what is right is not the same as doing what is right.
Justice often fails on earth not because truth is absent, but because courage is lacking.
Even so, Jesus warned that following Him would come with suffering. He said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children” (Luke 23:28). Being chosen does not exempt us from trials.
On the cross, even the criminals revealed truth.
One mocked Him, but the other said, “We are punished justly… but this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:41). In that moment, a condemned man acknowledged the innocence of Christ.
Sometimes, those with not in authority still speak the greatest truth.
Jesus then said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Luke 23:46). He gave His life willingly.
So we return to this truth:
It is never right to justify the wicked and condemn the righteous (Proverbs 17:15).
Even though Christ’s sacrifice brought us salvation, it should not make us comfortable with injustice or passive in doing what is right.
We are called to stand for truth, even under pressure.
We are called to live as the righteousness of God, not just speak it.
If we truly believe we are the righteousness of God in Christ, then we must also choose to act like it.
In closing, I affirm this:
I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Please pray for me, that as I water others, I will also be watered (Proverbs 11:25).
Thank you.