“Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.” So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.” On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.” Luke 23:1-7

“Loophole”

As an idiom, a loophole is defined as a way of getting out of something or escaping a difficulty – it is especially used when we try to find a legal technicality that allows someone to evade compliance. So, where did this term originate from? Well, a loophole, in the middle ages, was a small slit-like opening in a castle wall that men would fire their bows or musketeers through. The only openings in a seemingly impenetrable wall were these slits which a child or small adult could squeeze through. Thus, a loophole is a small opening, or an “out,” in a seemingly airtight law, which only the clever few can use.

Pilate takes time to interview Jesus. He asks Jesus “Are you the king of the Jews?” There are several ways Jesus could have answered this question. He could have said “No!” – thus avoiding a horrible death. He could have said many other things, but he said simply, “You have said so.” How he expressed this phrase we can only speculate – whether there was disdain in his voice – or confidence. Either way, Jesus did not try to find a loophole to get out of his fate – he stood by while those who hated him cried “Crucify him”. And then he carried his own cross to Golgatha.

Too often we try to find loopholes instead of dealing with our failures and failings head on. All I can say is thank the Lord Jesus did not look for a way out – because his death and resurrection is my way up – with no need to fear death, and to look forward to the coming of the kingdom of G-d.

Pastor Dave