Not For The First Time

“Humans and fiends rise and you shall be heard, the less then honorable Judge Smooth Tongue presiding.” The court was officially in session.

“I have read the charges against the one named Son of Most High. Serious charges indeed. The regional D.O. is allowed an opening statement.”

“Thank you, Your Despicableness,” the Demonic Oppressor began. “It has come to our attention that The Son of Most High has been involved in crimes against humanity and these crimes have been perpetrated on every segment of society and in all nations equally. He asks anyone willing to listen to allow him to help make choices - many have found that his choices are not in line with their own personal understanding of the world and its environs.”

The D.O. looked at the son and sneered, “He recently came to our region to live as if he were an average, ordinary human. Of course we knew he was not, but many were swayed by persuasive speech and miracles. Thankfully the religious leaders, with whom we have a strong but covert alliance, were more than willing to assist us in attempting to minimize his harmful effects. Furthermore, Most High could have protected those who were close to the son, but he did not.”

Smooth Tongue looked at Most High’s son and asked, “Do you have an opening statement?”

The accused looked at Smooth Tongue until the magistrate glanced away in what appeared to be remorse, short-lived though it was.

“If Most High has nothing to say, the D.O. is free to call his first witness,” Smooth Tongue instructed.

“I’d like to call, Lydia, Your Despicableness,” The D.O. responded.

The crowd hissed and jeered as she walked to the witness stand.

“Is it true that you were once visited by this individual?” The D.O. pointed at the son.

“Yes.”

“Is it also true that you were living a life that you’d come to embrace as your own?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t it also true that the son condemned your lifestyle choice?”

“If you mean he pointed out a better…”

“Just answer the question - yes or no,” the D.O. demanded pounding the witness stand with a tightened fist.

“He saved me from men wanting to kill me because of my lifestyle choice,” Lydia replied with quivering lip as her voice continued to rise in volume. “After he saved my life he told me that I could leave and that I should not sin anymore.”

“How did this make you feel, Lydia?” the D.O. asked smoothly.

“Loved,” Lydia smiled through tears.

The accused smiled reassuringly.

“Smooth Tongue, I demand that this woman be classified as a hostile witness,” the D.O. screamed maniacally.

As the woman left the stand she looked at the accused and mouthed the words, “Thank you.”

The D.O. presented a Pharisee named Nicodemus, Peter the fisherman, and a government official named Pilate. They shared stories that seemed counter to the case the D.O. was attempting to make.

“Your Despicableness, there are so many more witnesses to present, but I am afraid it will do nothing but waste the time and resources of this court,” the Demonic Oppressor finally noted as he sat down and reviewed his yellow legal pad.

Smooth Tongue gazed at the defendant, “Do you have anything - anything at all - to add to these proceedings?”

The accused just looked at Smooth Tongue and said nothing.

“Don’t you understand that the charges against you are serious?” Smooth Tongue inquired.

Still, he sat and said nothing.

“Your Despicableness, this seems to be a tactic he often employs,” the D.O. stood in response. “Records indicate that he was recently tried on other charges and when insults and expressions of loathing were directed at this defendant he remained silent. Frankly, I find this tactic maddening and diametrically opposed to the way we have come to understand the pursuit of injustice as defined in our Oppression Lawbook. If he really has something worth defending why would he refuse to defend himself?” The D.O. paused as he gazed in disgust at Jesus, “The prosecution rests.”

Final comments were made as Jesus looked on. In those halls of demonic injustice the Son of God was ridiculed and demeaned - not for the first time.

“When they hurled insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead he entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (2 Peter 2:23 - NIV).