How does Luke 23:12 illustrate the power of shared opposition to Jesus? Setting the Scene Luke 23 describes Jesus moving from Pilate to Herod and back again. In the middle of the legal wrangling, Luke suddenly notes: “That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies.” (Luke 23:12) An Unlikely Friendship Formed • Pilate, the Roman governor, and Herod Antipas, the Galilean tetrarch, had political friction—different jurisdictions, different loyalties. • Neither man had any genuine interest in justice for Jesus. Each viewed Him through a lens of convenience and self-preservation. • Their shared decision to treat Jesus as expendable closed the distance between them. Hostility toward Christ forged a new friendship. Shared Opposition: A Spiritual Principle 1. Hostility to Jesus can unite otherwise divided people. 2. The alliance is negative—built on what participants reject, not on what they cherish. 3. Such unity is shallow and temporary; it stands only as long as the common target remains. 4. It reveals the human heart’s instinct to suppress the truth when confronted with the claims of Christ (Romans 1:18). Echoes in Scripture • Psalm 2:1-3: “Why do the nations rage… The kings of the earth take their stand… against the LORD and against His Anointed.” • Acts 4:27-28: “Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against Your holy servant Jesus…” • John 15:18: “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.” • Revelation 17:13-14: End-time rulers “have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them…” Across the biblical record, opposition to God’s Son repeatedly pulls strange partners into the same camp. Counterfeit Unity vs. Gospel Unity • Counterfeit unity: – Rooted in unbelief and self-interest – Motivated by fear of losing power or influence – Held together by a shared enemy – Ends in judgment and fragmentation • Gospel unity: – Rooted in faith and love for Christ (Ephesians 4:3-6) – Motivated by grace received at the cross – Held together by the Holy Spirit – Results in lasting peace and mutual service Takeaway Truths for Today • The world still forms alliances—political, cultural, ideological—around resistance to Jesus’ authority. • Such alliances can look strong, but their foundation is brittle; once the pressure of truth breaks through, the partnership crumbles. • Believers should not be surprised when they see unlikely coalitions opposing biblical convictions (1 John 3:13). • Rather than fearing these coalitions, trust the Lord who “frustrates the plans of the peoples” (Psalm 33:10) and remember that ultimate victory belongs to Christ. |
    |