We Are On Trial, Not Jesus

January 31, 2025

Recently, I wrote an essay “Jesus on Trial,” because manypeople want to challenge His existence, His authority, and who He claims to be. Yesterday, I was reading Galatians and looking up some of the Greek words in the verses and looking at their definitions and how they were used in ancient Greece. (Source: Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, biblehub.com)

What was new to my understanding and became clear to me was that Paul was writing in a scenario of a Courtroom. All the various connotations of the words had that commonality. In the first scene, we are the ones on Trial, not Jesus. That kind of turns the tables around on our thinking, doesn’t it?

Before talking about Galatians let me point out that the Apostle John refers to the Holy Spirit, introducing us to Him with a new Bible word, “Paraclete.” Interestingly, this fits into this Courtroom scenario, because the Greek’s use of a Paraclete was referring to their Family Attorney — the attorney who would intercede for them before a Judge.

In similar fashion, “Christ redeemed us from the {condemnation} of the law by becoming {condemned} for us,” — Galatians 3:13 {my edit}.

What is the significance of that?

The Bible’s Law of Moses puts each and every one of us under condemnation. (The Bible most often uses the word “curse” here instead, but the alternate, “condemnation” is more consistent within this Courtroom format)

Haven’t we all broken the Biblical Law at one time or another?

In this way, the Laws of Moses, generally speaking, the Ten Commandments, act like an arresting Officer, who takes us to the Jailer, who keeps us in custody until trial. So, my new perspective, in this scenario, as used in Galatians, is that the Law of Moses is not only like a “guardian,” protecting us, but is pictured acting more like an actual Guard!

The Guard escorts us into the Courtroom to stand accused before the Judge.

In chapter One, verse 23, the Apostle Paul, who was a Pharisee, admits that he had been acting as Prosecutor and Judge, putting Christians on trial by his own authority under the Law… but his encounter with Jesus changed all that… knocking him off his high horse… where people then began to proclaim, “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”

Continuing in this drama of the Courtroom, Galatians 2:4 reveals the Prosecution’s witnesses’ motives against the Believers: “some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.” Note here that a person enslaved has lost their freedom — or may I say, declared guilty and thrown into jail… in this case, figuratively speaking.

Now, the Jury might be like the doubtful and unbelieving who are intently listening to the case being presented before them in this Courtroom. Yet, the odd part is that, in this Courtroom, the Jury is just as much on trial as the accused… The Prosecution’s case works equally against us all, since we all have broken the Law.

Paul emphasizes for that very reason,”…by works of the law no one will be justified.” — Verse 2:16.

“Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law became our {Guard} to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under {Guard}. — Galatians 3:23–25, {my edit}.

In the Letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul walks readers through three scenarios:

• Scene One: The Courtroom (as I have tried to illustrate my discovery in this essay)
• Scene Two: Family Inheritance. “ What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.”
• Scene Three: Two Covenants as revealed in the story of Hagar and Sarah. (slavery or freedom).”It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5;1.

Finally, in these three scenarios, there is good news:

• Jesus pays our bail bond, stands with us, and gains our full pardon.
• Jesus gives us our inheritance, and in a way, He is our inheritance.
• Jesus rescues us from the consequences of our sinfulness and mistakes made in disobedience in our responsibility for breaking the Law.

Jesus Paid It All | feat. Brooke Ligertwood | Gateway Worship

CityAlight — Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me (Live)

(Bible verses I have quoted are from the Berean Standard Bible.)