And Herod, seeing Jesus, was very glad, for he was desirous of a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things of Him, and he hoped to see some miracle wrought by Him. And he questioned Him with many words. But He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood by, earnestly accusing Him. And Herod with his soldiers despised Him, and mocked Him, putting on Him a white garment, and sent Him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate were made friends together that same day, for before they were enemies one to another. - Luke 23:8-12
1. Our Lord will have it so arranged that the three great sources of evil in this world shall be brought face to face with Him in this hour of darkness; and Herod is particularly easy to distinguish. He is the man who represented the loathsome resultant of Eastern and Western luxury combined; the man who belonged to no creed, to no nationality, to no moral standard; the man who had defied all decency in his marriage, who had murdered John the Baptist to please a dancing girl, and that in a most heartless fashion, while he himself sat in the midst of revelry; the man who had one besetting misery, the fear of his victim rising up against him; the man who alone of all mankind had won from Our Lord a term of indignant contempt. "Go and tell that fox!" Jesus had said of him on one occasion. Thus he stands, the judge of Jesus Christ, this personification of that selfish luxury and indulgence which stalks through the world, defying God and man, but despised by man and God, the source of misery upon misery.
2. The trial befits the judge. His one aim in life is self-indulgence; even a criminal must serve for his amusement. And this Criminal is one who will excellently serve his turn. He is said to work miracles; He is the most expert conjuror of the day. He is said to be a prophet; He is the best inventor of witticisms. He shall give proof of His skill, for Herod's amusement and for the amusement of his court; otherwise He shall pay for it. Meanwhile, the light and easy way in which he treats the whole affair makes "the chief priests and scribes" anxious. The judge does not appear to be in earnest; perhaps in the end he will dismiss the whole affair and let Jesus go. Perhaps Jesus Himself will work some miracle and win His liberty. So they renew their accusations; they clamour all around against Him. "The chief priests and scribes stood by, earnestly accusing Him."
3. But Herod is disappointed; the Criminal ignores him. Our Lord had before him a "fox," a contemptible creature; He now treats him as such. The tables are being turned. Herod had thought to make Our Lord appear as a fool before his court; and behold, it is he that is being made to look foolish. This must be stopped. Since Jesus will not play His part of a fool. He shall be made one. Since He will obviously win if fairly treated, He shall be conquered by laughter and mockery and derision, the favourite resort of the luxurious, self-indulgent world. So the mockery begins; Herod begins it, demeaning himself that he may demean Our Lord; the soldiers follow the example of their master, and Our Lord stands there, in His white fool's robe, the despised of men, the outcast of the people, a new torture in the story of the Passion.
Summary
1. Herod, the representative of the cowardly indulgence of men.
2. His trial of Our Lord turned into a scene of merciless revelry.
3. To save himself from disgrace, Herod dressed Our Lord as a fool.
- from The Crown of Sorrow, by Archbishop Alban Goodier