Surrounded and hounded

Luke proceeds with his record of the trial before Pontius Pilate, compressing the first portion into five terse interactions: a twisted accusation, a plain question, a careful answer, a clear declaration, and a fierce response. Through it all we have it impressed upon us the identity and the innocence of the Christ, the calm convictions that carried him through such cruelties and injustices with a loving determination to save his people in obedience to his Father.