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Walking through the path of Jesus toward his crucifixion, I’ve been reflecting upon the outrageous trial he endured before the Jewish court. He stood there as they looked for a fraudulent accusation that was sufficient for them to justify sentencing him to die.

As I have read through the accounts of this occurrence, it strikes me that Jesus was, in a very real sense, alone. He had no one to speak on his behalf or to represent his interests. There was no one there to argue his innocence. He answered only when asked a direct question and then he spoke the truth that gave the leaders all of the justification they needed.

Blasphemy. They accused Jesus of blasphemy because he affirmed that he was the Son of God. Indeed, it was blasphemy…unless he really was God.

Jesus spoke only a couple of sentences in an entire night of prodding, chiding, and accusation. He had no one to speak for him. He had no advocate.

An advocate is simply one whose role is to speak up for someone else. In 1 John 2.1 we see these powerful words, “…we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

As I think about the hatred and vitriol spewed continually upon Jesus that night, it rocks my soul to realize that Jesus, my advocate, had none.

When we have failed and our accuser rails to the righteous Judge regarding our guilt, there is no answer that we can make. But Jesus, our Advocate, answers for us. He speaks up when we have no words. Yet, when he stood facing his accusers, he had no advocate.

As the blessed old hymn so sweetly asks, what wondrous love is this, O my soul?