When Ignorance Votes: Lessons from the Trial of Jesus for Nigerians
On today Sunday, a holy day for most Christian denominations to hold their weekly service, our restless pen is considering a topic which many may think is quite unusual.
This topic says “ignorance: Humanity’s Greatest Plague and the Lessons from the Trial of Jesus”. But for us, a topic as this should be brought to the public domain more often now that Nigerians are preparing for another cycle of election. We know that this time, politicians both Christians and non Christians at this time go to church,not merely to worship,but hunt for votes, just as they go to mosques on Fridays for same purpose.
That is their strategy, anything conceivable is adopted by them as long as it helps them to win election.
When they come to a place of worship, and probably induced the religious leaders, they automatically buy over the entire congregation,since in many cases the follower follow with asking questions,or using their own brain.
This level of ignorance on the part of the masses has continued for a long time and as it remains unchecked,would continue to cause the nation and entire society greater harm.
Such will continue to pave way for unqualified elements to get hold of power , completely erasing the little values remaining.
Ignorance is one of humanity’s greatest diseases—perhaps the worst plague to have invaded the human race.
Simply put, ignorance is the absence of knowledge, information, or awareness about a particular fact, skill, or situation.
My reflection today centres on how ignorance among many ordinary people, combined with the deception and selfishness of some influential leaders, has contributed to many of the world’s enduring problems.
Recently, I began studying the origins of Christianity and the lifestyle it promotes. From what I have discovered, Christianity is more than a religion; it is a way of life built on love, peace, freedom, forgiveness, and moral transformation.
Jesus Christ, around whom Christianity revolves, did not merely establish a religious system. He modelled a life of compassion, justice, humility, and reconciliation for humanity to emulate.
Jesus we read was without sin, yet He associated with sinners. He never taught that those who had sinned deserved death. Rather, He called people to repentance, knowing that genuine repentance leads to God’s forgiveness and mercy. He consistently taught forgiveness, leaving ultimate judgment to God.
If humanity truly embraced Christ’s teachings, respect for human dignity and peaceful coexistence would become natural.
There would be less religious violence, fewer acts of jungle justice, and greater reliance on the rule of law to address crimes such as murder, kidnapping, rape, and other offences that threaten society.
Yet, despite His innocence, Jesus was condemned and crucified. His followers also endured severe persecution because of their faith.
Christians believe that Jesus’ death fulfilled God’s plan of redemption foretold by the prophets. Nevertheless, the Gospel accounts also show how manipulation, fear, and ignorance played significant roles in the events leading to His crucifixion.
According to the Gospels, some religious leaders viewed Jesus as a threat to their influence and authority.
His teachings exposed hypocrisy, while His miracles attracted many followers.
Determined to silence Him, they brought numerous accusations against Him.
When Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor found no convincing basis for a death sentence. However, the Gospel writers recount that some chief priests and elders persuaded sections of the crowd to demand Jesus’ crucifixion.
When Pilate offered to release one prisoner, the crowd chose Barabbas, a convicted criminal, instead of Jesus.
Faced with mounting public pressure and fearing unrest, Pilate eventually handed Jesus over to be crucified.
The New Testament further records that after Jesus’ resurrection, some religious authorities spread the story that His disciples had stolen His body, even bribing guards to support that account.
Rather than accepting the evidence before them, many accepted the explanation without questioning it.
The opposition did not end there. The apostles continued to face resistance as they preached about Jesus.
Following the healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, the authorities attempted to suppress the growing influence of the early Church. Instead of celebrating the miracle, they sought to intimidate Peter and John into silence.
The story of Saul—later known as Paul—is another example. As a persecutor of Christians, he enjoyed the approval of many religious authorities. But after his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, he became one of their fiercest opponents. He faced repeated accusations, imprisonment, and persecution because of his unwavering commitment to preaching Christ.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of these biblical accounts is not merely the actions of powerful leaders but the willingness of ordinary people to be manipulated.
Many who should have exercised wisdom allowed themselves to be influenced without questioning the motives of those leading them.
Sadly, the same pattern persists today.
Around the world, people continue to kill one another in the name of religion.
Poor and struggling citizens often defend wealthy political elites whose actions have contributed to their hardship.
Many are driven by emotion rather than truth, while others deliberately exploit ignorance for personal gain. As ignorance grows, deception flourishes, and society continues to suffer.
Humanity cannot make lasting progress until people embrace knowledge, critical thinking, wisdom, and understanding.
Citizens must learn to question misinformation, reject manipulation, and hold leaders accountable.
The Jewish people, like every other people, have the right to exist in peace and security.
The New Testament’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion should not be used to condemn an entire people or future generations. Rather, it should remind us of the dangers of ignorance, manipulation, abuse of power, and mob mentality.
The enduring lesson is clear: whenever people surrender their ability to think critically and allow themselves to be manipulated by selfish leaders, injustice prevails.
But where truth, wisdom, and compassion guide human conduct, peace has a chance to flourish.
The challenge before every generation is to reject ignorance and embrace knowledge, understanding, and moral courage.
Only then can humanity hope to build a more just, peaceful, and compassionate world.
Sponsored article By anonymous writer
