The past couple of weeks have been rocked with allegations. There were allegations made against Herman Cain, one of the presidential candidates, and also against a former defensive coordinator of the Penn State University football team. Allegations sometimes prove to be factual. Sometimes they are false. A person should be considered innocent, however, until proven guilty.
Jesus had a number of negative allegations leveled against Him. They were all false. The allegations had malicious intent. They were designed to find fault with Him so that His enemies could find a reason to have Him put to death. The allegations against Jesus came in three areas: political, religious, and social.
The political allegations came based on a misunderstanding of the kingship of Christ. Luke records the multitude accusing Him - "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King" (Luke 23:2). It is true that Jesus is Christ, a King. But, He is not the king over a physical kingdom but a spiritual one (cf. John 18:36). Jesus did not corrupt the nation in any way or forbid the paying of taxes to the civil authorities. These were false claims made up by His enemies.
Religiously there were a number of allegations made against Jesus. He was accused of having a demon (cf. John 8:48). The scribes accused him of blasphemy because He forgave sins (cf. Matt. 9:3). The Pharisees said he cast out demons by the power of Beelzebub (cf. Matt. 12:24). All these allegations were made because the religious elite of Jesus' day did not understand that He was God in the flesh (cf. Matt. 1:23). They also did not accept Him as the Messiah. There was not an ounce of credibility to the charges.
Socially He was accused of being a drunkard (cf. Matt. 11:19). This allegation was made because His critics did not like Jesus being around sinners and other people they considered unsavory. Yet Jesus came for all men. He gave Himself for the sins of all mankind (cf. I John 2:2; Rom. 5:8). Jesus did not participate in the sins of the wicked, though He did associate with the lost in order to attempt to save them! All allegations to the contrary are untrue.
Despite all these allegations against Him, Jesus finished the work the Father gave Him to do (cf. John 17:4). As a result, all men can be saved today through His blood (cf. Matt. 26:28; Rev. 1:5). We become children of God through faith in Him and put Him on in baptism (cf. Gal. 3:26,27). When we do this, all the allegations He suffered are worth it since He came to seek and save those that are lost (cf. Luke 19:10). "Jesus, the author and finisher of the faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross [and all the allegations that proceeded it, -SRB], despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:2).
Jesus did not allow allegations to stop Him from doing what was right, and we must follow His example! It can be discouraging to be accused of wrong doing when you are innocent, but Christians should expect to have to deal with such from time to time (cf. John 15:18,19). Let us close with these words from Peter:
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter" (I Pet. 4:12-16).