Matthew 26:57-75 Jesus tried by Sanhedrin

[hotcoffee]

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

Matthew 26:57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.

Finally two came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”[e]

65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered.

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”​

Peter Disowns Jesus

Matthew 26:69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.​

Caiaphas and his gang [yep I said gang] tried to get Jesus on trumped up charges with witnesses who couldn't get their stories straight. Finally, Caiaphas asked Jesus directly "Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God!".

Jesus knew it was time so He said "You're right! and I'll be sitting on the right hand of God!" [paraphrased of course].... that was all Caiaphas needed....

Remember as far as they were concerned, Jesus was the son of a carpenter from Nazareth.... and being from Nazareth was really an insult to anyone. Now this man, Jesus, claimed to be the Son of God! It would have been blasphemy had it not been true.

Blasphemy is defined - The act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk.

Synonyms - profanity

Meanwhile, outside.... as predicted, Peter was denying he knew Jesus.... Peter, Simon the Zealot, was saving his own skin.... and the others.... they had run.

 

[hotcoffee]

Legality isn't the issue

Jesus said "I am the Messiah, the Son of God"

Jesus had entered Jerusalem on a donkey while His followers called Him "Messiah". He had disrupted the Temple when massive crowds were there for the High Holy Week of the Passover. Jesus was a threat to the Jewish faith.

There was a political group called the "Zealots" who were gaining numbers as well. The Zealots wanted to overthrow the Roman oppression of Jerusalem. They were waiting for the Messiah... a great leader....

Caiaphas felt that he had to step in because the popularity of Jesus combined with the short fuse of the Zealots would cause a major riot, bringing in the Roman forces.

A perfect storm was brewing and Caiaphas had to do something.

It didn't matter if the hearings were legal, held in the light of day. There was not time for that. It didn't matter that the witnesses were also the judges, there was no time to build a case.

Jesus wouldn't just disappear.... He was always surrounded by a crowd. There were always witnesses around... so they couldn't kill him quietly.

Jesus couldn't be bought off.... He wasn't interested in money...

In the eyes of Caiaphas, Jesus had to be dealt with to save the Jewish Passover.

Caiaphas and the rest of the priests who made up the Sanhedrin were protecting their faith from Jesus....

They just didn't see.... they had fallen into a rut of thinking all the actions they took were for the good of the Jewish Faith when in fact they had strayed from the real purpose of the Jewish Faith. They had lost faith.... they were working on auto-pilot.... the pomp was more important than the people....

When I was reading the commentaries getting ready for the posting of this thread, I kept finding commentaries on the illegality of the trial. I say it doesn't matter. Legality isn't the issue.... the human condition is the issue....

Caiaphas thought he was doing the right thing. He didn't ask God what He wanted him to do. Caiaphas didn't have Faith in God....

 

[hotcoffee]

I've tried several times to add another set of verses today. Every single time I've gotten stuck, or closed the tab by mistake... or something else....

I guess it's just not time to go into the trial in front of Pilate.....

I'll see you all later tonight I guess....

 

[hotcoffee]

After writing the previous post.... and asking the Lord why I couldn't get this done this morning.... and thinking about it on the way to work.... I finally realized....

I was skipping the denial by Peter and I actually wanted to jump right over Judas hanging himself.

In my life I haven't heard a lot of sermons on the disciples running away... I guess because, like me, people seem to want to get on with the story of the crucifiction.... after all Jesus has just been arested, taken before the Sanhedrin and He's on His way to Pilate. Who really wants to stop and look at those cowards and the one that betrayed Jesus.

Apparently tho, I'm being led to write about them... because now that I'm writing this and discussing them, the Sermon and the Mount comes as an example and the words are pouring onto the page.

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned people, not to curse people and, to turn the other cheek rather than to get in a fight that might result in hurting or killing another.

Let's look at Peter.... He loved Jesus so much... it was really risky being a follower of Jesus and standing there with the guards. Jesus had warned them that He [Jesus] was going to be arrested and put to death. They hadn't believed Him. They should have known better but let's face it, it's not human nature to comprehend something as horrible as what was happening now.

Jesus never hurt anyone.... ok, yeah He had called the Sadducees and the Pharisees "hypocrit" and He had caused a raucous in the temple courtyard when He dumped the money changer's tables.... but look at all the good He had done.... Who would believe He was going to be put to death....

It was happening though and Peter was afraid.... He hung in there tho.... almost..... The foundation upon which Jesus was going to build His church was hiding in the shadows and denying Jesus.....

When that rooster crowed.... He must have truly been devastated.... and Jesus looked straight at Him.... Jesus had been right all along.... Jesus knew....