Articles
The Jewish Trials of Jesus
The Jewish Trials of Jesus
In the middle of the night a mob comes and "arrests" Jesus. There was no civilian police force as we know it today. The Roman army by the presence and force brought a measure of law and order to the empire. In Judea the council of the Jewish leaders hired various men to try and apply the law of God among the people (cp. Matt. 26:27). These men from the Jewish leaders are the ones who came out against Jesus and take him back to face charges.
Jesus is led first to Annas (John 18:13, 19-24). Before the Romans had deposed him, Annas had been the high priest. Normally he would have occupied that office for life but the Romans had other ideas. Annas questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Such was just a ruse to have Jesus condemn himself. Jesus had taught publicly and what He taught was well known to all including Annas. He then sent Him bound to Caiaphas who was the 'acting' high priest.
When the morning came, the chief priests, elders, and the scribes all gather together with Caiaphas to "judge" Jesus. They had already decided on putting him to death, now they need to make it look good. Before Caiaphas they produce false witnesses who attempt to prove something against Jesus worthy of a death penalty. When they fail to agree in their testimony, the high priest puts Jesus under oath to answer the question: "Are you the Christ, the Son of God" (Matt. 26:63). When Jesus answered in the affirmative to this, they accuse Him of blasphemy. To them, claiming to be the Son of God was to make Himself equal with God (cp. John 5; 10).
With this they spit in his face, strike him, slap him, and mock him as a prophet. Little did they realize they were fulfilling the scriptures by doing such things. They send him to the Romans in order to have a 'legal' lynching. They violated and trampled all over the very law they were trying to protect. With complete ungodliness and utter disregard for the teaching of the law, they attempt to apply the law of God. What a sham.
Peter would later describe this saying: "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men" (Acts 2:22-23). They were wrong. They had condemned an innocent man. They had rejected the son of God.
After the Romans had crucified him, God raised him from the dead (Acts 2:24) and thus proclaimed Him to BE the son of God (Rom. 1:3). He now sits enthroned at the right hand of God and every knee WILL bow and confess Him as Lord (Phil. 2:10-12). Will you do that now and be saved by Him or do it later and be condemned? That is the question of life facing us. Hugh DeLong
