Jesus Before the Sanhedrin - Matthew 26:57-67
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
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?”
Reflection: Here we have the "so called" trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was made up of the priests and scribes and ruled by the most high priest. The scribes were the teachers of the law, and elders were in charge of governance of the temple. Jesus was called a priest and teacher as well, and this perhaps added to the jealousy they had toward him. Whatever the case they needed to find evidence to convict him of something. And they looked for anyone, even false witnesses so they could find a way to find him guilty of something according to their law. Finally, two witnesses were drummed up and accused Jesus of trying to destroy this temple and build it back up again.
Of course Jesus was referring to something else, the temple of his body, but they misquoted him and it worked. Since this was something only attributed to the Messiah, the high priests point blank ask him if He is the Messiah, to which he says, "you say I am". In Mark he utters, "I am". This was enough evidence to convict him, though they could not put him death according to the Law. But meanwhile they use it as permission to spit in his face, strike him and slap him. This was reserved for even the most grievous of criminals.
Meanwhile, Peter follows at a distance. Perhaps he hopes Jesus has one last miracle to free himself, but Peter does nothing to stand up for his friend or give true witness. In fear he hopes to blend in with the crowd, so as not to indict himself. Peter has said he would follow him unto his death, but at this moment he will not even stand up to say one word in his defense.
What can this mean for us? First of all, it is quite disturbing that the Son of Man, the One who was is the beginning and in the end will restore all things, should be treated with such disgust. After all who would have created a story where God himself receives this treatment from the ones He came to save. And yet, it was all foretold that he would be led like a sheep to the slaughter, and for our sakes he would have laid upon him the iniquity of us all. Finally, I wonder if like Peter, we are tempted to follow Jesus as a distance. When we are with him we are close to him, and yet when standing up for him could cause us some kind of rejection or bad treatment, we shrink back to blend in with the crowds. As was preached yesterday in our church from the Gospel lesson, "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I will deny before my Father in heaven." (Matthew 10:32)
Where is Jesus calling you to acknowledge or confess him in your life? Paul tells in that moment the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness in Romans 8:26. And that the sufferings of this world are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in Christ Jesus! Romans 8:31 Amen.
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?”
Reflection: Here we have the "so called" trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was made up of the priests and scribes and ruled by the most high priest. The scribes were the teachers of the law, and elders were in charge of governance of the temple. Jesus was called a priest and teacher as well, and this perhaps added to the jealousy they had toward him. Whatever the case they needed to find evidence to convict him of something. And they looked for anyone, even false witnesses so they could find a way to find him guilty of something according to their law. Finally, two witnesses were drummed up and accused Jesus of trying to destroy this temple and build it back up again.
Of course Jesus was referring to something else, the temple of his body, but they misquoted him and it worked. Since this was something only attributed to the Messiah, the high priests point blank ask him if He is the Messiah, to which he says, "you say I am". In Mark he utters, "I am". This was enough evidence to convict him, though they could not put him death according to the Law. But meanwhile they use it as permission to spit in his face, strike him and slap him. This was reserved for even the most grievous of criminals.
Meanwhile, Peter follows at a distance. Perhaps he hopes Jesus has one last miracle to free himself, but Peter does nothing to stand up for his friend or give true witness. In fear he hopes to blend in with the crowd, so as not to indict himself. Peter has said he would follow him unto his death, but at this moment he will not even stand up to say one word in his defense.
What can this mean for us? First of all, it is quite disturbing that the Son of Man, the One who was is the beginning and in the end will restore all things, should be treated with such disgust. After all who would have created a story where God himself receives this treatment from the ones He came to save. And yet, it was all foretold that he would be led like a sheep to the slaughter, and for our sakes he would have laid upon him the iniquity of us all. Finally, I wonder if like Peter, we are tempted to follow Jesus as a distance. When we are with him we are close to him, and yet when standing up for him could cause us some kind of rejection or bad treatment, we shrink back to blend in with the crowds. As was preached yesterday in our church from the Gospel lesson, "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I will deny before my Father in heaven." (Matthew 10:32)
Where is Jesus calling you to acknowledge or confess him in your life? Paul tells in that moment the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness in Romans 8:26. And that the sufferings of this world are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in Christ Jesus! Romans 8:31 Amen.
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