Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65; Luke
22:54, 63-71; John 18:12, 13, 19-24.
Historical Setting:
Time: Friday morning, between 1
a.m. and 5 a.m.
Place: The palaces of Annas and
Caiaphas, at Jerusalem
Persons: Christ, Annas,
Caiaphas, members of the Sanhedrin, officers and soldiers.
Christ has now been arrested. He is led down the hill from
Gethsemane, across the bridge over brook Kidron, and up to the
city gates. It is the dead of night; few people are on the
streets, so the band proceeds quietly through the city. There
are many Galileans who had witnessed Christ's wonderful
miracles, and the Jewish leaders fear that these and others
who love and honor Jesus may create a riot if they knew that
Jesus had been arrested. So "tiptoeing" through the city was
important. Jesus is first taken to Annas, the father-in-law of
Caiaphas, the High Priest. Annas is a man of about seventy. He
was the former high priest, but still wields a great deal of
authority. His son-in-law is completely under his influence.
Annas has acquired a great deal of wealth from the temple
revenues, so he regards Christ with peculiar hatred because of
His action just a week earlier, when He chased the money
changers and traders from the temple.
So now Jesus is
standing before this man who fears His power, and hates His
teaching. At last Annas has power over Him! He is in his
hands! Quickly he sends messengers to summon the Sanhedrin
members to assemble at Caiaphas’ house so that the trial might
be held. It is a Mock Trial. A SHAM! According to the Jewish
laws, no trial can take place at night. But Annas is so afraid
of a riot among the people that he has decided it must take
place immediately.
After brief questioning, Annas leads the troop higher up
the hill to Caiaphas' dwelling, where they wait until the
counselors and witnesses arrive. Jesus is led in, His hands–so
unnecessarily–still bound in front of Him. Why? He had
willingly surrendered Himself to His captors, and had offered
no resistance since His arrest.
And the trial begins. The Jewish criminal procedure
was carefully planned. Among the law governing the procedure
were the following:
**Every prisoner must have witnesses to
speak for him;
**He could not be compelled to speak against
himself;
**He was to be considered innocent until proven
guilty;
**No enemy could sit in the council to judge him;
**Two witnesses must confirm a testimony against him;
**The sentence could not be given until the day after the
trial, nor the execution take place until the day after the
sentence had been given.
But since they had already
broken the Jewish law in order for the trial to be held at
night, it wasn't hard to disregard all the other rules. It had
been pre-determined that He was to be found guilty. Caiaphas
had already spread the word that He must die, and all those
who were to judge Him were His enemies. But a trial they must
have, so a mock trial they did have.
Caiaphas begins asking Jesus questions. He asks Him about
His disciples and His doctrines. Jesus refuses to answer the
questions regarding His disciples. He would not “incriminate”
His friends. Regarding His doctrines He answers: John
18:20-21 "I have spoken openly to the
world. I ever taught in the synagogues and in the temple,
where all the Jews come together, and in secret have I said
nothing. Why askest thou Me? Ask them which heard Me what I
have said unto them; behold, they know what I said."
The officer who is standing near Jesus, who is used to
seeing prisoners cringe before the high priest, does not like
Jesus' assured manner, the manner of an equal. He strikes Him
and asks, "Answerest Thou the high priest
so?" But even this does not make Jesus angry. He
calmly answers him. "If I have spoken
evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why smitest thou
Me?"
The officer does not reply to Him, nor is he
given a reprimand from his superiors for having struck the
Prisoner.
And now the witnesses are summoned. Evidence of wrongdoing
must be supplied. They know they cannot come up with true
evidence, so they seek false evidence. They have to have an
excuse to put Jesus to death. Although many people come forth
with trumped-up accusations, the accusations conflict with
each other. None of them can come up with what the chief
priest needs in order to lay a legal charge.... Then two
witnesses come forward. They remember having heard Jesus say
that He could destroy the temple, and build it again in three
days. Aha! Now at last they have something. Had He not spoken
against their temple? Had He not threatened to destroy
it?
"Is this true?" asks
the high priest.
To this charge, as to all others, Christ makes no reply. He
can see that the trial is a sham, a mockery; what good would
denial of the accusations do?
Caiaphas arises and approaches Jesus now. "Answerest Thou nothing?" he asks.
"What is it which these witness against
thee?" But Jesus still holds His peace... His calm
silence enrages the high priest. He would force Him to speak.
"I adjure Thee," said Caiaphas,
"by the living God that Thou tell us
whether Thou art Christ, the Son of God."
Now, at last, Jesus breaks the silence. These men must know
Who it is they are accusing, so He answers: Matthew
26:64 "Yes, I said that, and I say
further that you will see me at the right hand of God. And
although you try to destroy Me, I will come again in the
clouds."
This infuriates the high priest. He tears his clothes to
show his horror. He exclaims: "What
further need have we of witnesses? Ye have heard the
blasphemy; what think ye?"
With one voice the Sanhedrin pronounces, "He is worthy of death! He has blasphemed
against God!"
Now the council brakes up.
The members go home, leaving Jesus in the hands of the temple
guards. They take Jesus to the courtyard below. Here, He is
treated most cruelly by the brutal men. They spit on Him,
punch Him, and slap Him in the face. They blindfold Him, and
mockingly shout, "Prophecy unto us, Thou
Christ, who is he that struck Thee?" Matthew
26:67.
But Jesus remains calm, unmoved. He bears their insults and
offers no word of reproof. "He was
oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth."
Isaiah 53:7. For us He suffered. For us He
bore this shame, that we might receive pardon for our
sins.