The Messiah and His Miracles (Continued)

The Sign of the Prophet Jonah (Continued)

The Trials of Jesus

The defection of Judas had greatly helped the scheming Sanhedrists. With a disciple from the inner circle on board, it would be possible to frame an accusation before Pilate and have Jesus executed as an insurrectionist. They presented Judas to Pilate as a political witness, using his testimony to support a political charge. On the testimony of Judas, the procurator signed the order for the use of force to arrest Jesus, and he allocated a unit of Roman soldiers for this purpose. Understanding the need for haste during the festival, Pilate also committed himself to be ready early in the morning, to deal with the case.

So the long night, prosecuted by the power of darkness, began with a betrayal. Judas went to the garden of Gethsemane, with Roman and Temple guards, to arrest the Messiah. In the garden of Gethsemane, demon-possessed Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Kissing a Rabbi was a sign of discipleship and a sign of homage. Even the mode of betrayal was itself a betrayal, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48)

The arresting party first took Jesus to Annas. Annas had continued to exert the power of the High Priest even though Rome had deposed him in AD 14. It was in his residence that the first interrogation began. This hearing before Annas, the second hearing before Caiaphas, and the later third hearing before the Sanhedrin, all had the appearance of trials under Jewish law, but were without any of the safeguards of the Mosaic and Mishnaic codes. The first two were held at night, (against the law), and in secret, (against the law) and during the night, the accused was physically humiliated (against the law).

In these hearings, special attention was paid to the law of blasphemy.

From the home of Annas, they took Jesus to the palace of Caiaphas, who was son in law to Annas and the current holder of the office of High Priest. At this examination, the testimony of the witnesses did not agree, a situation that in normal circumstances should have ended the trial. Because the witnesses failed to bring convincing evidence, Caiaphas was compelled to use his high office and unlawfully question Jesus directly, using a formula that compelled a response. The oath, and the question that Caiaphas put to the Messiah, and which demanded an answer was, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God!” (Matt.26:63). Here Caiaphas put his finger on the significant elements in the matter. Here is a moment in time, when the decision by the nation would gain its final official status. Jesus answered clearly and responded in the affirmative, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matt.26:64). The whole counsel acted unanimously (and illegally), and proclaimed Him guilty of blasphemy and called for the death sentence. Here, the law-breaking leaders of the nation judicially rejected their Messiah. That all these activities took place at night made them unlawful, and served to demonstrate that these were the servants of the Prince of darkness, and enemies of the Light of the world.

Others in attendance that night, who claimed to be committed to the regulations of the Sanhedrists, ignored the instructions in the law that required them to act humanely, and perpetrated against the prisoner, actions that were high indignities. They abused the Lord of glory with fists, (which under other circumstances would carry a fine of several days’ wages); slapped Him across the face, (which could carry a fine of more than six months’ wages); and worst of all, in Jewish eyes, spat upon Him, (which could carry a fine of more than a year’s wages).

Those that rejected His Messianic claims because He broke the oral law, had no compunction about breaking the same law in at least twenty different instances. The law’s requirements regarding the conduct of capital cases were completely ignored, thus proving, “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jer.17:9).

During the humiliation of Jesus, Judas returned the blood money to the Chief Priests, recanted his actions, and then hanged himself. In the morning, as many of the Sanhedrin as could be mustered were gathered together to confirm the verdict and give the proceedings a look of legality.

Next Time: The execution of the Messiah – But why crucifixion?