Jesus, an innocent man, is arrested in an olive grove and now stands ready to be condemned to death – there is no doubt about the outcome. How did it all come to this? How did it come to this, that the most theologically adept men of the day sat ready to condemn an innocent man, they sat ready to condemn the one who was there to liberate them? How did it come to this, that good friends and loyal followers - true believers -would betray and deny the one they were so sure was the coming Messiah?
Judas, Peter, and the Sanhedrin, good people, people who love God, these people believe they are acting in good faith, they believe they are truly faithful; But, each in their own way are not faithful, are they? In fact, they are not at all faithful, they are only, appearing to be faithful, they are in fact pretending to be spiritual.
Judas, he wants what is best for the people of Israel, and he will do whatever it takes, even the most extreme act, to make the right thing happen. Peter, he believes his faith is so strong that he will hold up under any pressure, even the threat of death. The Sanhedrin, they are the ones charged with safeguarding the faith; They will use their education and analytical skills to determine if the current events are genuine or not - They are faithful to the letter of the law.
Every single one of these men believe that they are faithful. Every single one of these men see their actions as spiritual. Every one of these men could justify their actions as godly. Every single one of these men is blind to the fact that they are making the single worst mistake of their lives.
Look, we all want to be faithful, isn’t that at the core of being a Christian? Isn’t being faithful to Christ what it is all about? Can we, as a people of God, live in a way that we see serves the faith, but in reality, rejects God? Can we, who are followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, for all intents and purposes, appear to be working for the kingdom of God, but in reality, be working against the kingdom of God?
In a word – Absolutely. Appearing to be spiritual, appearing to be faithful is neither spiritual nor faithful, it only appears to be.
In our Scripture today we have three different types of people, all who, in their own way, see themselves as serving God; Yet, though they all see themselves as serving God, they are only faking it. And let’s be clear, whatever their intentions are, however noble their intentions are on this night, intentions send Jesus to His death.
Judas. Our view of Judas is colored by knowing the end of the story. We know Judas is the one who commits the unthinkable act, we know Judas in not an honorable man, we know that we are not anything like Judas. So we imagine Judas to be this monster, a man who lurks behind the scenes, just waiting to commit evil acts. But in reality, Judas is as human as you and I are. He was taken by Jesus teachings….you know he gave up three years of his life to follow Jesus. He gave up three years of pursuing his own interests, for the sake of Jesus. Judas managed the accounts – a thankless job in many circles. And remember it was to Peter that Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan”, and not to Judas. I’m sure Judas knew his Hebrew bible and could quote chapter and verse. To top it all off, not a single disciple, not a single follower of Jesus suspected that Judas was planning his betrayal.
Judas looked and acted the part – if he did not, don’t you think the other disciples would have suspected something? I think Judas is an extreme example of playing the part, he is number one on the list of people who appeared to be faithful, but again, appearances mean nothing.
We can only speculate on what was going through Judas’ mind. We can only speculate on why Judas felt that he had to betray Jesus – but one thing you can be sure of, Judas did not wake up one morning and say to himself, “Today’s the day that I will start being evil, today’s the day that I will no longer serve God and will now serve Satan”. No, Judas followed Jesus from day one because he wanted to serve God. His intentions from day one were to live for God, why else who someone set aside three years of their life to follow Jesus?
Clearly it wasn’t money. Later we see that Judas throws the money back at the authorities in regret. It was something else that motivated Judas to betray Jesus with a kiss in verse 45. Notice this: His action toward Jesus is done with sweetness. He is not a nasty monster foaming at the mouth. He has no anger, no bitterness, no hostility. He is happy, with a clear conscience – and be aware of this: Judas appears to be doing the right thing to a large number of people. There are a number of people backing him up – “Go Judas”.
Judas approaches Jesus and declares his respect – while betraying Jesus. Judas calls Jesus “Rabbi” which is a term of respect. He didn’t have to say that, the armed crowd is only looking for a kiss as a signal. Maybe this is his way of showing that there are no hard feelings, he had to do, what he had to do. But of course, Judas fools himself. Respect of God, is NOT commitment to God. We can respect someone and at the same time cut them off at the knees, in fact we can love someone and hurt them worse than a stranger…When was the last time you said something to someone you love dearly that cut like a knife in a heated argument? That’s what I’m talking about.
Judas is now out of the picture. Understand that in the events leading up to the betrayal of Jesus and then right after the betrayal, Judas appears to many, including himself, to be doing the right thing, to be righteous, to be faithful, but again appearances aren’t everything are they?
Jesus’ response to the arrest is to name the absurd, verse 48-49, 48 “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” Jesus describes himself with a word that in context commonly denotes a zealot leader. Clearly the authorities fear Jesus. He had raised people from the dead, they believe that they need to be prepared for any tricks Jesus might throw at them.
The warrant for Jesus arrest was issued by the Sanhedrin – this is why he is brought to the high priest’s house. If Romans issued the warrant, Jesus would have been brought directly to a Roman preafect.
This arrest is quite legal. The Sanhedrin had at their disposal the temple police as well as an auxiliary police force – who were to keep order beyond the temple grounds. These police were authorized to make arrests, lead accused persons to court, guard prisoners, and carry out sentences. An arresting party made up of such mean would be armed – clubs were used by servants of the high priest. These men were most certainly authorized to make this arrest for they were authorized by the highest Jewish court in the land. In the Roman providences, enforcement of the civil code and to a large degree, criminal law, among non-citizens, was relegated to local officials. The Sanhedrin are these local officials and be certain that it was in their full legal right to have Jesus arrested. By all appearances, they are acting in good faith.
Jesus then places situation in God’s hands, “But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” Notice that even though the situation is in God’s hands, suffering is not avoided. Just a side note for us: If Jesus, who is in God’s hands does not avoid suffering – why should we Christians, who are in God’s hands, avoid suffering?
The Scriptures fulfilled are Isaiah 53:12 and Zechariah 13:7.
Upon Jesus’ arrest, everyone, everyone, runs – even Peter, verse 50. In verse 51 we see that a young man is seized and he somehow gets himself free. The word here used for young man describes an exceptionally strong and robust man and is a reference to Amos 2:16. This describes a day that no man however strong and valiant will be able to withstand. In other words, no one, by their human strength would be able to stand up for Jesus. Not even Peter.
Peter. He runs with everyone else, but to be fair he follows at a distance…which technically isn’t denial, verse 54. Peter hangs out at the house of the high priest and is doing just fine until he is put on the spot. Those sitting with him at the fire know that Peter is a Galilean because of his accent. Hebrew is a very guttural language. Those who grew up in the mostly rural area of Galilee had great difficulty distinguishing between several guttural sounds found in the Hebrew language. The Galileans were like visitors we get up here in Alaska who are from New York, Boston, Minnesota or Alabama – there is no way that they can hide from us that they are from the outside. They just open their mouth and give themselves away.
But you have to give it to Peter, he had great courage didn’t he? He alone follows Jesus and even places himself in great danger right under the nose of the high priest Caiaphas. There he sits warming himself with danger lurking around the corner and by all appearances he is the last faithful one. But, Peter’s failure is his greatest strength – his courage. Peter thinks that he is able…HE is able. He thinks that by his own faith he will be able to stand strong, he has done it so far in life, why would it fail him now?
Peter has made the mistake that it is our faith that we depend upon in times of crisis. If we appear to be holding up, if we can hold it together a few days longer, a few hours longer, then, we can breath easier. It appears that Peter is holding all together, but as we well know, appearances aren’t everything.
Look, it is not through my faith, it is not through your faith, no, it is through Jesus Christ. This is when we accomplish. This is when we overcome. It is not you – it is in Jesus Christ.
One question I have is why didn’t Peter stop after the first cock crow? He had two more denials to go. He could have stopped, got up and walked away, but he stays. I think Peter still had his own strength to rely on, and come hell or high water, Peter was going to be self reliant. Well, it wasn’t the high water that arrived that night was it?
One thing I love about this passage is that there is a message of hope for us. We see this in verse 72, “And he broke down and wept.” Peter, for all his flaws and for all his failures is immediately remorseful, you just know he will seek forgiveness when you see him break down – this is in contrast to Judas, who appears to walk away from his betrayal without a second thought, that is, until he saw the consequences. Peter, he sees his own internal failure, not so much the outside consequence. For Peter it is a matter of the heart, for Judas it is a matter of practical outcome. God, he looks at the heart.
The Sanhedrin. 53 “They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together.” This is a description of the Sanhedrin. According to Josephus, the Sanhedrin constituted the supreme court of Jewish law. The council was composed of seventy members over which the high priest presided. There at the trial would be: The high priest Caiaphas; The chief priests, former holders of the office of high priest; The elders, who represented families of influential wealthy landowners; The commander of the Temple guard; The steward of the Temple; The three Temple treasurers; The teachers of the law, who were mostly middle class and consisted of primarily lawyers – Man, the lawyers have their fingers into everything don’t they?
It took only twenty three members to make a quorum. They sat in a semi circle with the accused and any witnesses in the center. The high priest guided the proceedings. Caiaphas held the office of high priest for a total of nineteen years while the average high priest held office for about two years. This shows what a powerful and influential man he was. Jesus stand before the most powerful and astute high priest of his day.
The court is fully operating within its legal power. By bringing Jesus before them, the court has not done anything wrong. They have the full legal right to bring any Jew before them and demand that he answer their questions. They are the religious authority of the day. The Sanhedrin is operating within the bounds of law, and they are abiding by the law…and let me remind you that Paul tells us that we are subject to civil authorities, Titus 3:1 “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,”.
The men make sure that this trial is done by the letter of the law. The process is the same that any other Jew standing before them would go through. Now, these men don’t want to operate a kangaroo court. They are above that. These men are professionals, experts in their respective fields. They don’t want anyone to later question them on a point of law or have Jesus released on a technicality. Everything will be done decently and in order.
Now it is true that they were not seeking the truth, they were seeking approval of their actions. But, but, let me take pains to point out, technically, they are doing nothing wrong. Do you see what I mean? Each one of these men could stand before us this morning and say, with a clear conscience I might add, that they did nothing wrong.
The proceeding begin with the taking of evidence, verse 55-56. Capital cases required the unanimous evidence of at least two witnesses. They gave their testimony individually and verbally before the judges. If they differed from each other even in trivial details – the evidence was inadmissible. These men may intend to convict Jesus, but they will adhere to strictly legal standards. Those brought forth could not collaborate their stories.
Do you see what is going on here? These are men who love God, who follow God, who no doubt would die for their faith. They, in their own minds, see that they are doing the right thing. They are following procedure. They are following the law –without an ounce of regret.
Since the witnesses statements did not agree. They gave testimony against Jesus. Verse 57-60. It was false in the sense that they took Jesus’ statement as literal – that Jesus would demolish this huge stone structure and then rebuild it in three days. It took many years to build the Temple that was in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day. We know that Jesus was referring to his death and resurrection, that he was saying that He was saying that by His resurrection the Temple would be made obsolete, as would the high priest he stood before. The way the charge is presented to the court makes it an absurd charge – but a serious charge. Throughout the Roman world the destruction or desecration of holy places was a capitol crime. The mere threat of violence toward the Temple is enough for the Sanhedrin to merit the death penalty. Historically we see in Jeremiah 26:1-19, Jeremiah simply announcing that a catastrophe will overtake the Temple and he is seized by the people and threatened with death.
But the destruction of the Temple did not provide final basis for the verdict, because even this testimony did not agree. Because none of the testimony has secured the outcome desired – the high priest steps in and interrogates Jesus himself. Jesus is required by law to answer the accusations brought against him – and his insistence on not responding frustrates the council. So they are in a deadlock. Basically a hung jury.
Now though the Temple is inadmissible evidence it sets a messianic tone for the proceedings. Judaism expected a renewal of the glory of the Temple when the messiah returned – maybe, this is what leads Caiaphas to ask Jesus directly if he is the Messiah. Verse 61. “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” Judaism demanded proof of the Messiah’s identity – a messiah abandoned, easily captured and at the hands of his foes was inconceivable. This in itself proves to them that Jesus is not the Messiah. More over, it was felt that God alone was the one who could announce and enthrone the messiah. This is why the demand is for a simple yes or no.
Jesus does not fit their concept of who Jesus should be. They set up a paradigm, work the numbers, check and recheck their answers – but this is not the messiah that fits their ideas, plans or imagination….a lot of us here did that for years didn’t we? Then we discovered that Jesus will never fit our bill of goods…I’m the one who needs to change, I‘m the one who needs redemption in my thinking.
If Jesus answers positive their case is won. Remember, their intent is not a just verdict, but a resolve to convict. Is Caiaphas giving Jesus a chance to recant? No he is not. Ironically, Caiaphas wants Jesus to openly confess who He is so they can kill him. They think they control the destiny of those who stand before them.
Jesus answers by referring to both psalm 110:1, and Dan 7:13. 62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The Son of Man is a messianic designation as is the sitting in the place of honor at the right hand. Jesus is describing the enthronement and parousia of the messiah – and claiming that He is indeed the one who will be enthroned.
The Sanhedrin take this as blasphemy. The tearing the garments shows that Caiaphas thought Jesus had blasphemed. Blasphemy technically meant to dishonor God by diminishing his majesty or depriving him of rights to which he is entitled. Leviticus 24: 15-16 states: ‘If anyone curses his God, he will be held responsible; anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.” The law says Jesus was to be stoned, but the Romans had to carry out the verdict, and they alone decided the method of execution.
Under the circumstances set up by the court, Jesus’ claim to be God appeared to be mockery. How could God be so easily captured and interrogated? Again, evidence that Jesus was an imposter. Once condemned the council had to show its contempt for such behavior. This was accomplished through spitting and blows to the body (verse 65) – these were conventional gestures of rejection and repudiation. They heap indignities upon him for what they see as his unqualified claim to messiah.
Let end by saying that as Jesus is led away, those who made up the Sanhedrin could walk home and climb under the covers satisfied that they had done no wrong, satisfied that they had been faithful. Judas could sleep well that night knowing he did what he could to help the state of Israel and Peter, though clearly remorseful, He could step back and say that his intention were good…Finally, to those who populated the city of Jerusalem all who participated in this event appeared to be faithful and godly men.
Of course things are not always as they appear.
