Key Players In The Crucifixion: The Chief Priest Destroyed By Envy Series

KEY PLAYERS IN THE CRUCIFIXION:

THE CHIEF PRIEST:

DESTROYED BY ENVY

TEXT: Mark 14:53-65

INTRODUCTION: We see here Jesus being brought before the high priest Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin immediately after His arrest.

The chief priest, the elders, and the teachers of the law have assembled to look for evidence against Jesus. Witness after witness is brought in to testify falsely against Jesus, but they contradict each other.

In the center stands Jesus, silent, unmoving, calm. As it becomes clear that no two witnesses can agree, Caiaphas grows increasingly agitated and finally calls a halt to the farce.

Standing in front of Jesus, he asks, “Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?”

Silence. Impatiently Caiaphas rephrases his question, “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the blessed?”

This time Jesus answers, Verse 62. Jesus says, “I am.” Jesus claims to be the Messiah, the Son of God, and if that were not enough, He goes on to associate Himself with God sitting in judgement.

Now the Sanhedrin knew the Bible and they knew that Jesus was making reference to Daniel, 7:13-14.

Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

They realize that Jesus is saying that those who are judging Him will see Him on the seat of judgement with the Almighty at the last day.

Caiaphas recognizes his cue and, playing to the gallery, tears his clothes in horror. Verse 63-64

Blasphemy! Condemn Him! Put Him to death! Some are spitting on Jesus; someone else blindfolds Him; others are hitting and taunting Him. Taking their cue from Caiaphas, the guards close in and begin to beat Him.

What turned the Sanhedrin, the supreme court of the Jews, into a scene of near riot and travesty of justice? When the priest and the guards had finished beating Jesus, they bound Him, and dragged Him before Pilate, who called it as he saw it: Verse 15:10

Envy! Not some violation of an obscure Jewish law, not insurrection against the Roman government, not even the official charge of blasphemy against God, but the envy of Caiaphas and the priest sent Jesus to the cross.

I. ENVY: GOOD OR BAD?

The NT has two words for envy. The first has both a good and a bad meaning. It can mean; to have warmth of feeling for or against; zealous or jealous. DJ at college.

Paul uses the good sense in; 2 Cor 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy:

And it is used of Jesus to describe His zeal for righteousness as He drove out the money changers and pigeon sellers out of the temple courts.

John 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

So envy can be a good thing in the right way. But in it’s bad sense it means an envious jealousy or rivalry as when Paul says in,

1 Cor 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Zeal, even rivalry, is not a bad thing in itself, but it can go too far or used for the wrong reasons. Then it becomes possessive, clutching, thing called jealousy.

The second NT word for envy is never used in a good sense. It means; ill-will; jealousy; spite. A vindictive, resentful rivalry.

Look at what it is associated with in; Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

It is no longer concerned just to have what the other person has. It wants prevent the other person from having it also. This is the word Pilate used in Mark 15:10 when he said that the chief priest brought Jesus before him out of envy.

What provoked envy in the chief priest?

II. PRINCIPLE CLASHED WITH PROFIT

Look at Mark 11:15-18

Jesus cleanses the Temple, He drives out the money changers, overturning the benches of those selling pigeons and doves.

The chief priest had a religious racket going on. They were making big money selling the sacrificial animals to the people for the Passover. Only the rich could afford to buy the sacrificial animals at the exorbitant prices the priest set.

Religion is a money making business to many. There are so many people who are only interested in making money in the name of religion.