The Trial of Jesus, Phase 1
Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered....The chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.' " And the high priest stood up and said, "Have you no answer you make?"...But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has uttered blasphemy." Matt. 26:57-65, ESV.
The Jewish leaders have Jesus in their hands at last. Now they have a new problem--what to do with Him. The issue is not their goal, but rather how to get there.
The Sanhedrin's task is complex because although they are seeking the death penalty, they have no authority to mete it out. The Romans, while using local administration in conquered provinces whenever possible, kept the ultimate penalty in their own hands.
Thus the Jewish leaders face a crucial problem. They want to have Jesus put to death for His Messianic claims, but the Romans did not accept blasphemy as a capital offense. As a result, the leaders of the Sanhedrin have a twofold task before them. First, they must develop among their own members the need to have Jesus executed for blasphemy--a matter of Jewish law. Second, they must devise an appropriate strategy to induce the Roman governor to issue the death penalty on the basis of Roman law.
After some less-than-successful maneuvering, the leadership finally fastens a charge on Jesus, but it is not enough. At that point Caiaphas plainly asks Jesus if He is the Christ.
The question was forthright. And so would be the answer. Jesus not only replies in the affirmative, but goes on to say that in the future the members of the Sanhedrin would see Him sitting at God's right hand and coming in the clouds of heaven.
That answer is all that Caiaphas needs. Blasphemy is punishable in the Old Testament by stoning. The high priest has reached goal one. Now the task is to transpose the Jewish accusation into a breach of Roman law serious enough to require the death penalty.
Help us, Father, as we watch the kingdoms of this world face off with Your kingdom, to see Your hand at work in the complexities of life.
Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered....The chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.' " And the high priest stood up and said, "Have you no answer you make?"...But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has uttered blasphemy." Matt. 26:57-65, ESV.
The Jewish leaders have Jesus in their hands at last. Now they have a new problem--what to do with Him. The issue is not their goal, but rather how to get there.
The Sanhedrin's task is complex because although they are seeking the death penalty, they have no authority to mete it out. The Romans, while using local administration in conquered provinces whenever possible, kept the ultimate penalty in their own hands.
Thus the Jewish leaders face a crucial problem. They want to have Jesus put to death for His Messianic claims, but the Romans did not accept blasphemy as a capital offense. As a result, the leaders of the Sanhedrin have a twofold task before them. First, they must develop among their own members the need to have Jesus executed for blasphemy--a matter of Jewish law. Second, they must devise an appropriate strategy to induce the Roman governor to issue the death penalty on the basis of Roman law.
After some less-than-successful maneuvering, the leadership finally fastens a charge on Jesus, but it is not enough. At that point Caiaphas plainly asks Jesus if He is the Christ.
The question was forthright. And so would be the answer. Jesus not only replies in the affirmative, but goes on to say that in the future the members of the Sanhedrin would see Him sitting at God's right hand and coming in the clouds of heaven.
That answer is all that Caiaphas needs. Blasphemy is punishable in the Old Testament by stoning. The high priest has reached goal one. Now the task is to transpose the Jewish accusation into a breach of Roman law serious enough to require the death penalty.
Help us, Father, as we watch the kingdoms of this world face off with Your kingdom, to see Your hand at work in the complexities of life.
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