DAY #48: February 17, 2009 - Matthew 26:47-68

The mob came for Jesus in the middle of the night when most of the people were asleep, so they could arrest Jesus without commotion. Although there were no crowds to worry about, Jesus was surrounded by eleven loyal followers who might put up a fight, so they came armed with swords and clubs in addition to lanterns and torches to light their way (John 18:3).

Judas had told the crowd to arrest the man whom he would kiss. A kiss on the cheek or hand was a common form of greeting in the Middle East, so this was not unusual. According to John 18:10, the person who pulled out a sword was Peter, who slashed off the right ear of the high priest’s servant named Malchus. Peter was demonstrating his loyalty as well and possibly preventing what he saw as defeat. He wasn’t going to let this crowd arrest Jesus without putting up a fight. Luke 22:51 records that Jesus immediately healed the man’s ear and prevented any further bloodshed. Jesus told Peter to put away his sword and allow God’s plan to unfold. Peter didn’t understand that Jesus had to die in order to gain victory.

Jesus’ words here, recorded only by Matthew, stress the difference between people’s tendency to take matters into their own hands (and suffer the consequences) and God’s more far-reaching actions. The reason for putting the sword away was that those who use the sword will be killed by the sword. To take revenge with one’s own hands is to set oneself against the will of God. Jesus clarified this by stating that he could call on his Father who would at once make available to him thousands of angels. Jesus was stating that he was in control—thus, everything was happening with his permission.

If Jesus were to call for protection from legions of angels, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen? Jesus’ suffering would be necessary to God’s plan; no one must stand in the way of God’s will. Jesus pointed out the ridiculous tactics of these people who had come to arrest him. They did not need to come against him with swords and clubs, for he voluntarily surrendered himself. Jesus was not a dangerous criminal; he was a religious teacher who had been teaching in the Temple every day during the past week. Instead, they came at night for fear of the crowds.

The trial by the Council had two phases. This first phase occurred during the night; then another meeting was held early in the morning to satisfy a law that allowed trials only during the daytime. That meeting was a mere formality held at daybreak, during which the verdict was given and Jesus was led off to the Roman procurator for sentencing. A death sentence had to be authorized by the Romans (John 18:31). By then it was very early Friday morning, before daybreak. Jesus was taken under guard from the garden back into Jerusalem to the home of Caiaphas, the ruling high priest.

The high priest’s residence was a palace with outer walls enclosing a courtyard. Although most of the disciples had fled when the soldiers arrested Jesus, two of them, Peter and another disciple (perhaps John) returned to where Jesus had been taken (John 18:15). Upstairs in the high priest’s palace, the leading priests and the entire high council had assembled before dawn. They wanted evidence to convict Jesus of a crime deserving death, but they did not find any. The obvious conclusion should have been that Jesus was innocent of any crime. But this was not a trial for justice; it was a trial to accomplish an evil purpose.

There was no shortage of witnesses; the problem was in finding two testimonies that agreed. During a trial, each witness would be called upon separately to give his testimony. But the stories these witnesses gave did not agree in the details. According to Moses’ law, no one was to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness (Numbers 35:30); there had to be two or three agreeing witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15). This must have been exasperating for the desperate religious leaders. They weren’t going to let Jesus get away on a technicality!

Finally, two men were found who claimed that Jesus had said he could destroy the Temple of God. However, Jesus had not spoken in the first person (“I will destroy”); nor had he said anything linking his words with the Temple building. Instead, Jesus had spoken in the second person plural, issuing a command, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Jesus, of course, was talking about his body, not the building. Ironically, the religious leaders were about to destroy Jesus’ body just as he had said, and three days later he would rise from the dead.

The legal code required that a defendant answer his accusers, so Caiaphas was getting frustrated. His only hope was to get Jesus to say something that would give them evidence to convict him. Caiaphas tried to make up in intimidation what was lacking in evidence. He asked Jesus to answer his accusers and then to explain the accusations against him. Jesus had nothing to say to the group of liars who had spoken against him, so he remained silent. This had been prophesied in Scripture (Isaiah 53:7). With Jesus’ silence, the court proceedings ground to a halt. But Caiaphas had another tactic up the sleeve of his priestly robe. He decided to ask Jesus point-blank, “Tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” The Council must have held its collective breath in anticipation. Would Jesus outrightly claim to be the Messiah?

To the first questions, Jesus made no reply because the questions were based on confusing and erroneous evidence. Not answering was wiser than trying to clarify the fabricated accusations. But if Jesus had refused to answer this question, it would have been tantamount to denying his deity and his mission. So Jesus answered without hesitation, “Yes, it is as you say.”

Then Jesus gave a startling prophecy. The words the Son of Man, sitting at God’s right hand refer to Psalm 110:1, and coming back on the clouds of heaven recall Daniel 7:13-14. The “clouds” represented the power and glory of God. Both verses were considered to be prophecies of the coming Messiah, and Jesus applied them to himself. As the one sitting at the right hand of power, he would judge his accusers, and they would have to answer to him.

The high priest recognized Jesus’ claim and exclaimed to the Council, “You have all heard his blasphemy.” Blasphemy was punishable by death (Leviticus 24:15-16). “Why do we need other witnesses?” asked Caiaphas without expecting any answer. They needed no more false witnesses. Jesus had finally said what Caiaphas needed, so he asked for the group’s decision. They condemned him to die. Then some of the members of the Council acted in a most brutish way. To spit in someone’s face was the worst insult possible (Numbers 12:14), but these religious men weren’t content to stop at that. While Jesus was blindfolded, they took turns hitting him and then asking him to tell who it was that hit him. Yet even this had been prophesied in Scripture (Isaiah 52:14). Jesus suffered great pain, humiliation, and brutality to take away our sin.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)



I have already spoken of my anger regarding the immoral behavior of the Pharisees and other religious leaders, No sense in venting more frustration and astonishment at the ugly, repulsive and evil behavior of these supreme hypocrites. Today, I am moved once again at the singular sense of purpose that Jesus had. In the face of evil, Jesus kept His composure. He kept His dignity and He finished His mission.


I am in awe of Jesus. He is my hero. Would to God I would not let any person, any accusation, any sort of evil keep me from my mission and life purpose. To my discredit, how many times have I cried out like David, to God, asking for help and rescue from those who would oppose me and the work of God. How many times have I cried out for justice to be done to those who have sought to hurt me and defame me. There have been days, along the way, when I have lost sight of why God put me here and what He has called me to accomplish. Lord, give me the dogged determination of Jesus. Give me the tenacity of Jesus. Give me the single-mindedness of Jesus.


PRAYER


Lord, I want desperately to pass down a godly heritage to my children. I want desperately to finish well. Lord, I need Your strength and Your endurance to finish my race. Lord, fill me today with Your spirit. Renew my energy and give strength to my feeble legs and arms. When the opposition arises, Lord, you go before me and defend me and Your church. Help me to stay focused on the task at hand. Lord, build this same character into the fiber of every person at COV. Lord, I love these people. Work in them and through them.