SERVICES: SATURDAY 6PM | SUNDAY 9AM & 10:45AM. 

We Livestream at www.FaithFellowshipWeb.com/livestream, through the FFC App, and YouTube.

On Trial

On Trial

Words of Faith 2-6-19

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2019

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

 

Luke 22:66-71   

    [66] At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. [67] "If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us."

    Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, [68] and if I asked you, you would not answer. [69] But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."

    [70] They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"

    He replied, "You are right in saying I am."

    [71] Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips."

 

        Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin for His first trial.  This council was the Jewish nation's official judicial body. This was the final court of appeals. If the council found Jesus guilty, it was the last word, and the nation would corporately find Him guilty through these representatives.

       The gathering was made up of "leading priests", "elders" and "scribes", which were the three groups represented on the Sanhedrin.  The full Sanhedrin had seventy-one members. They customarily assembled in a meeting hall in the Temple called the Chamber of Hewn Stone where they sat in a semicircle with the high priest in the center.  But in this case, they gathered at the private mansion of the High Priest Caiaphas.

       Night trials were illegal, so the Sanhedrin was hastily gathered at daybreak to maintain some semblance of legality. The council wanted to know if Jesus was the Christ, that is if Jesus was genuinely presenting Himself as the Messiah.

        At this point, they were not interested in other charges. Since the council knew that Jesus had been presenting Himself as the Messiah, they may have been giving Him an opportunity to recant. They may also have been trying to shame Him in front of His followers.

        Technically, the high priest could not legally force Jesus to convict himself out of his own mouth.  Judaism had the equivalent of the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination.  Nevertheless, Caiaphas asked whether Jesus thought of himself as a Messiah.  In the High Priest's mind, this would brand Jesus as a revolutionary.  

        In response, Jesus affirmed His authority as the Messiah, the One who, after His death, resurrection, and Ascension, would be seated at the right hand of the mighty God, the place of honor.  He also plainly told the council that He was the Son of God.  Jesus' response was a claim to be much more than a mere mortal messiah, but rather the cosmic ruler described in Daniel 7:13-14. 

         The council decided they had received all the testimony they needed. In their view, Jesus was guilty of blasphemy. Although the body acted as a whole, not all its members concurred (Luke 23:51).  Some objected. Interestingly, these few objections helped to seal the fate of Jesus.  Judaism had a strong tradition that a capital conviction could not be unanimous because unanimity suggested an inadequate defense.  There had to be at least a few dissenting votes in order to pass Jesus on to the next level of trial.

        The Sanhedrin was now ready to hand Jesus over to the Roman authorities. The council could give a guilty verdict, but the Jews at that time were not allowed to impose the death penalty. Only Rome could sentence to death. Even though Jesus had performed messianic miracles, the leaders of the nation refused to believe. They acted on behalf of the nation in rejecting Christ. 

         What do we gather from this other than the painful court record leading toward the crucifixion?

          First, we find out in the trial clearly and precisely who Jesus was and is.  He is indeed the Jewish Messiah of God. He is the Son of Man-- a fully human presence for God on earth.  He is the Son of God-- a fully divine presence of God on earth who is eternal in nature. 

          We also see what Jesus was willing to do for us.  In the face of beatings and mocking, He did not deny who He was.  He did not reject us.  He went through the most difficult of trials and was resolute in standing up for us.

 

          Lord God, thank You for sending Jesus.  Thank You for the Messiah of God.  Thank You for the Son of Man who is the Son of God.  Thank You for Jesus, my friend, who stood through the trial and still stands with me in my times of trial.  May He walk with me this day.  In Jesus' name.