Primary Texts: Matthew 26:57-27:10; Mark 14:53; John 18:12-28
Memory Verses: But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. Mark 14:61-64
Introduction:
Jesus actually endured six trials: three before the Jews, and three before the Romans. First, He was taken to Annas, the former high priest (but still an influential man in Judah, John 18:12-13). From there, He was sent to Caiaphas, Annas’ son-in-law, who was the official high priest (Matthew 26:57). At daybreak, Jesus was tried before the Sanhedrin council and pronounced guilty (Matthew 26:66-71). That Jesus was uncustomarily hurried through six different sessions of intense questioning and severe physical brutality in the space of one night and part of a morning is proof that the Jewish leaders had decided His fate even before the trials began.
Lacking the right of capital punishment (John 18:31-32), the Jews took Jesus to the Romans to procure the declaration for His crucifixion. He went first before Pilate (Matthew 23:1-4). Trying to avoid making a decision, Pilate sent Jesus to King Herod (Matthew 23:6-12), who quickly sent Him back to Pilate when Jesus was unwilling to entertain the Herodian king with miracles and wonders (Matthew 23:13-25). Unable to escape making a decision, Pilate finally conceded and gave the Sanhedrin what they had asked for, condemning Jesus to die on a Roman cross.
It is in Jesus’ meek (not “weak”) response to the vicious treatment meted out to Him in the Jewish courts that we see a most profound truth. The law of retaliation from the Old Testament (Exodus 21:24 and Leviticus 24:20) allowed for an equal response for abuse: “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But we see Jesus silently accepting punishment, a transcendent principle taught to His disciples and reaffirmed later in the writings of Peter (1 Peter 2:19-24, esp. v. 23). In that ancient culture, being smitten in the face was the worst form of insult and humiliation. To “turn the other cheek” literally means to endure wrong without taking revenge. For our sake, Jesus lived what He taught.
Studying the Word
Lesson Study
- What difficulty did Caiaphas have in putting Jesus on trial? Matthew 26:59-62; Mark 14:55-60
- Why did Caiaphas put Jesus under oath, and how did Jesus answer the high priest’s questions? Matthew 26:63-65; Mark 14:61-64; Luke 22:66-71; John 18:19-21
- How was Jesus treated for His “alleged” blasphemy? Matthew 26:67-68; Mark 14:65; Luke 22:63-65
- Describe the specific events of Peter’s three-fold denial of Christ. Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:55-62; John 18:15-18, 25-27
- Why did the high priest and the Sanhedrin deliver Jesus to Pontius Pilate? Matthew 27:1-2; Mark 15:1; John 18:28-31
- How did Judas react when he saw that Jesus had been condemned to death by the Jews? Matthew 27:3-5; Acts 1:18-19
- What were the prophecies concerning the betrayal of Judas? Psalm 41:9; Psalm 1092-9; Zechariah 11:12-13; John 13:18-30; Acts 1:20
- What happened to the thirty pieces of silver that Judas threw down in the temple? Matthew 27:6-10; Acts 1:18-19