Study in Mark’s Gospel

Study in Mark’s Gospel Presentation 48

The Trial Of Jesus Chap 14v53-65 Presentation 48

Introduction The word "trial" has been defined as 'the procedure by which the guilt or the innocence of an individual is determined'. While some trials never manage to do that, for lack of substantial evidence there are others where no attempt is even made to secure justice. And when one reads the transcripts of these trials the great irony is that we begin to place, the prosecution, the witnesses, the jury and even the judge in the dock. It is their lives and motives which come under the closest scrutinyas we ask, “How could they do that?” The so-called trial of Jesus falls into this category and we find ourselves asking, “How could they do that?” Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial After his arrest Jesus was taken the house of the High Priest. Both the arrest and trial were greatly rushed. This is apparent from the fact that the first trial (or hearing) was held at night. This was illegal under Jewish law regarding capital cases. Why were things were done in the middle of the night, in secret, and not in a public place? Perhaps to prevent the people from rioting and becoming angry with the Sanhedrin. Notice too, that in order to try Jesus' case, Pilate was prevailed upon to come out of his palace early on what would normally not have been a trial day. Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial What becomes increasingly apparent in these verses is the sheer desperation of the religious leaders to make a case against Jesus. The priests needed evidence to bring before a hastily and illegally convened meeting of the Sanhedrin. More is involved here than their wanting the trial over and Jesus executed before, the population were alert to their plans. Nor was it simply a matter of getting the matter out of the way before the start of the Sabbath - so they could enjoy the post-Passover celebrations. Early in his ministry they had either denied Jesus’ miracles or attributed them to some unrelated intervention by God e.g. Jn. 9v24. But now the religious leaders had begun to openly acknowledge his miracles and were afraid of them! Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial The religious authorities had already made a number of unsuccessful attempts to arrest Jesus. On one occasion their guards had returned empty handed saying "No one ever spoke the way this man does” Jn.7v46. On another occasion, when they made their move against him, we read that, “Jesus hid himself slipping away from the temple grounds” Jn. 8v59. How had they tried to explain their abortive attempts to arrest Jesus? I suspect that they would not have voiced their most fundamental fear, ‘that Jesus might be unarrestable!’ Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial But now that they had him they would allow nothing to stand in their way of a quick trial and summary execution. At last there were in control of his destiny! Or, so they thought. Little did they realise that their undue haste, and illegal procedures, which pressed towards an early execution, would in fact serve the purposes of God! Jesus was The Passover Lamb [1Cor. 5v7] and the godhead had planned his death to coincide with the Passover sacrifice In Jerusalem. The significant symbolism would become a tool for gospel proclamation! God’s ability to use the illegal haste of others should encourage our hearts. He is in sovereign control of all the events of history despite what evil men might think to the contrary. Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial The rushed nature of the trial is evident from the fact that the prosecution’s case was not prepared. Indeed, it was being made up as they went along. The confusion and lack of agreement among the witnesses also helpsreflect the confusion and lack of cohesion that is a defining characteristic of the whole kingdom of evil. Mark clearly states that despite looking for evidence against Jesus they “did not find any” v55 . On an earlier occasion Jesus rhetorically asked, “which of you convinces me of sin” Jn.8v46.Did the sinlessness of Jesus not cause them to stop and think about his person and claims? No for prejudice is blind to the evidence that is placed before it. “There are none so blind as those who will not see”. Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial This is one of the most remarkable trials in the history of jurisprudence. Before it began they already had a verdict, ‘guilty’ v55 all they needed was evidence to substantiate their verdict. The trial was a fiasco. The witnesses for the prosecution could not agree. The Mosaic legal code could only convict on the basis the agreed testimony of at least two witnesses. Even those witnesses who has agreed to perjure their testimony could not agree! The case would be thrown out! The only solution left to Jesus’ enemies was to have him testify against himself – something he was not obliged to do. If you have watched American TV trials it is at the point that the prisoner claims his 5thamendment rights! Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial However, Jesus remained silent. He did not dispute the false claims made against him or try to vindicate himself. Why? Isaiah of the Messiah in these terms, “as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” Isa. 53v7. Why did Jesus not defend himself. On every other occasion, when the religious establishment had attempted to trap him he had sprung the trap with consummate ease. Why not this time? Quite simply, Jesus was not standing before the bar of ‘justice’ on his own account. He stood there as the representative man of a new humanity and as the substitute of a sinful people. Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial Indeed a few verses earlier in the Isaiah passage we read of him in this way; “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” v4-6 Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial Jesus mission was to embrace death on behalf of sinful man in whose place he stood. He did not defend himself when he so easily could have. Contrast this picture with the one found in the early chapters of Romans. It this courtroom scene all of humanity stand before the bar of God’s justice. A watertight case has been made against them. The prosecutor sits down and an opportunity is given to make their defence but ‘every mouth was silenced and the whole world held accountable before God’ . Rom. 3v19 This silence was because there was nothing that could be said in their defence – they were guilty! Jesus assumed that guilt and bore its punishment. Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial Now in order to break Jesus’ silence the frustrated High Priest asked a question concerning Jesus’ identity. “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” This was a question that Jesus was willing and required to answer. He replied “I am and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’” Caiaphas recognised the messianic claim that Jesus was making. Up until this point Jesus had been careful to keep claim very low-key, even after Peter had confessed that Jesus ‘was the Christ’…“Jesus warned them [the disciples] not to tell anyone about him” Mk. 8.30. Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial However, by this time Jesus’ actions were seen to be messianic in nature. Could there be a more visually compelling claim than that made on his entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday? In addition in the Parable of the Tenants, the members of the Sanhedrin who were present, knew that Jesus had spoken this parable against them. The messianic implications of the parable had been grasped even by the spiritually blind religious leaders. Therefore by asking this question Caiaphas was hoping for an answer that would incriminate Jesus. Presentation 48

A Rushed Trial Caiaphas got one. Jesus openly and plainly claimed to be not only the Messiah but the Son of God. Jesus identified himself with the figure spoken of in Daniel 7v13 and Psalm 110v1. Jesus continued that he was spoken of throughout the O.T. as one who wouldpreside over an everlasting kingdom, while reigning from an exalted position of great power. The implication is clear, whatever they did to Jesus, one day he would stand in judgment over Caiaphas and all who reject him. Caiaphas is obligated to recognize Jesus as Israel’s Messiah. If Caiaphas thought he had put Jesus on trial he was discovering it was he and the Sanhedrin who are on trial before God. Presentation 48

Growing Humiliation Jesus’ answer outraged Caiaphas who, “tore his clothes”, v63. This indicated that Caiaphas regarded Jesus’ words as blasphemous and deserving of death. By tearing his magnificent priestly robes, Caiaphas is calling for an immediate verdict. Mark simply says, “they all condemned him as worthy of death.” With such agreement in place, it was now open-season on Jesus. The Sanhedrin showed their agreement by their behaviour recorded, “Then some began to spit at [Jesus] they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, `Prophesy!’” v65. Jesus’ humiliation now reaches greater depths. Presentation 48

Growing Humiliation Jesus’ bitter enemies are exultant that at last they can be rid of the source of their greatest embarrassment, the supreme troubler of their conscience. King Ahab’s conscience caused him to pronounce Elijah ‘The troubler of Israel’ and if Herod’s conscience was troubled by the preaching of John the Baptist, how much more must Jesus have troubled these men? These lovers of darkness had the ‘evidence’ they needed to put out the light. They were ecstatic but failed to realise that Jesus light, like some children’s birthday candles could not be extinguished. Presentation 48

Growing Humiliation Their treatment of Jesus was emboldened with every blow. An idea graphically depicted in C. S. Lewis book “The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe”, where Aslan, the lion, is bound to a stone table. He fails to lash out. The lion’s roar seems to be silenced. His enemies are emboldened to engage in greater and greater acts of humiliation and they cut off his beautiful mane! The lion’s roar has been reduced to a kitten’s meow or so they think! It is frightening to see the way in which evil grows in boldness as it seeks to exact its revenge. And for such people Jesus could pray, “Father forgive them they know not what they do” Presentation 48

Growing Humiliation The redemptive-historical reality was as we have seen is not so much that Jesus was on trial but the whole of Israel and its leadership. Caiaphas and the others were obligated to declare Jesus the Messiah but instead plotted his death. Ironically, when Caiaphas declared Jesus ‘guilty’ of blasphemy, it was he who was committing blasphemy against the Son of God. This sentence of death, brought down God’s covenant curses upon both Israel and Jesus. Israel would be dispersed into the four corners of the earth, Jerusalem sacked and the temple destroyed, even as we were being saved from our sins. Presentation 48

The Soldiers Cruelty Jesus was then delivered into the hands of the guards until daybreak when the full Sanhedrin, the supreme court of the Jews, could be summoned. These guards could read between the lines and it was clear to them that there would not objection to their making sport of Jesus. They blindfolded him and hit him on the face and then taunted him sarcastically, "Come on tell us who hit you. You claim to know so much, you are some great prophet, you see more clearly than others, tell us who hit you”. Make no mistake this whole process was intended to dehumanise, debase and humiliate their prisoner and to induce in him a sense of self-loathing. Presentation 48

The Soldiers Cruelty Terrible stories are told of the treatment of prisoners in Evin prison in Iran. Many do not bear repetition. The security services seem to enlist sadistic psychopaths who in turn design a pattern of treatment which aims to dehumanise, break the will and rob their prisoners of their essential dignity. Men will mock and ridicule those things which they least understand, not least when they have been unsettled and disturbed by it! Despite all of the dehumanising treatment that Jesus endured he preserved his dignity. The mockery of men could not strip him of the glory of his essential majesty. Hallelujah! Presentation 48

The Soldiers Cruelty The soldiers had every right to fear. Jesus stood as silent as a lamb, but he knew who had hit him. He knew each of their deepest secrets because all men's thoughts are known to him. Jesus also knew exactly who he was suffering and dying for. Not an impersonal humanity but people he could name; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, Peter, Lazarus, Zaccheus, Paul, Augustine, Luther, Whitfield, and those are just the names that make headline news, no less important are the names of those who belong to your own church fellowship. How little these guards appreciated the depth of the knowledge of the One they ridiculed. Presentation 48

Conclusion The trial of Jesus put others on trial. It also challenges many today who look for evidence against Jesus. Something to salve their conscience and allow them to dispose of what they see as annoying irritant from their lives. Do youseek to fabricate evidence against Jesus? Some say, “I cannot believe in a Jesus who would allow so and so to suffer…” or, “I refuse to believe that there is only one way to God…” or, “I cannot accept that God is unhappy with my religious performance…” Well remember that Jesus said to those who presumed to sit in judgment over him, one day the table’s will be turned, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the mighty one” Presentation 48

Study in Mark’s Gospel