Trial Before the Ruling Council

July 2, 2025 | Read and Think About Matthew 26:57-68

In the passage, Matthew tells us who were the main actors, what their motivation was, and what they decided.

In verse 59, he tells us the actors were the chief priests and the whole council of the Jewish religious hierarchy.

The same verse tells us their goal was to put Jesus to death. They attempted to obtain false testimony through false witnesses. However, their testimony was not in agreement. The charges that might have resulted from the testimony of witnesses never stuck. No person or people could legitimately accuse Jesus of wrongdoing.

But now, however, we get to the decision by the council. Verses 63-65 show us how the charge of blasphemy was set up. The loaded question was put to Jesus - do you claim to be the Son of God. By His answer ("You say that I am"), He affirmed it.

The reaction of the high priest was dramatic and swift. He tore his own robe - an expression of strong emotion, like outrage. More importantly, the high priest and the council judged that these words were blasphemy (serious reproach to God's name and character). It was a capital offense - under Jewish law.

This is such an important point. The Romans generally did not allow the Jews to execute people; this power was largely reserved for the Roman authority. However, the Romans did not consider blasphemy a major offense.

At this point, the ruling council had determined that Jesus deserved death, but they had no lawful way to administer that punishment, and they were not inclined to take this matter into their own hands. In the next passage, we will see the way they dealt with this.

The Mini-Trial

June 30, 2025 | Read and Think About John 18:12-23

Foreword: Leading up to the crucifixion, there were two Jewish trials and three trials before a Roman tribunal.

Matthew, an apostle of Jesus, wrote a comprehensive gospel of Jesus' life to a Jewish audience from a Jewish perspective. John, also an apostle and gospel writer, was an actual eyewitness to many events covered in this module. While all 4 gospels cover various aspects of the trials Jesus underwent, my attention tended more toward Matthew's and John's gospels regarding the Jewish trials.

In turn, the traditional view is that Luke was a gentile (non-Jew). He came on the scene later as a companion of Paul as we read in the book of Acts. Luke carefully investigated the events of Jesus' life and mission, writing the gospel that bears his name and the book of Acts. Luke wrote more from a gentile perspective to a gentile audience. My attention tended more toward Luke's and John's (eyewitness) gospels regarding the three trials under Roman authority.

Now regarding today's passage, we read about this mini-trial occurring in the night, shortly after they arrested and bound Jesus in the garden. The scene is the house of the high priest in Jerusalem (verses 13, 15). Generally speaking, there actually were two people considered as high priest at this time - Annas and Caiphas. The note in my Bible on verse 13 indicates that the way these two worked together was a complicated dance, aimed at keeping both Rome and the people happy.

Jewish law did not allow a defendant to be tried for a capital crime at night. To the extent the events before Annas were a trial, it was illegal. But no one cared. In today's terms, though, the "trial" before Annas might have been more like a pretrial proceeding.

Annas questioned Jesus generally about his disciples and his teaching. He was looking for evidence that could be grounds for execution - shaping the narrative, essentially. But the real trial, from the Jewish perspective, would occur at daybreak in front of the Jewish ruling council, known as the Sanhedrin.

The trial before Annas also is notable as the location where Peter denied Jesus three times there in the courtyard, before the rooster crowed, as Jesus said he would a few hours earlier. It is Matthew's account where he records, "and Peter went out and wept bitterly" after the final denial. (Mattthew 26:75.) It is hard to fathom the emotion packed into that verse. This is the man who later would do such great things to help establish the Church. But now Peter was going through this fear and confusion of his weakest moment.

A Fickle Jury

June 29, 2025 | Read and Think About Luke 19:28-44

A jury is a group who decides the fate of the accused.

From this passage, verses 37-40 jumped out to me. They didn't know at the time, but the crowd of Passover worshippers who came out to greet Jesus, to shout "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord," was going to be the jury that week. Combine these verses with later passages, and we see that this "jury" pivoted a few days later and ultimately were the ones who decided that Jesus would be crucified.

But they were on His side when Jesus entered Jerusalem at the beginning of the week.

The sound of praise that day was joyful ... and very loud. I was at a tennis tournament in New York a few years ago. One of the top players - I never saw the player, so I am not sure who - passed nearby. The fans rushing to see this person was immediate. You could feel the surge of people nearby, and the sound they made surely could be heard for some distance. We've all seen that type of reaction. Think of when a famous band walks onstage to start the concert.

These do not even compare to the reception Jesus was getting as He came down the side of the Mount toward Jerusalem.

Luke tells us why the crowd was praising God this way: it was "for all the miracles they had seen."

Their joy was tied to their expectations: that Jesus had come as a powerful earthly leader to free the nation of Israel from their Roman oppressors. This is how the crowd (jury) was in that moment.

Later, we will see essentially the same crowd (jury) at a different moment, yelling much different words: "Crucify Him!"