Are You the Messiah?
TRANSLATION
(53) Then they led Jesus to (the house of) the high priest where all the chief priests, the elders, and the teachers of the Law had gathered. (54) And Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest’s house. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. (55) Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for evidence against Jesus to put him to death, but they did not find any. (56) Many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. (57) Then some stood up and testified falsely against him, saying, (58) “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” (59) Yet even so their testimony did not agree.
(60) Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus (directly), “Have you no answer to give? What is this testimony that these witnesses are bringing against you?” (61) But he remained silent and did not answer. Again, the high priest asked him (directly), “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” (62) And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (63) At that the high priest tore his garments and said, “Why do we need any more witnesses? (64) You have heard his blasphemy. What do you think?” And they all condemned him as worthy of death. (65) And some began to spit on him, put a blindfold on him, and struck him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
OBSERVATIONS
Jesus’ so-called trial before the high priest and other Jewish leaders showed how desperate his accusers were to be rid of this troublemaker from Nazareth. At least two irregularities marked this proceeding. First, the failure of the witnesses to agree in their testimony against him should have resulted in his immediate acquittal. Then, in desperate need of a conviction, the high priest illegally questioned Jesus directly, forcing him to incriminate himself by his own testimony.
Several repetitions are found in this segment: “high priest” (five times in vss. 53, 54, 60, 61, & 63), “chief priests” (vss. 53 & 55), “guards” (vss. 54 & 65), “death” (vss. 55 & 64), “testimony/testify” (three times in vss. 56, 59, & 60), “did not agree” (vss. 56 & 59), “witness(es)” (three times in vss. 56, 57, & 63 and twice modified by the adjective “false” in vss. 56 & 57).
OUTLINE
I. The false witnesses failed to produce any convincing evidence to convict Jesus. (53-59)
II. The high priest directly questioned Jesus regarding his identity. (60-62)
III. Jesus was condemned to death by the council and beaten. (63-65)
IDEA STATEMENT
Because he claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One, Jesus was condemned to death by the Jewish leadership.
APPLICATION
The high priest who presided at Jesus’ trial posed a question which countless numbers in the centuries since have wished they could have asked him personally: “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” This may be the most important question anyone could ever ask Jesus because acceptance or rejection of his answer will determine our eternal destiny. If we ask that question sincerely, truly seeking an answer, we will find in Jesus everything for which we have been searching all our lives. However, if we, like the high priest and the other Jewish leaders, ask that question to reinforce our prejudices and reject his claim to having sovereign authority over us, we will forfeit the opportunity for eternal life that a saving relationship with Christ alone can provide us. The entire New Testament confronts us with the stark choice set forth by the Apostle John in his first epistle: “And this is the testimony, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 Jn. 5:11 & 12).