Jesus Condemned by the Sanhedrin

Transcription

1 1 Jesus Condemned by the Sanhedrin Matthew 27:1, 2, Mark 15:1 Luke 22:66-71

2 2 Texts: Matthew 27:1, 2, Jesus Condemned by the Sanhedrin 1. When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2. And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Mark 15:1, 1. And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. Luke 22:66-71, 66. And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, 67. Art thou the Christ? Tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: 68. And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. 69. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. 70. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. 71. And they said, What need we any further witness? For we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

3 3 Commentary: I. When morning came: A. all the chief priests, scribes and elders of the people took counsel (had a conference) for the purpose of determining how they might put Jesus to death. 1. Whole council may refer to a meeting of the Sanhedrin. 2. This was certainly a kangaroo court! B. all the chief priests and elders of the people bound Jesus, led him to Pilate and delivered him to the Roman governor, procurator. 1. Pilate, appointed by the Roman emperor Tiberius, was the 5 th procurator of Judaea. 2. Pilate held this office A.D. C. The Jews needed Roman permission to execute the death penalty. 1. John 18:31, Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: 2. That was their reason for involving Pilate. 3. This provision did not keep the religious leaders from stoning Stephen. See Acts 7. II. At the meeting of the council Jesus was ordered by demanding Jews to answer the question, Art thou the Christ? Tell us.

4 4 A. Jesus responded by saying that their minds were closed, that they wouldn t believe him if he answered affirmatively. He had told them during his preaching many times that he was the Christ. B. Jesus further said if he told them he was the Christ they wouldn t release him. 1. Luke 14:6, And they could not answer him again to these things. 2. Luke 20:5, And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not? 3. Matthew 22:46, And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. C. It would, therefore, do no good to answer their question. D. Jesus then, without saying yes or no, did answer their question by saying that the Son of man (Jesus) would sit on the right hand of the power of God. Only the Christ would do that! E. They pressed their question, Art thou then the Son of God? F. Jesus responded, Ye say that I am the Son of God. 1. This is equal to saying, Yes, at last you understand what I am saying. 2. Jesus had been accused of breaking the Sabbath, casting out devils by Beelzebub, but this question was paramount, Was Jesus God s Son or was he not?

5 5 a. John 19:7, The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. G. The Jews took this answer to be, Yes, I am the Messiah/Christ, Son of God. 1. They responded among themselves, We don t need any other witnesses. We have heard from his own mouth that he claims to be the Son of God. 2. Mark 14:61, 62, But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 3. They took him away to Pilate. Note: The gospels give us only a glimpse of the interrogation, inquisition of Jesus that went on for hours, but the glimpse is summary enough. The Jews were not interested in truth. They only wanted Jesus dead! How many other religious tribunals have acted in a similar way?

6 6 Jesus Condemned by the Sanhedrin Questions 1. At dawn all the, and of the took for the purpose of determining how they might put to. 2. Jesus was and delivered to, the,. 3. The needed to the. 4. Jesus had been accused of the, casting out by, but they were trying to execute Jesus because he made himself the of. was punishable by death under Moses Law. 5. The give us only a of the, of Jesus that went on for. The were not interested in. They only wanted Jesus. How many other religions tribunals have acted in a similar way?