The Mock Trial

Today’s passage begins the cruelest moment in history. Man kills God, who loves them and in whom is life itself. Yet we kill him. This moment the innocent and righteous is arrested and will soon be put to death on trumped up charges. Justice has fled the courts of man and yet in this moment the Justice of God will be satisfied.

John 18:12–27 ESV

So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

It is illegal

This happened at night

John 18:3 ESV

So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Trials were to be done in the daytime in the temple for all to see and witness

This trial occured at night with the only witnesses being the soldiers.

some of them aint paying attention!

John 18:13 ESV

First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

Annas -not the current high priest but a had been high priest from 7 AD to 15 AD. He had great influence and had gotten 5 sons and one son in law declared high priest. He was the power behind the position. But he was not in charge of the Sanhedrin that was Caiaphas. It was Caiaphas that should have been doing the questioning.

Annas questions Jesus

John 18:19 ESV

The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

According to Jewish law the accuses could not be asked to incriminate themselves.

No witnesses

John 18:20–21 ESV

Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.”

I taught in public (in contrast to the privacy of the trial)

Everything I told my disciples I told the public

Ask those who heard me.

Officer strikes Jesus

John 18:22 ESV

When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?”

Jesus has been struck for challenging the legality of this trial

Jesus Guilt predetermined

John 18:14 ESV

It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

The high priest the leader of the Sanhedrin had already proclaimed Jesus should die for expediency sake.

The witnesses are more concerned with comfort and private conversations that the preceding.

John 18:18 ESV

Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

John 18:25–27 ESV

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

The illegality of the trial also shows a desire to simply gain a conviction rather than to get justice.

The Defense Rests

John 18:19–24 ESV

The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Notice that Jesus doesn't speak out in defense

No comments on his righteousness

No defense of his teachings

No proclamations of innocence

Jesus only words are to say in effect this trial is not legitimate either release me or put me before the Sanhedrin and the official trial.

He is in complete obedience to the will of God

He is not seeking to sway their minds but rather to get them to make an official pronouncement that he might be put to death for us.

Do you realize the significance of His silence here.

The only man to ever live a perfect life is here accused of sin and will soon be condemned for blasphemy of speaking or doing evil against God. Yet he never speaks out of his innocence or condemns them for their blasphemy in not recognizing the presence of God in their midst. He remains silent. He has spoken all he will say on the matter already. They know enough to make their choice and they have rejected him and rejected salvation. yet in doing so they will send him to the cross that he might be the salvation of the world.

If Jesus had spoken here he could have proven his innocence and gained his own freedom but we would have been condemned to hell for all eternity. Thus in his love for us he remains silent and humbly allows them to speak falsely against him. He endures the injustice of the world so that he might be satisfy the Justice of God.

In this one act We see man’s most supreme act of injustice against God that God’s most supreme act of mercy can be shown through God’s justice being poured out on Christ for the sake of man.

Invitation