72: Killed for a Claim (Luke 22:63-71)

On this memorial weekend we remember those who have sacrificed their lives on our behalf. Throughout the decades Americans have questioned whether the cause was worth the price. We have asked the question: WHY should we put our troops in harms way? As I walked through the holocaust museum in Washington D.C. that question was answered for me in relation to WW2. Not only did I see the horrific pictures of Jews being worked to death, gassed, or shot. I saw the spread of the Nazi regime across Europe…and then I saw 2 pictures that broke me. 2 children - a boy and girl - both mentally handicapped. 1 picture when they were both alive and the other…as the young boy’s body was on an autopsy table…dead because the Nazis wanted to study them like lab rats. The boy was about my son’s age at the time…and a righteous anger boiled within me…in that moment I would have joined the fight to protect the innocent.

What CRIME had these children committed to be killed? NONE. Yet they were condemned to death. So too, today we will see Jesus condemned, but not for a CRIME. Instead, we see Jesus Killed for a Claim. And…

BIG TRUTH: Those Claiming Jesus must know What Jesus ClaimedBIG TRUTH: Those Claiming Jesus must know What Jesus ClaimedBIG TRUTH: Those Claiming Jesus must know What Jesus ClaimedBIG TRUTH: Those Claiming Jesus must know What Jesus Claimed

BIG TRUTH: Those Claiming Jesus must know What Jesus Claimed

So just what was that CLAIM and why does this matter? You ask great questions! Let’s PRAY, dig in and find out! PRAY

We concluded last week with Peter denying Jesus and weeping bitterly. In an attempt to demonstrate what Jesus went through the evening of His arrest, I’ll will be borrowing from the other gospels until we come to our primary text from Luke's gospel. As you know, Jesus was arrested from Gethsemane and taken to the high priest. John gives us the most specific details about how this played out.

John 18:12–13 (NIV)

12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.

Although the Romans had replaced Annas with his son-in-law - Caiaphas - the Jews still saw Annas as being in control. So, Annas got the first shot at Jesus.

When Jesus didn’t cower to Annas nor answer his questions, one of the officials slapped Jesus in the face, to which Jesus responded - ‘If I said something wrong - say what it was. If not, why did you hit me?’ (v.23)

John 18:24 (NIV) 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

They likely marched Jesus through the courtyard, where Jesus looked at Peter during his 3rd denial, in order to get him to Caiaphas, the one whom the Romans recognized as high priest.

And this is the part of a movie that always frustrates me; when the very people the superhero is trying to save treat him like he’s the enemy. I want to say, “Don’t you SEE who he really is…He’s trying to save YOUR sorry self!”

Thats how I feel when I read about the religious elite stand against the very One who has come to save all nations beginning with the Jewish people.

Matthew and Mark (Matt. 26:57-68, Mark 14:53-65) inform us that Jesus was condemned to die while meeting with Caiaphas & the Sanhedrin - and then the beatings began.

Luke 22:63–65 (NIV)

63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” 65 And they said many other insulting things to him.

The term ‘insulting things’ here is the Greek word that we get blasphemy from. Blasphemy literally means “to speak harm” and can be applied to speaking evil against people OR against God, as we will discuss in a moment.

This won’t be the last beating Jesus takes. He has yet to be handed over to the Romans who will beat him & scourge Him.

Can you imagine…the One who has clearly demonstrated Himself as the Jewish Messiah through His teachings, miracles, and sinless life…beaten & mocked by His own people. The apostle John later wrote these words:

John 1:10–11 (NIV)

10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

————

Remember how Dr. Luke had abbreviated the material of the Gethsemane prayer? Luke mentions Jesus waking his disciples 1x while Mark 14:41 mentions this happening 3 times. So here it seems that Dr. Luke lumps details from 2 trials together:

1) What went on with Caiaphas & Sanhedrin at night (cf. Matt. 26:57-67 & Mark 14:53-65) now carried over to…

2) the sunrise meeting just before shipping Jesus off to Pilate (Luke 22:66; Matt. 27:1-2 & Mark 15:1)

Dr. Luke skips many details to b-line it to the main point - that Jesus is about to be killed for a claim. Let’s take a look at what the claim was.

Luke 22:66 (NIV)

66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them.

Here Jesus stands before the Sanhedrin - the judicial ruling body of 71 men. This sunrise gathering of the Sanhedrin could have happened at the house of Caiaphas or at the Temple.

Luke 22:67-68 (NIV)

67 “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer.

The word translated here - Messiah - is the Greek word christos. As many of you know, this is NOT the last name of Jesus, but a TITLE meaning ‘anointed’.

Certainly Jesus was not the messiah they expected, but rather than dancing around the question, Jesus makes an incredible claim, the CLAIM that gets Him killed. And…

BIG TRUTH: Those Claiming Jesus must know What Jesus Claimed

Listen closely to the words that sealed Jesus’ fate.

Luke 22:69 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

What does THAT mean? This is the picture of Jesus being enthroned as the King of kings and Lord of Lords. This is a combination of Dan 7:13-14 and Ps. 110:1.

Daniel 7:13–14 (NIV)

13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Psalm 110:1 (NIV)

1 The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, as Stephen was being killed he said he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55–56).

What is Jesus claiming? Likely standing before the Sanhedrin with a swollen face, bloody lip, and & a black eye…Jesus says…’You wanna know WHO I am..REALLY? I am the one the Scripture speaks of, who reigns with the mighty God. You think YOU JUDGE ME? I am the judge of all men and today I stand in JUDGMENT AGAINST YOU!’

Luke 22:70 70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”…

Many totally misunderstand the CLAIM…for Jesus to CLAIM He is the Son of God was not a claim to be God’s kid.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard those who claim Jesus to say, “Wait a second, I thought Jesus was God’s Son…He never claimed to be God.”

Those folks don’t understand ‘the Son of God’ means to be EQUAL with God, to rule over creation at its Creator - the very claim Jesus had just mentioned from Dan. 7. This is made more clear when John writes these words:

John 5:17–18 (NIV)

17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

BIG TRUTH: Those claiming Jesus must know what Jesus claimedBIG TRUTH: Those claiming Jesus must know what Jesus claimedBIG TRUTH: Those claiming Jesus must know what Jesus claimedBIG TRUTH: Those claiming Jesus must know what Jesus claimed

BIG TRUTH: Those claiming Jesus must know what Jesus claimed

And now the Sanhedrin sat awaiting His response.

Luke 22:70-71 70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”

Look what Matt. 26:65 says the Sanhedrin understood the CLAIM of Jesus to mean.

Matthew 26:65 (NIV)

65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

Blasphemy - there’s that word again. Blasphemy against God is to either:

speak evil OF God or

claim equality with God. It is the 2nd claim - to be the Son of God - that brings the death sentence down on His head.

Much more could be said about who Jesus claimed to be. I’ve listed several passages from John’s gospel that will help you better understand the claim that got Jesus killed: John 5:18; 8:58; 10:30–33; 20:28.

BIG TRUTH: Those claiming Jesus must know what Jesus claimed

False teachings typically distort the identity of Jesus, the very claim He was killed for.

Judaism teaches that Jesus was a either a false messiah or a mistaken prophet - but certainly didn’t fit the mold of Messiah.

Islam teaches Jesus was a great prophet, miracle worker, and even sinless - but never claimed to be the Son of God

Mormons teach that Jesus was just an exalted man, a creation of one of many gods, certainly not the God of all creation in all of time.

Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is the 1st creation of Jehovah. In other words, there was a time when He did NOT exist.

But as we have seen, Jesus was killed for a claim.

Jesus claimed to be the Jewish Messiah

the authority over all creation (Dan. 7:13-14)

The Son of God - proving to forgive sin, raise the dead, & transform lives

the Creator who came to live & die among & for His own creation.

If you don’t know WHO Jesus claimed to be, your sin & His sacrifice won’t carry the weight it should - you won’t worship Him the way you should.

FEET2FAITH: What do you need to do with what you learned today? (Consider reading & becoming familiar with passages like Jn. 5:18; 8:58; 10:30–33; 20:28)