The Sanhedrin and Herod on Trial - Luke 22:63-23:12

Luke 22, verse 63. The Men Who were guarding Jesus begin mocking and beating him, they blindfolded him and demanded prophesied who hit you? And they said, many other insulting things to him. If they break 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, then if you were the Messiah, they said, tell us, Jesus answered. If I tell you, you will not believe me. And if I asked you, you would not answer, but from now on the son of man will be seated at the right hand of a mighty God. They all asked, are you than the Son of God? He replied. You say that I am then they said, why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips in the whole assembly Rose and let him off. The pilot May began to accuse him saying we have. Found this man, subverting our nation, he opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah a king. So pilate asked Jesus, are you the king of the Jews? You've said so, Jesus replied then pile. It amounts to the chief priests in the crowd. I find no basis for a charge against this man, but they insisted, he stirs up the people all over Judea eyes teaching. He started in Galilee and it's come all the way here on hearing this pilot asked if the man was a Galilean when he learned that Jesus was under his jurisdiction. He sent him to Herod who also was in Jerusalem. At that time, when Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. This for a long time. He'd been wanting to see him from what he has heard about him. He hope to see him perform a sign of some sort. He plied him with many questions but Jesus gave him, no answer. The chief priests in the teachers of the law were standing there. The human leak using him, then Herod and his soldiers, ridiculed and mocked him dressing him, in an elegant robe. They sent him back to pilate that day Herod, and pilate became friends because before this, Enemies. This is God's word. You may be seated.

It looks gospel nearly a fourth of the book this letter that we have nearly a fourth of it is devoted to one week of Jesus, his life and the Gospel of John as you read it almost a half of that book is devoted to this last week of Jesus, his life before his death and all four gospels, Matthew Mark, Luke and John all four of them record, the events of the passion narrative, Jesus's entry into Jerusalem. Jesus, his trial, his crucifixion and his death since God recorded the specific details. What happened during this week? Four different times. This means that for you. And I, it's very, very, very, very important that we listen closely to what Jesus is saying, what God wants us to hear through the text. So as we continue to walk with Jesus, on his journey to the Cross. We are now in the early morning hours of, Good Friday, Scholars. Think it's anywhere between 2 in the morning all the way to 6 in the morning. And Jesus has been seized. He's been arrested from the garden when he was praying. And today, we see Jesus being brought to trial before his enemies. And though there are a lot of different scene changes going on here. Some different characters, different crowds different areas in which Jesus is a different conversations. Here's a simple way to think about. What's going on. Jesus is being put on trial in both the religious sphere, but also the Civil War, the secular sphere the first Lee Jesus is put on trial before the Jewish leaders before the Sanhedrin, the teachers of the law before Caiaphas, the high priest will get to those people in just a few moments. After that after the religious fear, then he is brought to trial in the Civil or the secular sphere before Pilate. And before Herod. In Jesus's trial as you saw. And I hope you're picking up on it a little bit. One of the recurring themes that we see is Jesus's identity. Because nobody in the text and nobody in general is disputing or have nobody has a beef with Jesus's command to love one another. Nobody is angry at Jesus for saying. Love God, supremely love your neighbor as yourself and similarly today. Nobody winces and I that commitment that truth that posture Jesus but back then What people but the people are enraged with isn't the love command, but it's rather Jesus is claims of authority. This is what's causing people to get infuriated with him if Jesus is King. That means the people must bow before him. If Jesus is, right? And that I am the Son of God. If he is right saying that that means the Jewish leaders in the secular people, they are wrong and they must follow and submit to this King. And you can see, in a text, how Jesus is identity Central here for example, Jesus is asked several questions in the text for 67. Are you the Messiah? 470. Are you the Son of God first three? Are you the king of the Jews? Then the passage further affirms 460 that Jesus is the Messiah Jesus affirms s469. He is the son of man were 70. He is the Son of God verses 2 and 3. Jesus is the king of the Jews. And even a 6. Jesus is a Galilean alluding to and pointing to his Humanity. Jesus is a human being This is who he is. Now, if you were to talk to somebody who had no conception of the Bible, and you were trying to explain to them what the gospels were about Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, how would you describe it to them? Write a one-sentence summary. What are the gospels about? I think there's a few ways you could answer that. I think yours is a simple way. You might want to consider for the gospels of the gospels reveal to us who Jesus is, and they record how people respond to Jesus. I really don't see how you can get any more Grand a detail than that, right? That's it. That's the broad brushstrokes. The gospel is revealed to us, who Jesus is right? In his teaching, has claimed his miracles, why he came but they also record many instances of people responding to him. Some people in the fear such as that the people in, in the region of gadarenes. When Jesus cast out the demons and sentiment of the herd of pigs that people were fearful of him, they were angry at him. You see, people falling to him and humility. You see people in this text in anger and rage against Jesus? That's a simple way to think of it. And in this final, final moments of Jesus's life, I were talking about mere hours left in his, his existence before his death. These Final hours of his life. We see people responding to Jesus in a very ugly nasty way. We see him facing false accusations ridicule, mockery malice hatred, the stain, and perhaps most of all, Injustice, as he ought not to be there because he is perfect, and he is good. Text what we're going to do. We're going to look at kind of 2 character, studies first, leave at the sink and then secondly, was Herod next week or when I come back, we'll continue with pilot. Look at him. What we see in the text or two big ways, sinful ways that we should avoid approaching Jesus Balaam. Say that again, in the text, what we see you simplify here are too sinful attitudes that we must not have as we approach Jesus at. This is the opposite of what you, and I ought to do so sleepy from the Sanhedrin, the helmet religious leaders, we see number one, your reverence animosity and the number to as we look at the portrait of Herod, we see a mocking accusation, Brothers and sisters, both of these things irreverent animosity mocking accusation. They must be far from our lips. So firstly, versus 63 to 71 the hell bent religious leaders. I remember the first component of Jesus, his trial is before the Jewish leaders of the Sanhedrin. Know, if you've read your Bible recently or you've read through the gospels at all, you've probably seen heard that word Sanhedrin before. Now, what is that, is? Anybody know who are the Sanhedrin is, right? I think sometimes you just assumed that we know, we think that we know, but we really don't, we kind of forget the details. What's going on? What is the Sanhedrin? Well, it's a group of seventy men and the high priest. So 71 people total and what they did, they functioned as the Supreme Court of the Jewish people. It's kind of think about an hour terms. So the seventy men and the high priest. They served as the highest human authority for the Jewish people, and they all the questions about the law and religious life, and life in general, they were brought before the 7 team in the highest things that most important things and typhus, you've heard that name before in the past and Caiaphas is a high priest. During this time, you also might remember the name anise anise was the former high priest. So Jesus is first, brought a nice and then Aniston's him to Caiaphas, right? But in the text, all we see is a 66 at Daybreak, the Council of the Elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the Met together and Jesus was led before them, this is the Sanhedrin that Luke is talking about. You can compare and contrast with Matthew Mark and John the zoom out again. Why is Jesus there in the first place? Zoombak, Luke, 19 verses 47, 248 everyday. Jesus was teaching at the temple, but the chief priests the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people or what They were trying to do, what? Kill him murder him, okay? Yet they could not find any way to do it because all the people hung on his words. So this is the Sanhedrin they were looking for a prime opportunity and wish I could steal Jesus away and do. So, in a manner that would cause the least amount of resistance. Because if they were to do it in the brightness of day, it would have been a massive crowd listening to him preach, and they would have had to fight and quarrel with them. If they wanted to avoid that, they wanted to ask circumvent, public opposition, and that's why they took Jesus in the middle of the night or early in the morning. Are the Sanhedrin than Jesus his before. Then what are they doing? They are wanting to conduct a type of free trial investigation, to some legal terminology and their main goal is this. They want to find something to incriminate Jesus with. Because as John 18:31 tells us, listen to the text pilot said to the Jewish leaders, he can take Jesus yourselves and judge him by your own law. But then they respond to Pilot but we have no right to execute. Anyone they they objected So in other words, they wanted to murder Jesus, they wanted to kill him, destroy him but they had no authority to do that. Only the Civil secular government could do that at this time. So what they want to do is find something that they can bring before Pilate from they're going to go to in just a few moments so that way pilot can officially draw the line and say Jesus you're guilty you're condemned to The Gallows for you. So what are the Sanhedrin do? Looking for 67. If you are the Messiah tell us. Another words? Are you the promised one? Are you the anointed one? Are you the Christ? Are you the one who would establish God's kingdom? Are you the one that we've been waiting for? Who would free us from oppression? Are you the Messiah? And then Jesus, he knows their hearts, he knows their minds, he knows their attitude. If I tell you, you want to believe me. But from now on, and if I asked you, you would not answer the number 69, but from now on the son of man will be seated at the right hand of the Mighty God.

Quick Paws there. See if anybody wants to find that one out.

Sounds like some of y'all might have turned on your walls.

I'm not bothered by it. I just want to see if anybody else has. Hi, so it's going to look.

Y'all doing okay.

We're human, right? Where she is, okay.

Sounds like they got it.

so, this talk of Messiah then Are you the Messiah? Would you end in g? Look at Jesus's response, / 69. What interesting to see what he says? From now on the son of man will be seated at the right hand of the Mighty God.

For you. And I that language doesn't really set with us. What is Jesus talking about? It doesn't sound like he's really saying much, but Jesus is most likely alluding to two different passages. Psalm 110 verse 1. But if you made her call some little Bible trivia for you. So I'm 110 is perhaps the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament is something to consider Psalm 110 verse 1. The Lord says to my Lord, sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet. Enemies being a footstool for your feet. And other words, this person who's going to be at the right hand of God is going to judge over his enemies, okay? Number to Daniel chapter 7 verses 13 to 14. Daniel speaks about one like a son of man, coming with the Clouds Of Heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given us, 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 in. His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. Brothers and sisters today when Jesus says, from now on the son of man will be seated at the right hand of the Mighty God. What he is saying is all authority, all glory, all Sovereign power off. Righteous judgment. The father is giving it to me. I'm going to be at his right hand. All of these things are going to be mine. I'm going to be the one sitting. At the right hand of God, I'm going to be the one sitting in the highest court of all the Heavenly courtroom. And soon you will be the ones being judge by me. It's hard for us to have to feel the tension there, the wait, the meaning of all that's going on, but in the end, the other gospels we see that the Jewish leaders are enraged with what Jesus just said. The text tells us about the high priest tore, his clothes tour at the roads that he was wearing, just a sign of a shock, a sign of mourning. And they say this man is blaspheming before God. We're 71. Why do we need any more testimony? We've heard it from his own lips.

It's the Jewish leaders and many people today. I hear the connection of 21st century many people today in in back then, they recognize that there is an aura of authority Around Jesus. There's something about him, there's something to his word, something authoritative about them that I mentioned earlier. Nobody has an issue with Jesus is preaching and teaching on loving people. I don't forgiving others. Turning the other cheek showing compassion to the poor. Nobody has an issue with that. But when it comes to the central topic of Jesus is identity, many, many people are violently opposed to that Do you know anybody like that? Did that describe you at one point in your life? But when you see somebody you love, maybe it's a child of yours or spouse or somebody they refuse to follow Christ. Perhaps, the reason is this, they recognize that Jesus is a threat to their own authority and they do not want to change their lives. That's the simple reason that many people do not bow the knee to Jesus, they recognized that there is something unique about him that. If they take Jesus, seriously, they must change their lives. They must submit to a new king. But they don't want to do that. The Jewish leaders don't want to do that and blindness and pride, they refused to submit to this Messiah. Brothers and sisters. When we approached Jesus, we must not do so with irreverent animosity. But instead, we must humbly accept, the key is the king and he is the Lord. Was that practically mean? That means when Jesus speaks we listen. When Jesus gives those commands to forgive your neighbor. Forgive those who have wronged you It's something that. Beyond the surface, right? Everybody loves forgiveness, but when you are actually put to the test to do that, will there be forgive your spouse for? Give your child? Forgive your parents, forgive your boss. Forgive somebody close to you. When you were put to the test to actually do that. How many of us, joyfully eagerly want to do that? Nobody re-record, a lot that we think people need to get what they deserve. They don't deserve. But submitting to God means saying you're the king. You know what's best help me to follow your word? Help me to practice what you teach that's what true submission looks like. Brothers and sisters, may you. And I humbly approach or King What is secondly we see through Herod mocking accusation again. This is a cynical attitude. We must avoid and run away from Converse 23. This is when the scene shifts for, then the whole assembly Rose and let him off to Pilot. This is shifting from the, the religious side of the Civil or secular side of things. Send a text to C versus 126. Jesus is first brought before Pilate. And you'll notice some of the blatantly false names that they say there's two the began to accuse him saying we have. Found this man, subverting our nation, he opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah a king. You might recall and see if ya Luke Chapter 20 verses 20 to 26. Some of these are just blatantly false specifically, the tax one, right? Cuz Jesus said, give to Caesar what is Caesar's? He clearly said, you need to pay taxes, you should pay that, you must pay taxes to be a good citizen of the nation. You're in, some of these are blatantly false and you keep in mind. The Sip magistrate said you could care less about specific theological disputes that that the Jewish leaders having with Jesus, that's why I import pilot said don't judge him yourselves. Go take care of your own law to take care of. It is nothing to do with us but the civil government does care about Insurrection. They do care about Uprising, they do care about getting their money. Are they care about the secular civil things and that's why in and you see him first three, what does pilot question Jesus about? So pilate asked Jesus, are you the king of the Jews? You have said, so, Jesus replied. He cares about the authority issue, right? We don't want another team to come and support the authority. That the Roman people have over the Jews. The Jews are you? The king of the Jews? You said so. But then, after a few, a brief interrogation by Pilot looking for us, for pilot announced to the chief priests and the crowd. I find no basis for a charge against this man. This man is innocent and then, are they meet a lot of people. There's a lot of just stirring up in Cortland going on. A lot of unrest in the he's started, he started in Galilee and he's come all the way to Jerusalem. Hear the capital, and he's just spreading it like wildfire and pilot pauses for 6 labeled, a hold on. You telling me, he's a Galilean. I'm not even the one that's supposed to be over him know, for us today. So that the nation of Israel is kind of like a little along pillar like this. So, the Sea of Galilee, let's just imagine, it's right here. Jerusalem is down here. But Jesus is From Galilee the region, right? Around the Sea of Galilee and Nazareth. His hometown, the town. I grew up in is right here in Galilee. Alright, so, Herod as we seen the text looking for 7. When he learned that Jesus was under Heritage jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who is also in Jerusalem at that time. So Herod is what's known as a tetrarch of that region. One of the touch for architectural is a ruler of 1/4 ruler of a quarter. OK Google. This Herod is not the same one that we see it. Read about in the Christmas account that Herod was Herod. The great blue heron. About here and Luke 23 is Herod Antipas. One of the sons of Herod, the Great when Herod the Great died his kingdom, if you will inside his kingdom. But you know what I mean? His kingdom was split apart. And so Herod Antipas, ruled over the region of Galilee Jesus is brought before him. I like what one commentator said about this encounter. There are many movies, many TV shows, many books, many stories where the climax of it all? It seemed when two people long separated come together at last for good, or for ill with a good guy and the bad guy. Right? Famous words, we meet at Mr. Bond? Right? That's the climax of the movie inherit. Hear he has been in the background of the Gospel of Luke ever since the early chapters ever, since the very beginning with Herod the Great, but also throughout the gospel hair and makes a few appearances. And this Herod Antipas is the one who murdered John the Baptist, and then Luke 13:31. We read the Antipas, he wanted to hunt Jesus down and kill him. But during Jesus's earlier Ministry. To Jesus when he meets pilot or when he meets Herod here, this is the only gospel that recorded this. You read Matthew. Mark and John they don't record this specific instance. So it's as if Luke in a literary fashion, he is showing us and telling us that the Sham King of the Jews being Herod face-to-face with the true king of the universe. Jesus Christ himself. So what does he do? First date. When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased because for a long time, he had been wanting to see him from what he had heard about him. He hope to see him perform a sign of some sort. He wants him. He treats. Jesus like a circus animal. Do a trick for me. And I certainly imagine that Herod and his vile soldiers as verse 11 talks about. I imagine that they will revelling and debauchery and drunkenness at this time. They assaulted him with sarcastic questions, verse 9, they vehemently accused him verse 10, they ridiculed him and mocked him. And then in verse 11 as well they dressed him mocked him with it, in an elegant robe or you're the king of the Jews. Here's your road and later the crown of thorns be placed on his head

And how? Can you not recoil at this thought of what they're doing here? Why? Because this is the Son of God. Our Lord our King How many of you recoil or get angry at somebody? Accusing you of being a liar? How many do get angry if somebody speaks ill of your parents or your family, your family name?

We all do how much more, so should we feel this anger? This sorrow, this It. What's going on to Jesus? Our lord and savior. Who's being verbally assaulted and emotionally abused.

When you look at this, this despicable Harry character. The sad reality, is it in Virginia today that there are many who approached Jesus with this mockery in the Gulf about them. Are many people in today's society that have a slight fascination with Jesus. They have heard about him that they know a few little things about him here and they're kind of like Herod Herod. Had heard that he done a couple Miracles here and there is a fascinating character. But they don't take him seriously.

They approached Jesus and view him as a type of Genie. Somebody who's there to whip out a miracle? They preach Jesus with this. Callous. Attitude of you make me feel good. Impress me, entertain me. Many people approached Jesus in a very shallow surface-level attitude. They never really dig into his claims. They never really care about who he said he yes they just pick and choose and have and understand. You know, I know Jesus is followed by a lot of people but yeah, he's not that big and he's just to keep them at arm's distance. Brothers and sisters, when you, and I, I approached Jesus mocking accusation must be far from our lips. If United day, if you're Christian, that may not be a big issue for you. You may not ever up to sleep and directly do anything that ugly before our King. But understand what's kind of beneath what part what heritage is doing, its this it's this surface-level shallow engagement with Jesus and how guilty are you? And I of that, we don't take Jesus seriously, we don't take his claim seriously. We do not take his word seriously as we all 2. and made that attitude, before from us, Instead what were our mouths created for? James chapter 3 talks about this out of the mouths of man comes, praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Which one should be coming from a mouse phrase. Sweetwater, fresh water flowing from her mouth. Praising God. Praising Christ from for mostly but then also praising others. Encouraging, others building. One another up. That is what I mount designed for praising an adoring, our King,

Brothers and sisters. in conclusion, finally, Right in the Philippines Chapter 3. We're out of this morning and interesting. Paul said, in the very first verse there, Depending upon your translation, Philippians 3 says, finally my brothers and sisters and then he wrote two more chapters right after that. I saw. This is finally though for real

We're looking at the drapes of the crucifixion. As we do. So to use the analogy of The Wizard of Oz, do not forget the theology that's behind the curtain. This is not just human events. This is not just random events, because beneath in before, all of this, these events that we read about the power of Satan is at work. trying to stop, not just a good preacher, not just a miracle worker, but the powers of Satan artwork to try to destroy and stop the Son of God, the Messiah, the deliverer, This is what we see this year ugliness of the Sanhedrin of of Herod. But then his next next time, we'll see with pilot his ambivalence towards Jesus. He knows a lot of truth, but he never fully commits in the midst of all of this. It's a very dark trial, a literal trial, that Jesus is going through. but even so, even when Jesus is being pressed, the radiance of Christ still shines. Cuz even in this Darkness, we are reminded that Jesus is the authority. Jesus Is God, Jesus is the Messiah. He is, is it liver? He is the Christ. He is the true king of the Jews. The radiance of who he is still shines through. Brothers and sisters. If you see the Light of Christ in this text, if you see the Light of Christ in your life, Approaching with humility approach him with adoration and with full submission for, he is our King and we must bow the knee before him. This is the god that we serve.

Will you join me in prayer, and then we'll close with the doxology?

Our Father may your kingdom come.

Jesus, please help us to Delight in your love. The Holy Spirit. Please help us to stand up on the truth of your word. All For Your Glory. Jesus name, we pray. Amen.