Matthew 26:57-68

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 3:8-18

Introduction

You Know What One of My Favorite Characteristics of God is:

He has a Long Nose

You have No Idea What I’m Talking about Do You?

That God has a Long Nose…

Is One of Your Favorite Characteristics of God Too

You’ve Just Probably Never Heard it Put that Way

In the Hebrew Language…

To Be “Long of Nose” = “Long-Suffering, Patient, Slow to Anger”

What’s One of the Best Ways to Calm Yourself…

When Your Anger is Starting to Rise?

Take Long, Slow Breaths Through Your Nose

Humanity has Given God Lots of Reasons to Fly Off the Handle

But He Takes Long, Slow Breaths When Dealing with Us

He’s Long-Suffering, Patient, Slow to Anger

Do You Consider Yourself to Be a Patient Person?

Do You have a Long Nose?

Are You Long-Suffering?

Are You Willing to Suffer Long?

How Patient are You with Others…

When They Treat You in Ways You Wish They Wouldn’t?

Some of Us were Probably Ready to Commit Murder…

On Our Drive Over Here this Morning, Weren’t We?

I Told Norah the Other Day:

“I Don’t have Road Rage”

“I have Road Rage Rage”

What Gives Me the Most Road Rage…

Is the People Who have Road Rage:

Riding Your Bumper

Zooming in & Out of Lanes

Going 20 Over the Speed Limit

The Thing is:

Most of Us aren’t Very Long in the Nose

We aren’t Very Long-Suffering/Patient

Even the Most Minor of Inconveniences…

Can Send Us Over the Edge

If that’s the Case…

How would We Respond to a Person Who Intentionally:

Slanders Us?

Insults Us?

Seeks to Harm Us?

How are We Going to Handle Persecution…

If/When it Comes for Those of Us in Christ?

Will We Be Willing to Suffer Long?

The Fact is:

Long-Suffering/Patience is a Fruit of the Spirit

It’s a Characteristic of Someone…

Whose Mind is Set on the Ways of God/Gospel of Christ

This Morning, We’re Going to See the Perfect Example of:

Suffering Long

Matthew 26:57-68

Last Week, We Saw Jesus Betrayed & Arrested in the Garden

This Week, We’re Going to See Jesus Taken to Court

But this isn’t Just Any Court

It’s the Highest Court of the Jews:

The Sanhedrin

This was a Court of 71 Members…

With the High Priest as the Head

Jesus is about to Be on Trial

But His Case is Going to Be Anything But Fair

Matthew 26:57–58 (NASB95)

57 Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. 58 But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome.

After Jesus is Arrested in the Garden…

Matthew Tells Us They Took Him to Caiaphas:

The Roman-Appointed High Priest of the Jews

Normally that would Mean They Took Him…

To the “Chamber of Hewn Stone” in the Temple Complex:

The Official Meeting Place of the Sanhedrin

But Luke’s Account Tells Us They Brought Jesus…

To Caiaphas’ Own House

This was Breaking One of Their Own Rules…

Listed in the Mishnah

A Trial was to Only Take Place in the Official Meeting Place

This was Just One of Many Rules…

That They’re Going to Break

Not to Mention:

Trials were to Be Conducted in the Daylight…

But Jesus’ Trial was in the Middle of the Night

Trials were Not to Be Conducted…

On the Eve of the Sabbath or a Festival Day

Jesus’ Trial was on a Friday During the Passover

This Trial was a Complete Sham on So Many Levels

Several, if Not All, of the Members of the Sanhedrin…

Were Already Gathered There…

Waiting for the Prisoner to Arrive

Then Matthew Tells Us that…

Peter was Following the Mob that Arrested Jesus

He Even Makes it Inside the High Priest’s Courtyard…

To See What’s Going to Happen

Matthew Doesn’t Tell Us this for No Reason

He’s Hinting to Us that There’s a Second Story-Line…

Developing Alongside the Story of Jesus’ Trial

Next Week We’ll See that…

Jesus wasn’t the Only One on Trial

Matthew 26:59–61 (NASB95)

59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. 60 They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, 61 and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’ ”

As Jesus’ Trial Began…

Many of the Members of the Sanhedrin…

Began to Make False Accusations Against Him

They Wanted to Find Something…

That Warranted the Death Penalty

This was Not a Fair Trial

Jesus was Guilty Until Proven Guilty

The Verdict was Already Decided

All They Needed was Enough Evidence to Seal the Deal

But They were having Trouble Producing that Evidence

Their Problem was:

According to the Law of Moses…

You have to have 2 or 3 Witnesses…

Whose Testimonies Agree

But, Unfortunately for the Sanhedrin…

None of Them could Get Their Stories Straight

All Their Witnesses & Their Testimonies Disagreed

Every Witness Proved Themselves to Be False Witnesses

According to the Law of Moses…

False Witnesses were to Be Put to Death

But this was a Corrupt Court

The Only Person They were Concerned with Killing…

Was the Only One There Who was Innocent

They Eventually had 2 Witnesses Come Forward Saying:

“We Heard Him Say, ‘I’m Able to Destroy the Temple & Rebuild it in 3 Days’”

Mark’s Account Tells Us that Even These 2 Testimonies weren’t Consistent

But, it was Apparently Good Enough for Caiaphas…

Because He’s Going to Take it & Run with it

But What are These 2 Witnesses Referring to?

When Did Jesus Ever Say…

He would Destroy the Temple & Rebuild it in 3 Days?

Well, He Didn’t

What They’re Referring to…

Is a Quote from Jesus that’s Only Found in John’s Account

John 2:19 (NASB95)

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Jesus Never Said, “I will Destroy the Temple”

He Said They would

But Besides that, 2 Verses Down We Read:

John 2:21 (NASB95)

21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

He was Talking about His Death & Resurrection

So Their Testimony about Jesus Saying He would Destroy the Temple…

Is Also False Testimony

But What’s Ironic is:

They were Misquoting Jesus’ Words…

In an Attempt to Fulfill His Actual Words

To Speak Anything Negative Against the Temple

Was Serious Business to the Jewish Leaders

They’ll Continue to Falsely Accuse Him of Saying this…

Even When He’s Dying on the Cross:

Matthew 27:40 (NASB95)

40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

Matthew 26:62–63 (NASB95)

62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”

Caiaphas Gives Jesus the Opportunity to Defend Himself…

As the Law Demanded

But Jesus Says Nothing

He Doesn’t Oppose the Accusations

He Doesn’t Try to Assert His Innocence

He Doesn’t Defend Himself Whatsoever

Then Caiaphas Charges Jesus Under an Oath to God

This was Often Used to Force the Defendant to Speak

“I Charge You Under Oath/Adjure You by the Living God…”

“Are You the Christ/Messiah, the Son of God?”

To this Question, Jesus will Respond:

Matthew 26:64 (NASB95)

64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

“You have Said it” = “Yes”

“Yes, I Am the Christ, the Son of God”

“And After All of this is Over…”

“You’ll See the Fulfillment of Psalm 110:1 & Daniel 7:13”

Psalm 110:1 (NASB95)

1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

Daniel 7:13–14 (NASB95)

13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

Both of These Passages Refer to a Human…

Who will Sit at the Right Hand of God in Heaven…

And Share God’s Divine Rulership/Authority Over the World

“You May Think You’re My Rulers & Judges…”

“But as Soon as All this is Over…”

“I’m Going to Be Your Ruler & Judge”

Matthew 26:65–68 (NASB95)

65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; 66 what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!” 67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?”

Caiaphas & the Rest of the Sanhedrin Understood What Jesus Meant

He was Claiming Equality with God

Now They have All They Need to Convict Him

In Accordance with the Mishnah…

Caiaphas Tore His Clothes at the Hearing of Blasphemy

There’s No More Need for 2 or 3 Witnesses…

Because the Whole Sanhedrin Heard What Jesus Said

And They All Agree:

He Deserves Death

But, They aren’t Allowed to Put Anyone to Death Themselves

Only the Romans are Allowed to Deal Out Capital Punishment

So the Sanhedrin Now Must Convince the Roman Governor…

That this Man Deserves to Die

Now that They Got What They Wanted…

Their Going to Proceed to Physically Abuse & Blaspheme Him:

Blindfolded Him

Spit on Him

Slap Him

Beat Him

Mock Him

Just as Isaiah Foreshadowed…

Jesus Surrendered to Every Humiliating & Painful Blow:

Isaiah 50:6 (NASB95)

6 I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.

Application

How Long in the Nose are You?

How Patient are You with Others…

When They Treat You in Ways You Wish They Wouldn’t?

How Long are You Willing to Suffer?

In this Passage, We See Jesus Being:

Slandered

Wrongfully Accused

Physically Assaulted/Abused

Mercilessly Mocked & Humiliated

Why?

Because He Did Good

Because He Told the Truth

Because He’s God’s Anointed Son

Everything about this Trial was Corrupt/Unjust

Yet, He Didn’t Fight Back

He Didn’t Try to Defend Himself

He Quietly Allowed it All to Happen

He Submitted to Their Unjust Treatment

And He Did So for 2 Main Reasons:

To Ensure that he would Die on the Cross…

For the Salvation of the World

Because that is the Way of God’s Kingdom

We Don’t Fight Back Against Those Who Hate Us for Loving Jesus

We Submit to Their Slander

We Submit to Their False Accusations

We Submit to Their Abuse

We Submit to Their Mocking

We Submit Because in Submission…

They See the Love, Gentleness, & Power of Jesus

They See a People Who Refuse to Be Defeated…

Because We Know that the Victory has Already Been Won for Us

No Matter What They Say or Do to Us…

They Can’t Take the Hope that Jesus has Given Us

They can Take Our Lives in this Age…

But They Can’t Take Our Resurrection Life in the Age to Come

The Easy Thing is to Fight Back

But We’ve Been Called to a Greater Purpose

Our Purpose is to Follow the Steps/Example of Jesus:

1 Peter 2:21–24 (NASB95)

21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

We’re Called to Be Long in the Nose

When Persecution Comes…

We’re Called to Take Long Deep Breaths…

And Follow the Humble, Peaceful, Submissive Ways of Jesus

We’re Called to Suffer Long for the Glory of Jesus

And We can have Patience, that Fruit of the Spirit…

When Our Minds are Focused on the Gospel of Jesus:

Jesus Suffered Long to Redeem Us from Sin & Death

He’s Now Sitting at the Right Hand of God…

Fully Aware of Our Suffering at the Hands of the World

And He’s Going to Return…

To Resurrect Us to a Blissful Life that Never Ends