Jesus’ Trial

Introduction:

What are we going to do this morning:

Expositional Preaching:

Teaching Vs Preaching

Understanding vs application

Deductive Vs Inductive.

This morning a deep dive into the Trial Narrative of Jesus:

1. Who is Jesus brought before?

2. what are they charging him with?

3 Where do they send him?

Pray

Act 1: Jesus before the Jewish Religious Leaders (66-71)

Luke 22:66–71 ESV

When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”

Jesus is brought before…

Who are they?

When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes.

The Sanhedrin: the supreme council of the Jews

headed by a High Priest

religious, civil, and criminal jurisdiction over Jewish affairs

Chief Priest = Highest office in the hierarchy of priests and Levites. It was the chief priest who alone went into the Most Holy Place of the temple once a year to make atonement for the sins of the whole nation of Israel.

A. Annas = High Priest Emeritis

B. Caiphas = current high priest. who’s Not recognized by the Romans.

Jesus as the great High Priest

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

(Not only offers sacrifice but is the sacrifice)

Scribes: The People who spent their life studying Jewish Law.

best understanding of the OT Scriptures

here sits before them the messiah and they cant recognize him.

What are they charging Jesus with?

In other Gospel accounts:

Destroying the Temple

They are concerned with their livelihood.

In Lukes Gospel:

If you are the Christ tell us?

A false claim to be the messiah

Ultimately = Jesus has done all he needs to tell them but has not listened.

look you know who I AM.

Transition: So they have heard all they need. They hear and yet they dont believe so they bring him before the Roman leadership because ultimately they didn’t have any power to crucify him. This is what they say when they bring him before Pilate. Act 2

Act 2: Jesus before the Roman Political Leaders Pt 1. (V1-5)

Luke 23:1–5 ESV

Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”

Who is Pilate?

You may note his name is recorded in the Apostles Creed & Nicene Creed. (Jesus suffered under Pontious Pilate)

Not the emperor, not a member of the senate.

Roman governor of Judaea from ad 26–36/37.

This is a very lowly assignment for a Roman official.

Rule over the Jews..

None the less his judgement is considered to be the judgement of Rome.

What is he charging Jesus with?

I can find no fault in him….

This in one sense is completely true and in an another is absurd.

True:

Jesus has done nothing wrong there is no fault in him.

Absurd:

Historically Pilate is known for being completely unjust in how he tries individuals especially Jewish individuals.

Philo (Jewish Philosopher) in letter to nephew writes about Pilate consistently crucifying individuals unjustly.

Josephus (Jewish Historian) records the constant struggle of the Jewish People with Pilate.

Pillate is ultimately removed from his post for mismanagement.

Transition: gets off the hook… and pushes it down to Herod.

Act 3: Jesus before the Jewish Political Leaders (V6-15)

Luke 23:6–12 ESV

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

Who is Herod?

Many considered him to be a mad ruler

years earlier Killed (and beheaded) John the Baptist .

33 years earlier Recorded in the opening Mathews gospel at trying to kill all baby boys under two in Bethlehem to prevent the birth of the Messiah.

Other historical acounts.

killing three of his sons on suspicion of treason

putting to death his favorite wife (of his ten wives!), killing one of his mothers-in-law, drowning a high priest, and killing several uncles and a couple of cousins. They also talk about Herod’s plot to kill a stadium of Jewish leaders

What is Jesus Charged with?

He is mocked but not charged

He is humiliated but not charged with no wrong doing.

Transition:

Act 4: Jesus is delivered to be crucified Pt 2 (V18-23)

Luke 23:13–23 ESV

Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.

Who is Barabas:

Name Meaning: Ironically, Son of the father

A true criminal.

A Robber (Think back to Jesus claim in the beginning of our passage this morning.

What happens:

aPilate listens to the cries of the people.

A blemishes lamb is led to slaughter

Closing application:

Jesus is brought before you? (act 5)

What will it take for you to believe?

Application: Bring this into our modern setting

1. Understand that Jesus is unrecognizable to the world?

Jesus is faultless but yet his importance is unrecognizable to the world.

The World Values Power, and Might, not meakness and service.

This a leader who will lower himself for his people

his body broek his blood shed.

What would it take for you to believe?

A. Narrative of Scripture

B. Gospel proclamation

C. Religious experience.

D. What is it going to take

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” -Cs Lewis