"THE TRIAL BEGINS"

Parallel Gospel Accounts -

Matthew 26:57-68 - Make a couple of observations

Mark 14:53, 55-65 - Make a couple of observations

Luke 22:54a, 63-65 - Make a couple of observations

John 18:24 - Make a couple of observations

Proposition - This morning we are going to learn about: 1) the exceptions to find fault, 2) the misuse of Scripture to find fault, and 3) the hasty reaction to find fault.

Interrogative question - What are you doing with your beliefs?

1. The exceptions to find fault - vs. 57-59

Matthew 26:57–59 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. 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.

What events have taken place?

Who is Caiaphas?

Mt 26:57 led Him away to Caiaphas: He was first examined by Annas, the former high priest, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, probably while the Sanhedrin was assembling in the darkness of night (Jn 18:13).

Mk 14:53 the high priest: At the time of Jesus, the high priest was also a governmental leader and a political representative for the nation. The Roman governor appointed the high priest (always from a select number of influential priestly families), and he could remove the high priest at any time. Lemke, S. W. (2007). The Academic Use of Gospel Harmonies. In Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels (pp. 196–197). Holman Bible Publishers.

CAIAPHAS—the Jewish high priest (A.D. 27–36) at the beginning of our Lord’s public ministry, in the reign of Tiberius (Luke 3:2), and also at the time of his condemnation and crucifixion (Matt. 26:3, 57; John 11:49; 18:13, 14). He held this office during the whole of Pilate’s administration. His wife was the daughter of Annas, who had formerly been high priest, and was probably the vicar or deputy (Heb. sagan) of Caiaphas. He was of the sect of the Sadducees (Acts 5:17), and was a member of the council when he gave his opinion that Jesus should be put to death “for the people, and that the whole nation perish not” (John 11:50). In these words he unconsciously uttered a prophecy. “Like Saul, he was a prophet in spite of himself.” Caiaphas had no power to inflict the punishment of death, and therefore Jesus was sent to Pilate, the Roman governor, that he might duly pronounce the sentence against him (Matt. 27:2; John 18:28). At a later period his hostility to the gospel is still manifest (Acts 4:6). Easton, M. G. (1893). In Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature (pp. 114–115). Harper & Brothers.

CAIAPHAS (Kīʹ ȧ·phȧs) personal name meaning “rock” or “depression.” High priest at the time of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus (Matt. 26:3). He was the son-in-law of Annas and a leader in the plot to arrest and execute Jesus. Relatively little is known of his life. He was apparently appointed high priest about A.D. 18 and served until A.D. 36 or 37. His remains have been found in an ossuary box in a burial cave in Jerusalem, which also contains the remains of many of his family members. Draper, C. W. (2003). Caiaphas. In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 249). Holman Bible Publishers.

When do you think that these things took place?

26:57 Caiaphas the high priest. See note on v. 3. From John 18:13, we learn that Christ was taken first to Annas (former High-Priest and father-in-law to Caiaphas). He then was sent bound to Caiaphas’ house (John 18:24). The conspiracy was well planned, so that “the scribes and the elders” (the Sanhedrin, see note on v. 59) were already “assembled” at Caiaphas’ house and ready to try Jesus. The time was sometime between midnight and the first rooster’s crowing (v. 74). Such a hearing was illegal on several counts: criminal trials were not to be held at night (see note on 27:1); and trials in capital cases could only be held at the temple and only in public MacArthur, J., Jr., ed. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1446). Word Pub.

Who was trying to find fault in Jesus?

The whole Council (“Sanhedrin”) need not denote all 70 members but may just indicate those hastily assembled in the middle of the night (23 members made a quorum). “Sanhedrin” (Gk. synedrion) could refer either to a local Jewish tribunal (e.g., “council,” 5:22; “courts,” 10:17) or, as here, to the supreme ecclesiastical court (“Council”) of the Jews, centered in Jerusalem. The Romans were ultimately in control of all judicial proceedings but allowed their subjects some freedom to try their own cases. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1883). Crossway Bibles.

2. The misuse of Scripture to find fault - vs. 60-64

Matthew 26:60–64 NASB95

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.’ ” 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.” 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.”

Who now comes forward to try to find fault in Jesus?

What does the statement about the temple have to do with this situation?

26:61 destroy the temple of God. See John 2:19–21. The witnesses’ account was a distortion of Jesus’ meaning. Mark 14:58 gives a fuller account of their testimony. MacArthur, J., Jr., ed. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1446). Word Pub.

Why do you think the high priest responded so quickly?

What passage does Jesus quote?

3. The hasty reaction to find fault - vs. 65-68

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?”

Why do you think the high priest tore his robes?

26:65 the high priest tore his clothes. Normally this was an expression of deep grief (2 Kin. 19:1; Job 1:20; Jer. 36:24). The High-Priest was forbidden to tear his clothes (Lev. 10:6; 21:10)—but the Talmud made an exception for High-Priests who witnessed a blasphemy. But Caiaphas’ supposed grief was as phony as the charge of blasphemy against Jesus; he was gloating over having found something to base his charges on (v. 67). MacArthur, J., Jr., ed. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., pp. 1446–1447). Word Pub.

Why did they accuse Jesus of “blasphemy?”

Why did they say he deserves death?

Leviticus 24:16 NASB95

16 ‘Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

26:66 Execution by stoning was the prescribed OT penalty for blasphemy (Lv 24:10–23).

26:67–68 Mark 14:65 shows that the men covered Jesus’s face before they beat him. Thus Jesus was expected to identify his abusers by name without seeing their faces or hearing their voices. This mock test of messiahship was probably based on a misinterpretation of Is 11:3 which said that Messiah “will not judge by what he sees with his eyes … [or] by what he hears with his ears.” A century later Bar Kochba was executed after his claims to be Messiah were disproved by his inability to judge by smell. Quarles, C. L. (2017). Matthew. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1549). Holman Bible Publishers.

Jesus’ Arrest, Trial, and Crucifixion

The path from Jesus’ arrest to his crucifixion (part of which is often called the Via Dolorosa, “Way of Sorrows”) is difficult to retrace with certainty.

According to a possible harmony of the Gospel accounts, after the Passover meal Judas led a contingent of soldiers to Gethsemane to arrest Jesus (1).

From there Jesus was led to Annas (location unknown), who sent him to his son-in-law Caiaphas, the high priest (2).

The Jewish leaders then appealed to the Roman governor Pilate to have Jesus put to death (3).

Luke records that Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas (4),

who questioned Jesus but returned him to Pilate without rendering any judgment (5).

Pilate then sent Jesus to be crucified at Golgotha (6). Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1883). Crossway Bibles.

SO WHAT?

What are you doing with your beliefs?