Before the Jewish Council

Good morning, welcome to NHCC, please open your Bibles to Mark 14.

Last week, the heart of Jesus for those surrounding Him, specifically for His disciples.

Reminded of the love that Jesus has for His redeemed.

Everything in Mark’s gospel is meant to reveal the love of God in Christ, but there are moments in which it shines more brightly.

Building a fire with Kevin. Entire fire is blazing hot. Pockets of white that are even hotter.

The passion narrative is a white hot pocket of the love of Jesus for the redeemed, and we ought to read the text through such a filter.

Read Mark 14:53-65- And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’ ” Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

Pray.

Beginning the process of the trial. What we will find moving forward is a series of six trials, one of which has already happened in front of Annas, former high priest, noted only in John’s gospel.

Mark will focus on only two of these trials. This one before Caiaphas and the trial before Pilate.

Summary:

Jesus brought before the Jewish Council- the Sanhedrin, likely not all, but many.

False trial takes place (Mark Moore):

Arrested through a bribe (1).

Arrested without a clear charge (2).

Trials could not be held at night or on feast days (3).

Used physical force to intimidate Jesus during the trial (4).

False witnesses with conflicting testimony (5).

Witnesses were not to testify in front of one another (6).

Jesus was asked to incriminate Himself (7).

Jesus had no opportunity for cross-examination of the witnesses (8).

High Priest never asked for a vote from the Sanhedrin (9).

Was charged with blasphemy and temple violation but charges were later changed to claiming to be king, refusal to pay taxes, causing disturbances (10).

Convicted and executed the same day as His trial (11).

After witnesses could not agree, High priest asks about the accusations, and Jesus remains silent.

Finally Jesus is asked about His identity. Jesus claims both divinity and messiahship which is seen to the religious leaders as blasphemy.

He is quickly sentenced, even though the Jewish council really doesn’t have the authority to put one to dead. For that, they will need Rome.

Our text ends with Jesus being mocked, spit upon and beaten.

Three points of our account in Mark’s text to which I’d like to draw our attention.

1. Jesus sits quietly among false accusations.

Why does Jesus sit quietly instead of offering a right and stout defense?

Fulfills prophecy.

Mention this only briefly because we have covered this idea extensively and at length in previous weeks.

While Jesus is clearly a victim of injustice, He is also willingly enduring this undeserved injustice.

Not meant to beat a dead horse, but to remind that no matter the increase in chaos and calamity, God’s plans of salvation, redemption and restoration are unfolding.

Isaiah 53:7- He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

The silence of Jesus, recorded in Mark’s gospel, purposefully reminds the reader of God’s sovereign control of the entire process.

Gives example.

Ultimately, everything Jesus does is meant to be an example to His brothers and sisters. But notice how Peter remembers this event.

1 Peter 2:22-23- He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Here, in this moment of suffering, Jesus kept quiet because He knew what was to come.

The entirety of His trust rested in the justice of the Father.

Jesus continues to give example of life according to His Kingdom.

We are to see Jesus sitting silently and know that we too can trust in the Father’s justice.

Not easy for us- Azariah- Are you the daddy?

Knows His purpose.

Jesus is not here to give defense, but instead to proclaim His identity and suffer the consequences.

John Calvin- “Christ was again silent, not only because the objection was frivolous, but because, having been appointed to be a sacrifice, he had thrown aside all anxiety about defending himself.”

He allows for the testimony of His life and ministry to speak in His defense, rather than give a testimony that would be ignored.

We learn a great deal here.

Evangelism often becomes defending rather than presenting.

Jesus does not tend to take a stature of defense.

2. Jesus challenges the authority of the religious leaders.

After the false witnesses- High Priest Caiaphas questions Jesus- What do you say about these accusations. Jesus responds with silence.

Imagine the frustration- you finally have Him and you’re looking for a way to sentence Him.

Finally, Caiaphas asks THE most important question- Are you the Christ? Asking if Jesus is the promised and prophesied Messiah.

But He goes further- Are you the Son of the Blessed? Are you the Son of God? Are you Divine?

This is when it’s helpful to have gone through Mark’s gospel.

Mark 1- John proclaims that one is coming who will baptize with the HS; at Jesus’ baptism, God the Father proclaims that Jesus is His Son; when Jesus casts out an unclean spirit, the spirit says, “I know who you are- the Holy one of God.” Upon healing a leper, something only God is capable of, Jesus commands the cleansed man to tell no one.

Mark 2- Jesus not only heals the paralytic, but in doing so proves His ability to forgive the sins of the man.

Mark 3- healing of the man with a withered hand; unclean spirits again claiming that Jesus is the Son of God; Jesus orders them not to make Him known.

Mark 4- Jesus calms the storm- prompting the disciples to ask who can do this. Unspoken answer, only God Himself.

Mark 5- Raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead- strictly told them not to tell anyone.

Mark 6- Controls the waters by walking on them.

Mark 7- Jesus heals a deaf man, again performing that which only God is capable of- commands those with Him not to tell anyone.

Mark 8- Peter confesses to Jesus that He is the Christ- Jesus commanded them to tell no one.

Mark 9- Jesus is transfigured- God the Father says that Jesus is His Son and He ought to be listened to. Jesus commanded them to tell no one.

Mark 10- Jesus heals blind Bartimaeus, who calls out the messianic title of “Son of David” to Jesus as He is passing by.

Leading up to the triumphal entry in Mark 11, Mark has continually shown us that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, and that He is the promised Messiah. But we have yet to hear it from the mouth of Jesus Himself.

Now we have the climax of this particular line in Mark’s gospel. How will Jesus respond when He is asked point blank?

Are you the Christ? Are you the Son of God?

Jesus responds. I am. No doubt whatsoever. But Jesus doesn’t stop there.

Makes this emphatic statement that ties together Psalm 110 in a Messianic claim and Daniel 7 in a claim of divinity.

You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power (of God) and coming with the clouds of heaven.

You will see me take my place beside the Father, that Ancient of Days from Daniel 7.

What, in Daniel 7, is said of this Son of Man? Daniel 7:14- And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Jesus states that this dominion will be given to Him.

Please don’t miss the impact here.

You may have power over me now, but this will not always be the case.

John Calvin- “He announces that at the proper time he will at length come with royal majesty, that they may tremble before the Judge, whom they now refuse to acknowledge as the Author of salvation.”

This ought to have been a major moment of pause and warning for the religious leaders.

It should be the same for us today.

Consider the return of Christ. Dominion over all. Destruction of all wickedness. Does it not give you a moment for pause and warning?

A.W. Tozer- The vague and tenuous hope that God is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the consciences of millions. It hushes their fears and allows them to practice all pleasant forms of iniquity while death draws every day nearer and the command to repent goes unheeded.”

Payne Stewart’s plane crash.

Can we picture humanity in such a way? Dreary, sleeping, losing consciousness of things eternal while pursuing every earthly pleasure possible, not recognizing the coming doom of crashing in the mountains.

Would hate to leave this morning without hearing the clear warning that Jesus is indeed the Son of Man, seated at the right hand of the Father, given dominion over all things in existence with a holy and righteous displeasure toward the sin of mankind.

3. Jesus demands a response.

How will we respond to Jesus? What do we do with Jesus? Let me rephrase to clarify:

Who will Jesus be in our lives?

Two bad examples.

First, the clear bad example, the religious leaders.

What would cause one to treat Jesus the way that they do? It’s power.

The only reason to beat someone, or treat them in this way, is because you hold power over them.

At such a point, you can do anything you’d like with Jesus.

This has become pretty common in today’s personal theology.

Perhaps there are some here who, when they look at Jesus, desire to strip Him of His power.

While we have no desire to physically beat up or mock Jesus, we have every desire to shame who He truly is and what He truly teaches.

Again, our desire is to make Him powerless, and stand over Him in power.

Second, lets remember how the text begins in v. 54- Peter had followed him at a distance.

After fleeing at the arrest, Peter does indeed continue to follow Jesus, but rather than be up close, he hides (as we will see next week) and stays far enough away so that He is in no danger.

Still an association with His Lord, but He hopes to not be identified in such a way.

For how many might this define our fellowship with Jesus?

We will be associated with Him, we may even do better than Peter and say so.

But our desire is to follow Him from a distance.

We don’t want to do the things He does, to say the things He says, to love those that He loves, and to obey God as He does.

Please don’t misunderstand. The religious leaders were not disciples. Peter is.

This doesn’t mean that you’re not following Jesus, but instead that there is far better for you.

Nobody looks at Peter here and loves how He is following Jesus. We can all see, quite clearly, that he leaves much to be desired. So what is it?

What is meant for us? Who is Jesus meant to be in our lives? What position are we to take in relation to Jesus?

Not one over power over Him. Not one of a safe distance from Him.

John 15:9-10- As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

Abide, remain, stay, dwell, reside, live.

What does it mean to abide with Christ, or abide in His love? It means, in all circumstances, that we are found in Jesus. Not at a distance when safety and comfort require it, but there with Christ in all circumstances of life.

Our love for Christ and living in His love for us reshapes us.