Matthew 26:57-75 "The Religious Trials"

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We will be in Matthew 26 today, but we are going to start in John 18, so please turn in your Bibles to John 18… and here’s why…

The general reason is I enjoy harmonizing the Gospels. Taking all four gospels…and placing them side by side… to get the full picture and full sequencing of what happened in Jesus’ ministry.

And, there are great Harmony of the Gospels books that do the leg work for you. I recommend adding one to your study library.

The specific reason we are starting in John 18 is because John records the first of Jesus’ three religious trials.

Matthew, who wrote thematically... and not chronologically... did not need to record the first trial to prove to his Jewish audience that Jesus was their king.

There were six trials of Jesus altogether. Three religious trials, that we will look at today, and three civil trials, that we will look at next week.

Before we get into the word, a quick recap where we are…

It is Thursday night of the Passover week… already Friday in Jewish reckoning, and Jesus and His disciples ate the Passover meal in the Upper Room.

Jesus predicted Judas would betray Him… Judas leaves to do so… and Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper.

Then, they left the city proper of Jerusalem… singing a hymn… likely Ps 118… and Jesus predicts all the disciples would scatter from Him, as He was struck… and that Peter would deny Him three times.

They crossed the Kidron valley to the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane…

… and the disciples failed Jesus… He asked them to ‘watch and pray’, but they slept.

Jesus said, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Then the betrayer, Judas, who Satan had entered, arrived with about 600 Roman Soldiers, Jewish Temple Police, and Jewish Religious leaders.

Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss… a repeated and fervent kiss… the same Gk. word for “kiss”… given to the prodigal son by his father…

They ask for Jesus. He said, “I am.” (ĕgō eimi) And, all 600+ men fall over.

And, while He didn’t have to... Jesus let them lay their hands on Him and take Him.

The disciples ask, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”

Peter actually did and cut off the right ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest.

Jesus rebukes this action. Jesus did not need Peter’s defense… He could ask the Father and He would send 12 legions of angels.

If your God NEEDS YOUR defense, you’ve got the wrong God.

Jesus didn’t need Peter’s rescue… He was in total control.

He was in control even through the travesty of these trials we will look at this week and next.

There’s no modern equivalent to the illegalities of Jesus’ trials, but let me paint this picture to help you understand just how bad it was…

Imagine you’re leading a 24 hour prayer gathering… and at 2am, the SWAT team arrives and takes you directly to court… without formal charges… in the middle of the night you stand before 2 different judges…

They have you beaten, mocked, and spit in you face…

And, they break their own laws to pin a false charge on you so they can sentence you to death...

This week and next, we will witness the outrage of Jesus’ trials…

The title of today’s sermon is “The Religious Trials.”

Let’s Pray!

Let’s pick up in John 18:12-23 looking quickly at the first religious trial. “Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.

Amazing… the God of the universe allows Himself to be bound by His creation.

V13 And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.

We talked a few weeks ago in depth about Annas and Caiphas…

Annas was the High Priest from 6-15 A.D.... and High Priest rightfully, but was removed by Rome and Caiphas was appointed from 18-36 A.D.

Though... Annas still had considerable power behind the scenes… as clearly evidenced by this scene where Jesus is brought to Annas first.

V14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

Back in John 11:50 Caiphas prophesied as such...

John 11:51-52 reads “Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.”

Caiphas was able to prophesy… not because of himself personally, but because of his position as high priest…

God moved on Caiphas to prophesy truth that Jesus would die for all mankind to gather them back to God.

Still today this gathering is happening.

V15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. [John] Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. 16 But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. 17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”

The servant girl seems to recognize both John and Peter as disciples, and questions Peter.

This is Peter’s first of three denials.

V18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself. 19 The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.

This seems to be a preliminary trial… an evaluation of the case, prior to the other hearings.

Annas asks questions about Jesus’ disciples and His teachings.

Given the past plotting and intentions against Jesus, we can assume these questions are not objective, nor honest.

They are designed to find fault… to formulate a charge… which Annas will find neither.

V20 Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.

Jesus did not, and still does not have anything to hide. The truth of the Bible is available. Just open the book… a simple thing many accusers of Jesus still fail to do.

Jesus taught openly and not in secret… you should never wonder about transparency with doctrines.

Cults are not transparent. They have additional books, secret teachings, hidden sayings… they would be guilty before Annas.

The Book of Mormon writes about ancient cities, like “Bountiful”, and ancient battles, but can produce no archaeological evidence.

But, there is vast archaeological evidence for the Bible.

One ex. related to our teaching today… in the second trial, we will encounter the high priest Caiaphas…

Well, in 1990 the Caiphas Ossuary was discovered…

An ossuary is comparable to a casket.

This one was not plain, as customary, but ornately decorated bearing an Aramaic inscription, “Joseph son of Caiphas” and inside were the remains of a 60 year old man… Joseph Caiphas’ age at death.

Openly and not in secret.

V21 [Jesus continues…] Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.” 22 And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?”

Beating an accused, but not convicted prisoner was illegal. Imagine standing before a judge and being smacked in the court room for your answer.

Jesus demonstrated poise and logic…

But, the simple minded… knowing they had been bested… resorted to violence.

We see this even today, when someone digresses into cussing, or physical violence.

Don’t let that be you. Remember Jesus said, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

That really struck me last week…the honest simplicity of that statement. “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

Prayer is a powerful tool to avoid falling into temptation.

When you are tempted… when someone instigates you and stirs up your flesh… don’t digress… PRAY!

V23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?” 24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

They could not testify of any evil Jesus committed.

He was a lamb without spot or blemish. The perfect, sinless, Son of God.

So, they dismiss Jesus to Caiphas… the puppet high priest for Rome.

Now turn to Matt 26… where Matthew picks up with the Second Jewish Religious Trial… now before Caiaphas…

 Matt 26:57-68 “And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. [an illegal location for trials] And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

Peter’s bravery and commitment is slipping… He has already denied Jesus once, and will again warm himself at the enemies fire.

He is actively backsliding.

The palace of the high priest is the current location of our scene… we talked about this palace a few weeks ago… lavish and likely funded by Anna’s racket… the den of thieves… inflation for animal sacrifices and money changing during feasts.

And, it would appear that Jesus’ 2nd trial was not in the courtyard of the palace, but above… perhaps a large upper room able to accommodate the many men of the Sanhedrin.

Mark 14 describes Jesus in the midst of these trials, and then Mark 14:66 records, “Now as Peter was below in the courtyard…”

So, Peter was below in the courtyard… a lower and different location than Jesus.

V59 Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council [The Sanhedrin… the Jewish High Council of 71 men… the supposed guardians of the Law…] sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, V60 but found none. [It was illegal to seek testimony… especially false testimony] Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. [Mark tells us… “their testimonies did not agree.” What a circus?! Can you imagine how foolish the Sanhedrin looked?] But at last two false witnesses came forward 61 and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”

Mark 14:58-59 words this false testimony this way, “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ ” 59 But not even then did their testimony agree.”

Kangaroo Court. All the witnesses are contradicting each other, and misquoting Jesus.

What they are referencing was an event early in Jesus’ ministry… after He rightfully overturned the money changers tables and cleansed the temple the first of two times…

When He did that the Jews asked Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”… John 2:19-21 records Jesus’ response… “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days? 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.”

The false witness misrepresents Jesus.

V62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63 But Jesus kept silent.

Jesus’ silence is wise. He does not incriminate Himself, as perhaps the high priest hoped He would, but also fulfills prophecy…

Specifically Isa 53:7 “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.”

Still in V63 “And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

At this point, the high priest puts Jesus under a legally imposed oath.

The scholar France wrote… “I adjure you is a rare and formal expression, invoking the name of God in order to compel a true answer. This is therefore the climax of the hearing.”

Jesus now must respond, and the questions asked are…

Are you the Messiah/ the Christ? Are you the Son of God? Mark writes, “The Son of the Blessed?”

Are you the Savior?… Are you God?

The Son of God in Jewish thinking was equivalent to God.

If Jesus said, “No.” He may have been released, but would have lied and lost all credibility… and we would never have been saved. All would be lost...

But, He answered honestly and said ‘Yes.’

To which they would give Him a false charge of blasphemy and proceed with an illegal sentence.

V64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Mark tell us Jesus responds, “I am” (egō eimi)… openly declaring He is Messiah.

And then Jesus alludes to two Old Testament passages.

Ps 110:1 “The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

Dan 7:13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven!”

These sayings are as much a warning as they are prophetic to His second return as judge…

It’s as if Jesus was saying… ‘I say to you… Caiaphas, you may sit in the seat of judgement and judge me now, but know who I am… and eternally, as I sit in the seat of judgment… my sentence will be far more binding on you.’

There are a lot of people living today, and in every generation who put Jesus on false trial, and make false accusations… they don’t know who He is.

They are playing with eternal fire.

And, in this lifetime… given the chance...they would treat Jesus the same we see next in V65…

V65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66 What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.” 67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”

Luke tells us they blindfolded Him, which is really bad because He could not react to absorb the punches… making them worse.

Our Jesus… they spat in His face… they beat Him… they mocked Him.

Spurgeon suggested some ways men still spit in the face of Jesus:

Men spit in His face by denying His deity.

Men spit in His face by rejecting His gospel.

Men spit in His face by preferring their own righteousness.

Men spit in His face by turning away from Jesus.

This charge of ‘blasphemy’ would have been correct IF Jesus wasn’t truly God and Messiah, but He was, thus there was nothing blasphemous in His response.

This whole trial was an illegal outrage. The guardians of the law, in wicked hatred and plotting against Jesus... violate the very law they swore to uphold.

The Jewish writings… the Talmud and Midrash… are very specific about the administration of justice.

I just mentioned some of the ways Jesus’ trial was illegal… just in passing, but listen to these specific violations against the Jewish law...

No trial was to be held at night.

These first two trials were in the middle of the night.

Trials were to be held before the Sanhedrin at a place like the Chamber of Hewn Stone in the temple.

Jesus was tried at the palace of the high priest.

No trial was to be held during feast time.

Jesus’ trial was during Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Each member of the Sanhedrin was to vote guilty or not guilty.

Jesus was sentenced by the high priest alone.

A guilty conviction required one night to pass before the sentence stood… to see if feelings of mercy arose.

Jesus received no mercy and faced the cross just a few hours after His trials.

False witnesses were punishable by death.

There was no punishment for the many false witnesses at Jesus’ trial.

And, there were several other illegalities, but you get the idea…

I share these egregious illegalities not just to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the Sanhedrin… and their utter hatred towards Jesus…

But, also… what is far more note worthy… is the fact that Jesus… The Judge… The KING of kings… The LORD of lords…

… was on trial by His own creation… in a fixed court… a joke… an offense…

…and He allowed it…

He could have asked the Father for twelve legions of angels.

Jesus allowed these trials… in obedience to the Father’s will to redeem mankind… to fulfill prophecies… and in His love for you…

He would take on our sin, so as we believe in Him…we never have to stand on trial before the eternal court.

Isa 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

It’s an amazing and mind-boggling thought… that the God of the universe gave His Son… to be our scapegoat… so we might be in relationship with Him.

As difficult as it is for us to hear about these events… imagine being some of the members of the Sanhedrin who later came to faith.

Imagine being a priest who spat in Jesus’ face, slapped Him, and mocked Him…

And, later you come to faith in Him… and then you have to live with what you did to Him.

And, there were some.

After Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon and filled believers, and in Acts 6:7 we read, “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

How could these priest who spit in Jesus’ face… beat Him… and mocked Him… How could they not feel shame?

There are many today people who carry shame because of their past… they lived contrary to Christ, and now don’t feel like they can lift their head to Him…

Their past haunts them… they feel unworthy.

Luke 18:13-14 gives us a picture of one such man… “And the tax collector [a traitor to the Jews who sold themselves out for money], standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 [Jesus said…] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other [a self-righteous Pharisee]; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

No matter your past… if you humble your heart before God, He will exalt or uplift you.

Rom 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

If you feel condemned and feel like you cannot come to God… recognize the source of that condemnation…

There is a major difference between condemnation from the devil… and conviction by the Holy Spirit.

Condemnation drives you away from God.

Conviction drives you toward God.

If you consider Judas and Peter… both failed, but…

Judas let condemnation from the enemy lead him to suicide.

Whereas Peter let conviction from the Lord lead him to brokenness and restoration.

Let’s look at Peter’s account of his three denials...

Matt 26:69-75 “Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” 71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” 73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” [Peter had a Galilean accent… different from the more proper speech in Jerusalem]. 74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!”Immediately a rooster crowed. [Luke 22:61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.] 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.”

As one slips… the look of the Lord and remembering His word… is enough to pierce anyone’s heart.

If you recall, the first denial was recorded in John during the trial of Annas.

There is no conflict with Matthew’s writings here because Matthew wrote for effect… often disregarding chronology, and writing thematically.

To get the best chronology, read through Mark, Luke, and John.

One interesting nugget I saw in Mark, was the rooster crowed twice. Once after the first denial… which should have warned Peter… then a second time after the third denial.

And, that’s how Mark14:30 recorded Jesus’ prediction, “Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”

Even hearing a rooster in Jerusalem should have warned Peter… rooster were banned from Jerusalem…

So, this rooster being in Jerusalem… was kind of a miracle in and of itself…

It was like a Ninja Rooster… sneaking his way into the forbidden city…

In the Jewish writing… the Mishnah… Bava Kammah 7 explained the chicken ban, “One may not raise chickens in Jerusalem, due to the sacrificial meat that is common there. There is a concern that chickens will pick up garbage that imparts ritual impurity and bring it into contact with sacrificial meat, thereby rendering it ritually impure.”

Wow… aren’t you glad we don’t have to live in the bondage of legalism?

Sadly, there are many Christians who do.

In Peter’s denials, we observe a common pattern typical of anyone who denies Jesus…

There is a progression from bad to worse…

First a denial… then a denial with an oath… then Peter cursed and swore…

In the first denial, V70… Peter denied being with Jesus… meaning being a disciple. Peter responds, “I do not know what you are saying.” or as John records … “I am not”… I am not a disciple.

In the second denial, V72… Peter again denied being a disciple… this time with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”

Finally, the people pressed Peter saying, “your speech betrays you.”

John 18:26 records, “One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off [Malchus], said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”

So, Peter began to curse and swear.

During the first trial, Peter had the chance to stand up for Jesus, but he didn’t.

He strayed from His first oath, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”

Now he makes additional oaths he will not uphold.

And, he is in a downward progression of denying the Lord with greater intensity.

He dug a hole he seemingly could not get out of.

A quick note on Peter’s “oath, cursing, and swearing…”

Peter was indeed a sailor, but he was not cussing like one as we think of cussing. Peter wasn’t saying naughty words.

He was adding vows, and calling down curses upon himself if he was lying.

Someone today might say, “Damn me to hell if I am lying.”

He was attempting to establish his truthfulness through an aggressive appeal to the sacred.

James 5:12 speaks against this, “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.’

There is no need to ‘swear to God,’ or ‘swear on the bible,’ or ‘swear the Boy Scout Oath.’

Just be a man or woman of integrity… be known for your word.

During this third denial, Luke records, Luke 22:60-62 “Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord [piercing his heart], how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.”

Here is Jesus… at the precipice of mankind's redemption… pausing for a moment to minister to Peter. This always gets me.

The word “looked” in Gk. emblepō means “to look intently at; to look searchingly or significantly at a person; fig. to look at with the mind, to consider.”

The same Gk word is used in John 1:42, when Jesus first looked at Peter. “Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).”

I believe this is the same look of love, but even more… Jesus is looking down into Peter…

In the end, Jesus saw into Peter… and saw the same thing the first time them they met… a rock… it was still there.

Deep inside… Jesus still saw his potential despite his present failure.

You could be living a life at present that denies Jesus, but God still sees your potential.

He searches deep inside you… He knows you, and loves you.

For now, all Peter could do was weep bitterly.

Yet Peter would be restored… and re-commissioned. Jesus was not done with Peter… and He’s not done with us.

If you contrast between Judas and Peter… both denied Jesus, but…

Judas committed apostasy. Peter backslid.

Apostasy is forsaking the truth… abandoning the faith.

Judas was sorry for what he did, but not truly repentant and ended his life… deceived by condemnation from the devil.

Backsliding is moving away from Christ.. going the wrong way spiritually… regressing rather than progressing. Reverting back to old ways.

Peter was in a bad place… he was by the enemies fire and at one point even went back to fishing… his old trade... prior to being restored.

But, his failure was not final.

His bitter weeping was sincere, and led to sincere repentance, as Jesus repeatedly said to him, “…do you love Me?” … Feed my sheep.”

Rom 2:4 “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

It’s not the hammer that leads people to repent.. it’s the kindness and goodness of God.

Don’t despise the wealth of God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience.

Well, let’s wrap up… quickly looking at Jesus Third Religious Trial…

Luke 22:66 “As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying...”

The word “council” in Gk sunĕdriŏn means “a sitting together, assembly.” This is the basis for the word “Sanhedrin.” The Jewish Supreme Court.

The Mishnah Sanhedrin 11, writes of three courts... “There were three courts there in Jerusalem. One convenes at the entrance to the Temple Mount, and one convenes at the entrance to the Temple courtyard, and one convenes in the Chamber of Hewn Stone.”

V66 suggests they moved the trial to an official courtroom like the Chamber of Hewn Stones.

Luke 22:67-71 “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe. 68 And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go. [They were already decided… this trial was nothing more than a formality.] 69 Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.” 70 Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.” 71 And they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”

This was the closest to a legal trial, but still far from legitimate. This simply took place to validate their illegal actions from the night prior.

Matt 27:1-2 reads “When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.”

Next week we will pick up there looking at the three Civil Trials of Jesus… read ahead.

But today… the Religious Trials… difficult to read… no justice… an atrocity...

But some good lessons on how God’s people fail, but He is faithful to restore them…

Maybe you are here today, and you identified with one of those priests who came to faith, but formerly they beat Jesus and spit in His face…

Maybe you’re carrying some shame from the past and you want to let it go…

Today is the day you to give it to Jesus… to let it go… there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

Raise you hand if that is you… I want to pray for you.

Maybe you identify with Peter… you’ve slipped a bit, and you want to be restored.

God still sees deep inside of you and knows your potential.

He sees the rock that was there the first time He saw you.

If you want a prayer for restoration… raise your hand… I want to pray for you.

Let’s Pray!

God bless you this week… Go... uplifted that the Lord sees you, and all your potential… and has a plan for you.