TRIED AND FOUND WITHOUT FAULT

Last week we began looking at Jesus - the Lamb of God!

We talked how He was anointed for burial 0 r better yet - in preparation for His sacrifice as the Passover Lamb.

This morning I want to talk about His trial and examination.

We mentioned last week that every passover lamb went through a period of observation to see if it had blemish that would make it unworthy of being the sacrifice that year.

Jesus time spent until His crucifixion was a period of examination. We read last week how the Chief priests and religious leaders were seeking a way to condemn Him and be rid of Him, but they could not come up with a legitimate plan to put Him to death without engaging the Roman Empire.

Christ was put to death by the Empire, but done at the choosing of the Jewish leaders according to a custom of releasing and condemning one prisoner every Passover.

If found guilty by the Sanhedrin it would have been stoning, instead it was crucifixion. Yet the Romans followed through with a sound proclamation

“I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM - NO GUILT”

The only guilt the Jews could find was actually TRUTH.

and, ultimately, the Jews own High Priest proclaimed by one all debts should be paid!

1. Trying to Find Blame

John 18:13–14 ESV

13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

John 18:19–24 ESV

19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

John records bringing Jesus to Annas and then delivering him to Caiphas. In these hours in the middle of the night, Jesus was bound and brought “unjustly” according to law to the homes of these High Priests, not to the Hall of the Sanhedrin.

Annas, should have been the High Priest over Israel, but Roman rulers forced the Jews to keep changing out the High Priests - which was usually a lifelong post.

Annas had been the High Priest, and his sons and son in laws would all have their turns at it. One commentator stated how Annas was like a modern day GODFATHER overseeing and controlling all that was going on, but no longer holding the position - yet still recognized in his priestly role.

For these men this was all political - all about control in the nation - very little spiritually was going on here.

By Jewish law and Roman expectation, before a Jew could be sent to Pilate, they had to first do a “clearance” or examination first. Witnesses would be gathered and examined and then sent to Pilate for punishment - only Rome could sentence to death.

Here, there are not witnesses. Jesus even asks Annas - “have others told you this?” He is accused of creating insurrection like a political leader trying to become a King - when Jesus never sought an earthly Kingdom nor did he speak privately to do so - and Jesus states His innocence of only speaking in public places when he preached - not secretly.

According to Jewish law, one being accused could not be asked to incriminate himself, yet this line of questioning was doing just that, even though Jesus did not.

When Jesus asks, why are you asking me these things he was struck across the face by a guard - an action that would only take place if assumed to disrespect the High Priest - Jesus calls for them to prove His saying something wrong - which they could not...

SO ANNAS sent him of to his son in law ---

Mark records this account in Mark 14:53-65

Mark 14:53–65 NLT

53 They took Jesus to the high priest’s home where the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law had gathered. 54 Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and went right into the high priest’s courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire. 55 Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any. 56 Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other. 57 Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’ ” 59 But even then they didn’t get their stories straight! 60 Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 61 But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 Jesus said, “I Am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 63 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses? 64 You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!” 65 Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and beat him with their fists. “Prophesy to us,” they jeered. And the guards slapped him as they took him away.

By this time, many of the priests and leaders had gathered and they pulled together false witnesses - whose stories all contradicted one another. This was a secret meeting, again in a home, in the middle of the night with no notice to accuse someone of a capital offense.

According to Jewish law, once a witness’ story was contradicted they were dismissed and the case was to be considered to be contrived and dismissed! Then the false witnesses were to be put to death if it was in a capital offense case...

Technically here these witnesses should have died and the trial ended!!! The proof of such matters was known in what had occurred, but ignored.

Even though this COUNCIL tried to find blame and guilt in Jesus, they could not, and even their witnesses according to law demonstrated the falsehood of the trial and not the accused.

Jesus was without fault and they could not prove it.

Now, they did ask Him if he was the Messiah - to which Jesus truthfully answered - I AM!

At this, instead of investigating that claim, as they were all awaiting the Messiah to come - they tore their clothes and cried out GUILTY - even though there was no guilt! NO SIN, no wrong, and Jesus was speaking truthfully.

Their wrongful verdict was based on their guilt and rejection of the provision of the Lord, rather than on the guilt of Christ.

According to the Jewish law - Jesus had not committed blasphemy and for that to occur a vote from youngest in council to oldest would need to have been taken which it did not. It was more a mob reaction, then a court scenario,

Now Jesus stands falsely accused and tried to which they could not find guilt, but in a moment of anger the leaders accuse of guilt for nothing tried when Jesus speaks the truth as to who He is!

John does not continue to record the event at Caiphas house, and perhaps for the reason

After all this, there was still no fault found in HIM! No investigation of His claim would be made.

2. Prophetic Word of Caiphas

I want us to look at a statement in

John 18:14 NLT

14 Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, “It’s better that one man should die for the people.”

John 11:49–51 NLT

49 Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about! 50 You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.” 51 He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation.

Amongst the Jews, there was a belief that a Spiritual leader could be the voice of God to the nation --

Caiphas prophesies the truth regarding Christ becoming the Passover LAMB.

The lamb was a sacrifice made to free the family from death, or sacrifices in the temple were made to cleanse the nation.

This meeting of Caiphas and the other religious leaders was discussing how to trap and arrest Jesus well before it happened.

Their discussion entailed the threat to the Jewish nation if the Romans wanted to punish them and burn the Temple and destroy the Jews for people following Christ as their King.

Again - the fear was an earthly political fear - and they were falsely justifying themselves for destroying Jesus.

It was an early Jewish debate about offering up an innocent Jew if Rome required such to protect the nation --- however, Rabbinical law said that no Jew should be permitted to be raped or put to death for the benefit of all - instead all should suffer.

However, we know that the Lord sent His son Jesus to die for all so all could be forgiven

John 3:16 NLT

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Hebrews 7:27 NLT

27 Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins.

Caiphas, weeks before he condemned Christ to death, had purposed that in order to benefit their system of leadership and power, one could be sacrificed for the whole, but in reality He prophesied exactly what Jesus death was doing---

Die to spare all who would believe! IN essence the purpose of the LAMB!

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Annas could not find blame, the Council disregarded all their means to justify blame, and Caiphas had previously spoken he would yield up one innocent to protect their ways...

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3. Final Authority Declared Him Innocent

This brings us to Pilate --- in order for one to be put to death, only Rome could convict, and as we said earlier, the practice was to examine a case - almost like a grand jury and then send the witnesses and criminal to Pilate for actual judgment.

Pilate could not even discern that the charges they were seeking were for death until after the proceeding had begun - it was just not clear.

We see in Caiphas early remarks - they were trying to look like friends of Rome preventing an uprising against Caesar - because they had no basis on their own Jewish law to condemn him.

John 18:28–19:16 NLT

28 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. 29 So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?” 30 “We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted. 31 “Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied. 32 (This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.) 33 Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him. 34 Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?” 35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” 37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” 38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. 39 But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?” 40 But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a revolutionary.) 1 Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. 2 The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. 3 “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face. 4 Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.” 5 Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Look, here is the man!” 6 When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” “Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.” 7 The Jewish leaders replied, “By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this, he was more frightened than ever. 9 He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave no answer. 10 “Why don’t you talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?” 11 Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” 12 Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, “If you release this man, you are no ‘friend of Caesar.’ Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.” 13 When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). 14 It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, “Look, here is your king!” 15 “Away with him,” they yelled. “Away with him! Crucify him!” “What? Crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back. 16 Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away.

Now, the charge is Jesus proclaiming to be King. Notice in Jesus responses, He never claims an earthly Kingdom which would have made him guilty...

ANyone is permitted to claim a heavenly Kingdom - it is of no threat to the political realm.

The reality here is that Pilate could find no fault in CHRIST - he proclaims in John 19:6

John 19:6 NLT

6 When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” “Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”

Pilate actually mocked the Jews more than Christ when he dressed him in his cape and put a crown of thorns on his head...

He was saying this has nothing to do with me - this is not my problem - you kill him if you choose to… In fact, he was giving them permission, but these leaders know they had not tried Christ correctly or found any real fault to do so themselves, their only appeal was politcally on Pilate to make Christ a threat to Caesar and his empire.

So Jesus was taken away to be crucified.

The Jews took the blame for Pilate, but for his benefit not their own — it was a political masterpiece!

CONCLUSION

It was designed in heaven for Jesus to be our LAMB that takes away the sins of the world!

He was innocent of the charges, all the charges

His only claim was truthful and broke no laws

He was not found guilty

Yet, he was offered up...

Interestingly, in this moment the Jews called for Barabbas, a seditious murderer, rapist and political riot inciter to be released - what they had accused Jesus of being.

Barabbas - means - SON OF THE FATHER

The sons of earth were spared so the SON of HEAVEN could make a way...

He was spared so the real SON OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER could die in His place that passover to be the price for sin and set us free from death!

He was Tried and Found without Fault - there was no blemish in Him, the only one righteous to walk this earth since before the fall of mankind - died to set us free.