Friday, June 28, 2024

The Illegal and Unjust Condemnation of Jesus (Matt. 26:65-66)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/28/2024 9:47 AM

 

My Worship Time                                  Focus:  “The Illegal and Unjust Condemnation of Jesus”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                           Reference:  “Matthew 26:65-66”

 

            Message of the verses:  65 At this the High Priest tore his robes and cried, "That was blasphemy! Where is the need for further witnesses? Look, you’ve heard the blasphemy — 66 what’s your verdict now?" And they replied, "He deserves to die.’”

 

            John MacArthur begins this rather short section by writing the following:  “Upon that instantly recognizable confession by Jesus, the high priest tore his robes in horror, saying, ‘He has blasphemed!’’  The unbelieving members of the Sanhedrin had long ago discounted Jesus’ claims of deity.  He had pleaded with them, ‘I I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father’ (John 10:37-38).  In other words, even if they could not believe the divine source of His teaching, how could they argue against the divine power behind His countless public miracles.” 

 

            Let me just try and answer this question that is asked at the end of this first paragraph.  It was prophesized that all of what is happening to Jesus would happen, but that does not make those who are fulfilling these prophecies any lest responsible in fulfilling them.  This was their desire to kill Jesus and they were using this sham trial in order to do it.  Jesus was in total control of what was happening around Him as I have mentioned before that it was those who seem to be putting Jesus on trial were actually the ones who were on trial by Jesus, and also as mentioned when it comes to the “White Throne Judgments” they will fully understand that they were the ones who were on trial then and also during the white throne judgments, but naturally it will be far too late. 

 

            Those on the Sanhedrin had closed minds concerning the truth, and there would be no amount of evidence that would open their minds, and their eyes to the truth, as it was far too late for them, as they were just like Judas who betrayed Him.  “Like many people throughout the ages who have rejected Christ, it was not that they had carefully examined the evidence about Him and found it to be untrue or unconvincing but that they refused to consider the evidence at all.  Even God’s own Holy Spirit cannot penetrate such a willful barrier to His truth and grace.  Miracles do not convince the hard hearted” writes John MacArthur.

 

            I want to talk a little about when the high priest tore his robes.  I have to believe that his robes were tore many times as a show of horror, but in my opinion I think that this was just a show as he is now getting the evidence that he thinks he needs to put Jesus to death even though this whole sham trial where there was nothing happening according to the law as I have mentioned before.  I think that he was happy to put on this little show because he was getting what he wanted.  Let us look at Leviticus 21:10 “‘The priest who is the highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes.”  This is just another breaking of their laws that God had given to the nation of Israel. 

            The high priest then asked the council “What is the need for further witnesses?  This surely was a rhetorical question as he knew the answer.  Then with that he asked for an immediate verdict:  “Look, you’ve heard the blasphemy — 66 what’s your verdict now?"  The high priest did not bother to have the members polled individually and the results tabulated by scribes, as judicial protocol was required, but not in a sham trial. 

 

            So with one voice “they replied, "He deserves to die.’”  So the decision was unanimous as “they all condemned Him to be deserving of death” (Mark 14:64).  MacArthur explains:  “The unanimous vote to convict would have given Jesus His freedom automatically, because the necessary element of mercy was lacking.  But by this time the Sanhedrin had relinquished even the semblance of legality and justice.  Because we know that Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Council but did not consent to Jesus’ condemnation (Luke 23:50-51), he obviously had left the proceedings before this final judicial farce transpired.

 

            “The verdict of guilty and the sentence of death were not based on careful consideration of full and impartial evidence and testimony.  It was a senseless mob reaction, much like the one which, a few hours later, these same leaders would instigate and orchestrate regarding the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus (Matt. 27:20-21).”

 

6/28/2024 10:40 AM

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