Tuesday, July 23, 2024

PT-4 "The Accusations of the Jews" (Matt. 27:11-12a)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/23/2024 9:20 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  PT-4 "The Accusations of the Jews"

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                             Reference:  Matthew 27:11-12a

 

            Message of the verses:  11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" And Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders,”

 

            I want to continue to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary as I finish this section “The Accusations of the Jews.”

 

            “In this context, ‘find’ represented a judicial verdict.  Pilate acquitted Jesus of any civil or criminal wrongdoing.  In modern parlance, he threw the case out of the court for lack of evidence.  He exercised ‘summary judgment.’

 

            “Not only were the charges patently false, but Pilate knew that the Jewish leaders themselves hated Rome passionately.  Had Jesus actually been an insurrectionist, they would have supported Him and sought to protect Him, not brought Him before a Roman court and demanded His execution.  He knew quite well that ‘it was for envy’ of Jesus, not loyalty to Rome, that ‘they delivered Him up’ (Matt. 27:18).

 

            “The high priests, chief priests, elders, scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees all hated Jesus because He undermined their religious influence with and stature before the people.  He exposed their sinfulness, hypocrisy, and doctrinal error.  He was popular, whereas they were not..  He could heal, whereas they could not.  He taught truth, whereas they did not.  Their true motivation was transparent even to a pagan politician.  The governor probably suspected something of what they were up to when they requested the escort of Roman soldiers in arresting Jesus.  But he already knew that Jesus was no danger to Rome and probably thought that, after condemning and flogging Jesus in their own court, the Jewish leaders would be satisfied and that His threat to them would end.

 

            “But the Council leaders would not be put off by Pilate’s verdict of innocent.  As he stood before them again on the balcony of the Praetorium, Jesus continued to be accused by the chief priests and elders.  Luke reports that ‘they kept on insisting, saying, ‘He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee, even as far as this place’’ (23:5).  They increased the pressure on the governor as they desperately grasped for a charge that would arouse his concern.  All this failing effort emphasizes the perfect virtue of the Savior.”

 

            Now Lord willing we will begin to look at “The Attitude of the Lord” from Matthew 27:12b-14 in the next SD.

 

7/23/2024 9:38 AM

 

           

 

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