Well, the soldiers took Jesus, bound him, and led him first to Annas, the father in law of the high priest Caiaphas, who did the conspiring. Now, please remember that between this trial and the cross is when Peter denied Jesus 3 times. Which is important all in itself.
You can read all about this in John 18:19-19:16 and Matthew 25:57-75, again in Luke 22:54-23:25and then in Mark 14:53-15:15. However, before we go into this I would like to remind you of Peter’s denial predicted by Jesus with Peter strongly denying he would ever deny Jesus. Read Mark 14:27-31.
I am attaching a youtube video of Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas. You will want to skip the ad and get to the video. In this you will also see the denial of Peter.
Jesus is questioned by Caiaphas and Jesus says he openly spoke in the temple and synagogues. Ask those people what he had said. They were HIS witnesses. Jesus spoke openly, hiding nothing, but the Jewish council is looking for a reason, some reason to kill him.
Now this honest group of politicians, uh, oops, I mean honest group of priests brought forth false witnesses against Jesus. The statement that they took that started the process of sending Jesus to Pilate was when one of the witnesses said: 58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. However, the witnesses testimonies did not all agree.
Then the high priest asked, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?
64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?
64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
As they took Jesus to Pilate he was humiliated, punched, spat on, ridiculed, as any mob would do out of ignorance. Now during this time is when Peter is denying Jesus. When the rooster crows the third time Peter realizes and weeps bitterly. However, this was a lesson for Peter who came out to be a strong and avid apostle of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is now before Pilate. There is a dialogue here between Jesus, Pilate, then Pilate and the Jews, back to Jesus and again to the Jews. Pilate is frustrated as it appears he sees no fault in Jesus. The high priest, Caiaphas and the mob insist he is guilty and should be put to death.
Jesus and Pilate have this conversation: 3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
The crowd is indignant and insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
Pilate queries somewhat further. The next scripture from Luke is very interesting:
6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
The crowd is indignant and insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
Pilate queries somewhat further. The next scripture from Luke is very interesting:
6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.
So Jesus is sent back to Pilate. I would think Pilate was not happy about this, but he was to make the fatal decision. He spoke to the priests, elders, and people saying he had examined Jesus and found no fault, as Herod also found no fault.
Pilate says he will punish Jesus and then release him as he did nothing to deserve death. Now the priests and crowd are all in an uproar. The people shouted ‘away with him’; ‘crucify him’ they did not want Jesus realeased.
Now Mark gives good account of this next event. 6 Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
So, now a murderer is freed and a saviour is about to be murdered. Wow! What a turn around. Mobs can be incited to support any cause even if it is wrong; and, even if they do not know what they are supporting or fighting for. So it is today as it was in Jesus’ time.
9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
So, now a murderer is freed and a saviour is about to be murdered. Wow! What a turn around. Mobs can be incited to support any cause even if it is wrong; and, even if they do not know what they are supporting or fighting for. So it is today as it was in Jesus’ time.
The final blow – 15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Thank you for reading today.