“At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.” They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”
Luke 22:66-71 NIV
The trial… a contest between prosecutor and defence attorney. It gives the defence attorney the opportunity to produce all the evidence and arguments he can to prove the innocence of his client. However, the prosecutor, through witnesses and evidence, must to prove the guilt of the accused.
In the modern era of sophisticated technology, and the effectiveness of detective work and forensic science, together with as many reliable witnesses as van be found, a trial is often not much more than a rubber-stamping of the offender’s guilt or innocence.
Not so the trial of Jesus!
In an ancient Jewish court, guilt or innocence had to be established by the testimony of more than one witness…at least two or three. There was no such thing as forensics in Jesus’ day. The prosecution had to establish the credibility of the witnesses’ stories for the charge to stick.
“One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Deuteronomy 19:15 NIV
For Jesus to be found guilty was a headache for the Jewish leaders. First, what was the charge? Blasphemy! Their most violent reaction was against His claim to be the Son of God. This really stuck in their crop, especially as there was more than enough evidence and many witnesses to confirm His claim…in fact, hundreds of sufferers had experienced, and thousands of ordinary people had heard His teaching and witnessed His authority, and His miraculous interventions.
Second, who would they get to testify to their personal experience of divine favour? Who were the “two or three” credible witnesses who would tell their stories of miraculous healing or deliverance from demonic harassment at the hands of the Son of God? Who would convince the court that Jesus’ claim to deity was true? People were too afraid to side with Him. Look at Peter!
The disciples themselves could have given the court more than enough evidence to acquit Jesus, but…the Sanhedrin was not looking for genuine evidence… They were digging for a valid reason to condemn Him.
The witnesses they found couldn’t even agree…
“The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’ ” Yet even then their testimony did not agree.”
Mark 14:55-59 NIV
…so they gave up on that one!
Well then, what option did the Jewish counsel have to find Jesus guilty so that they could carry out their evil plan? Only one option left…get Him to testify against Himself. They knew that Jesus would never lie or try to defend Himself…so they went for the jugular.
“If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.” They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.” Truth to power!
There! They had Him! From His own mouth He had testified to His role as God’s Messiah, “the Son of Man” of Daniel 7, and His place of authority at the right hand of God.
“Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”
From the mouth of the one who was Truth itself, they had heard the testimony of His deity. He was claiming to be the very Son of Man of whom Daniel had prophesied…
““In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:13-14 NIV
That did it!
For His accusers, without examining the evidence, His words were the final nail in His coffin. His own confession had absolved them of guilt, so they thought, and sealed His guilt as a blasphemer.
Was Jesus guilty as charged? He was accused of being a blasphemer because He claimed to be the Son of God. Is He the Son of God? Where is the proof?
“…and who, through the Spirit of holiness, was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 1:4 NIV
The resurrection! Much as they tried, including lies and false witnesses, his accusers could not disprove that Jesus had risen from the dead! Not then! Not now! Not ever! Many have tried!
It’s no wonder the Jewish leaders tried to cover up the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. The last thing they needed was the unassailable proof…evidence…that Jesus was everything He said He was and He had done everything He said He would do, even to rising from the dead!
Paul put the final nail in the coffin of Jesus’ accusers and executioners…he provided the evidence that Jesus did, indeed rise again, and that He revealed Himself to many witnesses that He was alive.
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NIV
That Jesus died is real. He still bears the marks of the nails and the spear. That He rose again is just as real. There are too many witnesses, even today, to deny that He is alive, and that He makes Himself known to those who believe in Him. The millions who have lived and the millions who live now, and the lives that have been transformed by the power of the risen Jesus, are the witness to the truth that He is the Son of the Living God and that He reigns in glory over His eternal kingdom.
So the verdict, “Guilty as charged!” boomeranged on Jesus’ accusers. Peter indicted them with fiery words. “You are the wicked ones who killed Him! You are all guilty of murder!” However, not only are the ones who condemned Him to death or the ones who nailed Him to the cross guilty. The whole world is responsible for killing the Son of God, “Guilty as charged!”
The miracle of the cross is that, in His dying, Jesus paid our debt, died in our place for our sin…and rose again to prove that everything He promised is true…forgiveness, reconciliation, eternal life, and a new nature…His own…so that we can live with Him, His Father, and His Spirit, in His realm, as His forever family.
Was Jesus guilty of blasphemy? No! Therefore, the charge, the verdict, and the crucifixion were illegal…and yet, Jesus endured the injustice without retaliation for one reason…
“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.””
1 Peter 2:23-24 NIV
…for us…and it worked!
To be continued…