Culver Community Church
Pastor Chris Sweeney
Sermon Notes
May 05, 2019
Matthew 26:57 – 75 More Betrayals!
{vs 57-58} Now we learn what happened after the garden, after the mob. Actually, Matthew skips over one step. As a preliminary, before going to Caiaphas’ palace the soldiers had stopped by the home of Annas (who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the official high priest that year). We know from John’s account that Annas was the High Priest (not by God’s choice but Roman appointment) but he became a little too powerful, too corrupt for even Rome so they changed the position from lifetime appointment and in effect sought bribes to install new High Priests. Since Annas had all the power and the money (temple concession stands) – he installed purchased the position for various family members (sons, etc.) – people he could control, like a puppet master. Malcus, the man with the healed ear apparently knows where to bring the prisoner. It is here that Annas begins to question Jesus – a sort of pre-trial trial if you will. {John 18:19-24 NIV}
This is Jesus’ first taste of ‘Jewish Justice’ – a far cry from what God commanded in Deuteronomy and from their own legal standards and traditions. Almost everything about this night, these trials was illegal – here is a short list (not complete)
· Time & Place - No trial could be held at night, during the holidays (like Passover) or anywhere other than the official, open to the public hearing hall. According to Jewish law, all criminal trials must begin and end in the daylight. There were to be no backroom deals and no hidden justice. This was to make the judges accountable to the people and protect the accused!
· Fasting before condemnation – any death sentence required a full day of fasting between the close of the trial and the reconvening of the court to pronounce the sentence, giving time for new evidence, changes of heart, etc.
· No one could be condemned by their own words - this was the Jewish version of ‘taking the 5th’ (amendment). Annas hoped that Jesus would tell them something, anything that they could make into a criminal complaint.
· No physical compulsion – a defendant could not be compelled either by word or force to testify against themselves. Yet here, the servant strikes Jesus – a clear violation! This type of punishment was forbidden until after the defendant was condemned.
· Self-defense – (no I don’t mean Karate!) – every defendant was entitled to a defender and to bring witnesses on their own behalf or to refute the accusers. Notice, Jesus has no defender and will not speak a word in His own defense – “… like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7b) Even facing great abuse and death, Jesus made no defense - - - His only words put on display the great injustice against their own legal system being done this night!
· Established by two or three – every charge had to be verified by two or three witnesses who were to be questioned separately. This was to minimize collusion or coordination of their stories. However, for Jesus trial we see them parading in witnesses like it is an audition – just trying to find two with matching stories.
· Trials could not be started by the Sanhedrin – only the witness of a crime could bring a charge and start a trial. Witnesses played an important role in the Jewish criminal system. So important in fact, that preventing false witnesses was paramount – any person caught maliciously bringing false charges would suffer the same fate that the one they lied about would! They served as prosecutors, witnesses and in capital offenses, they were to throw the first stones at the execution! However, here we see the high priests and Sanhedrin seeking witnesses (the equivalent of having a verdict and then shopping around for a charge to fit it!)
In a way, Annas acted like one of our own grand juries (a pretrial trial) – trying to find out if there was sufficient evidence for a charge to be brought against the accused. This pretend high priest was confronting God’s true High Priest. Jesus was everything that this crocked, string-pulling politician should have been. Not having found evidence or credible witnesses – he sent Jesus on to his son-in-law’s house “where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled”. These would be the members of the council, the jury and judges.
As all this took place, we see that John (from John’s own account) and Peter got up the courage to follow – from a distance. John being known by the servants was let right in. He came back to secure Peter’s entrance. Peter then takes a seat in the courtyard with the waiting soldiers – hoping beyond reason and waiting for a miracle. Notice, not only is he at a distance (physically and spiritually) from Jesus but at this desperate time, there is no record of him praying! He failed in the garden three times, he failed when relying on himself and his sword and here - - - as he sits in silence, trying to protect himself.
{vs. 59-61} Many false witnesses – but none were held or arrested for giving false testimony! None were given the sentence of death for the false crimes they tried to convict the innocent Jesus of.
No, they were not interested in justice – only a predetermined outcome – predetermined first by God, but also unknowingly by these leaders. Looking for false witnesses – they could find none - an amazing thing to be able to say! With the public life, constant ministry into every corner of Israel - - - yet they could not find anyone to give even falsified evidence against Jesus that could be passed off as believable! I am sure that if a call was put out to find evidence against any of us – it would not take long at all to pile up quite a lot! Notice these two come forward together, not separately. Trying to pass this hearsay off as the equivalent of a modern day ‘terrorist threat’! Who could destroy that temple? – It took a massive inferno and the legions of Rome to pry those massive stones one from another! Their testimony is a ‘miss understanding of something Jesus said – ‘destroy this temple (referring to His body) and He would raise it up in three days.’ Ironically, that is what they are trying to do – destroy Jesus, but He will rise just as He truly said!
{vs. 62} Here the high priest asks Jesus to give a defense, to give rebuttal for the charges but according to Jewish law, all evidence of innocence must be presented first. Jesus could have of course called many witnesses, His disciples, those who were healed or raised from the dead (showing His Devine power), and even the Pharisees/Sadducees who came to try to trap Him in His own words (if they would give honest testimony!) Jesus could have even called into question all the illegalities of these very proceedings! However, He gave no answer or defense -
{vs. 63-64} The high priest all but admits that these charges are worthless by trying to pull a confession from Jesus. He invokes the name of God in order to compel a true answer on what is the real issue – “Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God." Whether it is because it is right to answer the high priest or the use of God’s name or simply because he asked about the plain truth instead of trumped up charges – Jesus answers! You said it - an affirmation that he spoke the truth (even if said in disbelief!) and Jesus adds a direct prediction of the future. After these trials and after my death and resurrection - there will be a next time that you see me! You’ll see me exalted at the right hand of God and coming in the clouds! What a claim – I’m the Son of Man (Messiah) that Daniel 7:13-14 spoke about. Daniel described how the Messiah would come, be exalted, be lifted to the right hand of God and come in clouds of glory! What Jesus is saying is “Caiaphas, this isn’t the last time you’re going to see Me - you’re going to see Me again when I come in clouds of glory as judge of all the earth.” Those who reject Jesus will not look forward to this day!
{vs. 65-67} Another law broken – the serving high priest was never to mourn or tear his clothes (Leviticus 21:10) – not even for the death of a close relative! This was a common way of expressing great grief or mourning. What he was expressing so visually was that Jesus did the most unthinkable - Blasphemy – in this case claiming for Himself the attributes of God (claiming to be God!). They knew, they heard exactly what Jesus said, what He claimed – that He is the Son of God, the Messiah! For this crime, claiming to be Himself – they sent Him to die! As they abuse Him – they mock Him, for once, calling Him Messiah!
{vs. 69-72} While Jesus faced the angry Sanhedrin, Peter’s own fear and doubts turned a little servant girl into a fierce monster. First, he lies and subtlety denies, saying I don’t know what you’re talking about. When faced with a second monstrous servant girl, Peter denies directly – with the added force of an oath, strengthening his rejection/betrayal.
{vs. 73-75} This time those standing around (soldiers, temple guards and possibly more monstrous servant girls) pick up the charge after seeing him so defensive. They poke him, saying – you have the backwater accent of a Galilean (they were so obvious, and low class that Galileans were not permitted to say the closing benediction); you must be one of Jesus’ men! As if everyone from that region belonged to Christ! This time Peter lost it – denying, cursing and swearing! Actions and language not befitting a follower of Christ. As soon as his tantrum was released, the rooster crowed – bringing to mind Jesus’ predictions, all of Peter’s promises and this, his greatest failure! No longer wanting to see the outcome (how could it get worse than this?) – Peter runs out in despair!
After the break of dawn, the Sanhedrin gathered for a third trial, this time in official session (possibly in the temple courts?), in the light of day, and they conducted the trial described in Luke 22:66-71. Quickly reviewing the ‘evidence’; trying and passing sentence on the same day (illegally) - so that they could forward Jesus on to Pilot for a final condemnation.
In today’s text, we see two betrayals – the judicial system of Israel and Peter, the leader of the Jesus’ disciples. Both turned their backs on God, the One sent to be Messiah, King of the Jews! We have all been betrayers (enemies of God) – but that’s why Jesus came – to redeem the lost, to restore the broken and make enemies the children of God! If you are an enemy of God, take Jesus up on His offer. If you have received that offer and made peace with God – examine yourself to see if there is any betrayal that must be brought to light, repented of and forgiven – our God is the God of second, third and seventy-times-seven chances, bring your brokenness to Him.