Jesus’ Trial – A Trial By Night.
Jesus’ trial was held at night. This travesty of justice took place when the city of Jerusalem slept. Stephen March explains what happened.
Jesus’ Trial Followed His Betrayal
In this episode of one week, we are going to look at the betrayal of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, and the subsequent overnight trial of Jesus.
Following the last supper, and the teaching that immediately followed, Jesus then took his disciples to a garden called Gethsemane. He had prayed for them, but now it was time for Jesus to retreat and pray concerning the upcoming events. Matthew, Mark and Luke all record the event. They went to the garden, and then Jesus took Peter, John and James a little farther, and told them to wait, while he went further still to pray. The Bible tells us that Jesus was sorrowful and troubled. He knew what was coming was not going to be easy, but he also understood that it was the only way for man to be saved.
Jesus’ Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane
We read three times He prayed, saying to God things like “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Jesus didn’t want to feel pain, to experience ridicule. It is an element of the story of Jesus that is often overlooked. Jesus was prepared to suffer and to die for man’s sin. He looked forward to the resulting salvation it would provide. The author of Hebrews writes of Jesus that, “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,” he was ready to do what had to be done, and he knew what it involved, though he did not long for the agony itself.
This understanding helps us to appreciate what Christ did for us even more. He knew the pain involved, the mocking, the scorn, yet he was unwavering in doing what was necessary for us to be saved.
Jesus’ Disciples Fall Asleep
While Jesus was praying, his disciples fell asleep. It is easy to be hard on them, but in all fairness from what we know of the night leading up to this, they were well fed, well taught, and by now it is late into the night. Jesus wakes them, to tell them that the betrayer has arrived. At this point Judas enters the garden, leading a crowd of officers and servants from the chief priests and elders. They were armed with swords and clubs. Judas then walks up to Jesus and kisses him, indicating who it was they were to arrest. Jesus replies to Judas, in what seems a most unusual way given the circumstance, saying
“Would you betray the son of man with a kiss, friend, do what you came to do.”
He then said to the crowd,
“Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.”
Jesus Has a Valid Point
It was a valid point, Jesus never ran from the Pharisees, Sadducees, or priests. In fact, just a day earlier he had faced all their challenges in the temple, and they left him, unable to refute what he said. Why didn’t they arrest him then if he was so dangerous? It is true they were afraid of the crowds, who followed Jesus and either believed he was who he said he was or were at least wanting to see what he would do next. This fear was proof that Jesus held more sway over the crowd than they did, so they were jealous, that would be revealed again later on.
Jesus’ Trial at the House of the High Priest
Jesus was then led to the house of the High Priest. Actually, it was first to Annas, the father-in-law of the High Priest, and then to Caiaphas. In either case, the reason he was going was to be tried by the priests, and the council, and the manner it was being done was in violation of Mosaic law, Rabbinic law, even civil laws. In fact, everything from the arrest of Jesus, which was effectuated by a bribe, the secretive trial at night, the false witnesses, the verdict, and the handing over to the Roman authorities went against one law or another.
Consider for a moment that Judas was paid to betray Jesus, you might remember before the last supper, he took 30 pieces of silver, and agreed to hand Jesus over, but think about who paid him. It was the chief priests, the very ones who would now play the role of judges presiding over Jesus’ case. Jesus never had a chance in this trial, the verdict had been predetermined, long before the charade even began.
Still, they tried hard to make it all seem legitimate. They called for witnesses, and when they found none, they brought in false witnesses, whose testimony didn’t agree with each other. Since they got nowhere with that, the high priest asked Jesus directly,
“I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
Jesus said to him
“You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Jesus Affirms He is the Christ
This answer, not only affirming that he was indeed the Christ, the Son of God, also indicates to the High Priest, that he would see Jesus again, in the full glory of the Messiah, returning to be his judge. This answer enraged Caiaphas and caused him to do a silly thing. The Bible tells us that he tore his robes, and then accused Jesus of blasphemy. The tearing of one’s garments was considered a sign of mourning, grief or outrage, the latter being the case here. It would not be uncommon for someone to tear their robe upon witnessing blasphemy, however, not only was this not blasphemy, but Leviticus 21:10 forbade the High Priest from tearing his garment. This will become more significant in our next episode, but for now, it simply adds to a pile of offenses the religious leaders were guilty of, as they worked so diligently to condemn an innocent man.
Jesus’ Trial Before the Council Then Pilate
From this trial, Jesus was then moved on to the council of the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees and Sadducees who promptly agreed with the determination of the priests, and then sent him on to the Roman governor, a man named Pontius Pilate. The reason for this was that several years before, in fact it was shortly after the death of Herod the Great, and Jesus’ return to Nazareth as a boy, that the new ruler of Judea, a man called Archelaus, was removed from his position by Augustus, and Judea was made a Roman province. One of the big changes that came with that is that the Jews lost their rights in the judiciary, and therefore could no longer condemn a person to death.
So now in Jesus’ case, if they wanted him executed, they needed Rome’s help. The problem with that is that Rome didn’t really care about the charge of blasphemy against the Hebrew God. So, when they brought Jesus before Pilate, they accused him of making himself king of the Jews, adding, “everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” They were wanting to get Pilate to order his execution on the grounds of treason, or insurrection.
What Pilate Knew
Remarkably, Pilate knew that the Jews had handed Jesus over to him out of envy, and even declared to them that he found no guilt in this man. Still the chief priests and religious council persisted, even requesting that a murderous rebel be released, so they could ensure that Jesus was crucified. Pilate had tried to spare Christ, he had even sent him to Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee where Jesus was from, Herod only wanted to see a miracle, which Jesus would not perform, so he returned him to Pilate. Then Pilate, saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather a riot was forming. And wanting to satisfy the crowd, delivered Jesus to be crucified.
Jesus’ Trial Took Place Over Nine Hours
All of this took place in a span of less than 9 hours. Jesus was arrested around midnight, and the Bible tells us that at the third hour, that is 9:00 am, Jesus was nailed to a cross. There was no due process, no impartial judge, or jury, no opportunity to even call witnesses to speak for Jesus. The whole trial was conducted in a way that all those who at the beginning of the week had shouted out
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”
would be waking up to the news that their Messiah had been sentenced to die on a Roman cross.
Yet Jesus did nothing to stop it, he knew the full time, that this was how it must be for man to be saved, for sin to be forgiven. Isaiah wrote:
“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” And “he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors, yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”
Isaiah 53:7
Jesus’ trial was an extraordinary miscarriage of justice. What surprises you most? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Stephen March
Stephen March is the President of FBH International and HopeStreamRadio. He graduated from the Broadcasting Program at Niagara College in 2001, and has previously worked in television production and post-production.
Stephen lives in St. Catharines, Ontario, with his wife Corinne and their four children.
Read and hear more from Stephen March on his contributor’s page. Stephen currently has 5 Programs on HopeStreamRadio:
- Please Forgive Me
- Isolation Chronicles
- Faith By Hearing – The Twelve
- Bibles and Baseball
- Bible Tech Talk
More Podcasts Below:
More Blogs:
Palm Sunday, The Coming King, and the Last Week of Christ
Why Did Jesus Say “I Am the Bread of Life
Images courtesy of:
Jesus Sent to Pilate – James Tissot Collection
Jesus Mocked – James Tissot Collection
Jesus Before Pilate – James Tissot Collection
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