“Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover.”
John 18:28
There are more details of Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas and the Jewish leaders in Matthew 26. In Matthew’s account, and standing before His accusers, we read that Jesus remained silent, as the leaders desperately tried to find anyone who could say anything, even lies, that would warrant the death sentence. Matthew recorded that there was no shortage of false witnesses, but what they had to say was not admissible even in this kangaroo court. Matthew 26:60b-61, ” … Finally, two men came forward who declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days’””. They of course were quoting what Jesus said in John 2:19, 21, ““All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” … But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body.” Even with this “evidence” presented to Him, Jesus still remained silent. And then we read the final question, “ … Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven”” (John 18:63-64). Jesus didn’t have to say that, but I wonder if He realised that the trial wasn’t going very well for the authorities, and He had to say something that, although factually true, would enable the Sanhedrin to deliver a guilty verdict. If the trial collapsed then Jesus would not have been able to complete His mission on Calvary’s cross. The verdict was blasphemy and the council delivered their guilty verdict. But they weren’t out of the woods yet – the Jews did not have the power to execute anyone, so they now had to convince the Roman governor to rubber stamp their verdict.
What a sham! But if we try and superimpose Jesus’ advent on any other period in history, the outcome would probably have been very different. Today, Jesus would never have got anywhere near a court of any type, law or otherwise. The authorities would have written Him off as just one more deluded individual and ignored Him. But Paul wrote in Romans 5:6, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners“. God had a plan for the salvation of humans, and as He looked upon the history of the world laid out before Him, He could see when the right time would be. “Just the right time” occurred two thousand years or so ago, and God’s plan was completed, a plan that we pilgrims are so grateful for.
This morning, as we consider what Jesus did for us, we bring to Him our humanity, our difficulties, our desire to please Him, our love for Him, our gratitude, and if fact everything we are, into the light of His presence, and on our knees in worship. In our minds we see a glimpse of what Jesus went through. He knew what issues we face today, but He experienced them too. We might struggle with religious persecution from secular authorities who think they know better than God. But so did Jesus. We might find ourselves being tempted by the devil, but so did Jesus. And today, as we face into many different issues, we know that there is a Man in Heaven interceding for us. Romans 8:34, “Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honour at God’s right hand, pleading for us“. Somehow, with this truth planted deep within our hearts, our problems don’t seem quite so bad. I look back over a life, a roller-coaster of good and bad times, and see the results of Jesus interceding for me. Helping me make the right decisions. Keeping me safe in times of trial and adversity. Lifting me up when I had fallen. Carrying me when I was unable to cope with what was around me. How can I ever stop thanking Jesus for all He has done for me? And I’m sure that applies for many of my readers today. Let’s join together in praise today to the One who never flinched when before a hostile court, but instead could see you and me floundering and dying in our sins, and willingly went to the cross to take the punishment we so richly deserved upon Himself instead.
Dear Lord Jesus. How can we ever thank You? One day we will join the angels as we praise You fore all eternity. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 