Published: May 26, 2024 | Speaker: Mark Freitag | Series: Gospel of Mark - Part 102 | Scripture: Mark 14:53-65
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that Jesus is being led away from the garden called Gethsemane and on to trial Mark 14:53 and they LED Jesus away to the
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high priest and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes gathered together and Peter had followed him at a distance right into the courtyard of the high priest and he was sitting with the
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officers and warming himself at the fire now the chief priest and the whole Council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put him to death and
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they were not finding any for many were giving false testimony against him and yet their testimony was not consistent and some stood up and began to give
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false testimony against him saying we heard him say I will destroy this Temple made with hands and in three days I will build another made without
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hands and not even in this respect was their testimony consistent and the high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus saying do you make no
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answer what is it that these men are testifying against you but he kept silent and made no answer again the high priest was questioning him and saying to
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him are you the Christ the son of the blessed one and Jesus said I am and you shall see the son of man
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sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven and tearing his clothes the high priest said what further need do we have of witnesses you have heard the blasphemy
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how does it seem to you and they all condemned him to be deserving of death and some began to spit at him and to blindfold him and to beat him with their
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fists and say to him prophesy and the officers received him with slaps in the face let us
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pray Our Father indeed we are among those like the Israelites we have just sung about that when we finally came to came to despair you met us with your grace and
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you have brought us to a place where we can hear your word and we can and sit at your feet and be instructed and helped and
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guarded and preserved and so we ask father that father that in the preaching this morning that you would be exalted Christ would be lifted up before us and we would adore him and
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all L and honor would be given to you the father to Jesus the son and to the holy spirit in Christ's name we pray
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of G genealogy I think and a little bit of chronology to follow with Mark in his gospel at this point Jesus is being led away to the
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high priest but we have to understand there were several High priests at that time and as far as the and we need them the other gospels fill us in that Jesus was
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first taken to Annis who was a high priest but he had been deposed and he had been appointed a high
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priest at the time of and you perhaps recognize this from the Christmas story that we read in the scriptures quirinius was governor of Syria in ad12 and then
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he was deposed later by Arius gratus who was Pontius pilate's predecessor in the procurator ship in
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Judea but apparently at this time Annis had still had some influence still carrying the title of high priest but he had obtained through his
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influence and maybe through some high connections a high priesthood for his son by the name of Eleazar and the man man that we'll meet
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in this passage who is his son-in-law Caiaphas and I believe that what we read or or don't read here we read in
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Matthew is the meeting that took place preliminary to the one we read here in in Mark that this informal
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hearing in the dead of night before Annis
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and apparently many of the Sanhedrin those Chief priests and scribes and Elders many of the scholars believe that all that takes
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place here is illegal that the Sanhedrin were not allowed by levitical law to meet at night or by renic law to re meet at
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night and they couldn't announce a verdict reach an indictment and then a an execution on the same
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day and then later when we see Caiaphas tearing his robes uh many believe in Reading Deuteronomy and there are many on either side that he was actually
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doing an illegal act doing that but Anis at asked Jesus according to what we read in John he asked Jesus
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about his disciples John says and and about his about his teaching and it seems like Annis was was like the the pre-
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prosecutor that he was trying to entrap Jesus into making a statement that would be used at his trial before
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trial before Caiaphas and Jesus replied to Annis was I've spoken openly to the world I I've been teaching in the temple and many of you have heard me Teach I I I've hidden
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nothing I I've spoken nothing in secret he says so ask those who heard what I spoke and see what they have to
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say and then an officer objected to Jesus saying this and says how dare you speak to the high priest priest this way and he slapped him in the
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face but it's evident that Jesus was not going to be self-incriminating and he had a right to fall back on the
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the Jewish law of evidence what states that there must be two or three witnesses that come
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forward and the accusing parties must be competent Witnesses that testify and so he says to Annis if I have spoken have spoken wrongly testify of the wrong but if
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rightly why do you strike me and Annis in response to this had Jesus bound and led off to
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Caiaphas Mark's gospel only records that what I think is this now secondary hearing before Caiaphas and the sand hedrin Luke 22 says when it was day they
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did this so perhaps it was not illegal but it was highly unusual and again Mark gives us all three names of the ones in
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the Sanhedrin here that there are the chief priests and the elders and the scribes and again that's an unusual thing to have them all named all
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together there's an importance here that obvious I think it's it's obvious from the reading how dramatic and how unusual
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this is and the whole attempt of the Sanhedrin to find witnesses to bring evidence against Jesus is absurd it's you read it and you go well
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it's it's right there on the the face and it's what we read about in the news every day they were Mark makes no attempt to hide the fact
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that they were trying to find witnesses in order to bring a case against Jesus to to have him
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killed he says they kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put him to him to death it's total prejudging they've already decided that
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he they're going to condemn him but it's a foregone conclusion looking for evidence for it they they've decided this is what needs to
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happen but the activity that we read about here actually helps Jesus not the prosecutors because there's nothing in
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his life and I think Anis already realized that in that confrontation that John gives us nothing in his life warranted
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this attempted this attempted murder that the Sanhedrin wanted under any sanction of the law two things I think are at work here
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one is hateful spite they hated Jesus they hated what he stood for they hated how he taught and I think there was also
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political expediency it's a little enigmatic phrase stuffed in in John 18 that John gives us he says now Caiaphas this is the one the one of that Jesus is about to be in front of
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here now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was in their best interest for one man to die on behalf of the people see there's this
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political motive but there there's also this deep hatred going on here and they were trying very hard and what do the scripture say their testimony was not
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consistent I I I don't really know from from here we what this was like but I can imagine that this was a chaotic scene
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that here in the early morning hours perhaps the the the crowd has come from Gethsemane they finally have the man
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that they've been trying to grab a hold of for all of these three years and they're casting around who has a witness who has a testimony against this
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man who can say something that will allow us to indict him and give the verdict of that he should be
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executed but what this means their testimony was not consistent it could mean that they couldn't find two witnesses that would witness or give testimony of the same
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event of jesus' life that is a possible reading of those words but I think it's more probable that the statements were not equal to
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the weighty evidence that was required to condemn Jesus I I I I I think Anna saw that and I think
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now the Sanhedrin is coming to that same conclusion that this is just not enough and in the end the one witness
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statement that we actually have recorded for us does the opposite of what they meant it to do that it actually meant the opposite of what they thought it
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meant in verse 48 uh 58 we read uh 57 and some stood up and gave false testimony against him saying we
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have heard him say I will destroy destroy this Temple made with hands and in 3 days I will build another made hands well the only connection that we have is
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in John Chapter 2 and what did Jesus actually say recorded for us destroy this Temple and in 3 days I will raise it up see they put this in jesus' mouth
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that he's saying I will destroy this Temple made with hands but Jesus said said destroy this Temple and we know that he meant the Temple of his body and
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he meant not I will destroy but you will destroy see they even this testimony they if this is what they
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heard this is not what Jesus meant there was objective untruth as one of the authors that I read called it
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others said it's a simp simply a gross misapprehension that prevailed in relaying what they thought Jesus had
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said but why would this rile them up what would be the issue they put this all in Jesus mouth that he would destroy the temple made
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with hands with hands notice I will destroy and I will build but they also say made with hand hands and then build one made without
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hands and I think the accusers would look at this and look at the impiety of
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Jesus they would say it's impious on him his part to speak of the temple as being destroyed this this was the center of their life this is what they represented
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as rulers of the temple but they would also say how contemptible of Jesus to speak of the temple as being handmade as if it oh but God allowed us
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to build this thing how dare you put it in the category of handmade but I think they also would think that he was Blasphemous to speak
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of the temple as any other Temple could take its take its place and so they believe they have a case they believe in stating these
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things that they have made Jesus to appear to be boasting and pretentious that he has this unnatural power to be able to destroy something and then build
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it without hands that he was parading around in front of them this irreverent connection to this sacred object that
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somehow he could destroy and rebuild it and again we know the reality that he was speaking of his body and they would
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be the ones doing the destroying and God would be the one doing the raising
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up but Caiaphas and again I think of Mark's cinematic approach here he's now seated and the Sanhedrin and this is
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what I understand there would be a raised platform where they were and the Sanhedrin would sit in a semicircle and Caiaphas would have his seat and the
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accused would be standing in the dock and here we read in verse 60 how Mark gives us this View and the
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high priest stood up and came forward and question Jesus do you make no answer there's this period where Caiaphas is
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saying I hear all this noise nothing is agreeing he's taking charge as high
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priest and he's clearly irritated and he's clearly he's clearly baffled because he's thinking okay just because this man boasts of something is is that enough to condemn him is that
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enough to put him to death and give him the death the death sentence he attempts to draw Jesus into making a statement he's
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asking do you make no answer explain what it is that these men are testifying against you what about this
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saying you destroying the temple and then raising it up again without hands is it true what what is meant by all of this again trying to draw Jesus into
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making an statement that he can use to accuse Jesus and Mark when he's writing in verse 61 is not being
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repetitive he says but he kept silent and made no
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answer his s silence is silence is continuing and he kept silent he had been silent and he keeps silent the
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silence is how he faced the situation amid this chaos and this confusion of
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testimonies but he maintained his silence all silence all along and now he's maintaining his silence and making no answer to the high
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priest's question Jesus was not obligated he was not obligated to answer and defend himself when the Sanhedrin themselves had not agreed on this
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testimony as testimony as valid he he he was not obligated under Jewish law to because the witnesses
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couldn't agree it was a Silence of Innocence a Silence of meekness I think a silence really of dignity but I think it was also a
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Silence of Silence of scorn because we read in Luke Chapter 2 22 that Jesus knew that any defense that
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he said at this point was not beneficial he beneficial he tells Caiaphas or later I guess it's pilate if I tell you you will not
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believe and if I ask a question you will not answer he knew that there was no point in saying there it would not Avail anything on his
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part and so he stood in silence but I think it was also a Silence of willing
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trust we we read in the scriptures and I've tried to rewrite and write and rewrite this in my notes but as we read the scriptures I think sometimes we we kind of have this
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little flippant attitude when we read of Jesus saying my time is not yet the hour has not come and we say yeah yeah yeah there's other things that have to
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happen but it had to come down to this a Silence of willing trust because he needed Caiaphas to take
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one more step and Caiaphas does Jesus had no desire to be acquitted by these
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by these people but he needed Caiaphas to be the high priest and ask the question that he asked and Caiaphas sees how flimsy the evidence is again I I agree with the men
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he's he's irritated he's he's baffled he doesn't really know what to do but he's feeling the weight of Jesus
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silence and Matthew tells us that he actually puts Jesus under judicial oath before Jehovah and then he asked the question and Jesus had to keep his
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silence until this question was asked are you the Christ the son of the blessed one see the whole Ministry of Jesus
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brings this question to the Forefront are you the Christ the son of the blessed one silence now would amount to a
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denial silence now he would Abandon All claims that he had made during his ministry it's it's the one
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question but it has two important points it's not two questions it's one but it's got those two important points because it asks about his
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office and it asks about his nature his
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character and Jesus delivers are you the Christ the son of the blessed the blessed one I one I am this is this is Jesus again he had to come to this point
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the trial had to come to this point it's it's why when he said in the garden my soul is grieved unto death he couldn't die then he couldn't die at the
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hands of the men during his ministry capturing in the temple his teaching or along the way in Galilee it had to come here are you the Christ the son of the
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blessed one I am and it was fitting that this Council representing Israel God's chosen people hears him
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declare himself the Messiah and to those in that day and in subsequent days and in our day who say
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he never claimed to be the Son of God Jesus Christ swears to it I am
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and Jesus adds that the Revolution begins right away you shall see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven and I
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know many people who are much more scholarly much scholarly much more audite than me they they read these things and they say he's looking at the perusia his coming again but but Matthew
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in Matthew 6 when he recites this he says from now on the Revolution begins now or very
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soon on the cross the time will shortly come I think he's saying to them the time will shortly come when you and I will train
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will train places I will stand as judge on the Dias and you will stand in the dark dock as The Condemned The Condemned who condemns me you have not you have
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actually condemned actually condemned yourselves and I will be at the right hand of power it means I will exercise the power of this hand he doesn't
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mention God Almighty but it is the power I will exercise and I don't know if this is the mystery that our brother uh brought to us and again in his prayer this morning I appreciate that concept
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the veil has been torn we have access to the father Yes through Jesus Christ but somehow he's exercising the power of the
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right hand and his mystery yes it is a great mystery it's a two-fold nature writer Alexander McLaren says his manhood had a supernatural origin and
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wielded Divine prerogatives there is there's this God man 100% God 100% man and and here fullness of his Humanity he
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stands before Caiaphas and says I am and yet there is also his crown and His glory at the right hand of the
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father and look how Israel has treated her Messiah the the the end the end of all the prophecies the the the end of of of the Psalms the the
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end of all the Miracles that he performed the the end of all the Revelation that God gave through the
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through the scriptures and what is their cry blasphemy they feel secure that they have the testimony they have the goods on Jesus that they
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needed and Caiaphas does he tears his but I think it's a theatrical act what was the high priest supposed to
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do in the face of an accusation of blasphemy he was supposed to play the holy man he supposed to be
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shocked yet in reality the nation is now destroyed and the condemnation pronounced Upon Jesus is not Upon Jesus but upon but upon themselves and
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themselves and then the then the spitting the mocking and the beatings began true it says in verse 65 some of them began to spit at him and to
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blindfold him and to beat their fists but then later in that same verse 65 it says and the officers received him the officers remember we read about
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Peter and we're going to have to leave Peter warming by the fire until next week but the officers were those servants literally the under rowers they
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weren't just maids and water boys there were officers were officers there but who's starting the spitting and the mocking and the beating is the
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Sanhedrin it's the big guys the religious men who love to be seen and heard in the marketplace praying wearing their long robes and
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their ornate F filteries and as one author says and here we see them let loose a volcano of hellish passions to their judicial Injustice
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they added physical and personal indignities heaping upon Christ and why do they blindfold him somebody got this idea hey let's
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throw a blindfold over his head and then let's punch him and then see if he can tell who punched us but what do they think they're doing they think they're doing God a
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favor by showing that he's a pretender that he's just a fraud he can't do what he said he can do and what is Jesus
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now silence it's silent again because he is the obedient suffering Serv servant listen again to Isaiah 50 I gave my back
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to those who strike me and my cheeks to those who pull out my beard I did not hide my face from insults and spitting for the Lord God helps me therefore I am
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not disgraced therefore I have made my face like flint and I know that I will not be not be ashamed he asked in Isaiah 50 as Isaiah
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writes about that suffering servant he says who is the one who condemns me and those who thought they condemned him were actually condemning
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themselves but do not think Brethren that all this was unexpected or in the least a surprise because we read we read of
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God's wisdom by the pen of the apost OST Paul written yes a few years later but I think it summarizes what we see here in
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this this court this absurd night of Jesus trial in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 Paul wrote these words but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery the hidden
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wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our Glory the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has
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understood for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord Of Glory let us pray Our Father Again
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these these words these things that the gospel writer has preserved for us by the Holy Spirit can be very enigmatic sometimes difficult to put
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things together and yet we see we see man in his sin his pride and his falsehoods accusing and trying to
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condemn the Lord Of Glory and yet you knew and you did it that we might have our glory in Christ and we rejoice and
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we pray praise you for these things in Christ's name we pray amen would you please rise for the
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chapter 6 peace be to the Brethren and love with Faith from God the father and our Lord Jesus Christ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with a love
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Incorruptible amen