So far our Midweek services have considered especially those
individuals who were close to Jesus in the passion account. First, Judas, who was close enough to dip
bread in the same bowl as Jesus, one of the 12 and treasurer of the group, but
also the betrayer. Then there were
Peter, James and John, the inner circle of the inner circle, with a front row
seat to the Transfiguration, but also to Jesus’ intimate prayer in the Garden
of Gethsemane. Close to Jesus, about a
stone’s throw away, but still overcome with sleep.
Jesus’ prayers and their slumber would be interrupted
however when Judas came with the soldiers who arrested Jesus. And quickly the disciples scattered, and
Jesus was bound and taken to the palace of the High Priest to be put on
trial. Here our series picks up tonight,
with the High Priest, and his “close questioning” of Jesus.
To be sure, this wasn’t a fair trial. It wasn’t even legal or legitimate, as the
law said trials couldn’t be conducted under cover of darkness. Also, it seems, the whole Sanhedron (the
Jewish Council) wasn’t present, and so in modern terms we might suggest they
didn’t even have a quorom.
Add to that, the evidence was scant, and most had no
case. In fact that the witnesses
testified falsely, until they came with the half-truth that Jesus talked about
destroying and rebuilding the temple. The
verdict seemed to be assumed before the evidence was heard. No presumption of innocence here. The fix was in for Jesus. His enemies had just been waiting for this
opportunity.
It really is one of the great ironies of the Passion
account, isn’t it? That Jesus is put on
trial, when it is you and I who should be on trial before him. Indeed, he is the one who will one day judge
the living and the dead, as we say in our creed. And even more ironic that the High Priest is
the one to question Jesus here, as Jesus is the Great High Priest, of a higher
order than this Levitical office bearer.
Jesus’ priesthood is of the order of Melchizedek. Jesus makes the ultimate sacrifice of himself,
for the sins of all people. Christ the
victim, Christ the priest.
And that this man, Caiphas, would question Jesus is even
deeper irony. That he would interrogate
and demand answers from the one who has all the answers, and who alone has the
right to question mankind. But here we
are in the farcical court of Jesus’ trial, the divine irony running thick as
molasses.
But Caiaphas isn’t, wasn’t, and wouldn’t be the only
one. Sinful man has a long history of
putting God on trial. Of questioning our
creator in great arrogance and pride.
Close questioning of God with doubts and cynicism. Subjecting his holy word to all manner of
tests, just like the Serpent did in the garden, “did God really say?”
And if it’s a courtroom you want to talk about, it’s not God
who is really on trial, but you and me.
We stand condemned by the just evidence and the impartial judge. Our record is clear – we have broken God’s
commandments and deserve the death sentence.
We are put to the test by the law’s accusations, and found wanting. We stand guilty as charged.
That old Caiaphas had no problem close questioning Jesus,
getting right up in his face. And the
devil himself does the same to us. Satan
means “accuser” after all, and he excels at it.
The devil loves to question us, question our faith, God’s word, and to
get us to do the same. He sows doubt and
fear and confusion wherever he goes, and would plant those in your very
heart. He gleeful throws your sin in
your face and tells you even God can’t forgive something so foul. Or else he lies and tells you your sin isn’t
that bad, isn’t really sin, or doesn’t really matter. Anything but the truth, anything but
repentance and faith. Anything but a
sure confidence in the steady and unchanging truth of God’s word.
But there stands Jesus before Caiaphas, on trial for sins he
didn’t commit. Faced with accusations
that don’t belong to him. It’s a
travesty of justice, but in a divine mystery beyond comprehension, it is the
very plan of God from eternity. That
this man, this Son of God, would bear the guilt and punishment that by rights
belong to us. He takes our place under
the verdict of death. He becomes the one
to bear all of it, for the sake of us all.
The innocent for the guilty, the righteous for the unrighteous, the
divinely provided scapegoat for the sins of all people.
The truth did come out at this trial, however, as Caiaphas
questioned Jesus closely. After all the
accusations and all the false testimony, after all the attempts to get Jesus to
break, to give them something to use against him, finally the high priest spoke
up, putting the question to Jesus – the only one that really mattered:
And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no
answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”[i] 63 But Jesus
remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living
God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 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.” 65 Then the high
priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further
witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your
judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.”
Are you the Christ?
If he claimed that falsely, it was blasphemy, and deserved death. But Jesus is the Christ, and the Great High Priest,
and the Son of God all rolled up into one.
His priesthood is not one of accusation, but of absolving us
of sins. He comes not to put us on
trial, but to free us from the guilty verdict.
He would answer Caiaphas truthfully, for he would not divert
from his cross or turn away from bitter death.
He would embrace the penalty. All
for you, dear Christian. In Christ, you
are “not guilty.”, before God, forever.
One day, we, along with Caiphas, and all people, will see
the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.
And then he will judge the living and the dead.
But there is no terror in that day for those who are not
guilty, whose sin is paid for, who stand in the righteousness of Christ. There and then, we receive the completion of
the good work begun in us. There, we
shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. There we will no longer weep or suffer any
evil thing, for Christ our Lord has saved us, and we are ever safe and sure
with him.
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