Standing Strong in the Sanhedrin Storm

The Suffering Savior, Part 1
Matthew 26:57-68

Jesus has been arrested without a charge. The Jewish leaders have paid a bribe to Judas. The court has convened in the middle of the night. Jesus was beaten before an official verdict was delivered. What a storm of hatred! You have heard of sand storms or snow storms; this is a SANHEDRIN STORM.

In this trial of injustice the sins of man rise up like an intense and violent STORM OF SCORN. Man’s selfishness and pride, greed and ambition, envy and hate, blasphemy and falsehood are hurled at our Savior, yet how strong He stood in the face of their relentless storm as He is mocked in the middle of the night.

This Sanhedrin Storm was like:

1.  A HURRICANE of HATRED, as they BIND OMNIPOTENCE.

Here is OMNIPOTENCE in bondage! He who is The OMNIPOTENT God, the All Powerful Savior, HELD CAPTIVE by WEAK Men, v.57

The chief priests along with the temple police sweep into the Garden of Gethsemane and sweep Jesus away like a hurricane. When Jesus was arrested without a criminal charge in the Garden of Gethsemane, he is forcibly grabbed, bound and led away first to Annas and Caiaphas. John 18:12, Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him. John 18:24, And Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

Annas was the CRUEL CONSPIRATOR who approves all that is to come in this mock trial in the middle of the night. Caiaphas is the PUPPET PRIEST. Annas is the real authority, Caiaphas will gladly follow his commands.

Jesus, He who is immense and incomparable, the One infinite in power, is held captive by unjust men. Jesus, the All-Powerful God, the ONE who spoke and it was, the One who measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and the One who at that very moment upheld all things by the very Word of His power, has his hands bound. Weak men bind him who is boundless in power. (Quote Isaiah 40:12, 15) Jesus could have broken free of those cords more easily than Samson broke the new ropes that Delilah bound him with, but He endured his captivity knowing that He is appointed to pay for the sins of the world.

These men thought they wielded such power and authority. They were some of the most educated, religious, respected, powerful Jews in the land. Yet their power is nothing compared to the Omnipotent power of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were smart, yet not wise. They were religious, but lost.

We see that their religion had not renewed their blinded hearts; their education had not enlightened their darkened mind; their earthly power did not give them peace.

2. A FLOOD of Deceit as they FALSELY ACCUSE TRUTH

He who is the TRUTH is falsely accused by lying men as the religious leaders parade a band of liars into the courtroom, v.59-60. They pour forth lies like a flood of deceit!

Here is HOLINESS of TRUTH despised. He who is HARMLESS, or innocent and empty of evil the very TRUTH INCARNATE, standing before depraved men who themselves are worthy of death and full of evil, for they not merely endure false witnesses, but they seek for falsehood to fill their court. Rather than seeking God (Matt.6:33), these men were obsessed with seeking false witness against the Lord of Glory! Rather than seeking peace (Col.3:1) or faithfulness (1 Cor.4:2), they were seeking power and position.

The Sanhedrin were to be men who “feared God, men of truth, hating covetousness” but the present elders cared for none of those matters (Exodus 18:21). They allowed not one or two false witnesses, but many to come and share their lies and contradict themselves.

Mark 14:56, And many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

What CONTEMPT this body has for the truth they ought to uphold! What DISREGARD they have for the Law of God they were to obey!

To guard against false witnesses the Mosaic law prescribed that a person who knowingly gave false testimony would suffer the punishment he had thought to have done unto his brother. (Deut. 19:16-19). A person who gave false testimony in a trial that involved capital punishment, for example, would himself be put to death. The Sanhedrin was to diligently pursue the truth, they were to buy the truth and sell it not, they were to desire the truth in their inward parts. Alas, they allowed the truth to “fall(en) in the street.” (Isaiah 59:14) Truth is perished and is cut off from their mouth (Jer.7:28)

By that standard, every false witness should have been condemned to die! By that standard, the very Sanhedrin who actively sought for such false witness should also have been condemned to die! They were all accomplices to the lies told in this trial, and that made them under the same condemnation as the liars themselves.

Oh, what ironic mercy, that Jesus, the Judge who is the TRUTH is condemned by a hall of liars. Again, they cared not for the truth of the Word of God.

3. A TORNADO of Treachery, they Twist His Infallible Word

The INCARNATE WORD is twisted and misquoted! V.61,62

His name is the Word of God. In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God and the Word was God. The Word of God who became flesh stood that day before this body of men, and what do they do, they allow two false witnesses to say,

This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. (v.61) What a deceitful twisting of His Words! By ADDING and CHANGING the Words Jesus used they accuse Jesus of being a possible terrorist against the Temple. What an amazing thing this world has ever done to the Word of God! They twist it and turn it to mean what they want, so that they can rationalize their rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ. They MISQUOTE IT AND MOCK it so they can deny HIM, and do you know what they end up doing? Fulfilling it! They misquote His Words that He had given early in His ministry.

Jesus had said, John 2:19, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

As a prophet, Jesus predicted His crucifixion and resurrection. As a Savior, He said He would give life. As God He said He would rise again!

Jesus did not say I WILL or I AM ABLE TO destroy this temple. Jesus was speaking of HIS CRUCIFIXION at the hands of hateful men; he is misquoted and charged with possible TEMPLE DESTRUCTION. Then Jesus spoke of RESURRECTION, not CONSTRUCTION of the temple! Of course he spoke of His body. They were talking about bricks. He was prophesying of the fact that He would be crucified at the hands of wicked men and that He would raise himself up on the third day! Jesus did not say he would REBUILD the temple, but RAISE it up. He was not talking about brick and morter, wood and stones, but LIFE! They missed the point of His crucifixion and resurrection and talked about destruction and construction of the temple!

They said our Lord said something He never said. They misrepresented His Words and convicted him on their MISQUOTE. Therefore, they missed the very reason of His coming, that He would suffer for sin and rise again for their justification. People misquote Him- Misunderstand Him and therefore MISS HIM!

What an example of how men are blinded to the Gospel message. They cannot see that Christ had to die for their sins and rise again. They twist and pervert His words that relate to His very death and resurrection and end up fulfilling them! They demonstrate their own arrogance by adding to His Words, twisting His words, and therefore missing the meaning of His Word.

The world through their greed is not able to grasp the Word, and bring to pass the very word of God they do not understand.

As a matter of fact, Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation. He said, “It is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” (John 11:47-50) Caiaphas wanted Jesus to die for political purposes, to curry the favor of the Roman Government. The death of Jesus was a pragmatic political ploy. Hate Jesus and Rome will love us! It was POLITICALLY CORRECT to crucify Jesus, much as it is today.

So they decided after the resurrection of Lazarus that Jesus must die, not to save them from their sin, but to save their puny power and position in the temple. Their business was thriving and Jesus was a threat. Why, Jesus was a way to keep the Roman Government off their back and to demonstrate they were in deed loyal to Rome. Here was One who threatened not only their power, but the power of Caesar as well. They think, if we show allegiance to Rome, they will let us continue our sham religion! Crucifying Jesus would buy them time to continue their shameless service.

In the midst of these false accusations, Jesus is silent! He is at peace in the midst of the storm of scorn! His silence here is as miraculous as when He walked on the water and it is as powerful as when He raised Lazarus. What STRENGTH is in His silence, what MEEKNESS and ASSURANCE in His stillness!

4. A VOLCANO of Viciousness, they Reject the Messiah

These blind rulers erupt in boiling anger as they cry with one voice, He is guilty of death. The MESSIAH Judged by blaspheming men! V.63-65

If ever a group of religious people should be able to see the truth of the Messiah, it was this body of men. They had the law, the prophets and the writings, which all testified of Jesus. These were men who were to have studied the Law and understood it. Here is the seed of the woman, born in the line of Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David, in Bethlehem, of a virgin, who fulfills the EVERLASTING COVENANT! Here was the One for whom they have waited.  Jesus is the Prophet greater than Moses, the King greater than David, the Priest greater than Aaron. Caiaphas forces Jesus to answer now, by putting him under an oath.

I ADJURE you, they demand, tell us whether you are the Christ, or the Messiah! The word ADJURE means to cause to swear under an oath. What irony, that the One who has made an oath to National Israel is forced under oath to say who He is.

You Said it. Of course I am. Yes, indeed! Mark wrote it, I AM. Jesus then quotes two passages that refer clearly to Him as the Messiah, that He is Priest and King. He quotes from Psalm 110 and Daniel 7:13.

Psalm 110:1: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Verse four of that Psalm tells how the Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus, put under oath before Caiaphas, quotes from Psalm 110 where God had put himself under oath to send a Messiah.

Daniel 7:13, Behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him, and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve Him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

In these few words, Jesus sets forth His resurrection and second coming in glory.

Spurgeon said, “Somehow or other, when we rouse ourselves to courage, we let in harshness the same door; or if we shut out our anger, we are very apt to forget our firmness. Jesus never slays one virtue to make room for another. His character is complete whichever way we look at it.”

Jesus is the Everlasting PRIEST and the ETERNAL KING! Caiaphas, utters the unjust verdict of blasphemy. He tears his clothes in a display of hypocritical theatre. This is “Broadway hypocrisy!” Caiaphas roars like a lion over his prey, motivated by ENVY and GREED. Grief or sorrow was not in his heart, rather a sense of FINALLY, WE HAVE HIM! He and his father in law Annas had a business booming in the temple, and Jesus threatened their power. Some even called the selling of animals in the sacrifice the “Bazaars of Annas.” A EVERLASTING priest of the order of Melchizedec would put his priesthood OUT OF BUSINESS! An eternal KING would get in the way of their POWER. Is that not why most men refuse to believe or cannot believe? Their own pride and selfishness blind them to the truth of Jesus. The imposter tears his garment, but soon the veil of the temple would tear in two, and not long after that, Rome will come and tear down every stone and the business they sought to preserve would be gone.

They were trying to hold on to their petty earthly kingdom centered in the Jerusalem Temple that had made them wealthy beyond their imagination. It would all be over within a few years, anyway!

How do you respond when the Lord of Glory intervenes swiftly into your life, challenging you to change? How do you respond when He comes into the heart of your conscience and clears out the moneychangers of greed and the oxen of selfish pride? These men of the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees and Sadducees hated one another, but their mutual enmity for Jesus bound them together to cry as one, He is guilty of death! Was this not the only time in their history they all agreed?

5. A TIDAL WAVE of Brutality, they Blindfold Omniscience

Their cruelty overflows Him now as they pile cruelty upon His blessed face and they Blindfold Omniscience!

He who is OMNISCIENT is Blindfolded by BLIND Men

They now lose all sense of decency. They discard their inhibitions as they begin to brutalize the blessed face and body of our Savior. Make no mistake about it: the men of the Sanhedrin had sharp disagreements between them. They were theological and political enemies. Yet they all agreed that Jesus must be destroyed. With one voice they hated the Savior. With one mouth they spit. With one hand they punch. With one voice they mock. Is it not amazing how groups that hated one another could unite in a common cause?

How, how amazing is His grace. This religious assembly turns into a rabble. They spit in his face and hit him. They blindfold him and demand, “Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?” (Luke 22:64). Does not this world see our Savior and God as One they can blindfold? Does not this world have the bold attitude they can do what they want? In fact, it was these religionists who were blindfolded, for they were blinded by their unbelief and envy; the god of this world had blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Likewise, some here think that the Savior does not see your brazen behavior that vexes His Spirit and grieves Him so. You are deceived. You think you, too, can blindfold Him and get away with your selfish sins. Do you see God as One blindfolded to your hateful sins? Do you imagine that a blindfold will cause Him to forget your dishonest deeds? Do you think a blindfold will shut His ears to the words of your mouth? Do you think a blindfold will hide His piercing eyes to behold the evil you have committed?

He who is chief among ten thousands, whose head is as fine gold, is smitten by these men in the darkness of their ignorance. He who can see the end from the beginning and whose eyes burn as a flame of fire, is blindfolded by a little clothe.

Can we not see;

His MERCY is higher than the heavens,

His GRACE abounding to chief of sinners,

His PATIENCE silently enduring rebellion,

His LOVE victorious in overcoming evil,

His CONDESCENSION to humble Himself to such an extent,

“See how the patient Jesus stands, Insulted in his lowest case! Sinners have bound the Almighty hands, and spit in their Creator’s face.”

We can see all the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,

Not only were his spoken words misquoted and misunderstood, but now His prophetical words were fulfilled,

Isaiah 50:6, I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

Isaiah 52:14, His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men…

Isaiah 53:3, He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him: he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

What ELOQUENCE Jesus shows in His silence!

What POWER there is in His meekness!

What MAJESTY there is in His Misery!

What DIGNITY he displays in his agony!

 What CRUELTY is poured upon the face of the Lord Jesus Christ!

What shame and pain does this mocking, spitting, and hitting cause. What brazen brutality pours forth from the depraved hearts of these men. Could this have made them happy? I have often heard men say, OH, I don’t hurt anyone. I am sure these men said the same thing when they went home that night. I am sure they viewed themselves as models of tolerance who did not hurt anyone and always tried to do the best they could.

Some evenings I go into NYC at a time when thousands are coming home. As I arrive at Penn Station, there is an underground tube that stretches a whole city block. There are card stores, pizza shops, coffee shops, a K Mart, Pizza Huts, and Dunkin Donuts. As I walked from the 8th Ave. side to the 7th Ave. side, there is a huge flow of people coming towards me. Unending waves of humanity roll toward me with expressionless faces, and I must dodge this way and skip that way to go against the flow. Others block my passage as some stand waiting for their train. A few others also walk with me in my direction, from 8th to 7th Ave, but many more go opposite my direction. When I get to the subway turnstile, again a swarm of people file through, and I have to wait to proceed. When I get to the stairs to go up to the subway platform, again I wait as the stairs are jammed with people piling down heading for home. As I make this journey, it hits me that this is the way we as believers in Jesus must live every day of our lives. We move against the tide. We must move against the large mass of people who are at friends of this world system that cried out Crucify Him, Crucify Him. We must stand against the flow of humanity that is an enmity with God and in love with this world.

We must move against the flow of this world and STAND for Him in a world that in pride thinks they are so powerful and they are deceived to think they can BIND the Omnipotent God. Rather, we want the All powerful God to bring us into His bondage. Let me be your servant, O Lord Jesus Christ! His omnipotence can make us strong!

May the All-Powerful Savior, who was HELD CAPTIVE by this world arrest me and rule my spirit. Let Jesus hold you captive,

We must move against the flow and stand for Him in this world that seeks and is entertained by falsehood by being lovers of truth. May your truth be my delight! May I love your truth so much that I diligently seek to understand it and study it!

We must move against the flow of this world and STAND for Him as they misquote, mock, and misunderstand the Word of God. We love His word and delight in it. We must move against the tidal wave of TWISTING and TURNING by this world of His precious Word.

O, may I love His law, that it might be my delight day and night! Oh, may I have a heart to hide His words in my heart, that I may not sin against Him! Oh, may I have a heart to preach the Word and to know nothing before this world, but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified!

We move against this world and STAND although they curse the Savior and blaspheme his name in under the cloak of religion. In a world of multi-culturalism bent on validating every religion and any lifestyle, seeking to approve of every feeling and selfish whim of man, we must stand up and know that salvation is through the One way of Jesus Christ!

We move against this world that brazenly believes they can do what they want and God is blind to their behavior.

May Jesus, the Omnipotent Shepherd, He who is the Truth, the very Word of God, the Messiah, and OMNISCIENT ONE, BLINDFOLD me to the things of this world. May He help us to stand for Him and love Him and live for Him. As we consider the mockery of our Lord in the middle of the night, I pray that you will be willing to stand for Him as He stood for you bearing your sin.

Some of you are so allured by this arrogant world that is gathered as one voice against our Savior. Will you love this world system that despised our Lord so? Will you love and live for the praise of this world? Will you seek to be conformed to its standards? How incomprehensible, inconsistent, and incompatible it is for a believer in Jesus to love this world that has hated our King!

May God pour out His grace upon us that we may love Him!