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Unlike
the writings of many other religions, the Holy
Scriptures are true history. The things they record
really happened. They are true. They are real.
Yeshua really died just the way this history tells
us He did. And, He really rose again from the
dead, which has the greatest ramifications for
you and me, and the entire human race. In this
section, we will get a very detailed account of
the arrest and the trials of the Messiah. They
really happened!
When
Yeshua had spoken these words, He went forth with
His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, which
is immediately to the east of the Temple Mount,
separating the Temple Mount from the Mount of
Olives, where there was a garden, in which
He entered with His disciples. Now Judas also,
who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Yeshua
had often met there with His disciples. So,
this was one of their hangouts when they were
in Jerusalem. Judas then, having received the
Roman cohort (a Roman cohort had between 300-600
soldiers) and officers from the chief priests
and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and
torches and weapons. This is a very large
and formidable force of Gentiles and Jews who
were organized, well equipped with lanterns, torches
and weapons for trouble at night.
So
Yeshua, knowing all the things that were coming
upon Him (Yeshua's betrayal and arrest came
as no surprise to Him. He knew exactly what was
coming, and still had the courage and grace to
face it), went forth and said to them, "Whom
do you seek?"
They
answered Him, "Yeshua the Nazarene." He said to
them, "I am He." And Judas also, who was betraying
Him, was standing with them. Judas is no longer
standing with Yeshua and His disciples. He is
standing with Yeshua's enemies.
“O, Judas
was so bad! He betrayed the Lord, and was standing
with His enemies.” True. How about you? Where
are you standing?
Are you
standing with Yeshua when He says, I am the Way,
the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father
except through Me? Or are you standing with His
enemies who deny that, and say that’s not true;
it’s intolerant, unfair, and there are many ways
to God?
Are you
standing with Yeshua when He says that the most
important thing in life is loving God with the
totality of your being - with your heart, soul
and strength? Or, are you standing with those
who say that that’s fanaticism, and just a little
religion is good?
Are you
standing with Yeshua when He says that God’s Word
is pure truth, including the smallest letter or
even stroke, or are you standing with His enemies
who seek to undermine and deny the authority of
the Word of God?
Are you
standing with Yeshua when He says we are to be
sanctified, and live holy lives, avoiding sex
outside of marriage, and the other sins of the
flesh, or are you standing with His enemies?
Are you
standing with Yeshua, who is the Giver of Life,
and respects life, or are you standing with His
enemies, who say abortion is OK, and who kill
the lives of the most vulnerable?
Are you
standing with Yeshua when He says we must hate
our lives in this world, deny ourselves, pick
up our crosses, and follow Him? Or, are you standing
with those who tell you to pursue prosperity and
wealth and a comfortable life?
Where
are you standing? Solidly with Yeshua and His
followers, or on some key issues, and in some
important areas, are you standing with our enemies?
So
when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back
and fell to the ground. I think they fell
back due to Yeshua's boldness, and perhaps because
they feared Him. After all, He was the first miracle
working prophet in centuries. Perhaps they knew
about the arrest of one of the last great wonder
working prophets in Israel, Eliyahu, who, when
He was arrested, called down fire from heaven,
which burned up100 soldiers and their officers.
Therefore
He again asked them, "Whom do you seek?" And they
said, "Yeshua the Nazarene." Yeshua answered,
"I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let
these go their way," to fulfill the word which
He spoke, " Of those whom You have given Me I
lost not one."
Like a
good shepherd, Yeshua protects His sheep. He puts
Himself forward, and offers His own life, so He
can protect the life of His disciples. What a
great leader! I want to follow a leader like that,
who is more concerned for me than He is for Himself.
I would follow that Leader anywhere - wouldn’t
you?
I love
what a Messianic Jew from another century wrote:
“in the midst of this trial His thoughts are about
His disciples. If He was thinking about us then,
how much more now that He is in glory? His thoughts,
His prayers, His affections, His energies, are
all engaged now with regard to His people who
are still on the earth. He has ascended into the
Most Holy Place in Heaven, into the region of
perfection and glory; but He does not forget us
who are still in the wilderness. As He loved His
own even to the end, He loves them now, and throughout
all the ages; and He will come again to receive
us to Himself.”
This also
is an answer to Yeshua’s prayer found in chapter
17, verse 12, where Yeshua prays, telling His
Father that He has protected and will continue
to protect these specially chosen men. And we
know that Yeshua is the greatest prophet - what
He says happens, and all His prayers are answered.
Even though
Yeshua knows what God’s will is in this situation,
and that He is the One that will be arrested,
Simon Peter, who no doubt is well meaning, does
something very provocative that endangers himself
and the rest of the disciples:
Simon
Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck
the high priest's slave, and cut off his right
ear; and the slave's name was Malchus - Simon
Peter had a weapon, and tried to kill Malchus,
who, even though he was a slave of the high Priest,
may have represented the high priest and wielded
a lot of authority. Peter didn’t kill Malchus,
but his sword did connect and cut off Malchus’
ear. But Messiah was not pleased. He corrected
Peter. So Yeshua said to Peter, "Put the sword
into the sheath; the cup which the Father has
given Me, shall I not drink it?"
Peter
improperly defended Yeshua. In this age, Yeshua
doesn’t want us to use violence to protect Him
or advance His cause. This is a lesson that sadly,
the Roman Catholic church of the Middle Ages didn’t
learn. I’m talking about horrific abuses like
the Crusades, and the Inquisition.
Yeshua
came to suffer and die. By His example and by
word He tells us that we are not to pick up the
sword. Rather, like Him we are to drink the cup
of suffering to promote His cause.
So
the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers
of the Jews, arrested Yeshua and bound Him. Yeshua
is arrested by both Jews and Gentiles. Both are
responsible for His arrest. Unlike Simon Peter,
Messiah didn't put up a fight. He didn't resist.
Next we
come to the first of Yeshua’s trials. Most people
think that Yeshua only had one trial, before Pontius
Pilate, but in fact He had several. Those involved
in prosecuting Him at those trials had heavily
vested interests in making sure that the execution
was carried out successfully.
And
they led Him to Annas first; for he was
father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest
that year. Annas was high priest for some
nine or ten year before his son-in-law became
the high priest. Annas continued to exercise weighty
influence still, along with his son-in-law, Caiaphas.
Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the
Jews that it was expedient for one man to die
on behalf of the people. And, even though
his motives were wrong when it said this, and
said it in order to justify killing Yeshua, he
spoke better than he knew. He spoke the truth.
The reality is that it was expedient, it was advantageous
for Israel, and for all of us, for one man - Israel’s
pure and holy and sinless Messiah, to die. One
man dying to save a multitude. One man willingly
being sacrificed so that millions could live.
Simon
Peter was following Yeshua, and so was another
disciple. Peter is usually criticized for
denying Yeshua, which he did, but at least he
was in a place close enough to his rabbi so that
he could deny Him. One betrayed Him, and the other
nine abandoned Him. Peter and John showed the
most courage.
Now
that disciple - John, the author of our book,
who does not mention himself by name due to his
great humility, an example we should follow, was
known to the high priest - which indicates
John’s high social status. The high priest was
of course in the most powerful religious position,
but he was also in a very high political position
as well. Not everyone in Israel had a personal
relationship with the high priest, as John did.
And he entered with Yeshua into the court of
the high priest, but Peter was standing at the
door outside. So the other disciple, who was known
to the high priest, went out and spoke to the
doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. Then the slave-girl
who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not
also one of this man's disciples, are you?" He
said, "I am not."
Notice
the very specific details: John was with Yeshua
in the court, Peter was outside standing at the
door. The doorkeeper allow Peter to come in. The
slave-girl who kept the door spoke to Peter. These
are details that only an eyewitness would come
up with.
Yeshua
had just predicted a few hours earlier, that before
the morning, Peter would deny Him three times.
This is denial number one, even though John, known
by the high priest, had spoken to the high priest,
and vouched for Peter.
But Peter’s
fears were greater than his faithfulness. Peter
was one of Yeshua’s closest disciples, and the
future leader of the Messianic community. It’s
not good when your main man, the leader you are
raising up, denies you. But this is a true historical
document, and it doesn’t gloss over Peter’s sins,
or cover them up. Instead, it tells us honestly
what happened. Only a true historical account
would do that. Now the slaves and the officers
were standing there, having made a charcoal fire,
for it was cold and they were warming themselves;
and Peter was also with them, standing and warming
himself.
Now we
return to the scene inside: The high priest
then questioned Yeshua about His disciples, and
about His teaching. Yeshua answered him, "I have
spoken openly to the world; I always taught in
synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews
come together; and I spoke nothing in secret.
"Why do you question Me? Question those who have
heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said."
Yeshua
is elaborating a legal principle that a person
who is on trial need not incriminate himself.
In our legal system, it’s called the Fifth Amendment.
The authorities doing the arrest have the legal
responsibility to charge the man, and have the
evidence. You can’t arrest someone without cause,
and then go fishing for evidence. And, torture
or physical intimidation should never be used
at a fair trial. Nevertheless, when He had
said this, one of the officers standing nearby
struck Yeshua, saying, "Is that the way You answer
the high priest?" Yeshua answered him, "If I have
spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly,
why do you strike Me?" Authorities are not
to use physical coercion, but legal principles
and testimony. Also, when was this trial taking
place? At night. Legal trials must take place
during the day, when people are aware of what
is going on - not in the dead of night when things
can be kept secret.
This trial
was not a fair trial. But, this does fulfills
the prophecy of Isaiah: by oppression and judgement
He was taken away. God, speaking to the prophet
Isaiah, forewarned us that Israel’s king would
have a most unfair trial.
Next,
we come to trial number two: So Annas sent
Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Yeshua
is transported from the home of Annas to his son-in-law,
Caiaphas. We know from historical writings that
Caiaphas was a real historical person. In fact,
archeological evidence was recently found in Jerusalem
showing the historicity of this man.
Meanwhile
Peter is still at the home of Annas. Now Simon
Peter was standing and warming himself. So they
said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples,
are you?" He denied it, and said, "I am not."
Denial number two. Again, specific eyewitness
details are given. This time however, it is not
a slave-girl that questions Peter, but several
people. The story continues: One of the slaves
of the high priest, being a relative of the one
whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see
you in the garden with Him?"
This time
it is another one of the slaves of the high priest,
who also may have been a person of some authority,
and even worse, a relative of Malchus, who no
doubt would have had no love for the disciples,
and especially for the one who cut off his relatives
ear, questioned Peter. Peter then denied it
again, and immediately a rooster crowed. This
is the third and final denial, just as Yeshua
had predicted, and immediately a rooster crows,
indicating that the night is just about over,
and the dawn is about to start. But there was
to be no dawn for Peter that day.
Why was
it that Peter denied his Rabbi and Messiah in
whom he so fervently believed such a short time
ago? Not once did he deny Him, which might be
understandable - a momentary slip, giving in to
sudden fear, but three times?
I think
the answer is that Peter was limited in knowledge.
He still thought that Yeshua was going to be acknowledged
by the majority of the Jewish people as the King
of Israel. He didn’t understand or believe Yeshua’s
repeated teaching that He came to die in order
to make atonement. So, when Yeshua was arrested,
Peter’s expectations were shattered, and his faith
started crumbling. We must have a good understanding
and reasonable expectations as to what we can
expect from God. I’m talking about “the good life.”
God does not promise us “the American dream” or
guarantee us “the good life.” After Peter sees
Yeshua raised from the dead, everything falls
into place, and makes sense. Peter’s faith will
remain strong, and he will never again give in
to the fear of man, or the fear of death.
Now we
come to Yeshua’s third trial, and this one is
before the leader of the Gentiles - Pontius Pilate,
who we also know to be a real, historical person.
Pilate represents the legitimate authority of
the Gentile world. Both Jews and Gentiles were
involved in the arrest, trials and death of Yeshua.
If the Jewish people are collectively guilty in
the death of Yeshua, then so equally are the Gentiles.
Maybe more responsible, since Pilate could have
singlehandedly stopped this miscarriage of justice
at any time. In fact, that was his responsibility.
Then
they led Yeshua from Caiaphas into the Praetorium
- the palace of the Roman governor, and it
was early; and they themselves did not enter into
the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled,
but might eat the Passover. What irony! What
hypocrisy on the part of these Jewish leaders
not wanting to be ritually defiled for Passover
by entering a Gentile's home (something which
the Torah never forbids), meanwhile, they are
committing one of the greatest sins in history,
putting to death the righteous Messiah!
What a
warning about the danger of religion apart from
a true relationship with God! It’s somewhat insulting,
not being willing to enter someone’s home, especially
when you are there to ask them for a favor, but
Pilate was gracious to the Jewish leaders, and
didn’t insist they come before him in his home.
Therefore
Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation
do you bring against this Man?" This is a
legal situation, and Pilate wants to know the
specific charges against the accused. They
answered and said to him, "If this Man were not
an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to
you." But, they don’t answer Pilate with specific
charges, but with vague generalities, that Yeshua
has done evil and has sinned.
That happens
when you don't have a good case. People resort
to generalizations and name calling. So Pilate
said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge
Him according to your law." Pilate assumes
that this dispute is between rabbis, Rabbi Yeshua
and the other Jewish leaders. Doesn't want to
get involved. If He has done evil according to
Jewish law, then judge Him by Jewish law. The
Jewish people still had religious courts, and
still had that authority. Roman had taken much
authority away from us, but not all.
However,
the Jewish leaders want a Roman trial because
they are aiming for the death penalty, and it
was the Roman governor who had the sole power
of the death penalty.
The
Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put
anyone to death," to fulfill the word of Yeshua
which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death
He was about to die.
These
leaders thought they were the wise ones, they
ones in charge, maneuvering things just the way
they wanted. But behind them was the Wisest One
of all, who is shrewder than the shrewd! They
were actually playing into the hands of God, fulfilling
His plans, and also the prophetic word of Yeshua,
who had predicted how He would die (As Moses lifted
up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must
the Son of Man be lifted up... If I be lifted
up from the Earth, I will draw all men to Myself
(see 3:14 and12:32). Yeshua is certainly a true
prophet.
Again,
notice the attention to details, and the dialogue
that is recorded for us. This indicates a historical
account that is based on eyewitness. Pilate has
heard the preliminary charges. Now, functioning
as a judge, he speaks to the Accused: therefore
Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and
summoned Yeshua and said to Him, "Are You the
King of the Jews?" Why does he ask Yeshua
if He is Israel’s King? Why that, and not the
charges of the Jewish leaders?
Obviously,
Pilate had heard something about the young Rabbi
from Nazareth, and that some were saying that
He was a descendant of King David, and therefore
the King of the Jews, and that was a very political
thing, and would have been of interest to Pilate
and Rome, even if the vague charges of the Jewish
leaders weren’t.
Yeshua
answered, "Are you saying this on your own initiative,
or did others tell you about Me?" The King
of Israel wants to know if Pilate wants to know
more about Yeshua on his own, and has some genuine
interest in Him that is coming from within, maybe
even a spiritual interest. How much spiritual
truth does Pilate know? Has his time among the
Chosen People benefitted him? Is he being drawn
to God by the Spirit? Is that why Pilate is asking,
or is he going along with a plot of these Jewish
leaders who want to have Yeshua killed?
Pilate
answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Look, I’m
not interested in getting involved in your internal
Jewish squabbles. I’m not interested in your religion.
Your own nation and the chief priests delivered
You to me; what have You done?" But I do want
to know what you have done to arose the opposition
of Your people and its leaders.
Yeshua
does not answer this question, but He does answer
Pilate’s original question about being the King
of the Jews: Yeshua answered, "My kingdom is
not of this world. If My kingdom were of this
world, then My servants would be fighting so that
I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as
it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."
Yeshua
is wise. He tells Pilate the truth, but not all
of the truth. But the truth He told him was sufficient,
and not misleading. He admits that He is a king,
but His kingdom is not of this world. His kingdom
is connected to another realm - Heaven. He is
not a treat to Caesar. He is not a king who is
a rival for this realm. If He was interested in
competing with Caesar, then He would have millions
of mighty angels fighting for Him, and all the
Roman cohorts and all the mighty Roman armies
would be utterly defeated before them!
The nature
of Yeshua’s First Coming was not political, to
take over the kingdoms of this world. He will
at the Second Coming, when He returns as the King
of kings and the Lord of lords.
Now, there
are very important implications of Yeshua’s position.
Like Messiah, in this age, Messiah’s Holy Community
is not to be striving for political power, being
rivals to Caesar, taking over the kingdoms of
this world. We can and should get involved in
politics, and exert what influence we can, but
our goal is not the acquisition of political power
to move forward God’s agenda. In fact, the Church
has almost invariably been purer and holier and
more faithful to its calling the farther it has
been from the centers of political power. I’m
thinking in particular of what John, in the Book
of Revelation, calls Babylon, that unfaithful,
false church, compared to a whore - drunk with
the blood of the saints, who consorts with Anti-Christ,
and has had power over the kings of the Earth.
Therefore
Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Yeshua
answered, "You say correctly that I am a king.
For this I have been born, and for this I have
come into the world, to testify to the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."
Yeshua
affirms that He is a king, but a different kind
of king, One who is no rival to Caesar. He is
the King of truth. He is the Supreme authority
who determines what is true. He controls what
is real, what is right, what is true, what should
be known and believed. And, the purpose of His
First Coming was to tells us the truth.
Come on,
did the Son of God really need to come down from
the glories of Heaven, become a man, suffer all
the indignities and misunderstandings that He
suffered, just to tell us the truth? Yes - because
mankind is so completely confused about the truth,
about what is really real, about the way things
really are. We think we know, but we don’t know.
And what
is truth? That mankind is alienated from the one
true and living God, and utterly lost; the whole
world is perishing, and unless we are born again,
spiritually transformed, given new life from God,
we will not enter Heaven and experience eternal
life.
That He
is the eternal Son of God, and the Way, the Truth
and the Life; and no human being can come to God
and Heaven and eternal life apart from personally
placing their faith in Him. He is the sinless
Redeemer, and the Light of the World, and mankind’s
only Savior, and unless we believe in Him, we
will die in our sins. But if we do join ourselves
to Him, we will find that He is the Resurrection
and the Life.
Since
Yeshua is the King of Truth, are you a loyal subject
to the King? Have you committed yourself to Him
as the supreme giver of truth to humanity? Do
you think that there is some higher truth out
there? Do you know the truth? Are you committed
to the truth? Do you live the truth? Do you know
the truth?
Or are
you still in a state of confusion, and asking,
like the Roman governor, what is truth?
Pilate
said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had
said this, he went out again to the Jews and said
to them, " I find no guilt in Him. But you have
a custom that I release someone for you at the
Passover; do you wish then that I release for
you the King of the Jews?"
So
they cried out again, saying, "Not this Man, but
BarAbba." Now BarAbba was a robber.
Pilate
then took Yeshua and scourged Him. And the soldiers
twisted together a crown of thorns and put it
on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; and
they began to come up to Him and say, "Hail, King
of the Jews!" and to give Him slaps in the face.
Pilate
came out again and said to them, "Behold, I am
bringing Him out to you so that you may know that
I find no guilt in Him." Yeshua then came out,
wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.
Pilate said to them, "Behold, the Man!"
So
when the chief priests and the officers saw Him,
they cried out saying, "Crucify, crucify!" Pilate
said to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify
Him, for I find no guilt in Him."
The
Jews answered him, " We have a law, and by that
law He ought to die because He made Himself out
to be the Son of God."
Therefore
when Pilate heard this statement, he was even
more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium
again and said to Yeshua, "Where are You from?"
But Yeshua gave him no answer.
So Pilate
said to Him, "You do not speak to me? Do You not
know that I have authority to release You, and
I have authority to crucify You?"
Yeshua
answered, " You would have no authority over Me,
unless it had been given you from above; for this
reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater
sin."
As a result
of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but
the Jews cried out saying, " If you release this
Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who
makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar."
Therefore
when Pilate heard these words, he brought Yeshua
out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place
called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
Now it
was the day of preparation for the Passover; it
was about the [] sixth hour. And he said to the
Jews, "Behold, your King!"
So they
cried out, " Away with Him, away with Him, crucify
Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your
King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no
king but Caesar.
###############
18:38
Yeshua is confident and bold. Pilate retreats
into philosophical speculation. How can any man
know the truth? Agnostic position. People often
retreat into questions, or get philosophical,
in order to avoid the truth. Yet the Absolute
Truth is standing right in front of Him, revealing
Himself to him. In Greek Roman thinking truth
is found in an idea or concept or philosophy.
In Biblical Judaism, truth is centered in a Person,
in God. God has clearly spoken the Truth, but
man avoids it like the plague.
18:38-39
Pilate declares Yeshua innocent. He looks for
a political, expedient, not costly way out of
this dilemma. But it wasn't possible. He will
be forced to make a hard choice. He should have
stopped the trial right there. His spirit was
willing but his flesh was weak. Pilate was committed
to do what is right when it was easy, convenient,
when it didn't cost him too much. His job was
at stake, his career. What is that compared to
the life on an innocent man. At what point are
you willing to jettison doing what is right?
18:40
Both Jews and Gentiles involved in His rejection.
What a choice! Bar Abba or Bar Abba? A robber
of the sinless Son of God, the Messiah and the
King of the Jews? The world esteemed Him not.
What irony. Very detailed dialogue - eyewitness.
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