The Jewish Trial (Matthew 26 - P 70)

Jesus and his disciples leave the Garden of Gethsemane.  It is night time.  That is why Peter and James and John had such a hard time staying awake while Jesus prayed.  Judas approaches leading the ones that were sent to arrest Jesus.  It would not have been an orderly Roman company of soldiers.  I think we get a better sense of the scene if we think of it as a mob - more like a lynch mob in the western movies we have watched.  Judas kisses ... steps back ... and the events begin to escalate.

Before you read our text for today, I want you to read a description of the legal rules for the Sanhedrin.  Remember, the Sanhedrin was the supreme court of the Jews.  It consisted of scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees and elders of the people.  It had 71 members and was presided over by the high priest.  A quorum was 23.  Jesus was taken to the home of the high priest that night.  What follows is a description of the Sanhedrin's own rules of order.  I am quoting a summary of those rules from William Barclay:

All criminal cases must be tried during the daytime and must be completed during the daytime.  Criminal cases could not be transacted during the Passover season at all.  Only if the verdict was 'not guilty' could a case be finished on the day it was begun; otherwise a night must elapse before the pronouncement of the verdict, so that feelings of mercy might have time to arise.  Further, no decision of the Sanhedrin was valid unless it met in its own meeting place, the Hall of Hewn Stone in the Temple precincts.  All evidence had to be guaranteed by two witnesses separately examined and having no contact with each other.  And false witness was punishable by death.  The seriousness of the occasion was impressed upon any witness in a case where life was at stake:  'Forget not, O witness, that it is one thing to give evidence in a trial for money, and another in a trial for life.  In a money suit, if thy witness-bearing shall do wrong, money may repair that wrong; but in this trial for life, it thou sinnest, the blood of the accused and the blood of his seed unto the end of time shall be imputed unto thee.'  Still further, in any trial the process began by the laying before the court of all the evidence for the innocence of the accused, before the evidence for guilt was adduced.

With those rules of order and trial in mind, read ...

Matthew 26: 50 - 67

It always stuns me when I read about the events that took place that night.  What can be said?  When a court system violates its own rules for process and order, chaos and injustice follow.  In our country's system, when the procedural rules are violated - or even slightly altered - a mistrial is declared - and the accused walks out free.  We see so clearly the results of hatred.  Hatred leads to violations beyond measure.  Hatred walks on the same road as does a death wish.

Do a deep heart check in yourself.  If you have suffered any abuse in your life ... of course, physical, but also emotional ... are you doing the forgiveness work?  It is worth the incredibly hard work!  It is worth sacrifice of pride.  Hatred is deadly.  Spend some time in prayer.   

We see a quintessential illustration of the old adage:  "the ends justify the means".   And it is just not so!  Wrong "means" never make a desired outcome OK.

I wonder why Judas was not a witness against Jesus.  He's not there.

I am struck by the words of the old hymn ...

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Oh ... sometimes ...

it causes me to tremble ... tremble.

And we tremble as we read this mockery of justice - mockery of righteousness - mockery of God.  

The people of God ... violating Him.  And we tremble.