THE TRIAL AND DEATH OF THE MESSIAH

15 Nisan after midnight, Friday morning

 

A. The Arrest - Mark 14.43-52; Matt 26.47-56; Luke 22.47-53; John 18.2-12
The foundational reason for Jesus’ rejection by the leaders was his rejection of oral law (Mishnah) and Pharisaic authority. In arresting and trying Jesus the leadership will break at least 22 of their own laws on how a trial should be conducted:

Laws of the Sanhedrin Regarding Trials

 
1. There was to be no arrest by religious authorities that was effected by a bribe. Exodus 23:8
2. There were to be no steps of criminal proceedings after sunset. - To prevent conspiracy. Sunset is official when you can see three stars.

3. Judges or Sanhedrin members were not allowed to participate in the arrest. - To keep them neutral, if they participated in the arrest they were taking sides.

4. There were to be no trials before the morning sacrifice. - All rituals must be completed.

5. There were to be no secret trials, only public. - Secret trials forbidden.

6. Sanhedrin trials could only be conducted in the Hall of Judgment of the Temple Compound.

7. The procedure was to be first the defense and then the accusation. Judges who argued for innocence were to speak before those who argued for guilt. Character witnesses were to come first.

8. All may argue in favor of acquittal, but all may not argue in favor of conviction. The accused should have at least one defender.

9. There were to be two or three witnesses and their testimony had to agree in every detail. Deuteronomy 19:15

10. There was to be no allowance for the accused to testify against himself. - To avoid suicide by a defendant who was innocent. Or the defendant might be trying to protect the person who did commit the crime.

11. The High Priest was forbidden to rent his garments. Leviticus 21:10 - The renting of clothes is a sign of emotions. The trial must be based on facts.

12. Charges could not originate with the judges, they could only investigate charges brought to them. - To keep them neutral.

13. The accusation of blasphemy was only valid if the name of God itself was pronounced.

14. A person could not be condemned on the basis of his own words alone. - Must be witnesses.

15. The verdict could not be announced at night, only in the daytime. - To avoid a rush to judgment after a long hearing.

16. In cases of capital punishment, the trial and guilty verdict could not occur at the same time but must be separated by at least 24 hours. - More info may come in.

17. Voting for the death penalty had to be done by individual count beginning with the youngest so the young would not be influenced by the elders.

18. A unanimous decision for guilt shows innocence since it is impossible for 23-71 men to agree without plotting. A minimum of 23 must be present--can 23 Jews arrive at the same opinion? Ha!

19. The sentence could only be pronounced three days after the guilty verdict. More time for info to come in.

20. Judges were to be humane and kind.

21. A person condemned to death was not to be scourged or beaten beforehand.

22. No trials are allowed on the eve of the Sabbath or on a feast day.
The arrest immediately violates the 1^st and 2^nd laws of arrest and trial. There was a bribe and it was evening. Judas knew Jesus often went to Gethsemane when in Jerusalem so he arrives with a large group including a cohort of Roman soldiers (400-600 men) and officers of the cheif priests and Pharisees. The high priest could not come as it was Passover eve and he must stay in the Temple compound or become unclean.
Jesus asks who they are looking for. They said Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus will reply twice that, “I am he.” They fell backwards first time. This falling backwards was because Jesus 1^st “I am He” meant he was Jehovah God. Falling backwards is a sign of judgment--not blessing. The 2^nd time Jesus answered “I am he” was for his humanity.

Judas’ kissing him had special meaning. A disciple kisses his rabbi several times on the cheek when he decides to accept the rabbi’s teachings and follow him. Judas was violating this teacher disciple unity in a most despicable way.

Peter draws a long knife (or sword) out and strikes off the ear of the High Priest’s servant. Only Luke points out that the ear was healed. Perhaps the disciples who wrote the other three gospels just were not impressed because they had seen so many other great miracles--but to Doctor Luke it was a great healing! This healing saved Peter’s life.

Now Jesus teaches Peter and us three things:

1. All who live by the sword die by the sword--the sword is not for defense of, or establishing the faith. It can be used for self defense or defense of the state--but we turn the cheek for the faith--and some become martyrs if necessary.

2. Jesus has legions (3000-6000) of angels at his disposal--he does not need the sword of man to defend him. We are only to use the sword of the word of God for spiritual warfare.

3. This arrest, trial, and death are essential for the fulfillment of scripture--he will do no more to defend himself.

Mark adds an incident of a young man fleeing naked from the scene. The person was most likely Mark. This was a form of writing that identified the writer of the story--they would insert themselves in and say, “a certain person” did so and so. See, John in his gospel.

Notes from: The Life of Messiah from a Jewish Perspective by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum