Mark 14:43 While Yeshua was still speaking, Y’hudah (one of the Twelve!) came, and with him a crowd carrying swords and clubs, from the head cohanim, the Torah-teachers and the elders. 44 The betrayer had arranged to give them a signal: “The man I kiss is the one you want. Grab him, and take him away under guard.” 45 As he arrived, he went right up to Yeshua, said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46 Then they laid hold of Yeshua and arrested him; 47 but one of the people standing nearby drew his sword and struck at the servant of the cohen hagadol, cutting off his ear.
48 Yeshua addressed them: “So you came out to take me with swords and clubs, the way you would the leader of a rebellion? 49 Every day I was with you in the Temple court, teaching, and you didn’t seize me then! But let the Tanakh be fulfilled.” 50 And they all deserted him and ran away. 51 There was one young man who did try to follow him; but he was wearing only a nightshirt; and when they tried to seize him, 52 he slipped out of the nightshirt and ran away naked.
53 They led Yeshua to the cohen hagadol, with whom all the head cohanim, elders and Torah-teachers were assembling. 54 Kefa followed him at a distance right into the courtyard of the cohen hagadol, where he sat down with the guards and warmed himself by the fire.
55 The head cohanim and the whole Sanhedrin tried to find evidence against Yeshua, so that they might have him put to death, but they couldn’t find any. 56 For many people gave false evidence against him, but their testimonies didn’t agree. 57 Some stood up and gave this false testimony: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with hands; and in three days I will build another one, not made with hands.’” 59 Even so, their testimonies didn’t agree.
60 The cohen hagadol stood up in the front and asked Yeshua, “Have you nothing to say to the accusations these men are making?” 61 But he remained silent and made no reply. Again the cohen hagadol questioned him: “Are you the Mashiach, Ben-HaM’vorakh?” 62 “I AM,” answered Yeshua. “Moreover, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of HaG’vurah and coming on the clouds of heaven.”[Mark 14:62 Daniel 7:13; Psalm 110:1] 63 At this, the cohen hagadol tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? 64 You heard him blaspheme! What is your decision?” And they all declared him guilty and subject to the death penalty.
65 Then some began spitting at him; and after blindfolding him, they started pounding him with their fists and saying to him, “Let’s see you prophesy!” And as the guards took him, they beat him too. Complete Jewish Bible)
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Reflection Questions
Jesus was not an innocuous storyteller. Scholar Craig Evans summed up what happened in Jesus' trial: “The Jewish authorities sought to kill Jesus not because he was a good man but because Jesus was perceived as a very serious political threat….[he] entered Jerusalem as the anointed son of David, he assumed authority in the temple precincts as though possessed of messianic authority, he appealed to the purpose of the temple… in a way that implied him to be king, and he was in fact anointed by at least one follower…. It is hardly surprising that… the Roman governor would place near the cross a placard that read, ‘This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.’”*
- In Jesus' culture, a kiss usually showed a disciple’s great regard and honor for his teacher. It was unusual that Judas chose a kiss as the betrayal signal. Pastor Hamilton wrote that Judas’ kiss was “a sign perhaps… of a love for this man and yet a desire to be free of him, of a love for God’s kingdom and a desire for the kingdoms of this world.”** In what ways do you find yourself torn between love for God and love for “the kingdoms of this world”?
- The “Sanhedrin,” the 71-member ruling Hebrew religious court, should have been the most fair-minded, reliable group Jesus could have faced. Verse 65 is sad: “Some began to spit on him. Some covered his face and hit him, saying, ‘Prophesy!’” These weren’t Roman soldiers, but religious leaders. Have you ever wanted to hurt someone in the name of a cause you believe is holy? How can you stand up for good without resorting to evil actions (see Romans 12:17-21)?
Lord Jesus, it seemed clear to your enemies that killing you would silence you forever. I, and millions of my fellow believers, worship and praise you for being brave enough to show that love and life really are stronger than hatred and death. Amen.
* Craig A. Evans and N. T. Wright, Jesus, the Final Days: What Really Happened, edited by Troy A. Miller. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009, p. 9.
** Adam Hamilton, 24 Hours That Changed the World: 40 Days of Reflection. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2009, p. 68.
Matt is the Media Services Production Manager in the Tech Arts ministry at Church of the Resurrection. He joined the staff in December 2014 and supports the technology needs of each special or weekly event outside of weekend worship at Resurrection Leawood. In his free time, he spends time with his 2 kids, supports his wife’s cake business, and aspires to be a novelist.
In Jerusalem, in clear view of the Temple Mount, there sits The Church of the Saint Peter in Gallicantu (meaning “Cock’s Crow). This is the site of the palace of the High Priest, where Jesus was unjustly tried by night (an illegal activity at the time). Inside there is a pit in the ground, into which Jesus would have been lowered by a rope tied under his armpits and around his chest, where he would have listened to the crowd above debating who exactly he was, arguing amongst themselves over his fate. Jesus, based on what he'd told his disciples, must have known that in less than 24 hours from this time, he would be crucified and buried.
Can you imagine the fear he must have felt as he sat there in a dark pit with nothing but a hole above his head? I imagine him using his senses to find some comfort where he was. Seeing nothing but blackness, he would have felt around the cold, stone walls to find a corner, not knowing what else he would find. The stench must have been foul, as this cave served as a prison for many others before him. By this point, having hiked down the Mt. of Olives, past the Temple, and up many, many steps, he would have already been very thirsty and possibly hungry (his last meal happening hours before with his disciples, just before the one betrayed him). Finally, as stated, the only thing he’d be hearing would be the Sanhedrin, a Jewish court system consisting of 71 rabbis. The tension above, as they argued over who Jesus was, what he had said (or didn’t say), and what to do with him, would have likely been increasing moment by moment until they finally lifted him back out of the ground to accuse and question him directly.
About a month ago I was sitting in this space. Thinking through this brought up a lot of anger and sadness over what had happened 2000 years ago. As I sat pondering this night, I couldn’t help but wonder, “What if they didn’t go through with the cruel punishment they enacted? What if, instead of allowing their emotions to drive them further and further into brutality, they just excommunicated him?”
There are a lot of possible answers to this. If I were to venture a guess, I would think that had they not pressed for Jesus’ execution, the story arc of the New Testament would likely look a lot different. But I do not believe God’s redemptive plans would have been stymied. I believe that somehow (details unknown) Jesus would have still proved God has the power to overcome even death and commissioned his disciples to start the church.
As stated often at this church, “We are Easter people.” So even though we mourn on Maundy Thursday, we have the rest of the story to look forward to. Easter is just around the corner.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011.
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