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4. Questioning of the council
The questioning of the
Jewish council was not the normal judicial process, but, it was an intrigue, where
false witnesses testified against Jesus Christ. Council wanted to bring a
death sentence to Jesus Christ, but, the Council couldn’t rest on a judgement
because they could not find two witnesses against Jesus Christ. The Law
demanded the testimony of two witnesses to pass a death-sentence. The Council
could not find a reason for the condemning of Jesus Christ until two false
witnesses stepped forward. These false witnesses implied that Jesus Christ
had said: I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three
days. Their testimony was incorrect, because Jesus had said: “Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”. Their testimony was
incorrect, the witnesses were incorrect, because Jesus did not say, ‘I
destroy the temple’, but Jesus said, ‘you destroy’. Jesus Christ was not
talking about the temple of Jerusalem, but His own body. The Jews and Romans
destroyed his body when they together killed Jesus Christ, who rose again on
the third day from the dead. The Tactic of Satan is to
bring to the testimony of believers false witnesses, who twist our words and
deeds and make them wrong and in this way they invent a reason to accuse
those who believe to Jesus Christ. But if believers know the teachings of the
Bible and the power of God then nobody and nothing can’t separate them from
the love of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the defender of believers, who
teaches and gives to believers the power to stand firm as children of God. Jesus was silent and
Caiaphas was compelled to directly ask Jesus, because in the law it was wrong
if a person refused to answer in situation like this. Caiaphas asked the next
question: “I adjure you by the living God that you tell us if you are the
Christ, the Son of God." Then Jesus answered: "You said it.
I tell you more. From this time you shall see the Son of man sitting off the
right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of the heavens.” Jesus
answered the question clearly by saying: Yes, I am. Caiaphas tore his clothes
and said, He has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses?
The response of the council was: Jesus is guilty of death, unless Jesus
wasn’t who He said he was, he must die according to the law. They thought
that Christ committed blasphemy against God, by saying, that ‘He will sit on
the right hand of God’. But, Jesus Christ is the Son of God and His place is,
on the right hand of His Father. They didn’t know that. The Members of the
council spat on Jesus and hit him with their fists in the face. In the Jewish
culture spitting in the face was evidence of great contempt. According to the
Gospel of Luke, they covered the eyes of Jesus and mocked Him by asking him
to prophesy that who would hit Him next. The Religious fanatics who had
distorted the Word of God were impudent and outrageous. People like this
behave today just as they did in the times of Jesus Christ. Religious
fanatics who have distorted the Word of God even today mock believers in
Jesus Christ demanding them to prophesy and perform miracles. Then when God
in His great grace confirms His word, these mockers say, that they do
miracles by the power of Satan. The behaviour hasn’t changed from the days of
Jesus Christ. The mockers said the same thing in the time of Jesus and they
also said that Jesus used the power of Satan. Faith comes from hearing
and hearing by the preaching of the gospel of the love and the truth of God.
Because the task of believers is to preach the genuine gospel to this world,
so that people could be saved. Religious fanatics, who have distorted the
Word of God, hated and persecuted Jesus, because He proved, that the world is
under the power of evil spirits. If you also want to believe in Jesus Christ
as the Bible says, you will find that people will persecute and mock you. All
who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Be
a disciple of Jesus Christ and be brave to the end, remembering that God
will make us firm, so that you will be blameless on the day of The Lord
Jesus’ coming. When the morning dawned a
large council held a short but necessary meeting, because nightly sessions of
the court are not accepted in the law of the Jews. The announcing and
performance of the death-sentence demanded two legal actions. The council
hadn’t the right to condemn anybody to the death, because Israel was under
the power of Rome, and the performance of the death-sentence was the task of
Romans. The Jews had only power to resolve matters, which concerned their
religion. Because of this, Jesus had to be taken before to the Pontius
Pilate. The religious world
rejected Jesus and in the same way the religious world of today also rejects
Jesus Christ, because they hold their tradition dearer than the love and
truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus did not clarify His
teachings to council, because He was already taught it publicly. It was not
hidden from the common people. You live too publicly according to
righteousness, who are the disciple of Jesus, His teachings are made public
and do not hide from the world that you are His disciple. Live your life in Christ.
Don’t give futile explanations, but live your life as a sweet fragnance for
Christ. Be a flavour of Jesus Christ bringing warmness and grace there where
you live and where you are.
Petri Paavola from Finland |
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