Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Pentecost Wednesday - Luke 22:63-71

Pentecost Wednesday

Daily Lectionary Readings: Numbers 23:4-28; Luke 22:47-71; (Augsburg Confession 20-21)

Luke 22:63-71

[63] Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. [64] They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” [65] And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.

[66] When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, [67] “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, [68] and if I ask you, you will not answer. [69] But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” [70] So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” [71] Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.” (ESV)

Today, we will look at Jesus' trials before Pilate and the High Priest. Why? Because there is a very practical lesson to be had from it all and one very important theological one. So please read on. Our lectionary reading for the day is Luke's account, but we have to read the four evangelists' parallel passages to get the full picture (you don't have to do this today, but you may want to write them in the margin in your Bible for reference) and even read John's account, as it is more complete, as well as short:

Matthew 26:5–27:2; 11-14

Mark 14:53-15:5

Luke 22:54-23:5

John 18:13-18:38

About Annas, Caiaphas, and John

Annas served as high priest from AD. 6-15. His son-in-law Caiaphas served from AD. 18-37. After that, Annas' son John served as high priest for a few years. The position of the high priest was filled by a member of the Sadducees who claimed to be the descendants of Aaron, the first high priest. Since Rome had conquered Israel, the Romans exercised their power by approving or disapproving any high priest selection. Rome also could remove a high priest if he became too political or critical of Rome. Such was the case of Annas, who was removed by the Romans in AD. 15. A series of his sons succeeded him and were removed by the Romans for the next three years. Finally, Caiaphas, his son-in-law, was appointed and was able to gain favor with Rome. Much like the President of the United States, High Priests retained their title even after they were removed from office. Annas was still highly respected and considered by many to be the true high priest.

Jewish Trials

The Mishnah was the Jewish Code of Law. This code had been passed down orally from generation to generation until it was put into written form around the year AD. 200. A reading of the Mishnah provides us with many legal errors in the trial of Jesus by the Jewish authorities. These include:

1. The Sanhedrin was forbidden to meet at night.

2. The death sentence could not be declared on the day of the trial.

3. The Sanhedrin was forbidden from hearing a capital case on the eve of a Sabbath or feast day.

4. The accused could not be physically struck.

5. The accused had a right to defense.

6. There had to be at least two witnesses in total agreement for a person to be charged.

7. A person could not be tried without being charged.

8. Disagreement among witnesses would result in the accused being released.

The Lesson:

As you can see, if you look through all the accounts of Jesus' trials, none of these conditions were met. As we read through the Gospels, we see how the Pharisees look for numerous times to arrest Jesus and get rid of Him. They finally had to do so by night like cowards and had to break all of their own rules to do so. They had to enlist the aid of their hated overlords, the Romans, to destroy Jesus. On any other day for any other man, this would have been unspeakable, as "righteous" and observant of the law as these men were. But self-justifiers can always justify their abuse of the law or even its complete disregard. They are above the rules, as those were for common men only.

This brings us to our practical point. The Pharisees were so overcome by their hatred of Jesus that every manner of sin, according to their own laws and traditions, was suddenly justified in their eyes. Thousands of years of laws and traditions. Out the window in a single evening to destroy a single man. We do not see our society trying to destroy a single individual by such extraordinary means today, but we do see the laws of men being used to trump the laws of God in order to serve some agenda by some ruling class that feels it is "for your own good." It does not matter which side of the aisle they are on – lying, cheating, stealing, and all manner of sins are justified to be "in the interest of the common good." Again, thousands of years of tradition as well as God's law are ignored, ironically, by those who swore an oath to God (on a Christian Bible – so don't say it's a generic "god") when entering their offices. Like the Pharisees, this is what happens when unchecked power is used for evil. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20:21 ESV). You have a brain capable of discerning good from evil. Use it, and use the rights granted you under the law to elect representatives who still obey the higher law of God rather than the made-up laws of men.

The theological point of Jesus' trials is this: While the Pharisees thought they were in control and were getting their way, it was God who was in control all along. Yes, the Pharisees schemed, plotted, and carried out their plan to put Jesus to death. But why now? Why not sooner or later? Because it was God's plan. The Son of God became the flesh and blood God-man, Jesus Christ, for this purpose: to die for the sins of the world and to rise again on the third day, defeating death. What looked like the ultimate defeat of Jesus was actually the ultimate victory of God over sin, death, and the power of the devil. That victory is applied to you.

You are His, and you are free. Use that freedom to spread the Word. Stand up for what is right in the eyes of God however you can in your vocation. That includes your vocation as a citizen. When they call evil good, men women, a baby a parasitic growth, stand up and say no. When asked why, tell them about Jesus. It does not matter if you change their minds then and there or if they listen to you at all. Jesus died for them, too. They need to hear it. If they choose not to listen, it's on them. But if we choose not to say anything, it is on us. Repent. We see the result when we collectively remain silent. Repent and receive forgiveness. Then go out and stand up for those with no voice. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27 ESV)