Anchor My Faith

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Author: Stephen Weller
555 words, 3 minutes read time

Condemned To Die

Scripture: Matthew 26:66-68; Mark 14:64-65; Luke 22:63, 65

In the previous lesson, Jesus incriminates himself by not denying that he was the Son of God, and then further incriminates himself by saying that he was the Son of Man and will be seated at the right hand of Power and will return on the clouds of heaven. That statement causes the high priest to cry out “blasphemy” and seeks for a charge, which will be given in this lesson.

^{Mt 26:66} What is your judgment?” ^{Mk 14:64} And they all condemned him ^{Mt 26:66} They answered, “He deserves death.”

What Jesus said about himself being divine is either true or it is false and if it is false then he deserves death from the standpoint of Jewish Law. This is illustrated in Leviticus 24:10 – 16. Through our study we have seen again and again evidence that Jesus was who he said he was. He had control over storms and the raging sea, could create food to feed great multitudes, raise the dead, heal those born blind, and knew the thoughts of people. His ability to live a perfect life free from sin is something only the Son of Man could do. Before those judging him stands the Son of God as the Son of Man and being truth, he speaks truth and for that they condemn him to death.

^{Lk 22:63} Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. ^{Mk 14:65} And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him. ^{Mt 26:67} And some slapped him, ⁶⁸ saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?” ^{Lk 22:65} And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.

Those who were holding Jesus in custody were probably officers that were mentioned in Luke 22:4 and 52. These officers were probably the leaders of the temple police, rather than actual members of the Sanhedrin. They treated Jesus with disrespect by mocking him as they beat him. As they spit on him and covered his face and struck him and said many things against him, blaspheming him, I can’t help thinking about what it will be like for these men when it is their time to stand before him as judge at the great white throne. One can’t begin to imagine their agony and desire to be away from him at that time.

When they covered his face and then struck him and then asked him to identify who it was that struck him, they were demonstrating their disbelief in his prophetic gifts and thus their scorn for the claim he made to divinity in verse 64.

Conclusion

We come to the end of a section in which we see evil men create false charges against one they wanted to dispose of. Just as they did to Jesus they are doing it to his followers today in countries of persecution. Believers are being arrested today on false charges and imprisoned, tortured and even killed. As we watch events here in the US, we see this evil growing here and one day we may be called upon to also suffer for our faith. Will you be ready?