Mark 14:53-65
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked.64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus the Same -Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Jesus was at first on trial before the high priest and the Sanhedrin...The high priest and Sanhedrin were not looking for the Truth, as they questioned Him...The high priest and Sanhedrin were only looking for any evidence that might convict Jesus, so they could put Him to death...
In this courtroom there were those who were called to be witnesses...Those witnesses were to tell the Sanhedrin the truth...They were to tell them what they had seen, what they had heard, and what they knew to be true...But the witnesses testified falsely against Him...And then another witness was called (by the high priest and Sanhedrin), who insisted that something different happened in regards to the first witnesses testimony...Yet, we know that the Sanhedrin were hand picking their own eyewitnesses...And even their statements did not agree with one another...What often seems like a simple solution that can lead us to what we believe and believe in can become confusing...There can be disagreement over Truth...Truth, this day, became a tangled mess of motive and slander and manipulation—so much so, that high priest and Sanhedrin did not have any evidence against the One they had on trial...Getting to the truth that we want can be very difficult...Truth is just that, the Truth...
It seems nothing got accomplished this day, when Jesus was before them and their court...But when you are not searching for the Truth, and are just looking for evil and bad things, this type of thing can happen -nothing gets accomplished, and negative things can happen...The high priest, the Sanhedrin, and the expert witnesses made little sense that day, and did not advance any case or evidence against Jesus...Their so called court found little evidence against Him and no truth...So the high priest would send Jesus on to Pilate...
Jesus spoke openly and honestly to the world...Jesus did a lot of His teachings in public...But to put Jesus on trial is a mockery...What is He guilty of?...And as one reads the gospels and all about the trials surrounding Him, we see and read the confusion and the change, and the fickleness of men trying God...It is very difficult for man to question Absolute Truth...It is very difficult for man to question One who has a Complete Understanding of everything...This Truth that has stood the test of time, and is the same -yesterday, today, and tomorrow...Let us fall to our knees and recognize it, as best we can...