Matthew 26:57-68
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered.
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”
Jesus goes before the Sanhedrin... Caiaphas is the high priest, and presides over the Sanhedrin and the Jewish leaders...He, being the high priest, is in a way, the connection to God...But he does not, for some reason, realize who Jesus is...If he does realize, who he is, he certainly does not show us, what is right in being a high priest...
Peter follows Jesus, right up to the courtyard of the high priest...Peter entered and sat down with the guards, to see the outcome and what was going to happen to His Master...Peter, is trying hard, in doing his best to follow His Teacher...He later struggles with this...We at times try to follow Him also, and then later struggle...
The chief priests were looking for false evidence against Jesus...But there could be no false evidences against Him, because He is the Truth...But there were many false witnesses, who did come forward...
The high priest asks Jesus about destroying the temple and rebuilding it in three days...He is, of course, talking about His death, and then His resurrection, which would take place, three days later..Then the high priest ask, if He is the Son of God, and if He is the Messiah...Jesus says to the group of Jewish leaders, "You have said so, and in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."...With this the high priest tore his clothes and told Jesus, He has spoken blasphemy...Some spit in His face and others struck Him with their fists...Still others slapped Him and asked Him to prophesy as to the one who actually hit Him...
Jesus was not given justice here...How could we as men expect, now and in the future, anything better justice from man...I this educated, trained, and knowledgeable Jewish leaders give this kind of justice to the Son of our Living God...After all they would, or should know more about God, than anyone on earth at this time...
Yet, we must do our best to denounce these kind of things, and yet be able to forgive as Jesus teaches...This is so difficult, to love thy enemy...In His great wisdom and divinity, Jesus knows the high priest and the Jewish leaders did not know what they were doing, and even if He does, He forgives...Jesus has taken this cup of suffering for us and everyone...He is filled with love and grace, and has the ability to forgive those, even in the most trying of circumstances...