johnjewishtrial

John 18:12-27

12 Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.

13 And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.

14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.

16 But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.

17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this Man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."

18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

19 The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.

20 Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.

21 Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said."

22 And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?"

23 Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"

24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?"

He denied it and said, "I am not!"

26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?" 27 Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

When we come to the trial and crucifixion of Jesus there is much written in Matthew, Mark, and Luke that needs to be worked into our explanation of John’s Gospel.

In order to get a more complete idea of the events that are taking place, I am going to use “A HARMONY of the GOSPELS” by Mr. Loraine Boettner, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1977.

The book that I have has no statement of copyright restrictions. Unique to Mr. Boettner in all of his books by this same publisher is this statement:

“Any one is at liberty to use material from this book with or without credit. In preparing this book the writer received help from many sources, some acknowledged and many unacknowledged. He believes the material herein set forth to be a true statement of Scripture teaching, and his desire is to further, not to restrict its use.”

Mr. Boettner’s harmony takes all four gospels and arranges the verses in chronological order as the he believes them to be.

Now to bring all the events before us I will use Mr. Boettner’s harmony that brings together Matthew, Mark, and Luke with John.

The span of John 18:12-27 includes: the hearing before Annas, the two hearings before Caiaphas, the denial of Jesus by Peter, and the despair and suicide of Judas.

There are two ways that the trial and crucifixion of Jesus may be understood.

Almost all of the portrayals that I have seen on film picture Jesus as the helpless victim. But the Bible gives us the correct understanding that Jesus willingly submitted Himself one time only into the hands of wicked and sinful men in order to accomplish an actual atonement for those who were given to Him by the Father before the world was.

Don’t ever lose sight of the fact that Jesus was in total control of all of these evil actions and words, yes, even the sins of these wicked men.

There is ever before us in the Bible the seeming tension between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man.

Nothing happens that is not directly under the control of God and yet God is not the sinner and man is fully responsible for his sins of thought and deed and unbelief.

On the day of Pentecost [Acts 2], Peter, now a converted man told the Jews that what they had done when they orchestrated the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth with the Roman government was in the eternal purpose and foreknowledge of God and yet they individually were guilty of the greatest evil act ever perpetrated. Acts 2 and many other places in the Bible show us that God’s eternal purpose is being fulfilled by using the wickedness of men.

The priests and Pharisees and scribes and the rabble mob did exactly what their wicked hearts led them to do and yet every action they took was in God’s redemptive purpose for those He purposed to save through this awful act of the deepest evil.

God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility cannot be fully explained but we are bound to accept the Word of God.

Someone asked Charles Spurgeon how he could reconcile God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility and his reply was, “You do not need to reconcile friends.”

Take the Acts 2 speech by Peter:

Acts 2:22-24

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know —

23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;

24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

And so we will look at these two trials and trust the Holy Spirit to impress on our hearts that Jesus was a willing Substitute suffering for the sins of the many.

The most important question for you and for me is, “Am I among the many for whom Christ died?”

Some preachers will tell you that Christ died for every member of the human race and it is God’s purpose to save everyone and that the very thing that will decide your eternal destiny is your “decision”. But that popular error that is preached in our day is not even close to what Jesus says in John Chapters 10 and 17.

Jesus gave His life for His sheep and He gives eternal life to as many as were given to Him by the Father.

Jesus was subjected to two trials, a Jewish trial and a Roman trial, and each trial had three hearings.

In the Jewish trial the charge against Jesus was blasphemy because Jesus said that He was the Messiah. In the Roman trial the charge was treason because Jesus said that He had a kingdom and therefore He would be a king.

John 18:12-27 covers the Jewish trial and we will look at it today as well as the other events that took place while it was going on.

John 18:28-40 deals with the Roman trial and if God is willing we will look at the Roman trial in the next message.

Today:

1. We will discuss Annas and Caiaphas.

2. Then we will look at Peter’s denial of Jesus.

3. Finally, we will briefly cover Judas’ despair and suicide.

For context I will read the harmony of the gospels that encompasses out text in John 18:12-27.

THE TRIAL BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN “The Jewish Trial.”

John 18:12-14, 19-24. Matthew 26:57-68. (Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:63-71)

John 18:12-14

12 So the band and the chief captain, and the officers of the Jews. seized Jesus and bound him,

13 and led him to Annas first ; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

14 Now Caiaphas was he that gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people . . .

We need to examine the office of high priest as it existed at this time, the Sanhedrin, and the significance of Caiaphas’ prophecy.

Under the Law of Moses the high priest was appointed for life. The Jews insisted that they followed Moses, while they violated every precept of law in order to pursue their wicked designs to get rid of Jesus.

Under the rule of the Roman Empire, the Roman government indulged the Jews by allowing them some freedom to follow their own law, but the power and strength of the office of high priest was compromised because the Romans appointed the high priest.

Thus we have Caiaphas, a Roman appointee, and Annas who was Caiaphas’ father in law both referred to as high priests. There can be only one high priest under the Jewish law and Annas was regarded by the Jews as the legitimate high priest.

Annas was the high priest from AD 7-14 and he was able to establish a dynasty. His son, Eleazar, followed Annas in AD 16. His son in law, Caiaphas, appointed by the Romans, was high priest from AD 18-36. After Caiaphas four more of Annas’ sons were high priests until AD 62.

This Jewish trial was a mockery of justice on every level.

Just to mention a few violations of the Law of Moses: The Jews had no real power to execute a sentence of death. Capital offense trials were never allowed to be held at night. A witness could not be forced to testify against himself. These wicked men were so filled with hatred for Jesus that the requirements of their law did not matter as long as they could murder Jesus.

In John’s Gospel the phrase “the Jews” usually means the Jewish council or the Sanhedrin. This Jewish trial was held before the Sanhedrin.

[SAN hee drun] (a council or assembly) - the highest ruling body and court of justice among the Jewish people in the time of Jesus. Headed by the high priest of Israel, the Sanhedrin was granted limited authority over certain religious, civil, and criminal matters by the foreign nations that dominated the land of Israel at various times in its history. The Sanhedrin was exercising this limited power when it charged Jesus with the crime of blasphemy but then sent him to Pilate, the Roman official, for a formal trial and sentencing.

The word Sanhedrin is not found in the NKJV; instead the word council is used. Usually the assembly itself is meant, although the word may also refer to the assembly meeting (John 11:47) or to the place where the assembly met (Luke 22:66; Acts 4:15). The same word is also used for smaller, local courts of justice (Matt 10:17; Mark 13:9). The Sanhedrin is also implied in Bible passages that mention a meeting of the various groups which made up the council: the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes (Mark 14:53-55). Sometimes some of the members of the Sanhedrin are simply called rulers (Luke 24:20; Acts 4:5).

The Sanhedrin had 71 members. The New Testament mentions some of them by name: Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:43), Gamaliel (Acts 5:34), Nicodemus (John 3:1; 7:50), the high priests Annas and Caiaphas (Luke 3:2) and Ananias (Acts 23:2). The high priest was always president of the Sanhedrin.

The Jewish trial and the Roman trial each had three hearings or phases.

Following an outline by Ray Summers, “Behold the Lamb,” we have:

The Jewish trial’s three phases:

1. The hearing before Annas [John 18:12-24].

2. All four gospels give a hearing before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, though John has only a statement that there was such a hearing; he gives no details.

[Mark 14:53-65; Matthew 26:57-68; Luke 22:54-65; John 18:24]

3. Matthew, Mark, and Luke record a second hearing before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin after dawn on the day of the crucifixion.

[Mark 15:1; Matthew 27:1; Luke 22:66-71]

The Roman trial’s three phases:

1. All four gospels report the hearing before Pilate.

[Mark 15:1-5; Matthew 27:2, 11-14; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-38]

2. Only Luke reports that the hearing before Pilate was interrupted by Pilate sending Jesus to be tried by Herod Antipas. [Luke 23:6-12]

3. All four gospels contain the remainder of the hearing before Pilate; in fact, apart from Luke’s account of the interruption, the Gospels have one lengthy hearing before Pilate. That hearing is the main feature of John’s account.

[Mark 15:6-15; Matthew 27:15-26; Luke 23:13-25; John 18:39 to 19:16]

Now back to the narrative:

John 18:14 reminds us that Caiaphas spoke prophetically back in chapter 11.

After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead the Jews became panicked at the popularity of Jesus.

John 11:45-53

45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.

46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.

47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.

48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."

49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all,

50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish."

51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,

52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.

The power of a wrong interpretation of the OT prophets is made plain. The Jewish interpretation, still popular in our day, was that the Messiah would set up a Kingdom on this evil earth and reign as King and restore the Jews to their prominence in the world.

Thus the Jews were afraid that the popularity of Jesus would result in the establishment of a literal kingdom and that the Roman government would step in and the Jews would lose their place and nation.

And so Caiaphas speaks the truth that it is expedient for Jesus to die in order to save them. But Jesus did not die to save them as Jews, but He died to save everyone who will believe in Him, Jew and Gentile.

Caiaphas was under the control of the Holy Spirit and yet Caiaphas was a lost man.

For the sake of explanation I will skip to verses 19 to 24 that deal with the Jewish trial and then come back to verses 15-18 and 25-27 that are about Peter’s denial of Jesus.

19 The high priest therefore asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his teaching.

20 Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I ever taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together ; and in secret spake I nothing.

21 Why askest thou me? ask them that have heard me, what I spake unto them : behold, these know the things which I said.

22 And when he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil : but if well, why smitest thou me?

24 Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

The hearing before Annas.

John 18:19 The high priest therefore asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his teaching.

Annas seems to be asking a harmless question. “Just tell us something about your disciples and what You have been teaching.”

But Annas’ motive was to frame a charge against Jesus as a disturber of the peace and that He was some sort of revolutionary leader against the Romans.

What about His disciples? Were they a secret band of men, a subversive society set on revolting against Rome?

What about His doctrine? What did He mean by a “Kingdom of Heaven”? Was He planning to set up a kingdom? Was He claiming to be the Messiah that would come and rule on earth? What about the crowds that greeted Him when He entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey? Annas knew what Zechariah had prophesied.

Tell us, Jesus of Nazareth, what are you up to?

But Jesus knew the heart of Annas and the craftiness of his inquiry.

I never stop being amazed at how the most religious men on the face of the earth do not know God! Anything like that seen today?

Jesus was careful not to mention His disciples and spoke only of Himself.

20 Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I ever taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and in secret spake I nothing.

21 Why askest thou me? ask them that have heard me, what I spake unto them : behold, these know the things which I said.

There have been no secret doctrines, no plots to revolt, no mention of revolution against Rome, nothing had ever been said that was not spoken openly. Why do you ask Me? Ask these standing here; they know what I have taught.

This hearing was completely unjust under the Law and Jesus in one scathing rebuke takes away the feigned ignorance of this evil man and exposed him for what he was.

Annas is silenced and knew that he had failed in his plot to trap Jesus.

And then began the indignity and physical abuses to which our Lord had willingly submitted Himself.

22 And when he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

Here is an example of a “flunky” who will do anything to get the favor of his superiors.

Later in the Roman trial Jesus did not respond to the mocking and spitting and beating but on this one occasion He quietly says, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?”

Jesus is rebuking the flunky and the court. No one has the right to take the law into his own hands, much less a servant of the court.

Remember that Jesus had taught in the great Sermon on the Mount, “I say unto you resist not evil; but whoever shall smite you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

Jesus did not literally turn the other cheek. In His response Jesus was revealing to the man his true condition with the possibility that he might be granted repentance.

What if we could respond to injury without taking personal offense? Jesus is clearly being wronged but He is still willing to show the man and the court the error of their actions.

Annas has utterly failed; to continue now would cause Annas more harm than the "prisoner." Annas doesn't answer Christ nor rebuke the one who struck Him.

24 Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

Hearings 2 & 3 before Caiaphas:

2. All four gospels give a hearing before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, though John has only a statement that there was such a hearing; he gives no details.

[Mark 14:53-65; Matthew 26:57-68; Luke 22:54-65; John 18:24]

3. Matthew, Mark, and Luke record a second hearing before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin after dawn on the day of the crucifixion.

[Mark 15:1; Matthew 27:1; Luke 22:66-71]

Matthew 26:57-68.

57 And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.

58 But Peter followed him afar off, unto the court of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the officers, to see the end (and was warming himself in the light of the fire - Mark 14:54).

59 Now the chief priests and the whole counsel sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death;

60 and they found it not, though many false witnesses came (and their witness agreed not together – Mark 14:56). But afterward came two,

61 and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. (And not even so did their witness agree together – Mark 14:59).

62 And the high priest stood up, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God.

64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said : nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.

65 Then the high priest rent his garments, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy: what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy :

66 what think ye? They answered and said, He is worthy of death.

67 Then did they spit in his face and buffet him: and some smote him with the palms of their hands,

68 saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ : who is he that struck thee?

(63And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and beat him. 64 And they blindfolded him, and asked him, saying, Prophesy : who is he that struck thee? 65 And many other things spake they against him, reviling him – Luke 22:63-65).

There are many violations of the Jewish law in this mock trial:

No trial for one's life was allowed at night.

The arrest was bribed with blood money.

The defendant is asked to incriminate himself.

A capital judgment must be announced one day after conviction.

The point is that this is no real trial; it is murder, not justice; just more humiliation as the innocent Lamb of God suffers what each one of us deserves.

Thus the Jewish trial is over and the Jews have their case to present to Pilate.

Peter’s Denial of Jesus

While the Jewish Trial was being conducted Peter was engaged in a losing struggle with courage for which he would be forgiven but for which he would never forget.

Remember Peter’s boast of courage and the Lord’s prophecy of Peter’s denial. How this prophecy must have confused Peter. There no doubt that under certain circumstances that Peter would have passed the test. Was Peter not brave when he tried to lop off the head of the high priest’s servant? Peter attacks in the face of an army of armed men.

John 13:36-38

36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?"

Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward."

37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake."

38 Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

Now let’s look at John 18:15-18 and 18:25-27 that are about Peter’s denial of Jesus and follow the harmony to get all of the details..

PETER'S THREE DENIALS Luke 22:55-62.

(Matthew 26:69.75; Mark 14:66-72; John 18:15-18; 25-27)

[And now the harmony works around Luke’s Gospel.]

(15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known unto the high priest, and entered in with Jesus into the court of the high priest; 16 but Peter was the door without. So the other disciple, who was known unto the high priest, went out and spake unto her that kept the door and brought in Peter – John 18:15-16). 55 And when they had kindled a fire in of the court (for it was cold – John 18:18), and had sat down together, Peter sat in the midst of them. 56 And a certain maid (that kept the door – John 18:17) seeing him as he sat in the light of the fire, and looking steadfastly upon him, said, This man also was with him (with Jesus the Galilean – Matthew 26:69). 57 But he denied, saying. Woman, I know him not (I know, nor understand what thou sayest: and he went out into the porch; and the cock crew – Mark 14:68). 58 And after a little while another saw him and said, Thou also art one of them. But Peter said, Man I am not (denied with an oath, I know not the man –Matthew 26:72). 59 And after the space of about one hour another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean (after a while they that stood by came and said to Peter, Of a truth thou art one of them; for thy speech maketh thee known – Matthew 26:73). (One of the servants of the high priest, being a kinsman of him whose ear Peter off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? – John 18:26) 60 But Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest (began to curse, and to swear, I know not this man of whom ye speak – Mark 14:71). And immediately, while yet spake, the cock crew. 61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said unto him, Before the cock crow (twice – Mark 14:72) this day thou shalt deny me thrice. 62 And (when he thought thereon – Mark 14:72) he went out, and wept bitterly.

Peter does not deny that Jesus is the Christ or the Son of God, but he does deny that he is a disciple. But don't we do the same thing when our actions are inconsistent with our profession?

Have there not been times when we are in a group of people and we sense that we should speak up and honor Jesus and we remain silent?

Peter was warming himself at the fire and pretending to be among those who had arrested Jesus. The servant girl had admitted him and John. John had gone off to one side. The girl could sympathize with the concern of Jesus' disciples, but she could not bear Peter acting like he belonged with the others, so she challenges him. Peter was prepared to brave it out if arrested, but he was not ready to be challenged by a servant girl. How like our own trials - little things.

While Peter is shaming himself, an act for which he will genuinely repent of, and for which he will be forgiven, we have Judas carrying back the blood money and asking the wrong persons for forgiveness.

Peter denied Jesus and repented.

Judas betrayed Jesus and could not repent.

When you can see the difference in these two men you will have begun to see the meaning of the grace of God.

1 Corinthians 4:7

For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

THE DESPAIR AND SUICIDE OF JUDAS

Matthew 27:3-10. Acts 1:18-20, 25.

John 18:2 “And Judas who betrayed Him….”

Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou to it. 5 And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. 6 And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood. 7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. 8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was priced, whom certain of the children of Israel did price; 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

Acts 1:18-20, 25. 18 Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem, insomuch that in their language that field was called Akeldema, that is, The field of blood. 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms,

Let his habitation be made desolate, And let no man dwell therein :

and, His office let another take . . . . (Matthias was later chosen) 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.

This study has taken us through the Jewish trial, Peter’s denial of Jesus, and the despair and suicide of Judas.

Several things that I believe we need to keep in mind are:

Jesus was a willing victim and He was in complete control of everything that was said and done.

Peter is an example of the foolishness of boasting of our courage. We will only have dying grace if it pleases the Lord to give it to us.

Judas followed his evil heart to the end. Judas was a thief and a hypocrite while living with the Lord of glory for over three years. Judas knew the facts of the gospel message without having the truth of the gospel in his heart.

Grace, Grace. Grace!

Amen